The retail giant has been a top performer this year even as the coronavirus pandemic led to a market crash in March. Amazon stood out early in the crisis as a stock to buy as consumers stockpiled their pantries with essentials and opted for online shopping. That led to more and more demand at Amazon -- so much that in March and April Amazon hired at least 175,000 people to work in order fulfillment and delivery.
At the same time, Amazon Web Services (AWS), the company's cloud-computing business, saw demand linked to the outbreak as well. For instance, the World Health Organization used AWS to compile epidemiological data from countries, while England's National Health Service used AWS in the analysis of hospital occupancy and emergency room capacity.