Stocks to Watch: Amazon, Starbucks, Ford

NEW YORK -- Amazon.com , the online retailer, topped analysts' earnings estimates and said profit margins held steady.

Amazon's margins in the first quarter were 1.45%, in line with the fourth quarter's 1.5%.

Amazon posted earnings of 28 cents a share as revenue rose 34% to $13.2 billion, thanks in part to strong Kindle Fire sales.

Analysts expected Amazon to report earnings of 7 cents a share on revenue of $12.9 billion.

Amazon provided second-quarter revenue guidance, with the midpoint slightly below Wall Street estimates.

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Starbucks , the coffee seller, said fiscal second-quarter profit rose 18% and it raised its forecast for the year.

Starbucks said global same-store sales rose 7% in the period. Same-store sales in China and the Asia Pacific jumped 18%. Sales rose 8% in the Americas, but fell 1% in the region encompassing Europe, Middle East, Russia and Africa.

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Automaker Ford is expected by analysts before the bell Friday to report first-quarter earnings of 35 cents a share on revenue of $31.5 billion.

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Also reporting Friday before the opening bell are three Dow components: Chevron , Merck , and Procter & Gamble .

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Expedia , the online travel company, posted a first-quarter loss, but profit excluding certain costs in the period beat expectations.

Expedia posted adjusted profit of 26 cents a share; analysts were expecting earnings of 15 cents.

Revenue rose 12% to $816.5 million; analysts forecast revenue of $792.3 million.

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-- Written by Joseph Woelfel

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