Amazon.com Inc (AMZN)

[crudeoil24]

PHARMACY > "But part of the wide interest in an Amazon pharmacy is that the highly regulated drug business has never been particularly transparent. At best, U.S. drug pricing is complex; at worst, it's dysfunctional.

Those who are skeptical of Amazon's potential pharmacy entry have noted Amazon's difficulty breaking into highly regulated markets (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/is-amazon-serious-about-getting-into-pharmacy-this-analyst-isnt-so-sure-2017-06-19), including alcohol distribution in the U.S.

Industry leaders have brought up similar points. For one, CVS Health Corp. (CVS) Chief Executive Larry Merlo told Wall Street analysts in August that his industry was "highly regulated, so the barriers to entry are high."

CNBC, which first reported on Amazon's pharmacy plans in May (https://www.cnbc.com/2017/05/16/amazon-selling-drugs-pharamaceuticals.html), reported Friday that Amazon would make a decision before Thanksgiving. Given that time table, expect the question to crop up again this earnings season.