Amazon Stock Is the Coca-Cola of Cloud Computing

Soft-drink giant Coca-Cola (NYSE: KO) always faced a plethora of rivals, but none of them could match Coke's incredible brand power. E-commerce veteran Amazon.com (NASDAQ: AMZN) has carved out a similar space for itself in the booming market for cloud computing services. Amazon Web Services is the first name on everybody's lips in that sector.

"You can't beat the real thing," which is exactly what Coke has been calling itself since 1969. The company backed that ambitious slogans with a combination of classic beverage flavors and an unparalleled distribution network, and Coke investors have enjoyed "a Coke and a Smile" with market-beating returns. If you invested $10,000 in Coca-Cola in 1988, under the official tag line of "You can't beat the feeling," and reinvested your dividends in more Coke stock along the way, that investment would be worth $391,000 today: