Can somebody explain how Amazon could buy them if Capital One's total assests are worth $334 billion? Presumably the valuation would be some multiple of that. Amazon doesn't have enough liquid cash, so how would they do it?
By comparison, Amazon's market cap is around $400 billion.
Ironically, they both seem to make around the same amount of money.
Many companies have fixed capital assets worth less than the company, because they've financed those assets with debt, which would have to be acquired or repaid at the time of the company's sale. Some companies have close to no fixed assets but are worth much from their prestige or ability to execute. Some companies have secondary liabilities that are worth much more than their assets - See Yahoo, who were at one point worth less than the valuation of their holding in Alibaba.
Buyouts are rarely done in cash. They're often done in financing, with several banks lending money to the company to cover the total purchase price. They're also frequently done in stock, where the buying company gives the acquired company shares in the buyer equal to the value of the acquired - Either by issuing new stock, or by simply buying up the old, or some combination of the two.
It's very interesting that you thought I raised five questions, when my intention was to actually clarify my single question :)