Google (Alphabet)
The largest ad business on earth: search ads, YouTube, and tools on both sides of the open-web ad market.
Mountain View, California, USA · founded 1998 · ads.google.com
GOOGL NASDAQ
What Google (Alphabet) does
Google sells ads on its own properties (Search, YouTube, Maps, Gmail, Play) and also runs the plumbing much of the rest of the internet uses: an ad server for publishers, an exchange where impressions are auctioned, and buying tools for advertisers. That makes it both a walled garden and the biggest single operator on the open web.
Because it sits on the buy side, the sell side and in the middle, regulators have focused on conflicts of interest. In April 2025 a US federal court found Google had illegally monopolised the publisher ad-server and ad-exchange markets (United States v. Google), with remedies handled in a separate phase. Whatever the outcome, Google's choices on cookies, auctions and fees ripple through the whole industry.
How it makes money
Mostly advertising: advertisers pay per click or impression on Search and YouTube, and Google keeps a take rate on ads it brokers for other publishers through AdSense, AdMob and Ad Manager. Cloud and subscriptions make up much of the rest.
Where it meets invalid traffic
Runs one of the biggest invalid traffic filtering operations in the world and refunds advertisers for detected invalid clicks; it has also been criticised by researchers for letting some invalid or made-for-advertising sites traffic through its partner networks.
Products
- Google Ads
- YouTube Ads
- Performance Max
- Google Ad Manager
- AdSense
- AdMob
- Display & Video 360
- Campaign Manager 360
- Google Analytics
Quarterly revenue
From SEC XBRL filings · latest quarter +24.2% year on yearQuarterly net income
| Fiscal year | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue | $257.6B | $282.8B | $307.4B | $350B | $402.8B |
| Net income | $76B | $60B | $73.8B | $100.1B | $132.2B |
| Diluted EPS | $5.61 | $4.56 | $5.80 | $8.04 | $10.81 |
Earnings, explained
Alphabet's Q2 revenue jumps 24% as Google Cloud surges 82%
Alphabet reported Q2 2026 revenues of $119.8 billion, up 24% year-over-year, marking its 12th straight quarter of double-digit growth. Net income available to common stockholders soared 298% to $112.1 billion, with diluted EPS rising 294% to $9.11. Google Cloud revenues accelerated by 82% to $24.8 billion, while Google Services revenues climbed 15% to $94.5 billion. The company also reported a net gain of $98.0 billion in other income, mainly from unrealized gains on equity securities.
These results highlight Alphabet's strong momentum, especially in AI-driven cloud services and core advertising. The surge in profit and revenue suggests robust demand for Google's AI and cloud offerings, reflecting broader strength in digital advertising and enterprise tech adoption.
Latest Google (Alphabet) news
Search allYext to Acquire Flamel.ai, Expanding Into Localized Paid Media Campaigns
Yext has signed an agreement to acquire Flamel.ai, a company specializing in localized paid ad campaigns across platforms like Google, Meta, and ChatGPT. The move aims to provide multi-location brands with a unified platform for managing…
NYSE Suspends Getty Images Trading Amid Debt Crisis and Falling Share Price
The New York Stock Exchange has halted trading of Getty Images after its share price dropped to 12 cents and $1.47 billion in debt became due. The situation highlights financial instability at the company. The excerpt also notes Google…
Google Tests Pay-Per-Value Model for Publishers; Twitch Launches New AI Tool
Google is piloting a pay-per-value program that aims to better align publisher compensation with the value they deliver. Meanwhile, Twitch has introduced a new AI technology, though concerns are raised about its cautious approach and…
Google Pays Select Publishers for AI-Generated Answers, Payouts Vary Widely
Google is compensating around 100 publishers for allowing their content to be used in AI-generated answers. Most small and midsize sites in the pilot program receive less than $1,000, while at least one larger publisher reportedly earns…
Google AI Overviews Now Appearing for Major Brand Name Searches
Google's AI Overviews feature is now being displayed for searches involving many large brand names. This update means that users searching for well-known brands may see AI-generated summaries at the top of their search results.
Google AI Pilot Pays Publishers 0.1% of Ad Revenues for Content Contributions
Google has launched a pilot program where publishers receive one-tenth of 1% of advertising revenues in exchange for allowing their content to be used in AI products. The initiative aims to compensate publishers for their contributions to…
Runway Launches AI Agent for Cross-Platform Ad Creation and Measurement
Runway, a startup valued at $5.3 billion, has introduced an AI-powered agent designed to create, adapt, and analyze advertisements across major platforms including Meta, Google, and TikTok. The tool aims to streamline ad production and…
Google Tests AI Contribution Pilot, Sharing 0.1% Ad Revenue With 100 Publishers
Google has launched a pilot program involving around 100 publishers, offering them 0.1% of ad revenue in exchange for their participation in an AI-related initiative. The details of the program suggest Google is experimenting with new ways…
Magnite Stock Rises as Google Ad-Tech Changes Lead to Price Target Increase
Magnite's stock is set for another month of gains following a boost in its price target. The positive outlook is linked to recent changes in Google's advertising technology, which are expected to create new growth opportunities for Magnite.
Google Shifts Search Experience Toward Conversational AI Answers
Google has announced a major update to its search platform, moving away from traditional blue links to a conversational AI-driven answer box. This change, highlighted at the company's I/O summit, signals a fundamental shift in how users…
SEC filings
EDGAR| Filed | Form | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-08-10 | 8-K | Other events · Financial statements and exhibits |
| 2026-07-23 | 10-Q | Quarterly report |
| 2026-07-22 | 8-K | Results of operations (earnings) · Financial statements and exhibits |
| 2026-06-11 | 8-K | Executive or director change · Shareholder vote · Financial statements and exhibits |
| 2026-06-05 | 8-K | Executive or director change |
| 2026-06-05 | 8-K | Material agreement · Item 3.03 · Item 5.03 · Financial statements and exhibits |
| 2026-06-04 | 8-K | Material agreement · Regulation FD disclosure · Other events · Financial statements and exhibits |
| 2026-05-21 | 8-K | Other events · Financial statements and exhibits |
| 2026-05-11 | 8-K | Other events · Financial statements and exhibits |
| 2026-04-30 | 10-Q | Quarterly report |
| 2026-04-29 | 8-K | Results of operations (earnings) · Financial statements and exhibits |
| 2026-04-24 | DEF 14A | DEFINITIVE PROXY STATEMENT |
| 2026-04-10 | 8-K | Executive or director change |
| 2026-04-02 | 8-K | Executive or director change |
| 2026-03-06 | 8-K | Executive or director change |
| 2026-02-13 | 8-K | Other events · Financial statements and exhibits |
| 2026-02-05 | 10-K | Annual report |
| 2026-02-04 | 8-K | Results of operations (earnings) · Financial statements and exhibits |