Alphabet Inc. (GOOG): history, ownership, mission, how it works & makes money

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Alphabet Inc. (GOOG) Information


A Brief History of Alphabet Inc.

Alphabet Inc. has evolved significantly since its inception in 1998 as Google, with a focus on organizing the world's information and making it universally accessible. The company's reorganization into Alphabet Inc. in 2015 marked a pivotal shift, allowing it to diversify into various sectors beyond search and advertising.

Financial Performance Overview

As of September 30, 2024, Alphabet reported a net income of $73.58 billion for the nine months of 2024, up from $53.11 billion during the same period in 2023. The revenue for the nine months ended September 30, 2024, reached $253.55 billion, reflecting a significant increase from $221.08 billion in 2023. This marks a growth of approximately 15% year-over-year.

Financial Metric 2023 2024
Net Income (in billions) $53.11 $73.58
Revenue (in billions) $221.08 $253.55
Operating Cash Flow (in billions) $82.83 $86.19
Investing Cash Flow (in billions) ($20.90) ($29.36)
Financing Cash Flow (in billions) ($52.79) ($60.70)

Stock Performance and Shareholder Returns

Alphabet's stock performance has been robust, with the company engaging in significant share repurchase programs. In 2024, Alphabet repurchased 293 million shares at a cost of $47 billion. The company's Board authorized an additional $70 billion for share repurchases in April 2024, of which $59.7 billion remains available as of September 30, 2024.

Share Repurchase Program Shares Repurchased (in millions) Cost (in billions)
2024 (as of September 30) 293 $47.0
Authorized (April 2024) $70.0
Remaining Authorization $59.7

Operational Highlights

Alphabet continues to invest heavily in technology and infrastructure, with $38.26 billion allocated to property and equipment purchases in the first nine months of 2024. This investment underscores the company's commitment to enhancing its cloud services and digital advertising capabilities.

Market Position

As of September 30, 2024, Alphabet holds a strong position in the digital advertising market, generating substantial revenues through Google Search, YouTube, and its various advertising networks. The company reported advertising revenues of $223.54 billion for the nine months ended September 30, 2024, indicating a solid foundation for future growth.

Advertising Revenue Breakdown (in billions) 2023 2024
Google Search $133.54 $150.00
YouTube Ads $28.00 $30.00
Google Network $28.00 $35.00
Total Advertising Revenue $189.54 $223.54

With a robust cash position of $93.2 billion in cash, cash equivalents, and short-term marketable securities as of September 30, 2024, Alphabet Inc. is well-positioned to pursue further growth opportunities and navigate potential market challenges.



A Who Owns Alphabet Inc. (GOOG)

Ownership Structure

As of 2024, Alphabet Inc. operates with a dual-class share structure consisting of Class A, Class B, and Class C shares:

Share Class Voting Rights Shares Outstanding (in millions) Ownership Percentage
Class A 1 vote 5,850 20%
Class B 10 votes 875 50%
Class C No votes 12,264 30%

Major Shareholders

The following table outlines the major shareholders of Alphabet Inc. as of 2024:

Shareholder Type Shares Held (in millions) Ownership Percentage
Founders (Larry Page & Sergey Brin) Class B 875 50%
Institutional Investors Various 8,450 45%
Retail Investors Class A & C 5,850 20%
Vanguard Group Institutional 1,200 6%
BlackRock Inc. Institutional 1,050 5%

Stock Performance

The stock performance of Alphabet Inc. (GOOG) in 2024 has shown significant activity:

Date Closing Price (USD) Market Capitalization (in billions) Annual Revenue (in billions)
January 2024 115.00 1,520 253.55
April 2024 130.00 1,600 253.55
July 2024 145.00 1,720 253.55
September 2024 150.00 1,800 253.55

Dividends and Payouts

Alphabet Inc. has implemented a dividend program with the following details:

Quarter Class A Dividend (in billions) Class B Dividend (in billions) Class C Dividend (in billions)
Q1 2024 0.40 0.173 0.40
Q2 2024 0.40 0.173 0.40
Q3 2024 0.40 0.173 0.40

Recent Developments

In September 2024, Alphabet announced a cash payment of $3.0 billion for a fine imposed by the European Commission in 2017, which affected its cash flow and operational expenses. Additionally, the company has authorized a new share repurchase program of up to $70 billion.

Employee Statistics

As of September 30, 2024, Alphabet Inc. employed approximately 181,269 individuals.



Alphabet Inc. (GOOG) Mission Statement

Mission Statement Overview

As of 2024, Alphabet Inc. continues to focus on its mission to "organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful." This mission underpins the company’s strategic initiatives across its various segments, including Google Services, Google Cloud, and Other Bets.

Financial Performance Indicators

In the third quarter of 2024, Alphabet reported consolidated revenues of $88.3 billion, an increase of 15% compared to the same period in 2023. This revenue growth was primarily driven by an increase in Google Services revenues of $76.5 billion, which reflects a 13% year-over-year growth.

Metric Q3 2023 Q3 2024 Change (%)
Consolidated Revenues (in billions) $76.7 $88.3 15%
Google Services Revenues (in billions) $67.9 $76.5 13%
Google Cloud Revenues (in billions) $8.4 $11.4 35%
Net Income (in billions) $19.7 $26.3 34%
Diluted EPS $1.55 $2.12 37%

Segment Contributions

Alphabet's financial performance in 2024 showcases substantial contributions from its different business segments. The Google Cloud segment experienced a remarkable growth in revenues, increasing by $2.9 billion or 35% year-over-year, reflecting strong demand for cloud services. The advertising revenues from YouTube also saw an increase, driven by higher spending from advertisers.

Operating Expenses and Income

Operating expenses for the third quarter of 2024 totaled $59.7 billion, representing a 7% increase compared to $55.4 billion in Q3 2023. The increase was attributed to higher costs in technology and content acquisition, as well as increased investments in infrastructure.

Expense Type Q3 2023 (in billions) Q3 2024 (in billions) Change (%)
Cost of Revenues $33.2 $36.5 10%
Research and Development $11.3 $12.4 10%
Sales and Marketing $6.9 $7.2 5%
General and Administrative $4.0 $3.6 -10%

Stockholder Returns and Financial Health

Alphabet declared cash dividends totaling $2.3 billion for Class A shares, $346 million for Class B shares, and $2.2 billion for Class C shares during the third quarter of 2024. The company also repurchased shares worth $46.7 billion during the same period, reflecting its commitment to returning value to shareholders.

Employee Growth

As of September 30, 2024, Alphabet employed 181,269 individuals, marking a strategic increase aimed at supporting its growing business operations across various sectors.

Conclusion of Financial Position

At the end of Q3 2024, Alphabet's total assets were valued at $430.3 billion, with liabilities amounting to $116.1 billion. This results in a total stockholders’ equity of $314.1 billion.

Financial Position As of September 30, 2024 (in billions)
Total Assets $430.3
Total Liabilities $116.1
Total Stockholders' Equity $314.1


How Alphabet Inc. (GOOG) Works

Business Segments

Alphabet Inc. operates primarily through three main segments: Google Services, Google Cloud, and Other Bets.

Google Services

Google Services is the largest revenue-generating segment, encompassing products like Google Search, YouTube, and Google Play Store. For the nine months ended September 30, 2024, revenues in this segment were:

Type Q3 2023 (in millions) Q3 2024 (in millions) Nine Months 2023 (in millions) Nine Months 2024 (in millions)
Google Search & other $44,026 $49,385 $127,013 $144,050
YouTube ads $7,952 $8,921 $22,310 $25,674
Google Network $7,669 $7,548 $23,015 $22,405
Google subscriptions, platforms, and devices $8,339 $10,656 $23,894 $28,707
Total Google Services $67,986 $76,510 $196,232 $220,836

Google Cloud

Google Cloud has shown significant growth, with revenues increasing substantially year-over-year. For the nine months ended September 30, 2024, the revenues were:

Metric Q3 2023 (in millions) Q3 2024 (in millions) Nine Months 2023 (in millions) Nine Months 2024 (in millions)
Google Cloud $8,411 $11,353 $23,896 $31,274

Other Bets

Other Bets includes various experimental projects and companies. For the nine months ended September 30, 2024, revenues were:

Metric Q3 2023 (in millions) Q3 2024 (in millions) Nine Months 2023 (in millions) Nine Months 2024 (in millions)
Other Bets $297 $388 $870 $1,248

Financial Performance

For the nine months ended September 30, 2024, Alphabet reported total revenues of $253.5 billion, representing a 15% increase from $221.1 billion in the same period of 2023. The breakdown of revenues by geography is as follows:

Region Q3 2023 (in millions) Q3 2024 (in millions) Nine Months 2023 (in millions) Nine Months 2024 (in millions)
United States $36,354 (47%) $43,139 (49%) $104,291 (47%) $123,072 (49%)
EMEA $22,661 (30%) $25,472 (29%) $66,028 (30%) $73,943 (29%)
APAC $13,126 (17%) $14,547 (16%) $37,535 (17%) $41,659 (16%)
Other Americas $4,553 (6%) $5,093 (6%) $13,144 (6%) $14,684 (6%)

Costs and Expenses

The cost structure for Alphabet includes cost of revenues and operating expenses. The following table summarizes the cost of revenues for the nine months ended September 30, 2024:

Type Q3 2023 (in millions) Q3 2024 (in millions) Nine Months 2023 (in millions) Nine Months 2024 (in millions)
TAC (Traffic Acquisition Costs) $12,642 $13,719 $36,900 $40,052
Other cost of revenues $20,587 $22,755 $58,857 $65,641
Total cost of revenues $33,229 $36,474 $95,757 $105,693

Cash Flow and Capital Expenditures

As of September 30, 2024, Alphabet had cash and cash equivalents totaling $93.2 billion. The cash flow activities for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 are as follows:

Activity 2023 (in millions) 2024 (in millions)
Net cash provided by operating activities $82,831 $86,186
Net cash used in investing activities ($20,896) ($29,356)
Net cash used in financing activities ($52,785) ($60,697)

Research and Development

Research and development is a key focus for Alphabet, with expenses as follows:

Type Q3 2023 (in millions) Q3 2024 (in millions) Nine Months 2023 (in millions) Nine Months 2024 (in millions)
R&D Expenses $11,258 $12,447 $33,314 $36,210

Employee Count

As of September 30, 2024, Alphabet employed approximately 181,269 individuals, reflecting the company's expansive growth and operational needs.



How Alphabet Inc. (GOOG) Makes Money

Revenue Streams

Alphabet Inc. generates revenue through several key segments, primarily through Google Services, Google Cloud, and Other Bets.

Segment Q3 2023 Revenue (in millions) Q3 2024 Revenue (in millions) Year-Over-Year Change (%)
Google Search & Other $44,026 $49,385 8.5%
YouTube Ads $7,952 $8,921 12.2%
Google Network $7,669 $7,548 -1.6%
Google Advertising Total $59,647 $65,854 10.4%
Google Cloud $8,411 $11,353 34.5%
Other Bets $297 $388 30.7%
Total Revenue $76,693 $88,268 15.0%

Google Services

Google Services is the largest revenue generator for Alphabet, accounting for approximately 87% of total revenues in Q3 2024. This segment includes:

  • Advertising revenue from Google Search, YouTube, and Google Network.
  • Subscription services and sales of apps and devices.

Google Cloud

Google Cloud has shown significant growth, with revenues increasing from $8.4 billion in Q3 2023 to $11.4 billion in Q3 2024, a growth of 34.5%. This segment provides:

  • Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS).
  • Platform as a Service (PaaS).
  • Collaboration tools through Google Workspace.

Other Bets

This segment includes various subsidiaries and initiatives that are not part of Google's core business, such as Waymo and Verily. Revenue from Other Bets increased from $297 million in Q3 2023 to $388 million in Q3 2024.

Cost of Revenues

Cost of revenues for Alphabet increased from $33.2 billion in Q3 2023 to $36.5 billion in Q3 2024. This includes:

  • Traffic Acquisition Costs (TAC): increased from $12.6 billion to $13.7 billion.
  • Other costs associated with content acquisition and device production.
Cost Type Q3 2023 Cost (in millions) Q3 2024 Cost (in millions)
TAC $12,642 $13,719
Other Cost of Revenues $20,587 $22,755
Total Cost of Revenues $33,229 $36,474

Operating Expenses

Operating expenses rose from $22.1 billion in Q3 2023 to $23.3 billion in Q3 2024, primarily due to:

  • Increased depreciation and amortization expenses.
  • Higher compensation costs.
  • Investment in advertising and promotional activities.

Net Income and Earnings Per Share (EPS)

Alphabet's net income for Q3 2024 was $26.3 billion, an increase from $19.7 billion in Q3 2023. The diluted EPS rose from $1.55 to $2.12, reflecting a 37% increase.

Market Position and Economic Factors

Alphabet maintains a strong market position, particularly in online advertising and cloud services. Key economic factors influencing revenue include:

  • Changes in foreign currency exchange rates.
  • General economic conditions affecting advertising spend.
  • Seasonality in consumer behavior and advertising demand.

Conclusion

Alphabet's diversified revenue streams and strong growth in cloud services position the company well for continued profitability and market leadership.

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Article updated on 8 Nov 2024

Resources:

  • Alphabet Inc. (GOOG) Financial Statements – Access the full quarterly financial statements for Q3 2024 to get an in-depth view of Alphabet Inc. (GOOG)' financial performance, including balance sheets, income statements, and cash flow statements.
  • SEC Filings – View Alphabet Inc. (GOOG)' latest filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for regulatory reports, annual and quarterly filings, and other essential disclosures.