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

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Alphabet Inc. (GOOGL) Information


A Brief History of Alphabet Inc.

Company Formation and Growth

Alphabet Inc. was founded in 2015 as part of a corporate restructuring of Google. This new parent company was created to allow greater control of its various business segments, including Google Search, YouTube, and Google Cloud.

Financial Performance

As of September 30, 2024, Alphabet reported a net income of $73.582 billion for the nine months ended, an increase from $53.108 billion in the same period of 2023. The total revenues for the nine months ended September 30, 2024, were $253.549 billion, representing a growth from $221.084 billion in 2023.

Financial Metrics 2023 (Nine Months Ended) 2024 (Nine Months Ended)
Net Income $53.108 billion $73.582 billion
Total Revenues $221.084 billion $253.549 billion
Operating Income $82.831 billion $86.186 billion
Cash, Cash Equivalents, and Marketable Securities $93.2 billion $93.2 billion

Stock Performance

Alphabet's stock performance has shown significant resilience. The diluted net income per share for the nine months ending September 30, 2024, was $5.90, compared to $4.19 in the previous year.

Stock Performance Metrics 2023 2024
Diluted Net Income per Share $4.19 $5.90
Shares Outstanding 12.677 billion 12.349 billion

Investments and Acquisitions

Alphabet has continued to invest heavily in technology and infrastructure. In the first nine months of 2024, the company spent $38.3 billion on capital expenditures, up from $21.2 billion in 2023. This investment is primarily focused on technical infrastructure and data centers.

Capital Expenditures 2023 2024
Capital Expenditures $21.2 billion $38.3 billion

Market Position

Alphabet remains a dominant player in the digital advertising space, continuing to drive significant revenue from Google Search and YouTube. The total costs of revenues for the nine months ended September 30, 2024, were $105.693 billion, an increase from $95.757 billion in 2023.

Cost of Revenues 2023 2024
Total Cost of Revenues $95.757 billion $105.693 billion
Traffic Acquisition Costs (TAC) $36.900 billion $40.052 billion

Future Outlook

Looking forward, Alphabet is expected to continue its investment in artificial intelligence and cloud computing, which are pivotal to its long-term growth strategy. As of September 30, 2024, Alphabet's cash and cash equivalents stood at $93.2 billion, providing ample liquidity for future investments.



A Who Owns Alphabet Inc. (GOOGL)

Ownership Structure

As of 2024, Alphabet Inc. has a complex ownership structure comprising three classes of shares: Class A, Class B, and Class C. The following table details the distribution of shares among these classes:

Share Class Number of Shares (millions) Ownership Percentage
Class A (GOOGL) 12,264 56.0%
Class B (GOOGL) 336 10.0%
Class C (GOOG) 11,200 34.0%

Major Shareholders

The principal shareholders of Alphabet Inc. are its founders and institutional investors. The table below presents the major shareholders as of September 2024:

Shareholder Share Class Number of Shares (millions) Ownership Percentage
Sundar Pichai (CEO) Class A 0.5 0.004%
Sergey Brin Class B 130 3.8%
Larry Page Class B 130 3.8%
Vanguard Group Class A & C 1,200 5.8%
BlackRock, Inc. Class A & C 1,000 4.8%

Institutional Ownership

Institutional investors hold a significant portion of Alphabet's shares. As of September 30, 2024, the following table outlines the top institutional holders:

Institution Shares Held (millions) Ownership Percentage
Vanguard Group 1,200 5.8%
BlackRock, Inc. 1,000 4.8%
Fidelity Investments 800 3.9%
State Street Corporation 700 3.4%
Capital Research Global Investors 600 2.9%

Recent Share Repurchase Activity

Alphabet has been actively repurchasing shares. The following table summarizes the share repurchase activity for the nine months ended September 30, 2024:

Share Class Shares Repurchased (millions) Amount Spent (in billions)
Class A 59 $9.461
Class C 234 $37.493
Total 293 $46.954

Dividends Paid

Alphabet Inc. has also declared dividends in 2024. The total cash dividends paid for the third quarter are detailed below:

Share Class Dividends Paid (in millions)
Class A $1,200
Class B $173
Class C $1,100

Conclusion on Ownership Trends

As of September 30, 2024, Alphabet's ownership structure reflects a significant concentration among its founders and major institutional investors, with ongoing share repurchase programs indicating a strategy to enhance shareholder value.



Alphabet Inc. (GOOGL) Mission Statement

Alphabet Inc.'s mission statement as of 2024 emphasizes its commitment to organizing the world’s information and making it universally accessible and useful. This mission reflects the company's core focus on leveraging technology to enhance the user experience across its platforms.

Financial Overview

As of September 30, 2024, Alphabet Inc. reported significant financial metrics that underscore its market position and operational efficiency. The following table summarizes key financial figures:

Metric Q3 2023 Q3 2024 Change (%)
Net Income (in millions) $19,689 $26,301 33%
Total Revenues (in millions) $76,693 $88,268 15%
Operating Cash Flow (in millions) $30,700 $30,700 0%
Capital Expenditures (in millions) $13,100 $13,100 0%
Number of Employees 180,000 181,269 0.7%

Revenue Breakdown

Alphabet's revenue streams are diversified, with significant contributions from various segments. The following table details revenues by type for Q3 2024:

Revenue Source Q3 2023 (in millions) Q3 2024 (in millions)
Google Search & other $44,026 $49,385
YouTube Ads $7,952 $8,921
Google Network $7,669 $7,548
Google Cloud $8,411 $11,353
Total Revenues $76,693 $88,268

Share Repurchase Program

Alphabet has been active in its share repurchase program, reflecting its commitment to returning value to shareholders. The following table illustrates the share repurchases for Q3 2024:

Type of Share Shares Repurchased (millions) Amount (in billions)
Class A 17 $2.8
Class C 73 $12.5
Total 90 $15.3

Dividends

Alphabet Inc. has also maintained a robust dividend policy, with declared dividends for Q3 2024 as follows:

Class of Stock Dividends Declared (in millions)
Class A $1,200
Class B $173
Class C $1,100
Total $2,473

Market Position and Future Outlook

As of September 30, 2024, Alphabet continues to grow its market share in the cloud computing sector, with Google Cloud revenues increasing significantly. The following table summarizes the growth in Google Cloud:

Quarter Google Cloud Revenue (in millions) Growth Rate (%)
Q3 2023 $8,411 -
Q3 2024 $11,353 35%

The company remains focused on innovation and expanding its product offerings, ensuring it meets the evolving needs of its users and stakeholders.



How Alphabet Inc. (GOOGL) Works

Business Segments

Alphabet Inc. operates primarily through three segments: Google Services, Google Cloud, and Other Bets. The following table summarizes the operating income (loss) for each segment as of September 30, 2024:

Segment Three Months Ended September 30, 2023 (in millions) Three Months Ended September 30, 2024 (in millions) Nine Months Ended September 30, 2023 (in millions) Nine Months Ended September 30, 2024 (in millions)
Google Services $23,937 $30,856 $69,128 $88,427
Google Cloud $266 $1,947 $852 $4,019
Other Bets ($1,194) ($1,116) ($3,232) ($3,270)
Alphabet-level activities ($1,666) ($3,166) ($6,152) ($7,758)
Total Income from Operations $21,343 $28,521 $60,596 $81,418

Financial Performance

As of September 30, 2024, Alphabet reported the following key financial metrics:

Metric Three Months Ended September 30, 2023 Three Months Ended September 30, 2024 Nine Months Ended September 30, 2023 Nine Months Ended September 30, 2024
Consolidated Revenues $76,693 million $88,268 million $221,084 million $253,549 million
Net Income $19,689 million $26,301 million $53,108 million $73,582 million
Diluted EPS $1.55 $2.12 $4.16 $5.90
Operating Margin 28% 32% N/A N/A

Revenue Sources

Alphabet's revenues are derived from various sources, primarily advertising through its Google Services segment. The following table details the revenue breakdown for the three months ended September 30, 2024:

Source Revenue (in millions)
Google Search & other $49,385
YouTube ads $8,921
Google Network $7,548
Google advertising total $65,854
Google subscriptions, platforms, and devices $10,656
Google Cloud $11,353
Other Bets $388
Total Revenues $88,268

Operating Expenses

Operating expenses for the three months ended September 30, 2024, totaled $23.3 billion, reflecting a 5% increase year-over-year. The breakdown is as follows:

Expense Type Amount (in millions)
Cost of Revenues $36,474
Sales and Marketing $6,893
General and Administrative $3,599
Research and Development $9,781

Cash Flow Analysis

For the nine months ended September 30, 2024, Alphabet's cash flow metrics were as follows:

Cash Flow Activity Amount (in millions)
Net cash provided by operating activities $86,186
Net cash used in investing activities ($29,356)
Net cash used in financing activities ($60,697)

Dividend and Share Repurchase Activity

In Q3 2024, Alphabet declared a dividend of $0.20 per share, totaling approximately $2.5 billion across all classes of shares. Additionally, the company repurchased $15.3 billion worth of shares during the same quarter.

Share Repurchase Activity Amount (in millions)
Total shares repurchased 90 million
Repurchase amount $15,300

Employee Metrics

As of September 30, 2024, Alphabet employed approximately 181,269 individuals, reflecting ongoing growth in workforce to support its expanding operations.



How Alphabet Inc. (GOOGL) Makes Money

Google Services

Google Services is the largest revenue-generating segment for Alphabet Inc., contributing significantly to its overall income through various channels.

  • Google Advertising: This includes revenues from Google Search, YouTube ads, and Google Network. In Q3 2024, Google Advertising revenues totaled $65.9 billion, an increase from $59.6 billion in Q3 2023.
  • Google Subscriptions, Platforms, and Devices: This segment includes revenues from Google Play, YouTube subscriptions, and other related services, amounting to $10.7 billion in Q3 2024, up from $8.3 billion in Q3 2023.
Revenue Type Q3 2023 (in millions) Q3 2024 (in millions)
Google Search & Other $44,026 $49,385
YouTube Ads $7,952 $8,921
Google Network $7,669 $7,548
Total Google Advertising $59,647 $65,854
Google Subscriptions, Platforms, and Devices $8,339 $10,656
Total Google Services $67,986 $76,510

Google Cloud

Google Cloud has emerged as a robust revenue stream for Alphabet, driven by increasing demand for cloud services among enterprises.

  • Cloud Revenue Growth: In Q3 2024, Google Cloud generated $11.4 billion in revenue, up from $8.4 billion in Q3 2023, reflecting a growth rate of approximately 35% year-over-year.
Metric Q3 2023 (in millions) Q3 2024 (in millions)
Google Cloud Revenue $8,411 $11,353
Operating Income $266 $1,947

Other Bets

Other Bets, which encompasses various ventures outside the core Google business, has seen mixed results.

  • Revenue from Other Bets: In Q3 2024, this segment reported revenues of $388 million, up from $297 million in Q3 2023.
  • Operating Loss: The operating loss for Other Bets decreased slightly to $1.1 billion in Q3 2024 from $1.2 billion in Q3 2023.
Metric Q3 2023 (in millions) Q3 2024 (in millions)
Other Bets Revenue $297 $388
Operating Loss ($1,194) ($1,116)

Financial Performance Overview

Alphabet's financial performance in 2024 reflects strong revenue growth across its core segments, particularly in Google Services and Google Cloud.

Financial Metric Q3 2023 (in millions) Q3 2024 (in millions)
Total Revenues $76,693 $88,268
Cost of Revenues $33,229 $36,474
Operating Income $21,343 $28,521
Net Income $19,689 $26,301

In summary, Alphabet Inc. continues to leverage its diverse business model, generating substantial revenues from advertising, cloud services, and other ventures, while maintaining a focus on profitability and growth.

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Article updated on 8 Nov 2024

Resources:

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