Image Source: TradingView
By Brian Nelson, CFA
On July 23, Alphabet (GOOG) (GOOGL) reported excellent second quarter results with revenue and GAAP earnings per share coming in better than the consensus forecast. Consolidated Alphabet revenue in the second quarter increased 14%, or 13% in constant currency on a year-over-year basis. The company noted “robust momentum across the business,” with “Google Search & other, YouTube ads, Google subscriptions, platforms, and devices, and Google Cloud each deliver(ing) double-digit growth in Q2.” Google Services revenue increased 12% in the quarter, while Google Cloud revenues increased 32% in the period.
Management had the following to say about the results:
We had a standout quarter, with robust growth across the company. We are leading at the frontier of AI and shipping at an incredible pace. AI is positively impacting every part of the business, driving strong momentum. Search delivered double-digit revenue growth, and our new features, like AI Overviews and AI Mode, are performing well. We continue to see strong performance in YouTube as well as subscriptions offerings. And Cloud had strong growth in revenues, backlog and profitability. Its annual revenue run-rate is now more than $50 billion. With this strong and growing demand for our Cloud products and services, we are increasing our investment in capital expenditures in 2025 to approximately $85 billion and are excited by the opportunity ahead.
In Alphabet’s second quarter, total operating income increased 14%, as its operating margin came in at 32.4% benefiting from strength in the top line and “continued efficiencies in the expense base.” Net income increased to $28.2 billion, up from $23.6 billion in the same quarter of 2024, while diluted earnings per share increased to $2.31 from $1.89 in the year-ago period. Alphabet ended the quarter with $95.1 billion in total cash and marketable securities and long-term debt of $23.6 billion. Through the first six months of the year, free cash flow was $24.3 billion. We like Alphabet as one of the top ideas in the Best Ideas Newsletter portfolio.
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Brian Nelson owns shares in SPY, SCHG, QQQ, QQQM, DIA, VOT, RSP, and IWM. Valuentum owns SPY, SCHG, QQQ, QQQM, VOO, and DIA. Brian Nelson’s household owns shares in HON, DIS, HAS, NKE, DIA, RSP, SCHG, QQQ, QQQM, and VOO. Some of the other securities written about in this article may be included in Valuentum’s simulated newsletter portfolios. Contact Valuentum for more information about its editorial policies.
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