NBIS vs. GOOGL: Which AI Infrastructure Stock is the Smarter Buy?

Core Insights - Nebius Group N.V. (NBIS) is a rising player in the AI infrastructure market, while Alphabet (GOOGL) is a well-established tech giant [1] - The demand for high-performance cloud and data-center infrastructure is surging due to the AI boom, with spending expected to exceed $200 billion by 2028 [1] Group 1: Nebius Group N.V. (NBIS) - Nebius is a neo cloud company based in Amsterdam, focusing on building full-stack infrastructure for AI, including large-scale GPU clusters and cloud platforms [3] - The company reported a remarkable 385% year-over-year revenue increase in Q1 2025, with an annualized run-rate revenue (ARR) surge of 700%, targeting $750 million to $1 billion in ARR [4] - Nebius is planning a $2 billion capital expenditure for 2025, up from an earlier $1.5 billion estimate, and has secured $700 million in funding from notable investors [5] - Despite its rapid growth, Nebius remains unprofitable, with management indicating negative adjusted EBITDA for the full year 2025 [7] Group 2: Alphabet Inc. (GOOGL) - Alphabet is a dominant player in the AI cloud infrastructure space, with Google Cloud revenues increasing by 28% year-over-year to $12.3 billion in Q1 2025 [7] - The company is investing $75 billion in 2025 to enhance its AI-focused infrastructure, including servers and data centers [8] - Google Cloud's strong performance is supported by its partnerships with NVIDIA and the introduction of advanced technologies like TPUs and GPUs [9] - Alphabet generated $36.15 billion in cash from operations in Q1 2025, showcasing its robust financial position [11] Group 3: Market Comparison - Over the past month, NBIS shares have gained 11.2%, while GOOGL stock has appreciated by 12% [13] - Valuation-wise, both companies are considered overvalued, with NBIS trading at a Price/Book ratio of 3.94X compared to GOOGL's 6.50X [15][16] - Analysts have revised earnings estimates downward for NBIS, while GOOGL has seen a marginal upward revision [17][19] - GOOGL currently holds a Zacks Rank 3 (Hold), while Nebius has a Zacks Rank 4 (Sell), indicating GOOGL as a better investment option for long-term growth potential [21]