Finbold·2025-09-03 08:54Core Viewpoint - The conclusion of Alphabet's antitrust case allows the company to retain its Chrome browser and Android operating system, while also maintaining partnerships with firms like Apple, despite some imposed limits on exclusive contracts and transparency requirements [1][4]. Group 1: Court Ruling and Market Reaction - Federal Judge Amit Mehta ruled against the U.S. Department of Justice's request to force Google to divest key products, labeling the proposal as overly aggressive [1]. - Following the ruling, Google stock rose by 8% in after-hours trading, with Oppenheimer's Jason Helfstein raising the stock price target to $270, viewing the DOJ's decision as a "best-case outcome" for the company [2]. - The average price target for GOOGL over the next 12 months is $217.81, indicating a potential upside of 3.06% from the current price based on 36 ratings from TipRanks [3]. Group 2: Implications of the Ruling - The antitrust case, initiated in September 2023, concluded with findings that Google violated Section 2 of the Sherman Act, leading to the DOJ's call for extensive measures, including access to search data and banning default search engine payments [4]. - The court imposed limits on how Google distributes its services and mandated sharing of search data with competitors, raising concerns from Google regarding user privacy [4]. - The DOJ's attempt to block Google's multibillion-dollar deal with Apple, which designates Google as the default search engine on Safari, was also rejected, resulting in a 3% increase in AAPL shares during after-hours trading [5].