Snowflake vs. Alphabet: Which Cloud Analytics Stock Has an Edge Now?

Core Insights - Snowflake (SNOW) and Alphabet (GOOGL) are significant players in the cloud data and analytics market, with Snowflake focusing on cloud data warehousing and analytics, while Alphabet offers similar services through Google Cloud's BigQuery [1][2] Market Overview - The global cloud analytics market was valued at $35.39 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach $130.63 billion by 2030, with a CAGR of 25.5% from 2025 to 2030, indicating strong growth potential for both Snowflake and Alphabet [2] Snowflake (SNOW) Performance - Snowflake reported a net revenue retention rate of 125% in Q2 fiscal 2026, with a 19% year-over-year increase in customers, totaling 12,062 [3][10] - The company launched around 250 new capabilities in the first half of fiscal 2026, enhancing data management and AI-driven insights [4] - Over 6,100 customers are utilizing Snowflake's AI and ML technology weekly, reflecting strong engagement [5] - Snowflake's collaboration with OpenAI, Anthropic, and Microsoft Azure has contributed to its growth, with Azure showing 40% year-over-year growth in Q2 fiscal 2026 [6][10] Alphabet (GOOGL) Performance - Alphabet's Google Cloud revenues increased by 31.7% year-over-year to $13.62 billion in Q2 2025, showcasing rapid growth in the cloud computing market [8][10] - Google Cloud has established a strong partnership with NVIDIA, being the first cloud provider to offer NVIDIA's latest GPUs [9] - Google Cloud operates 42 cloud regions and 127 zones globally, positioning itself as the third-largest cloud provider [11] Stock Performance and Valuation - Year-to-date, SNOW shares surged 48.5%, outperforming GOOGL's 21.8% gain, driven by a strong portfolio and expanding partnerships [10][12] - Both companies are currently considered overvalued, with SNOW trading at a forward Price/Sales ratio of 14.74X, compared to GOOGL's 7.70X [14] Earnings Estimates - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for SNOW's fiscal 2026 earnings is $1.08 per share, reflecting a 30.12% year-over-year increase [17] - Alphabet's 2025 earnings estimate is $10 per share, indicating a 24.38% year-over-year increase [17] Conclusion - Both SNOW and GOOGL are well-positioned to benefit from the growing cloud analytics market, but Alphabet's broader ecosystem and stronger infrastructure may offer more stability and growth potential for investors [20]