CRWV vs. GOOGL: Which AI Infrastructure Stock is the Better Buy Now?
ZACKS·2025-09-30 12:26

Core Insights - CoreWeave (CRWV) and Alphabet (GOOGL) are key players in providing cloud infrastructure services for AI workloads, with CRWV focusing on GPU-accelerated infrastructure and GOOGL leveraging its established tech presence and diverse revenue streams [1] - The demand for AI infrastructure is increasing, benefiting both companies, but the extent of the benefits differs, prompting investors to evaluate which stock presents a better investment opportunity [1] CoreWeave (CRWV) Highlights - CRWV's revenue surged by 207% to $1.2 billion in Q2, marking its first billion-dollar quarter, with adjusted EBITDA nearly tripling to $753.2 million [2] - Strategic partnerships with OpenAI and NVIDIA enhance CRWV's market position, including a recent $6.5 billion contract expansion with OpenAI, bringing the total contract value to $22.4 billion [3] - Collaboration with NVIDIA allows CRWV to utilize advanced AI infrastructure, having deployed NVIDIA's latest systems for optimized performance [4] - CRWV is expanding its data center network, targeting over 900 MW of active power by year-end, and has launched a Ventures Fund to invest in AI startups [5] - However, CRWV's aggressive expansion is accompanied by high leverage, leading to increased interest expenses, which are projected to reach between $350 million and $390 million for Q3 [6] Alphabet (GOOGL) Highlights - GOOGL's Google Cloud revenues increased by 32% year-over-year to $13.6 billion, representing 14.1% of total revenues, with an annual revenue run rate exceeding $50 billion [7] - GOOGL's AI portfolio is gaining traction, supported by a comprehensive approach to AI infrastructure and a vast network of AI-optimized data centers [9] - The company reported a significant increase in Search and other revenues, which rose by 11.7% year-over-year to $54.19 billion, driven by AI features [10] - GOOGL has substantial financial resources, with $95.15 billion in cash and equivalents as of June 30, 2025, and generated $27.75 billion in cash from operations in Q2 [11] - The company plans to invest $85 billion in capital expenditures for 2025, which could impact margins amid intense competition from Azure and AWS [12] Stock Performance and Valuation - CRWV shares have increased by 18.9%, while GOOGL shares are up by 14.6% [15] - Both companies are considered overvalued based on their Value Scores, with CRWV trading at a Price/Book ratio of 21.12X compared to GOOGL's 8.13X [16][18] - Analysts have revised earnings estimates downward for CRWV, while GOOGL has seen a marginal upward revision [19][21] Investment Outlook - Both companies are well-positioned to benefit from the growing demand for AI infrastructure [22] - GOOGL offers stability and diversification, making it a safer long-term investment, while CRWV presents a compelling opportunity for explosive growth driven by significant contracts and partnerships [23]