Alphabet Has Another Hidden Asset, and Its Value Is About to Go to the Moon in 2026

Core Viewpoint - Alphabet is diversifying its business portfolio beyond its core search engine and is making significant investments in various emerging technologies, particularly in space and artificial intelligence. Group 1: Alphabet's Core Businesses - Google dominates the search engine market with approximately 90% market share, benefiting from distribution advantages and a revenue-sharing deal with Apple [1][2] - Alphabet owns YouTube, the largest video platform, and various applications like Google Maps, Gmail, and Google Workspace, which contribute to its extensive ad network [4] - Google Cloud is Alphabet's fastest-growing segment, driven by demand for AI infrastructure, with custom AI chips providing a cost advantage [5][6] Group 2: Emerging Technologies and Investments - Waymo, Alphabet's robotaxi service, has surpassed 450,000 weekly paid rides and is expanding internationally, presenting a significant growth opportunity [7] - Alphabet is advancing in quantum computing with its Willow chip, which addresses real-time error correction, although this market is still developing [8] - Alphabet holds a 7% stake in SpaceX, which could be valued at over $100 billion if the company goes public at a projected $1.5 trillion valuation [10][11] Group 3: SpaceX and Future Prospects - SpaceX has launched over 100 rockets this year, with a booming Starlink service that has over 8 million customers across 150 markets [11] - The company is exploring orbital data centers, and Alphabet plans to test this technology through Project Suncatcher in partnership with Planet Labs [13] - Alphabet's investment in space technologies, including AST SpaceMobile, enhances its portfolio and positions it for future growth [14][15] Group 4: Financial Metrics and Valuation - Alphabet's stock is attractively valued with a forward price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 27 times 2026 analyst estimates, making it a compelling investment opportunity [15]