The Motley Fool·2026-01-23 05:16Core Insights - Both Alphabet and Meta are investing heavily in AI, with potential for strong long-term returns, but a comparison suggests one stock may be more favorable than the other [1] Company Overview Alphabet - Alphabet's revenue grew 16% year over year in Q3 2025, reaching $102.3 billion, primarily driven by its ad-supported Google services [5] - Google Cloud revenue rose 34% year over year to approximately $15.2 billion, indicating significant growth in its non-advertising segment [7] - Alphabet's shares trade at a price-to-earnings ratio of 32, reflecting a premium valuation compared to Meta [8] Meta - Meta's revenue increased 26% year over year to $51.2 billion in Q3, with a healthy user base of 3.54 billion daily active users, up 8% year over year [9] - Ad impressions rose 14% year over year, and the average price per ad increased by 10%, driven by improved ad performance [11] - Meta's shares trade at about 21 times forward earnings, making it a more attractive option for growth investors compared to Alphabet's 29 times [13] Investment Comparison - The choice between Alphabet and Meta hinges on valuation and growth potential, with Meta offering a better price for its growth despite Alphabet's more diversified business model [14][15] - Alphabet's diversified business and strong Google Cloud growth justify a higher valuation, but the valuation gap favors Meta as a more compelling investment at present [15]