Is Alphabet Stock a Buy Before Feb. 4?

Core Insights - Alphabet's diversified revenue streams and advancements in AI monetization position it as a strong investment ahead of its upcoming earnings report on February 4, 2026 [1] - The company's shares have increased by over 68% in the past year, indicating strong market performance [1] Online Search Dominance - Google Search revenue grew nearly 15% year-over-year to approximately $56.6 billion in Q3 2025, alleviating concerns about AI chatbots affecting its market share [2][3] - AI features like AI Overviews and AI Mode are enhancing user engagement, particularly among younger demographics, with AI Mode achieving over 75 million daily active users [2][3] AI Monetization - Alphabet is rapidly monetizing its Gemini large language models, which are integrated into Google Workspace and Google Cloud, and has secured a multiyear deal with Apple for its Siri assistant [4] - This partnership is expected to generate new licensing revenue from Apple's extensive user base of over 2 billion devices [4] Google Cloud and YouTube Growth - Google Cloud reported a 34% year-over-year revenue increase to $15.2 billion in Q3 2025, with a backlog growth of 82% to $155 billion, indicating strong revenue visibility [5] - YouTube continues to dominate the U.S. streaming market and has expanded its content offerings through a partnership with the BBC, while also achieving significant viewership milestones [6] Financial Strength - Alphabet maintains a robust balance sheet with approximately $98.5 billion in cash at the end of Q3 2025, providing financial flexibility for future investments [7] Valuation Considerations - The company is trading at 30 times forward earnings estimates, which may seem high, but is justified by its strong performance across search, cloud, and video segments [10] - Despite potential risks, the outlook for strong earnings results suggests that investors may benefit from acquiring a small stake in the stock ahead of the earnings report [10]