Prediction: Alphabet's Stock Will Be a Winner in 2026

Core Insights - Alphabet is heavily investing in artificial intelligence (AI) and has seen significant revenue growth, despite a recent dip in stock price [1] Revenue Performance - Google Cloud's revenue grew by 48% to $17.7 billion, with operating income increasing from $2.1 billion to $5.3 billion, and backlog rising 55% to $240 billion [2] - Google Search revenue increased by 17% to $63.1 billion, showing a consistent acceleration in growth from previous quarters [4] - YouTube ad revenue rose by 9% to $11.4 billion, contributing to a 17% increase in subscription and device revenue to $13.6 billion [5] - Overall quarterly revenue for Alphabet increased by 18% to $113.8 billion, with earnings per share jumping by 31% year over year to $2.82, surpassing analyst expectations [6] Strategic Investments - Alphabet announced a capital expenditure budget of $175 billion to $185 billion for 2026, significantly up from $91 billion in 2025, and will serve as Apple's preferred cloud provider [3] Market Position and Valuation - The stock trades at a forward price-to-earnings ratio of around 29 times 2026 analyst estimates and a price/earnings-to-growth ratio of about 0.7, indicating it is undervalued [9] - The company is expected to be a top performer in the megacap space by 2026, driven by its advancements in AI and cost advantages from its custom AI chips [8]