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Perplexity makes unsolicited $34.5 billion bid for Google's Chrome browser
CNBC Television· 2025-08-12 16:11
Getting a news alert this morning on Google. And for that, we'll turn to Mackenzie Sagalos. Hey, Mac. >> Hey, Carl.So, the Wall Street Journal is reporting that AI startup Perplexity is making a surprise $34.5% billion offer to buy Google's Chrome browser, even though Perplexity itself is valued at just $18 billion. Now, this unsolicited bid comes as a federal judge is weighing right now whether to force Google to sell Chrome to loosen its grip on web search after that ruling last year that the company ille ...
Warren Buffett Might Not Own These Artificial Intelligence (AI) Stocks -- but Their Fundamentals Check Out
The Motley Fool· 2025-06-08 09:40
Group 1: Apple and Berkshire Hathaway - Apple has been Berkshire Hathaway's top holding for several years, despite Warren Buffett's historical avoidance of tech stocks [1] - Buffett prefers sectors with predictable cash flows, such as insurance, banking, and consumer staples, due to the unpredictable nature of tech earnings [2] Group 2: Alphabet - Alphabet has a strong economic moat, with Google holding over 90% market share in web search for the last two decades, supporting its profitable tech empire [5] - Google Search has reached a revenue run rate of $200 billion, with Google Services operating at a margin of over 40%, and revenue grew by 12% in the first quarter [6][7] - Despite its competitive advantages and growth, Alphabet trades at a price-to-earnings ratio of 18.6, which is a substantial discount compared to the S&P 500 [7] - The valuation discount is attributed to fears of potential breakup or fines due to its monopoly status and the risk of disruption from AI chatbots [8] - Historically, Alphabet shares have traded at modest valuations, indicating that investors may have underestimated the stock [9] Group 3: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (TSMC) - Berkshire Hathaway invested $4.1 billion in TSMC in 2022 but sold its position two quarters later, possibly due to geopolitical risks [10] - TSMC is the leading third-party semiconductor manufacturer, holding over 50% market share in contract chips and over 90% in advanced chips crucial for AI [11] - Advanced chip technologies accounted for 73% of TSMC's total wafer revenue in the first quarter, showcasing its significant market position [11] - TSMC's revenue grew by 35% in the first quarter to $25.5 billion, with an operating margin of 48.5%, indicating strong pricing power [12] - The stock trades at a price-to-earnings ratio of 24, which is considered an excellent valuation for a rapidly growing company integral to the AI boom [13]