Key Takeaways GOOGL fell 7% after Q4 2025 as investors questioned AI monetization amid heavy 2026 capex plans. Alphabet is embedding Gemini into Search and Cloud, boosting AI queries, engagement and enterprise adoption.GOOGL trades at a premium valuation, with high capex and costs expected to pressure 2026 margins. Alphabet (GOOGL) shares have dropped 7% post fourth-quarter 2025 results reported on Feb. 4. The drop can be attributed to investor skepticism over GOOGL’s ability to monetize its AI-infused serv ...

Google is reportedly offering users new ways to shop while seeking AI-powered answers.By completing this form, you agree to receive marketing communications from PYMNTS and to the sharing of your information with our sponsor, if applicable, in accordance with our Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions .Complete the form to unlock this article and enjoy unlimited free access to all PYMNTS content — no additional logins required.The company has begun testing new ad formats on its search AI mode that lets ret ...

There are plenty of artificial intelligence (AI) stocks you can invest in right now. Tech companies are spending heavily on AI technologies in an effort to benefit from the latest trends in the industry. But it can be risky to invest in just any AI stocks, as not all of them will prove to be good buys. If you've got $5,000 that you can invest in the stock market today, two of the best AI stocks you can buy without hesitation right now are Alphabet (NASDAQ: GOOG)(NASDAQ: GOOGL) and Taiwan Semiconductor Manu ...

Baron Fund, an investment management company, released its Q4 2025 letter for “Baron Durable Advantage Fund”. A copy of the letter can be downloaded here. The Fund returned 2.6% in the fourth quarter, which mirrored the S&P 500 Index’s 2.7% return. The Fund returned 16.6% in 2025, compared to 17.9% for the Index and 16.1% gain for the Peer Group, Morningstar Large Growth Category average. Moving to 2026, in an environment dominated by geopolitics, changing regulatory trends, and artificial intelligence, th ...

Market Overview - The Dow is experiencing gains, aiming for a third consecutive record close, while the S&P 500 and NASDAQ show mixed performance with slight declines [1][2][8]. - The S&P 500 equal-weighted index and small-cap indices like the S&P 600 are reaching record highs, indicating strong performance in broader market segments [3]. - Bond yields are decreasing, with the 10-year yield down to 4.14% and the 30-year yield at 4.79%, suggesting a shift in investor sentiment towards bonds [4]. Sector Performance - Utilities and real estate sectors are leading the market, with utilities up approximately 2.3% and real estate up about 1.5%, reflecting their sensitivity to interest rates [5]. - Financials, technology, and healthcare sectors are underperforming, indicating a potential shift in investor focus away from these areas [5][6]. AI and Technology Insights - The AI sector is entering a new phase, with companies increasingly relying on debt for capital expenditures rather than free cash flow, as seen in major firms like Google and Amazon [9][10]. - Investors are currently accepting of big tech companies taking on debt to finance AI developments, but there is a growing concern about the return on investment (ROI) and whether these expenditures will yield positive results in the future [12][14]. - The competitive landscape in AI is evolving, with uncertainty about which companies will emerge as leaders, prompting a cautious approach from investors [16][17]. Alphabet's Bond Offering - Alphabet is raising approximately $32 billion through multiple bond deals, including a rare 100-year bond, to finance its AI infrastructure buildout despite having substantial cash reserves [20][21]. - The demand for long-term bonds from companies like Alphabet indicates a shift in investment strategies, with institutional investors seeking stable, long-term returns [21]. Tax Implications for Big Tech - Major tech companies like Amazon and Meta are projected to see significant reductions in their tax bills for 2025, attributed to favorable tax provisions and credits related to AI investments and capital expenditures [22][23]. - This reduction in tax liabilities is expected to positively impact their bottom lines, although it may attract public scrutiny regarding their tax practices [23]. Job Market and Economic Outlook - The upcoming jobs report is anticipated to show a modest increase in employment, with projections around 70,000 new jobs added, but the White House is preparing for potential criticism if the numbers fall short of expectations [22][23]. - The labor market is described as stable, with sluggish hiring but no significant increase in layoffs, indicating a cautious economic environment [22].

Artificial intelligence remains a hot investment area in 2026, but it's also a volatile sector. For example, Wall Street was disappointed in the latest earnings reports from Advanced Micro Devices (NASDAQ: AMD) and Alphabet (NASDAQ: GOOGL)(NASDAQ: GOOG), contributing to a share price drop for both. This volatility creates opportunities for the astute long-term investor. Now is the time to scoop up shares in AMD and Alphabet. After all, one earnings report does not define how these companies will perform ...

Alphabet Inc (NASDAQ:GOOGL) (NASDAQ:GOOG) used to look like a tech company. Now it looks like an industrial giant with a balance sheet to match. In barely a year, Google's parent has leapt from a neat $11 billion in long-term debt to roughly $70 billion — a transformation that says more about the future of tech than any earnings call ever could.How The Debt Blew Up This FastAt the end of 2024, Alphabet was still a classic "capital-light" software behemoth: oceans of cash, minimal borrowing, pristine margins ...

Nvidia (NVDA) is currently valued at over $4.5 trillion, having become the world's most valuable company on June 18, 2024, when its market capitalization exceeded $3.3 trillion. It later hit $4 trillion in 2025 and briefly reached $5 trillion last October. Yet the stock has largely traded sideways since last August around its current price of $189. Reasons include investor concerns over rising competition in AI accelerators from players like Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), geopolitical constraints such as ...

Core Insights - Alphabet remains a dominant player in the search engine market, holding approximately 90% global market share, with search revenue constituting 55% of its total revenue in 2025 [3][4] - The company has a significant competitive advantage due to its distribution channels, owning the leading web browser (Chrome) and smartphone operating system (Android), both with around 70% market share [5][6] - Google Cloud is identified as the primary growth driver for Alphabet, with a notable revenue increase of 48% last quarter, reaching $17.7 billion [7][8] - Alphabet's custom AI chips, known as tensor processing units (TPUs), provide a structural cost advantage in cloud computing, enhancing its competitive position against other providers [9] Group 1 - Alphabet's search business remains its core revenue source, with a 17% growth in search revenue in Q4, showing consistent acceleration throughout the previous year [4] - The company's search moat is reinforced by its partnership with Apple, ensuring it remains the default search engine on Apple devices [5][6] Group 2 - Google Cloud's operating income more than doubled from $2.1 billion to $5.3 billion last quarter, indicating strong operational leverage [8] - The development of TPUs over the past decade has allowed Alphabet to optimize its cloud services, providing a competitive edge that is difficult for others to replicate [9]

Core Viewpoint - Michael Burry suggests that Google's decision to issue 100-year debt indicates a potential decline in the company's dominance, drawing parallels to Motorola's decline after a similar bond issuance in 1997 [1][3]. Company Analysis - Alphabet (Google) is planning to issue 100-year bonds, a move that Burry associates with the decline of Motorola, which was the last year it was a dominant player in the market [2][3]. - By 2026, Motorola had significantly fallen in market cap, ranking 232nd with only $11 billion in sales, which Burry uses as a cautionary example for Alphabet [3]. Industry Context - Despite Burry's bearish outlook, Alphabet's business has shown continuous growth, particularly in artificial intelligence (AI) products, and its stock remains positive in early 2026 [5]. - However, Google's search market share has dropped below 90% for the first time in a decade, indicating a potential decline in its dominance [8]. - The decline in search quality and the rise of AI platforms like ChatGPT have contributed to this shift, leading to a significant drop in traffic for many media websites [9]. Market Sentiment - The stock market has reacted negatively to strong earnings reports from major tech firms like Microsoft, Amazon, and AMD, raising concerns about their exposure to AI and the potential for a recession [10][11]. - There are indications that previously announced AI infrastructure deals have been scaled back or canceled, adding to the uncertainty in the sector [12]. - The market-to-GDP ratio is at record highs, suggesting that any disruption could lead to significant market volatility [13].