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Alphabet Inc. delivered an impressive first-quarter performance, surpassing Wall Street expectations with strong growth driven by its Cloud division and core Search business. The tech giant reported adjusted earnings per share of $5.11, significantly higher than the analyst forecast of $2.62. Total revenue reached $109.9 billion, exceeding estimates of $106.81 billion and marking a 22% year-over-year increase, or 19% in constant currency. This milestone represents Alphabet’s 11th consecutive quarter of double-digit revenue growth, highlighting sustained momentum across its business segments.
Investor confidence followed quickly, with GOOGL shares rising 4.1% in early trading and gaining further in after-hours activity. Much of this enthusiasm stems from Alphabet’s aggressive push into artificial intelligence, which continues to enhance performance across its ecosystem. Google Cloud emerged as a standout performer, with revenue surging 63% to $20 billion. Growth was fueled by rising demand for enterprise AI solutions, advanced infrastructure, and Google Cloud Platform services. The division’s backlog nearly doubled quarter-over-quarter, surpassing $460 billion, signaling strong future demand.
Google Services also delivered solid results, generating $89.6 billion in revenue, up 16%. Within this segment, Google Search and related services grew 19%, YouTube advertising increased 11%, and subscriptions, platforms, and devices climbed 19%. CEO Sundar Pichai emphasized that AI innovation is driving user engagement, with Search queries reaching record highs and contributing significantly to revenue growth.
Alphabet’s profitability improved as well, with operating margins expanding to 36.1%. Net income surged 81%, largely boosted by a $37.7 billion gain from non-marketable equity investments. The company also reported 350 million paid subscriptions across services like YouTube and Google One, while Gemini Enterprise saw a 40% increase in paid monthly users.
In addition, Alphabet announced a 5% dividend increase to $0.22 per share. Analysts expect upcoming commentary on advertising trends, cloud demand, and capital expenditures to influence future stock performance.
