Investment Reflection: GOOG Stock (September 20, 2024)
My additional investment in Alphabet (GOOG) $Alphabet(GOOG)$
AI-Driven Growth and Revenue Potential
Alphabet's ongoing advancements in artificial intelligence are a major driver of its future prospects. The Gemini AI model, launched in late 2023, is already making a significant impact across multiple products, powering more than 2 billion monthly users across six key platforms. Gemini’s ability to process and understand various types of data—text, images, video, and audio—creates an enhanced user experience that directly benefits Google Search. As AI integration boosts the relevance and accuracy of search results, advertisers are willing to spend more, contributing to the recovery in digital ad revenue.
Advertising revenue grew by 11% year over year in Q2 2024, and analysts forecast continued strength, with revenue expected to grow by 13% for the full year. The company is also projected to deliver a 31% rise in earnings in 2024, making Alphabet a prime beneficiary of the digital ad market recovery.
Expanding Cloud Business: A New Profit Engine
Beyond advertising, Alphabet's cloud business represents another major growth frontier. Google Cloud has been gradually gaining market share in the $300 billion cloud services industry, and it's now operating at a healthy profit. In Q2 2024, Google Cloud’s operating income tripled from the same period in 2023 to $1.1 billion. The AI-driven Gemini model is expected to further enhance Google Cloud by assisting developers with coding and other tasks, making the platform even more appealing to enterprises. This growth in Google Cloud profitability solidifies Alphabet’s long-term value proposition.
Attractive Valuation and Long-Term Earnings Potential
What stands out the most about this investment is Alphabet’s valuation. With a forward P/E of 18, the stock appears undervalued, especially given Wall Street’s expectation for double-digit earnings growth next year and beyond. Alphabet is projected to grow earnings by 14% in 2025, reaching $8.70 per share. Over the long term, analysts forecast annualized earnings growth of 16%, setting the stage for potentially significant share price appreciation.
If Alphabet continues on this trajectory, the stock could see substantial returns, potentially doubling by 2029. The company’s unique combination of a strong advertising business, an emerging AI leader, and a growing cloud segment creates a multi-faceted growth story that is difficult to ignore.
Outlook: Overcoming Legal Hurdles for a Brighter Future
While Alphabet faces ongoing antitrust litigation, I believe the company's financial strength and market position will ultimately overshadow these concerns. The legal challenges may create short-term uncertainty, but they are unlikely to derail Alphabet's robust earnings growth and its ability to generate increasing shareholder value over time.
In a nutshell, my additional investment in GOOG stock on September 20, 2024, reflects my confidence in Alphabet’s ability to capitalize on AI advancements, drive growth in both its advertising and cloud businesses, and deliver strong long-term returns. The stock's current valuation, combined with its forward-looking growth potential, makes Alphabet a compelling buy-and-hold investment.
Disclaimer: Investing carries risk. This is not financial advice. The above content should not be regarded as an offer, recommendation, or solicitation on acquiring or disposing of any financial products, any associated discussions, comments, or posts by author or other users should not be considered as such either. It is solely for general information purpose only, which does not consider your own investment objectives, financial situations or needs. TTM assumes no responsibility or warranty for the accuracy and completeness of the information, investors should do their own research and may seek professional advice before investing.
