Alphabet Inc. offers various products and platforms in the United States, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, the Asia-Pacific, Canada, and Latin America. It operates through Google Services, Google Cloud, and Other Bets segments. The Google Services segment provides products and services, including ads, Android, Chrome, devices, Gmail, Google Drive, Google Maps, Google Photos, Google Play, Search, and YouTube. It is also involved in the sale of apps and in-app purchases and digital content in the Google Play and YouTube; and devices, as well as in the provision of YouTube consumer subscription services. The Google Cloud segment offers infrastructure, cybersecurity, databases, analytics, AI, and other services; Google Workspace that include cloud-based communication and collaboration tools for enterprises, such as Gmail, Docs, Drive, Calendar, and Meet; and other services for enterprise customers. The Other Bets segment sells healthcare-related and internet services. The company was incorporated in 1998 and is headquartered in Mountain View, California.

Alphabet Inc. демонстрирует сильные финансовые показатели, с высоким уровнем прибыли и эффективностью, значительно превышающими медиа-значения отрасли. Например, ROE составляет 35%, что более чем в 1.5 раза выше отраслевой медианы, а чистая прибыль за последний год составила 34.98 миллиарда долларов, что также на 249750% выше медианы. Однако, стоит отметить высокие мультипликаторы, такие как P/E на уровне 33.63, что указывает на потенциальную переоцененность. Долговая нагрузка остается низкой, что является положительным фактором: коэффициент долга к капиталу составляет всего 0.06. Тем не менее, отсутствие дивидендов может негативно сказаться на восприятии компании среди инвесторов, ищущих доходность. В целом, Alphabet остается в сильной позиции на рынке, благодаря устойчивому росту выручки и прибыли, но высокие мультипликаторы требуют осторожности при оценке будущего роста акций.

Alphabet Inc.

A New Chapter in AI’s Most Powerful Partnership

(RTTNews) - Alphabet Inc. (GOOG) on Wednesday reported first-quarter results with profit surging from last year, driven by double-digit revenue growth.
The tech and digital services company reported a jump in net income to $62.58 billion, up from $34.54 billion, nearly double, during the same period last year. Earnings per share also saw an increase, rising to $5.11 from $2.81 the year before.
Revenues rose to $109.90 billion, up 22% from $90.23 million a year ago, highlighting strong performance across primary business areas. This growth was fueled by higher operating income and ongoing expansion in crucial segments.
GOOG is currently trading after hours at $369.79, up $22.48 or 6.47 percent on the Nasdaq.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Alphabet Q1 Profit Nearly Doubles

Alphabet Inc. (GOOG) came out with quarterly earnings of $5.11 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.64 per share. This compares to earnings of $2.81 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items.
This quarterly report represents an earnings surprise of +93.85%. A quarter ago, it was expected that this company would post earnings of $2.57 per share when it actually produced earnings of $2.82, delivering a surprise of +9.73%.
Over the last four quarters, the company has surpassed consensus EPS estimates four times.
Alphabet, which belongs to the Zacks Internet - Services industry, posted revenues of $94.67 billion for the quarter ended March 2026, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 2.65%. This compares to year-ago revenues of $76.49 billion. The company has topped consensus revenue estimates four times over the last four quarters.
The sustainability of the stock's immediate price movement based on the recently-released numbers and future earnings expectations will mostly depend on management's commentary on the earnings call.
Alphabet shares have added about 10.7% since the beginning of the year versus the S&P 500's gain of 4.3%.
What's Next for Alphabet?
While Alphabet has outperformed the market so far this year, the question that comes to investors' minds is: what's next for the stock?
There are no easy answers to this key question, but one reliable measure that can help investors address this is the company's earnings outlook. Not only does this include current consensus earnings expectations for the coming quarter(s), but also how these expectations have changed lately.
Empirical research shows a strong correlation between near-term stock movements and trends in earnings estimate revisions. Investors can track such revisions by themselves or rely on a tried-and-tested rating tool like the Zacks Rank, which has an impressive track record of harnessing the power of earnings estimate revisions.
Ahead of this earnings release, the estimate revisions trend for Alphabet was mixed. While the magnitude and direction of estimate revisions could change following the company's just-released earnings report, the current status translates into a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) for the stock. So, the shares are expected to perform in line with the market in the near future. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
It will be interesting to see how estimates for the coming quarters and the current fiscal year change in the days ahead. The current consensus EPS estimate is $2.80 on $98.44 billion in revenues for the coming quarter and $11.54 on $409.46 billion in revenues for the current fiscal year.
Investors should be mindful of the fact that the outlook for the industry can have a material impact on the performance of the stock as well. In terms of the Zacks Industry Rank, Internet - Services is currently in the bottom 31% of the 250 plus Zacks industries. Our research shows that the top 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries outperform the bottom 50% by a factor of more than 2 to 1.
Another stock from the same industry, DoorDash, Inc. (DASH), has yet to report results for the quarter ended March 2026. The results are expected to be released on May 6.
This company is expected to post quarterly earnings of $0.41 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of -6.8%. The consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has been revised 3.9% lower over the last 30 days to the current level.
DoorDash, Inc.'s revenues are expected to be $4.12 billion, up 36% from the year-ago quarter.
Should You Invest in Alphabet Inc. (GOOG)?
Before you invest in Alphabet Inc. (GOOG), want to know the best stocks to buy for the next 30 days? Check out Zacks Investment Research for our free report on the 7 best stocks to buy.
Zacks Investment Research has been committed to providing investors with tools and independent research since 1978. For more than a quarter century, the Zacks Rank stock-rating system has more than doubled the S&P 500 with an average gain of +24.08% per year. (These returns cover a period from January 1, 1988 through May 6, 2024.)
Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report
DoorDash, Inc. (DASH) : Free Stock Analysis Report
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Alphabet Inc. (GOOG) Q1 Earnings and Revenues Beat Estimates

Key Points
Nextpower is evolving into a one-stop shop for solar energy solutions.
Brookfield Renewable builds a diverse mix of green energy projects.
Most countries still generate most of their energy from fossil fuels and other non-renewable resources. However, the recent spike in oil prices underscores the importance of renewable energy sources such as solar, hydro, and wind power.
From 2026 to 2033, Grand View Research expects the global renewable energy market to expand at a 14.7% CAGR as more industries scramble to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. To capitalize on that trend, investors should check out these two renewable energy plays: Nextpower (NASDAQ: NXT) and Brookfield Renewable Corporation (NYSE: BEPC). Both stocks are evergreen plays that could generate big returns over the next few decades.
Will AI create the world's first trillionaire? Our team just released a report on the one little-known company, called an "Indispensable Monopoly" providing the critical technology Nvidia and Intel both need. Continue »
Nextpower
Nextpower is a solar infrastructure company that produces solar trackers (that tilt solar panels to follow the sun), electrical balance of systems (eBOS) solutions (for moving electricity from solar panels to the grid), robotics systems (for maintaining solar farms), as well as AI-powered software for predicting weather, automating operations, and optimizing performance.
In other words, it's a "one-stop" shop that supports the construction and entire lifecycle of solar power plants. It still generates most of its revenue from its efficiency-boosting solar trackers -- and still controls more than a quarter of that booming market -- but it's aggressively expanded its non-core businesses through several acquisitions over the past two years. It's set up shop across dozens of countries, but it still generates most of its revenue in North America.
From fiscal 2025 (which ended last March) to fiscal 2028, analysts expect Nextpower's revenue and adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) to grow at CAGRs of 14% and 11%, respectively. That growth should be driven by the rapid expansion of the power-hungry cloud and AI markets, new decarbonization initiatives, and its overseas growth. Its new add-on robotics and AI services could also boost its revenue per customer.
With an enterprise value of $16.3 billion, Nextpower still looks like a bargain at 17 times next year's adjusted EBITDA. According to Mordor Intelligence, the global solar market's total volume could expand at a 19.9% CAGR from 2026 to 2031 -- and Nextpower's "picks and shovels" approach could make it a great play on that secular trend.
Brookfield Renewable Corporation
Brookfield Renewable is a more diversified green energy company that builds hydroelectric dams, wind farms, solar power plants, and other green energy projects. At the end of 2025, it had 47 GW of operating renewable capacity and 200 GW of renewable projects in its pipeline. That massive backlog ensures it will grow steadily for the foreseeable future.
Like Nextpower, Brookfield Renewable's growth is being driven by new decarbonization initiatives and the rapid expansion of its cloud and AI markets. It's already secured long-term renewable power agreements with hyperscalers like Microsoft and Alphabet's Google, and it's locking those customers into "inflation escalators" that allow it to raise its prices to keep pace with inflation. It's also benefiting from rising sales of electric vehicles (EVs), which are shifting market demand for gas toward electricity, as well as from industrial companies' reshoring and automating their operations.
From 2025 to 2028, analysts expect Brookfield Renewable's revenue and adjusted EBITDA to grow at CAGRs of 22% and 6%, respectively. With an enterprise value of $57.9 billion, it still looks cheap at 14 times next year's adjusted EBITDA. It also pays a forward yield of 3.9%.
Therefore, Brookfield Renewable is a great stock for income-oriented investors seeking balanced exposure to the growing renewable energy market. However, investors shouldn't conflate it with Brookfield Renewable Partners (NYSE: BEP) -- the older master limited partnership (MLP) that holds the same assets but requires additional tax forms.
Should you buy stock in Nextpower right now?
Before you buy stock in Nextpower, consider this:
The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Nextpower wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.
Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $497,606!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,306,846!*
Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 985% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 200% for the S&P 500. Don't miss the latest top 10 list, available with Stock Advisor, and join an investing community built by individual investors for individual investors.
*Stock Advisor returns as of April 29, 2026.
Leo Sun has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Alphabet, Microsoft, and Nextpower. The Motley Fool recommends Brookfield Renewable and Brookfield Renewable Partners. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

The Best 2 Renewable Energy Stocks to Buy and Hold for Decades

The following companies are expected to report earnings after hours on 04/29/2026. Visit our Earnings Calendar for a full list of expected earnings releases.
Microsoft Corporation (MSFT)is reporting for the quarter ending March 31, 2026. The computer software company's consensus earnings per share forecast from the 14 analysts that follow the stock is $4.07. This value represents a 17.63% increase compared to the same quarter last year. In the past year MSFT has beat the expectations every quarter. The highest one was in the 4th calendar quarter where they beat the consensus by 6.7%. Zacks Investment Research reports that the 2026 Price to Earnings ratio for MSFT is 25.95 vs. an industry ratio of 43.60.
Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN)is reporting for the quarter ending March 31, 2026. The internet company's consensus earnings per share forecast from the 13 analysts that follow the stock is $1.60. This value represents a 0.63% increase compared to the same quarter last year. AMZN missed the consensus earnings per share in the 4th calendar quarter of 2025 by -1.52%. Zacks Investment Research reports that the 2026 Price to Earnings ratio for AMZN is 33.68 vs. an industry ratio of 21.30, implying that they will have a higher earnings growth than their competitors in the same industry.
Alphabet Inc. (GOOGL)is reporting for the quarter ending March 31, 2026. The internet services company's consensus earnings per share forecast from the 13 analysts that follow the stock is $2.64. This value represents a 6.05% decrease compared to the same quarter last year. In the past year GOOGL has beat the expectations every quarter. The highest one was in the 4th calendar quarter where they beat the consensus by 9.73%. Zacks Investment Research reports that the 2026 Price to Earnings ratio for GOOGL is 30.31 vs. an industry ratio of 43.60.
Alphabet Inc. (GOOG)is reporting for the quarter ending March 31, 2026. The internet services company's consensus earnings per share forecast from the 13 analysts that follow the stock is $2.64. This value represents a 6.05% decrease compared to the same quarter last year. In the past year GOOG has beat the expectations every quarter. The highest one was in the 4th calendar quarter where they beat the consensus by 9.73%. Zacks Investment Research reports that the 2026 Price to Earnings ratio for GOOG is 30.11 vs. an industry ratio of 43.60.
Meta Platforms, Inc. (META)is reporting for the quarter ending March 31, 2026. The internet software company's consensus earnings per share forecast from the 15 analysts that follow the stock is $6.71. This value represents a 4.35% increase compared to the same quarter last year. In the past year META has beat the expectations every quarter. The highest one was in the 4th calendar quarter where they beat the consensus by 8.16%. Zacks Investment Research reports that the 2026 Price to Earnings ratio for META is 22.51 vs. an industry ratio of -37.00, implying that they will have a higher earnings growth than their competitors in the same industry.
KLA Corporation (KLAC)is reporting for the quarter ending March 31, 2026. The electrical instrument company's consensus earnings per share forecast from the 8 analysts that follow the stock is $9.16. This value represents a 8.92% increase compared to the same quarter last year. In the past year KLAC has beat the expectations every quarter. The highest one was in the 4th calendar quarter where they beat the consensus by 0.34%. Zacks Investment Research reports that the 2026 Price to Earnings ratio for KLAC is 49.37 vs. an industry ratio of 21.50, implying that they will have a higher earnings growth than their competitors in the same industry.
QUALCOMM Incorporated (QCOM)is reporting for the quarter ending March 31, 2026. The electric company company's consensus earnings per share forecast from the 8 analysts that follow the stock is $1.90. This value represents a 19.15% decrease compared to the same quarter last year. In the past year QCOM has met analyst expectations once and beat the expectations the other three quarters. Zacks Investment Research reports that the 2026 Price to Earnings ratio for QCOM is 18.27 vs. an industry ratio of -167.00, implying that they will have a higher earnings growth than their competitors in the same industry.
Equinix, Inc. (EQIX)is reporting for the quarter ending March 31, 2026. The reit company's consensus earnings per share forecast from the 4 analysts that follow the stock is $9.85. This value represents a 1.86% increase compared to the same quarter last year. In the past year EQIX has beat the expectations every quarter. The highest one was in the 4th calendar quarter where they beat the consensus by 10.82%. Zacks Investment Research reports that the 2026 Price to Earnings ratio for EQIX is 28.54 vs. an industry ratio of 14.60, implying that they will have a higher earnings growth than their competitors in the same industry.
Canadian Pacific Kansas City Limited (CP)is reporting for the quarter ending March 31, 2026. The transportation (rail) company's consensus earnings per share forecast from the 7 analysts that follow the stock is $0.78. This value represents a 5.41% increase compared to the same quarter last year. Zacks Investment Research reports that the 2026 Price to Earnings ratio for CP is 23.20 vs. an industry ratio of 16.70, implying that they will have a higher earnings growth than their competitors in the same industry.
O'Reilly Automotive, Inc. (ORLY)is reporting for the quarter ending March 31, 2026. The wholesale retail company's consensus earnings per share forecast from the 9 analysts that follow the stock is $0.69. This value represents a 11.29% increase compared to the same quarter last year. Zacks Investment Research reports that the 2026 Price to Earnings ratio for ORLY is 28.35 vs. an industry ratio of 19.00, implying that they will have a higher earnings growth than their competitors in the same industry.
Aflac Incorporated (AFL)is reporting for the quarter ending March 31, 2026. The insurance company's consensus earnings per share forecast from the 5 analysts that follow the stock is $1.80. This value represents a 8.43% increase compared to the same quarter last year. Zacks Investment Research reports that the 2026 Price to Earnings ratio for AFL is 16.00 vs. an industry ratio of 17.30.
Carvana Co. (CVNA)is reporting for the quarter ending March 31, 2026. The internet company's consensus earnings per share forecast from the 7 analysts that follow the stock is $1.42. This value represents a 5.96% decrease compared to the same quarter last year. CVNA missed the consensus earnings per share in the 3rd calendar quarter of 2025 by -22.56%. Zacks Investment Research reports that the 2026 Price to Earnings ratio for CVNA is 58.31 vs. an industry ratio of 21.30, implying that they will have a higher earnings growth than their competitors in the same industry.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

After-Hours Earnings Report for April 29, 2026 : MSFT, AMZN, GOOGL, GOOG, META, KLAC, QCOM, EQIX, CP, ORLY, AFL, CVNA

Key Points
Berkshire’s final big stock purchase under Buffett was Alphabet.
Alphabet is one of the few companies that can own and monetize AI globally.
Many investors followed Warren Buffett's stock purchases for Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRKA) (NYSE: BRKB) for fresh investing ideas. Many of its top holdings -- including Apple, American Express, and Coca-Cola -- have been reliable long-term winners that easily withstood recessions and other macro headwinds.
Before stepping down as Berkshire's CEO at the end of 2025, Buffett approved one final major new investment for that portfolio: Alphabet (NASDAQ: GOOG) (NASDAQ: GOOGL). That investment was surprising because Buffett had avoided tech stocks for most of his career; he sold many of Berkshire's other top holdings in 2025, and Alphabet still faces macro and regulatory headwinds. However, I also believe it's a compelling long-term buy for one simple reason: AI.
Will AI create the world's first trillionaire? Our team just released a report on the one little-known company, called an "Indispensable Monopoly" providing the critical technology Nvidia and Intel both need. Continue »
Why is Alphabet the ultimate AI stock?
Alphabet, the parent company of Google, is one of the few companies that can both own and monetize AI at a global scale. By comparison, many AI companies have promising AI tech but lack clear distribution and monetization strategies. Others have massive distribution capabilities, but they're dependent on the AI algorithms and infrastructure of other companies.
Google doesn't have either problem. It's already a full-stack AI infrastructure company that produces its own chips (TPUs), large language model (Gemini), a cloud platform, and other apps. Its massive ecosystem -- including Google Search, YouTube, Android, and Chrome -- enables it to instantly distribute its new AI features to billions of users worldwide.
Therefore, AI isn't an existential threat to Google's core businesses. Instead, AI refines its search results, improves its targeted ads, and connects more businesses to its cloud infrastructure platform. It's also firmly profitable and generates most of its revenue from its higher-margin advertising business, so it can easily afford to expand its more capital-intensive cloud and AI features. Those strengths give it a much stronger foundation than other AI companies, and should make it a reliable stock to buy and hold as the market expands.
Why would Buffett consider Alphabet a worthy investment?
Berkshire purchased 17.8 million shares of Alphabet in the third quarter of 2025, when the stock had an average closing price of $209.06 per share. Today, the stock trades at more than $350.
From 2025 to 2028, analysts expect Alphabet's revenue and EPS to grow at CAGRs of 16% and 13%, respectively, as the cloud and AI boom continues. Its stock still looks reasonably valued at 26 times next year's earnings.
While Buffett hasn't publicly commented on Alphabet after Berkshire's big purchase, the tech giant's robust growth, wide moat, and attractive valuation make it comparable to many of the conglomerate's other top holdings. Therefore, it's still a great stock to buy and never sell.
Should you buy stock in Alphabet right now?
Before you buy stock in Alphabet, consider this:
The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Alphabet wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.
Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $497,606!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,306,846!*
Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 985% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 200% for the S&P 500. Don't miss the latest top 10 list, available with Stock Advisor, and join an investing community built by individual investors for individual investors.
*Stock Advisor returns as of April 29, 2026.
American Express is an advertising partner of Motley Fool Money. Leo Sun has positions in Apple and Coca-Cola. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Alphabet, American Express, Apple, and Berkshire Hathaway. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

1 Reason I'd Buy Buffett's Final Favorite Stock And Never Sell

Key Points
Quantum computing can create up to $850 billion in global economic value by 2040.
Several historical headwinds are piling up for pure-play quantum computing stocks IonQ, Rigetti Computing, and D-Wave Quantum.
However, multiple billionaire money managers have latched onto a virtual monopoly as their preferred way to invest in the evolution of quantum computing.
Though artificial intelligence (AI) has captivated investors for years, it's not the only game-changing technology making waves on Wall Street. The rise of quantum computing is estimated to create up to $850 billion in global economic value by 2040, according to analysts at Boston Consulting Group.
Quantum computing stocks were also briefly running circles around AI stocks last year. As of mid-October 2025, shares of IonQ (NYSE: IONQ), Rigetti Computing (NASDAQ: RGTI), and D-Wave Quantum (NYSE: QBTS) had rallied as much as 6,200% on a trailing 12-month basis. These are life-altering returns that are bound to get Wall Street's attention.
Will AI create the world's first trillionaire? Our team just released a report on the one little-known company, called an "Indispensable Monopoly" providing the critical technology Nvidia and Intel both need. Continue »
But you might be surprised to learn that these pure-play stocks aren't the preferred way billionaires have chosen to invest in the quantum computing revolution.
Historical headwinds may rain on the quantum computing parade
Although IonQ, Rigetti, and D-Wave have soared, all three are facing an assortment of historical headwinds.
For instance, every game-changing technology and trend since the advent of the internet more than three decades ago has navigated an early stage bubble-bursting event. These bubbles form and subsequently burst because investors consistently overestimate how quickly an innovation will be adopted and/or optimized. Quantum computers are a long way from mainstream utility and optimizing sales and profits for the companies deploying them. In other words, quantum computing has all the hallmarks of a bubble in the making.
The valuations of IonQ, Rigetti Computing, and D-Wave Quantum can't be justified, either. History shows that price-to-sales (P/S) ratios above 30 for companies at the forefront of a next-big-thing trend aren't sustainable over extended periods. This pure-play trio ended the previous week at P/S ratios ranging from 94 to 735.
Worst of all, the barrier to entry in the quantum computing space is relatively small, which is probably why billionaires have settled on Google parent Alphabet (NASDAQ: GOOGL)(NASDAQ: GOOG) as their preferred quantum computing stock to own.
Alphabet is the preferred quantum computing stock of billionaire investors
Unlike pure-play quantum computing stocks, Alphabet has several established, highly profitable operating segments with sustained competitive advantages. Google is a virtual monopoly that accounts for roughly 90% of global internet search traffic, while YouTube is the second-most-visited site in the world behind Google. Alphabet is ideally positioned to command exceptional ad pricing power.
It also oversees the third-largest cloud infrastructure services platform by total spend, Google Cloud. Integrating generative AI and large language model capabilities into Google Cloud reaccelerated this segment's sales growth to 48% in the fourth quarter.
But Alphabet is developing quantum processing units, as well. It unveiled Willow in December 2024 and tested a quantum algorithm on its hardware in October. The company revealed that computations were 13,000 times faster than the quickest supercomputer.
Even if quantum computers take several years to become mainstream, Alphabet has the hardware and cash flow to become a major player.
In the September-ended quarter, Berkshire Hathaway's now-retired billionaire boss, Warren Buffett, scooped up over 17.8 million shares of Alphabet's Class A shares (GOOGL). Meanwhile, it's the largest holding for billionaire Chase Coleman's Tiger Global Management as of Dec. 31, and the third-largest holding, including both share classes, for Pershing Square Capital Management's Bill Ackman.
Following the money in the quantum computing arena leads to Alphabet.
Should you buy stock in Alphabet right now?
Before you buy stock in Alphabet, consider this:
The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Alphabet wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.
Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $492,752!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,327,935!*
Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 991% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 201% for the S&P 500. Don't miss the latest top 10 list, available with Stock Advisor, and join an investing community built by individual investors for individual investors.
Sean Williams has positions in Alphabet. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Alphabet, Berkshire Hathaway, and IonQ. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Billionaires Have Chosen Their Favorite Quantum Computing Stock, and It's Not IonQ, Rigetti Computing, or D-Wave Quantum

Key Points
Four companies at the center of the AI boom -- Alphabet, Amazon, Meta Platforms, and Microsoft -- will report earnings after the market closes.
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell will discuss the economy in a press conference after the central bank announces its interest rate decision.
The five largest AI hyperscalers -- Alphabet (NASDAQ: GOOGL) (NASDAQ: GOOG), Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN), Meta Platforms (NASDAQ: META), Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT), and Oracle -- reported about $414 billion in capital expenditures last year, up 70% from the prior year. Those companies expect capital expenditures to climb nearly 70% to $700 billion this year.
However, whether or not that spending ultimately leads to greater profitability depends on the extent to which customers adopt AI software and services. Investors will get insight into that situation today, because four of those hyperscalers report financial results. Good news could drive the S&P 500 (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC) higher, and bad news could drag the benchmark index lower.
Will AI create the world's first trillionaire? Our team just released a report on the one little-known company, called an "Indispensable Monopoly" providing the critical technology Nvidia and Intel both need. Continue »
Here's what investors should know.
Four hyperscalers at the center of the AI boom report quarterly earnings today
Alphabet, Amazon, Meta Platforms, and Microsoft account for about 18% of the S&P 500, which means the index's performance is heavily influenced by those four hyperscalers. Here's what Wall Street expects when they report earnings after the stock market closes on Wednesday.
Alphabet
The consensus estimate says Alphabet's revenue will increase 19% to $117.2 billion and GAAP earnings will drop 7% to $2.62 per share. Investors will watch the core advertising business as a gauge for the broader economy, but they will focus on Google Cloud, where sales growth has accelerated in three straight quarters because of strong demand for Gemini models and custom artificial intelligence chips called tensor processing units (TPUs).
Amazon
The consensus estimate says Amazon's revenue will increase 21% to $188.9 billion and GAAP earnings will increase 3% to $1.65 per share. Investors will look for margin expansion in the e-commerce division, which should materialize over time because of investments in AI and robotics. Investors also want to see strength in the cloud computing division, where revenue growth accelerated to 24% in the fourth quarter, the fastest growth in three years.
Meta Platforms
The consensus estimate says Meta Platforms' sales will increase 31% to $55.5 billion and GAAP earnings will increase 5% to $6.74 per share. The company's investments in AI have so far boosted engagement across its social media properties, leading to strong demand from advertisers, but investors want to see that trend continue or even intensify. They will also want to know how Meta's newest AI model, Muse Spark, might move the financial needle.
Microsoft
The consensus estimate says Microsoft's sales will increase 16% to $81.3 billion and non-GAAP earnings will increase 17% to $4.06 per share. Investors want evidence Microsoft is monetizing Copilot 365, especially because competitors such as Anthropic and OpenAI are churning out generative AI tools that could disrupt the software industry. Investors also want to see sales growth reaccelerate in the cloud computing division Azure.
Here's the big picture: In general, Wall Street expects muted earnings growth from these companies. That's because heavy investments in AI infrastructure are projected to compress profit margins in the near term. Naturally, investors want reassurance that those investments will eventually translate into greater profitability. The S&P 500 could drop sharply if these companies fail to ease lingering doubts when they report earnings.
The Federal Reserve will announce its interest rate decision today
Earnings reports are not the only catalyst that could move the stock market this week. The Federal Reserve will announce its interest rate decision around 2:00 p.m. ET today. The odds of a rate cut are essentially zero, because inflation has reaccelerated since the Iran conflict began in late February.
However, investors will listen closely to what Chair Jerome Powell says about the economy during his press conference, looking for insight into the future trajectory of interest rates. The S&P 500 is currently near its record high, but any indication that the Fed's next move could be a rate increase (rather than a rate cut) could cause the stock market to drop sharply.
Should you buy stock in S&P 500 Index right now?
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Trevor Jennewine has positions in Amazon. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Alphabet, Amazon, Meta Platforms, Microsoft, and Oracle. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

The Stock Market's Most Important Day of the Quarter Has Arrived

Key Points
Marvell Technology is emerging as a critical AI chip design partner for hyperscalers.
Its growing photonic interconnect and custom chip businesses position Marvell at the center of scalable AI systems.
Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA) holds roughly 85% to 92% of the artificial intelligence accelerator market today. That kind of dominance invites serious competition -- and in this case, much of it is coming from the very cloud giants currently paying Nvidia billions every quarter. The four major hyperscalers -- Alphabet (NASDAQ: GOOGL) (NASDAQ: GOOG), Microsoft, Amazon, and Meta Platforms -- are all aggressively developing custom AI silicon to reduce their dependence on any single supplier.
One company sitting at the center of that shift is Marvell Technology (NASDAQ: MRVL).
Will AI create the world's first trillionaire? Our team just released a report on the one little-known company, called an "Indispensable Monopoly" providing the critical technology Nvidia and Intel both need. Continue »
Why Marvell is different
Marvell Technology is not a brand most casual investors will recognize. It doesn't make consumer devices. It doesn't market to developers. But it does design some of the custom chips and connectivity fabric that allow modern AI data centers to function.
Its custom application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) business grew from near zero to $1.5 billion in annual revenue in a single fiscal year. The company has 18 design wins with hyperscalers, including Microsoft and Amazon, meaning it already sits inside the hardware stacks of some of the most aggressive AI infrastructure build-outs in the world.
This month, reports surfaced that Alphabet's Google is in talks with Marvell to co-develop two custom AI chips: a memory processing unit and a next-generation Tensor Processing Unit (TPU) for inference workloads. Marvell stock jumped more than 13% in a single session on that news. Critically, this isn't a one-time contract announcement. It is a signal that hyperscalers are turning to Marvell as a strategic co-design partner, not just a vendor.
The architecture of the opportunity
Why would Google, with one of the world's most sophisticated chip teams, need Marvell? Because building cutting-edge inference silicon while staying compatible with the broader Nvidia CUDA infrastructure requires a level of chip interconnect expertise that Marvell has spent decades building. Its PCIe, Ethernet, and photonic networking offerings tie into virtually every major AI infrastructure architecture.
In Marvell's fiscal 2026, which ended Jan. 31, its revenue grew by 42% to $8.2 billion. But management now expects to reach $15 billion in total sales in fiscal 2028, with top-line growth of more than 30% in the current year, and close to 40% in the next. The stock currently trades at around $152 per share -- down a bit from the all-time high it touched last week -- and analysts have been boosting their price targets recently in light of the Google news.
The company also recently acquired Celestial AI for $3.25 billion to bring its photonic interconnect technology in-house. This technology enables data to move between chips at the speed of light, which is the next binding constraint in multichip AI systems. That acquisition signals management is already thinking past the current generation of AI infrastructure.
Beyond raw speed, Celestial AI's photonic fabric is designed to break the so-called "memory wall" by delivering massive bandwidth and low-latency connections between processing chips and memory hardware. This lets AI systems more effectively scale across entire racks and clusters. In layman's terms, this means easy speed, easy speed, and more easy speed.
Is the "next Nvidia" just clickbait?
The "next Nvidia" framing isn't about Marvell unseating the GPU giant. Nvidia will likely remain the dominant processor provider in AI training for the foreseeable future, and the moat it enjoys due to the ubiquity of its CUDA software platform is genuinely deep. What the comparison is intended to reflect is the trajectory that I think Marvell is on. Like Nvidia, it started as a specialized niche supplier. Now, it too is earning design win after design win with the major hyperscalers, and eventually, it appears likely to become so deeply embedded in the infrastructure stack with its custom ASICs and photonic interconnect technology that it's effectively irreplaceable.
That's exactly what Nvidia did with gaming and then with data center GPUs.
Marvell stock is up over 80% over the last six months, but the combination of 18 hyperscaler design wins, a Google co-development partnership, photonic interconnect hardware, and 30%-plus projected annual growth makes Marvell Technology the most compelling AI play that most retail investors haven't discovered yet. Those with a long-term view should consider adding it to their portfolios.
Should you buy stock in Marvell Technology right now?
Before you buy stock in Marvell Technology, consider this:
The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Marvell Technology wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.
Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $492,752!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,327,935!*
Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 991% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 201% for the S&P 500. Don't miss the latest top 10 list, available with Stock Advisor, and join an investing community built by individual investors for individual investors.
*Stock Advisor returns as of April 29, 2026.
Micah Zimmerman has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Alphabet, Amazon, Marvell Technology, Meta Platforms, Microsoft, and Nvidia. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Prediction: This Artificial Intelligence (AI) Chip Stock Will Become the Next Nvidia by 2030

Key Points
Combined 2026 capital expenditure plans across the four companies could exceed $600 billion.
Meta's first-quarter revenue guidance implies about 30% year-over-year growth.
Investors should brace for outsize market volatility.
As earnings season continues to unfold, Wednesday is arguably the most important day yet. After market close, we'll get earnings reports from four of the "Magnificent Seven" companies -- Alphabet (NASDAQ: GOOG)(NASDAQ: GOOGL), Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN), Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT), and Meta Platforms (NASDAQ: META). With all of these companies' market capitalizations measured in the trillions of dollars, their reports could move the market.
Interestingly, even though each of these businesses is significantly different from the others, investors will likely be watching some of the same key items across all four companies' reports. Indeed, probably the most important figure for all four companies is the same: revenue growth. If any of these companies fails to meet Wall Street's expectations for top-line growth, even as their capital expenditures soar, investors could question the artificial intelligence (AI) growth narrative that all four of these companies are pushing. In short, these companies need to show that their accelerating spend on an AI build-out is paying off in impressive top-line performance.
Will AI create the world's first trillionaire? Our team just released a report on the one little-known company, called an "Indispensable Monopoly" providing the critical technology Nvidia and Intel both need. Continue »
And this brings us to the other part of the equation: operating earnings. To what extent is this massive investment cycle weighing on earnings growth in the form of higher depreciation expenses? If earnings growth is suppressed too much by the costs associated with these companies' big spending plans, it could spook investors.
A focus on revenue growth
Each company is coming off solid double-digit revenue growth in its most recent quarter. But the bar Wednesday's reports must clear varies notably across the group.
Alphabet posted 18% year-over-year growth in the fourth quarter, helped by Google Cloud's 48% jump to $17.7 billion. And management said it expects a foreign exchange tailwind in Q1, which could help maintain momentum. Also worth noting, Alphabet's cloud backlog ended 2025 at $240 billion, up 55% sequentially.
In its fiscal second quarter of 2026 (the period ended Dec. 31, 2025), Microsoft's revenue rose 17%, with Azure growing 39%. But its fiscal Q3 guidance points to modest deceleration: revenue of $80.65 billion to $81.75 billion -- about 16% growth at the midpoint -- with Azure guided to 37% to 38% in constant currency. But investors are probably hoping the figure actually accelerates, coming in at 40% or better.
Meta's fourth-quarter revenue rose 24% to $59.9 billion. But even more notable is the company's first-quarter guidance of $53.5 billion to $56.5 billion. Against the year-ago period's $42.3 billion in revenue, the midpoint implies an impressive 30% year-over-year growth rate.
And, finally, Amazon's fourth-quarter revenue rose 14% to $213.4 billion. The quarter's standout figure, however, was AWS revenue (Amazon's cloud computing business), which climbed 24% to $35.6 billion -- its fastest growth in 13 quarters. Management's first-quarter guidance of $173.5 billion to $178.5 billion implies 11% to 15% growth. But given the stock's approximately 30% gain over the last 30 days, investors are probably looking for actual revenue at or above that guidance range, fueled by a further acceleration in AWS.
The capital-expenditure overhang
These four companies' 2026 capital expenditure plans are mind-boggling. Indeed, when combined, these four companies could spend more than $600 billion on capital expenditures this year.
Alphabet plans to spend $175 billion to $185 billion on capital expenditures in 2026 -- roughly double its $91.4 billion in 2025; Amazon forecast roughly $200 billion this year (versus about $131.8 billion in 2025); Meta is guiding for $115 billion to $135 billion (against $72.2 billion last year); and Microsoft hasn't provided a full-year figure, but its first-half fiscal 2026 capital expenditures of $72.4 billion implies something in the neighborhood of $130 billion for the fiscal year.
But such heavy spending eventually flows through to depreciation. To this end, Alphabet chief financial officer Anat Ashkenazi told investors on the company's fourth-quarterearnings callthat "given the increase in our CapEx investments in recent years, we expect the growth rate in 2026 depreciation to accelerate in Q1, and meaningfully increase for the full year."
Similar pressure is building across the group.
Investors will be looking for evidence that each company can absorb this cost ramp while still growing operating income.
Going into these companies' reports, we have some clues about what to expect from operating income.
Meta said it expects 2026 operating income "above" 2025 levels despite the spending step-up. And Amazon's first-quarter operating income guidance of $16.5 billion to $21.5 billion straddles last year's $18.4 billion, but it also absorbs about $1 billion of new costs tied to its Amazon Leo satellite project.
All four companies report after market close on Wednesday. With market caps measured in the trillions and AI infrastructure spending at record levels, the stakes for each report are unusually high.
Whatever the results, investors should buckle up: post-earnings volatility could be significant.
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Daniel Sparks and his clients have no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Alphabet, Amazon, Meta Platforms, and Microsoft. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

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