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Alphabet (GOOGL) Reports Q4 Earnings: What Key Metrics Have to Say

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For the quarter ended December 2024, Alphabet (GOOGL - Free Report) reported revenue of $81.62 billion, up 12.9% over the same period last year. EPS came in at $2.15, compared to $1.64 in the year-ago quarter.

The reported revenue represents a surprise of +0.30% over the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $81.38 billion. With the consensus EPS estimate being $2.12, the EPS surprise was +1.42%.

While investors scrutinize revenue and earnings changes year-over-year and how they compare with Wall Street expectations to determine their next move, some key metrics always offer a more accurate picture of a company's financial health.

Since these metrics play a crucial role in driving the top- and bottom-line numbers, comparing them with the year-ago numbers and what analysts estimated about them helps investors better project a stock's price performance.

Here is how Alphabet performed in the just reported quarter in terms of the metrics most widely monitored and projected by Wall Street analysts:

  • Total TAC (traffic acquisition costs): $14.85 billion versus $14.95 billion estimated by 13 analysts on average.
  • Headcount (Number of employees): 183,323 compared to the 182,146 average estimate based on four analysts.
  • Revenues- United States: $47.38 billion compared to the $47.26 billion average estimate based on three analysts. The reported number represents a change of +12.8% year over year.
  • Revenues- Other Americas (Canada and Latin America): $5.73 billion versus the three-analyst average estimate of $5.55 billion. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +10.8%.
  • Revenues- APAC: $15.16 billion versus the three-analyst average estimate of $15.39 billion. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +8.4%.
  • Revenues- EMEA: $28.18 billion versus $27.81 billion estimated by three analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a +12.7% change.
  • Revenues- Google properties: $64.51 billion compared to the $63.43 billion average estimate based on 12 analysts. The reported number represents a change of +12.7% year over year.
  • Revenues- Google Cloud: $11.96 billion versus the 11-analyst average estimate of $12.14 billion. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +30.1%.
  • Revenues- YouTube ads: $10.47 billion versus $10.16 billion estimated by 11 analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a +13.8% change.
  • Revenues- Google advertising: $72.46 billion compared to the $71.62 billion average estimate based on 11 analysts. The reported number represents a change of +10.6% year over year.
  • Revenues- Google Search & other: $54.03 billion versus $53.18 billion estimated by 11 analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a +12.5% change.
  • Revenues- Google Network: $7.95 billion compared to the $7.84 billion average estimate based on 11 analysts. The reported number represents a change of -4.1% year over year.
View all Key Company Metrics for Alphabet here>>>

Shares of Alphabet have returned +2.2% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +1% change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), indicating that it could perform in line with the broader market in the near term.

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