Analysis of AI Competition Between Microsoft and Alphabet
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: 1h ago
0mins
Should l Buy GOOGL?
Source: Fool
- Microsoft's Investment Strategy: By holding a 27% stake in OpenAI, Microsoft, while lacking its own generative AI model, offers a variety of generative AI models through Azure Foundry, positioning itself as an AI facilitator, which reduces development costs and enhances market competitiveness.
- Alphabet's Proactive Development: Alphabet's Gemini model has emerged as an industry leader, leveraging deep insights into user data to provide more personalized AI services; despite the substantial resources spent on development, the increase in market value indicates the potential returns of this investment.
- Financial Performance Comparison: In their latest earnings reports, Microsoft reported a 17% year-over-year revenue increase and a 60% rise in earnings per share, while Alphabet's revenue grew by 18% and EPS by 31%, showing comparable performance, but Google Cloud's 48% growth rate highlights its strong position in the cloud computing market.
- Valuation Discrepancy: Following a sell-off after its Q2 earnings report, Microsoft is now significantly cheaper than Alphabet, and despite similar business performances, Microsoft's lower valuation makes it a more attractive investment option at present, reflecting market optimism about future AI growth.
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Analyst Views on GOOGL
Wall Street analysts forecast GOOGL stock price to rise over the next 12 months. According to Wall Street analysts, the average 1-year price target for GOOGL is 338.25 USD with a low forecast of 279.00 USD and a high forecast of 390.00 USD. However, analyst price targets are subjective and often lag stock prices, so investors should focus on the objective reasons behind analyst rating changes, which better reflect the company's fundamentals.
34 Analyst Rating
27 Buy
7 Hold
0 Sell
Strong Buy
Current: 331.250
Low
279.00
Averages
338.25
High
390.00
Current: 331.250
Low
279.00
Averages
338.25
High
390.00
About GOOGL
Alphabet Inc. is a holding company. The Company's segments include Google Services, Google Cloud, and Other Bets. The Google Services segment includes products and services such as ads, Android, Chrome, devices, Google Maps, Google Play, Search, and YouTube. The Google Cloud segment includes infrastructure and platform services, collaboration tools, and other services for enterprise customers. Its Other Bets segment is engaged in the sale of healthcare-related services and Internet services. Its Google Cloud provides enterprise-ready cloud services, including Google Cloud Platform and Google Workspace. Google Cloud Platform provides access to solutions such as artificial intelligence (AI) offerings, including its AI infrastructure, Vertex AI platform, and Gemini for Google Cloud; cybersecurity, and data and analytics. Google Workspace includes cloud-based communication and collaboration tools for enterprises, such as Calendar, Gmail, Docs, Drive, and Meet.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
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See More
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- Cloud Market Performance: Microsoft Azure's revenue grew by 39% year-over-year in Q2 FY 2026, showcasing strong performance; however, Google Cloud outperformed with a 48% revenue growth in Q4, highlighting its competitive edge in market share.
- AI Model Development Strategy: Microsoft opted to invest in OpenAI rather than develop its own generative AI models, allowing it to offer a diverse range of AI solutions, while Alphabet's development of the Gemini model has granted it greater market control, despite the higher costs incurred by the latter.
- Valuation Discrepancies Impact Investment Decisions: Following a sell-off after its Q2 earnings announcement, Microsoft's valuation is significantly lower than Alphabet's, making it a more attractive investment option in the current market environment, even though both companies exhibit relatively similar business performance.
See More
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- Project Construction Plans: The solar plants will be located in Wichita and Mustang Creek, with construction set to begin in the second quarter of this year, marking TotalEnergies' further expansion into the U.S. market.
- Renewable Energy Strategy: By partnering with Google, TotalEnergies not only strengthens its market position in the clean energy sector but also advances its global renewable energy investment strategy, contributing to sustainable development goals.
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See More
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- Microsoft's Investment Strategy: By holding a 27% stake in OpenAI, Microsoft, while lacking its own generative AI model, offers a variety of generative AI models through Azure Foundry, positioning itself as an AI facilitator, which reduces development costs and enhances market competitiveness.
- Alphabet's Proactive Development: Alphabet's Gemini model has emerged as an industry leader, leveraging deep insights into user data to provide more personalized AI services; despite the substantial resources spent on development, the increase in market value indicates the potential returns of this investment.
- Financial Performance Comparison: In their latest earnings reports, Microsoft reported a 17% year-over-year revenue increase and a 60% rise in earnings per share, while Alphabet's revenue grew by 18% and EPS by 31%, showing comparable performance, but Google Cloud's 48% growth rate highlights its strong position in the cloud computing market.
- Valuation Discrepancy: Following a sell-off after its Q2 earnings report, Microsoft is now significantly cheaper than Alphabet, and despite similar business performances, Microsoft's lower valuation makes it a more attractive investment option at present, reflecting market optimism about future AI growth.
See More
