‘Q1 Boost for Alphabet in Google Cloud, Introduces Dividend’

Alphabet’s Google Cloud business has reached a milestone of billion annual revenue run rate, contributing to the strong first quarter results of the company as a whole.

Alphabet reported a first-quarter revenue of .54 billion, showing a 15% increase from the previous year, with a net income of .66 billion, equivalent to .89 per share. These results exceeded Wall Street’s expectations, which were anticipating earnings of .50 per share on revenue of .7 billion.

CEO Sundar Pichai highlighted the success of the first quarter, attributing it to the strong performance of search, YouTube, and Google Cloud. Pichai expressed optimism for the future, mentioning the company’s leadership in AI research and infrastructure and its global product footprint, which sets them up for the next wave of AI innovation.

CFO and Chief Investment Officer Ruth Porat noted that the company’s margins were expanding due to ongoing efforts to reengineer the cost base. Alphabet also announced a dividend of 20 cents per share to be paid on June 17, with plans for quarterly cash dividends going forward. Additionally, the company disclosed a share repurchase program of up to billion.

During a conference call, Pichai emphasized the positive reception of Gemini 1.5 among developers and enterprise customers, highlighting its versatility and efficiency in various applications. He underscored Google’s commitment to investing in AI infrastructure to drive growth in the cloud and enable innovation across services.

By unit, Google Search revenue saw an increase to .16 billion, YouTube revenue reached .09 billion, Google Network revenue was .4 billion, and Google Ad revenue amounted to .66 billion. Google Services’ operating income was .9 billion, while Google Cloud recorded an operating income of 0 million on revenue of .57 billion. However, Other Bets resulted in a loss of .02 billion on revenue of 5 million, with Alphabet taking a hit of .3 billion in the first quarter for real estate optimization and severance.

Key points highlighted by Porat included the growth of Cloud segment revenues to .6 billion, reflecting a 28% increase driven by GCP and AI contributions. She also emphasized the focus on moderating expense growth to accommodate higher investment levels in technical infrastructure. The first quarter saw a capital expenditure of billion, primarily aimed at technical infrastructure, servers, and data centers. Further capex investment is expected to remain consistent throughout the year.

In conclusion, Alphabet’s strong first quarter results, driven by the success of Google Cloud and other key segments, position the company well for continued growth and innovation in the AI landscape.