Assenagon Asset Management S.A. Buys 2,015,684 Shares of Alphabet Inc. $GOOGL

Key Points

• Assenagon Asset Management increased its Alphabet stake by 51.5% in the third quarter, purchasing 2,015,684 additional shares and bringing its total holdings to 5,926,654 shares valued at approximately $2.04 billion.
• Alphabet reported stronger-than-expected quarterly results, with $9.11 in earnings per share and $119.8 billion in revenue. The company also pays a quarterly dividend of $0.22 per share, equivalent to a 0.3% annualized yield.
• Analysts maintain a broadly positive outlook, with Alphabet holding a consensus “Buy” rating and an average price target of $425.04, though investors remain concerned about heavy AI-related capital spending, litigation and regulatory risks.

Assenagon Asset Management S.A. lifted its stake in shares of Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOGL - Free Report) by 51.5% during the third quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 5,926,654 shares of the information services provider's stock after purchasing an additional 2,015,684 shares during the quarter. Alphabet comprises 1.5% of Assenagon Asset Management S.A.'s investment portfolio, making the stock its 10th biggest holding. Assenagon Asset Management S.A.'s holdings in Alphabet were worth $2,039,243,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Other large investors also recently made changes to their positions in the company. EMC Capital Management bought a new stake in Alphabet during the fourth quarter worth $33,000. Lifetime Wealth Management P.C. purchased a new position in Alphabet in the fourth quarter valued at about $32,000. Core Capital Management & Research inc. bought a new position in shares of Alphabet during the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $41,000. Premier Financial Group bought a new position in shares of Alphabet during the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $45,000. Finally, Graney & King LLC grew its position in shares of Alphabet by 38.5% during the 2nd quarter. Graney & King LLC now owns 180 shares of the information services provider's stock valued at $64,000 after acquiring an additional 50 shares during the period. 40.03% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Alphabet Price Performance

Shares of Alphabet stock opened at $340.59 on Friday. The company has a current ratio of 2.72, a quick ratio of 2.64 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.16. The firm has a market capitalization of $4.17 trillion, a PE ratio of 17.11, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.99 and a beta of 1.21. The business's 50-day moving average price is $344.26 and its 200-day moving average price is $351.32. Alphabet Inc. has a 12 month low of $244.15 and a 12 month high of $408.61.

Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOGL - Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, July 22nd. The information services provider reported $9.11 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $2.89 by $6.22. Alphabet had a return on equity of 51.32% and a net margin of 54.77%. The company had revenue of $119.80 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $117.07 billion. Sell-side analysts forecast that Alphabet Inc. will post 20.55 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Alphabet Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, September 14th. Stockholders of record on Monday, September 7th were issued a $0.22 dividend. This represents a $0.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.3%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, September 4th. Alphabet's payout ratio is presently 4.42%.

Alphabet News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Alphabet this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Strong cloud and AI momentum: Recent commentary highlights approximately 24% overall revenue growth and an 82% increase in Google Cloud, suggesting that cloud demand and AI monetization may be offsetting concerns about rising capital expenditures. Alphabet’s Cloud Surge and AI Dominance Overshadow Capex Fears
• Positive Sentiment: JPMorgan remains bullish: JPMorgan raised its Alphabet price target to $425 from $420 and maintained an “overweight” rating, implying significant upside from the referenced price. The firm believes Google can withstand fears that generative AI will disrupt Search. JPMorgan Alphabet Price Target
• Positive Sentiment: Waymo expansion: Alphabet’s autonomous-driving unit received approval to participate in Ontario’s automated-vehicle pilot program and is targeting a Toronto robotaxi launch in 2028, expanding a potential long-term growth business. Waymo Toronto Robotaxi Launch
• Positive Sentiment: Additional product and technology catalysts: Google launched its Universal Cart shopping tool in the U.S., while reports of progress in quantum-computing error reduction and a multiyear CNN AI partnership support Alphabet’s efforts to broaden AI-related revenue.
• Neutral Sentiment: Investor attention is elevated: Zacks reported unusually heavy searches for both GOOGL and GOOG, reflecting strong interest but not necessarily a change in fundamentals.
• Negative Sentiment: Capex and profitability concerns: Investors remain concerned that Alphabet’s large data-center and AI investments could pressure free cash flow and take time to generate adequate returns. A reported multibillion-dollar computing arrangement with SpaceX adds to scrutiny of spending discipline.
• Negative Sentiment: Litigation over AI disclosures: Several law firms publicized a securities-fraud class action covering investors who bought shares from May 19 through July 16, 2026. The allegations reportedly involve representations about Gemini 3.5 Pro training results; the repeated notices add headline and potential liability risk, although they do not establish wrongdoing.
• Negative Sentiment: Other risks: Google warned that suspected China-linked hackers could exploit a BeyondTrust software flaw, while political and regulatory uncertainty could affect Search, advertising and the profits funding Alphabet’s AI buildout.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several equities research analysts have recently issued reports on GOOGL shares. DA Davidson set a $350.00 price target on shares of Alphabet and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a research note on Thursday, July 23rd. DZ Bank raised shares of Alphabet to a "strong-buy" rating in a report on Thursday, July 23rd. Rosenblatt Securities restated a "buy" rating and issued a $410.00 target price on shares of Alphabet in a research note on Thursday, September 3rd. Citizens Jmp restated a "market outperform" rating and set a $515.00 price target on shares of Alphabet in a research report on Wednesday, July 22nd. Finally, UBS Group reaffirmed a "neutral" rating and issued a $380.00 price target (up from $379.00) on shares of Alphabet in a report on Wednesday. Five investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, forty-six have given a Buy rating and four have assigned a Hold rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Alphabet presently has a consensus rating of "Buy" and a consensus target price of $425.04.

Insider Transactions at Alphabet

In other news, CAO Marsida Saraci sold 449 shares of the company's stock in a transaction on Wednesday, July 29th. The shares were sold at an average price of $333.20, for a total value of $149,606.80. Following the completion of the sale, the chief accounting officer owned 27,386 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $9,125,015.20. This represents a 1.61% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Also, Director Frances Arnold sold 83 shares of Alphabet stock in a transaction on Wednesday, September 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $340.45, for a total transaction of $28,257.35. Following the completion of the transaction, the director owned 19,076 shares in the company, valued at approximately $6,494,424.20. The trade was a 0.43% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. In the last ninety days, insiders sold 420,865 shares of company stock worth $8,293,477. 11.61% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Alphabet Profile

Alphabet Inc is a technology holding company best known for its Google subsidiary. Google operates a global internet-services business centered on online search, digital advertising, YouTube, Android, Chrome, Google Maps, Google Play, and a broad range of cloud-based productivity and collaboration tools.

Google Cloud provides infrastructure, data analytics, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and enterprise software services to businesses, governments, and other organizations. Alphabet also develops consumer hardware, including Pixel devices and products for connected homes, while investing in emerging businesses through its “Other Bets” segment, including autonomous transportation and life sciences initiatives.

Alphabet was established in 2015 as part of a corporate restructuring that made Google a subsidiary and provided a separate structure for its expanding portfolio of businesses.

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