Bessemer Group Inc. Reduces Stock Position in Alphabet Inc. $GOOG

Key Points

• Bessemer Group Inc. cut its Alphabet stake by 5.0% in Q1, selling 533,653 shares and ending with 10,146,655 shares worth about $2.91 billion. Alphabet remained its third-largest holding, making up roughly 4.6% of the portfolio.
• Alphabet’s recent fundamentals looked strong, with Q1 earnings of $5.11 per share beating estimates and revenue rising 21.8% year over year to $109.90 billion. The company also raised its quarterly dividend to $0.22 per share.
• Wall Street remains mostly bullish on the stock, with an average “Buy” rating and a consensus price target of $383.44. Analysts and investors are also watching for Alphabet’s upcoming earnings and possible volatility around the report.

Bessemer Group Inc. decreased its position in Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG - Free Report) by 5.0% in the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 10,146,655 shares of the information services provider's stock after selling 533,653 shares during the quarter. Alphabet comprises approximately 4.6% of Bessemer Group Inc.'s holdings, making the stock its 3rd largest position. Bessemer Group Inc. owned approximately 0.08% of Alphabet worth $2,910,668,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other large investors have also bought and sold shares of the company. Gerald Baker Financial Group LLC acquired a new position in Alphabet in the first quarter worth approximately $1,022,000. One Day In July LLC lifted its position in shares of Alphabet by 8.7% during the 1st quarter. One Day In July LLC now owns 8,765 shares of the information services provider's stock valued at $2,514,000 after acquiring an additional 705 shares during the last quarter. Thayer Partners LLC MA lifted its position in shares of Alphabet by 12.9% during the 1st quarter. Thayer Partners LLC MA now owns 2,316 shares of the information services provider's stock valued at $664,000 after acquiring an additional 265 shares during the last quarter. Independent Financial Group LLC bought a new stake in shares of Alphabet during the 1st quarter worth $19,095,000. Finally, Frazier Financial Advisors LLC boosted its stake in shares of Alphabet by 35.9% during the 1st quarter. Frazier Financial Advisors LLC now owns 1,509 shares of the information services provider's stock worth $433,000 after acquiring an additional 399 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 27.26% of the company's stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities research analysts have recently issued reports on the company. Zacks Research raised Alphabet from a "hold" rating to a "strong-buy" rating in a research report on Tuesday, July 7th. Freedom Capital lowered Alphabet from a "strong-buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Monday, May 4th. Citigroup restated a "market outperform" rating on shares of Alphabet in a report on Monday, June 22nd. Scotiabank reaffirmed an "outperform" rating and set a $450.00 price objective (up from $400.00) on shares of Alphabet in a research note on Thursday, April 30th. Finally, Phillip Securities downgraded shares of Alphabet from a "strong-buy" rating to a "moderate buy" rating in a research report on Wednesday, April 15th. Five analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-seven have given a Buy rating and four have given a Hold rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of "Buy" and a consensus target price of $383.44.

Alphabet Trading Up 1.5%

Shares of NASDAQ GOOG opened at $351.37 on Tuesday. The company has a current ratio of 1.92, a quick ratio of 1.92 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.16. Alphabet Inc. has a one year low of $187.05 and a one year high of $404.47. The business has a 50-day moving average price of $365.58 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $337.07. The firm has a market capitalization of $4.26 trillion, a PE ratio of 26.80, a PEG ratio of 1.43 and a beta of 1.23.

Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOG - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, April 30th. The information services provider reported $5.11 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $2.68 by $2.43. Alphabet had a net margin of 37.92% and a return on equity of 38.99%. The business had revenue of $109.90 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $106.96 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $2.81 earnings per share. The firm's revenue was up 21.8% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, analysts predict that Alphabet Inc. will post 14.33 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Alphabet Increases Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, June 15th. Shareholders of record on Monday, June 8th were given a $0.22 dividend. This represents a $0.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.3%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, June 8th. This is a positive change from Alphabet's previous quarterly dividend of $0.21. Alphabet's payout ratio is currently 6.71%.

Insider Activity at Alphabet

In related news, major shareholder 2019 Gp L.L.C. Gv sold 87,475 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, May 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $23.75, for a total transaction of $2,077,531.25. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Also, CAO Marsida Saraci sold 449 shares of Alphabet stock in a transaction on Friday, June 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $341.72, for a total value of $153,432.28. Following the sale, the chief accounting officer directly owned 27,348 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $9,345,358.56. The trade was a 1.62% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Over the last ninety days, insiders have sold 159,415 shares of company stock worth $7,672,279. 12.99% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Key Headlines Impacting Alphabet

Here are the key news stories impacting Alphabet this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Alphabet is developing a new AI server chip, “Frozen v2,” designed to run its Gemini models more efficiently, which suggests lower inference costs and stronger AI margins. Reuters: Google plans new chip to run Gemini models more efficiently
• Positive Sentiment: Several analysts and market commentators remain bullish ahead of earnings, citing strong Search and Google Cloud growth, along with expectations that Alphabet can beat or at least support current high valuations. Zacks: Can Strong Search and Cloud Growth Drive GOOGL's Q2 Earnings?
• Positive Sentiment: Investor attention is also being lifted by Berkshire Hathaway’s large Alphabet stake and comments from Warren Buffett, which reinforce confidence in Alphabet as a durable AI and core internet franchise. Motley Fool: Warren Buffett Said He Personally Started Berkshire's Alphabet Position
• Neutral Sentiment: With Alphabet set to report on July 22, options traders and analysts expect a sizable post-earnings move, underscoring that the stock may stay volatile into the print. Investopedia: Here's How Much Google Parent Alphabet's Stock Is Seen Moving After Earnings Wednesday
• Neutral Sentiment: Broader market focus on geopolitical risks and Big Tech earnings is adding a wait-and-see tone, but this is more of a backdrop than a direct driver for Alphabet. Yahoo Finance: US stocks edge down with Iran and earnings season in focus
• Negative Sentiment: New securities-fraud investigations disclosed by law firms could create some overhang, although these are early-stage and not yet tied to any specific financial impact. GlobeNewswire: Securities Fraud Investigation Into Alphabet Inc. Continues

Alphabet Company Profile

Alphabet Inc NASDAQ: GOOG is a multinational technology holding company headquartered in Mountain View, California. Formed in 2015 through a corporate restructuring of Google, Alphabet serves as the parent to Google LLC and a portfolio of businesses collectively known as "Other Bets." Google was originally founded in 1998 by Larry Page and Sergey Brin; Alphabet is led by CEO Sundar Pichai, who oversees Google and the broader company while the founders remain prominent shareholders and influential figures in the company's history.

Alphabet's core business centers on internet search and advertising, with Google Search and the company's ad platforms (including Google Ads and AdSense) generating the majority of revenue by connecting advertisers with consumers worldwide.

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