Alphabet (GOOG, GOOGL) 01 (May 08 - Jul 17)

[winston]

not vested

“Sure Thing” Stock No. 3 – My bet, the future of EVERYTHING

I won’t beat around the bush. The third “sure thing” stock and my hands-down bet as to who will drive the future of “everything,” is Google (Nasdaq: GOOG). It boggles the mind to think that when I first recommended the stock to my clients, I characterized the company as “a leading online search engine.” My how far we’ve come in just a few short years.

With a market value in excess of $300 billion, Google is one of the most widely followed, widely held, and frequently traded stocks in the market. The company, meanwhile, is easily one of the most recognized brands in history and was recently named the 10th most admired and 2nd most valuable behind Apple.

Search still matters. But in recent years the company has expanded to dominate all aspects of online technology, cloud computing, email, and especially online advertising – including the wildly popular AdWords and AdSense – which currently drives a good chunk of its revenues.

In recent years, the company also developed and currently drives the Android mobile operating system and ecosystem. For which it produces its own consumer hardware for access the Internet, including Chromebook and Google Glass. It’s been estimated that Google runs over one million servers around the world and processes a billion search requests every day, making it the most visited website in the world.

You must agree that’s stunning for a company bootstrapped in a dorm room by two college students less than 20 years ago. Since the company’s IPO in 2004, investors have seen a 10-fold increase in their original investments.

Now, here’s why I foresee equally great things for the next 20 years. When our grandchildren talk to their children about Google, I have a hunch neither will even bring up the idea of Internet search. Google’s driverless cars will dominate the roads. The company will be a major player in healthcare and medical technology, which it will have helped revolutionize.

Thanks to its famous “moon shot” thinking approach to innovation, 3D smart phones will be in everybody’s pockets, Google robots will be helping our soldiers defend freedom around the world, and heck even Google Glass will have finally caught on!

Of course, this is all speculation. As you’ll discover I don’t recommend that you invest in pipe dreams based on your imagination. I can’t tell you precisely what will make Google a great investment 20 years from now. It could be any or all of those things or more likely something else altogether.

What I can tell you is that Google is a rock-solid cash-generating monster – one that isn’t afraid to put that cash to use building an unassailable balance sheet and investing in the innovations that will shape our world for generations to come.

For me, that’s the very definition of a “sure thing” investment and the embodiment of a true “forever” stock. If you don’t already own it, I heartily encourage you to open a position today.

Source: Smart Talk

[winston]

not vested

Google (GOOGL)
MARKET Cap: $373 billion
Year-to-date return: 3%
Morgan Stanley Rating/Price Target: Equal weight/$565 PT

Morgan Stanley said: We see INVESTMENTS in opportunities outside of the core search business driving impressive growth on the horizon, and with the imminent arrival of a new CFO, longer-term we believe Google's position as one of the leaders in the technology space is largely unmatched.

Our Equal-weight view on the stock on a 12-18 month horizon is based on a balance of GOOGL's undemanding valuation among large-cap growth stocks, offset by a view that the underlying and highly profitable search business is slowing faster than expected.


TheStreet Ratings: Buy, B
TheStreet Ratings said: "We rate GOOGLE INC (GOOGL) a BUY. This is driven by some important positives, which we believe should have a greater impact than any weaknesses, and should give investors a better performance opportunity than most stocks we cover.

The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its revenue growth, largely solid FINANCIAL position with reasonable debt levels by most measures, reasonable valuation levels, expanding profit margins and good cash flow from operations. We feel its strengths outweigh the fact that the company has had somewhat disappointing return on equity."

Highlights from the analysis by TheStreet Ratings Team goes as follows:

GOOGL's revenue growth has slightly outpaced the industry average of 5.8%. Since the same quarter one year prior, revenues rose by 11.9%. This growth in revenue does not appear to have trickled down to the company's bottom line, displayed by a decline in earnings per SHARE.

Although GOOGL's debt-to-equity ratio of 0.05 is very low, it is currently higher than that of the industry average. Along with this, the company maintains a quick ratio of 5.28, which clearly demonstrates the ability to cover short-term CASH needs.

The gross profit margin for GOOGLE INC is rather high; currently it is at 69.99%. It has increased from the same quarter the previous year. Along with this, the net profit margin of 20.77% is above that of the industry average.

Net operating CASH flow has significantly increased by 50.69% to $6,617.00 million when compared to the same quarter last year. In addition, GOOGLE INC has also
modestly surpassed the industry average CASH flow growth rate of 41.37%.


Source: The Street

[winston]

not vested

7 Cash-Rich Stocks to Buy: Google (GOOG, GOOGL)

Total Cash & Investments: $65 billion

Surprise, surprise. Another Silicon Valley giant with more money than it knows what to do with.

For better or worse, Google (GOOG, GOOGL) isn’t following the lead of AAPL and MSFT and returning cash to its shareholders.

No, Google doesn’t pay a dividend or buy back stock — it prefers instead to acquire disruptive up-and-coming companies and spend frivolously on projects that may never work.

Don’t get me wrong, I love that someone out there is still taking risks no one else will — in other words, Google is willing to “think different” — but I agree with Andrew Bary of Barron’s, who in February called for GOOGL to start rewarding its shareholders more directly.

Not only would Google become one of the most innovative dividend stocks to buy overnight, but the resultant boost in the GOOGL stock price could help the company attract and retain talent in today’s uber-competitive hiring environment. Writes Bary:

“A dividend and buyback would broaden Google’s investor base to include institutional investors who require a dividend, and it would help the company stay competitive in the tight market for talented engineers and other key employees in Silicon Valley, to the extent it boosts the share price.”

Honestly, for such a brilliant company, you’d think Google would stop trying to reinvent the wheel and just pay a minimal dividend. In the meantime, GOOG will be researching hovercrafts and teleporters.

Source: Investor Place

[winston]

not vested

Mega-Cap Stocks to Buy: Google (GOOG, GOOGL)

Finally, we have a tech stock that’s arguably the polar opposite of Amazon … but that could post similar upside in the second half of the year.

As I pointed out recently, Google stock is an anomaly of its own in the sense that it boasts an established brand and mind-blowing footprint, but it still a buzzworthy Silicon Valley darling that’s poised for solid growth.

Google is slated to grow earnings by 10% overall in 2015 … and then on tap to tack another 16% improvement on the year after.

Investors haven’t been too impressed with the company lately, as shares have moved sideways during the year-to-date period, notably lagging the Nasdaq.

But that’s precisely why Google just might be one of the best stocks to buy right now.

One small upwards catalyst could put the spotlight back on Google stock, causing investors to realize it’s an amazing mega-cap mix of value and growth.


Source: Investor Place

[winston]

not vested

Best Stocks for 2015 (#5): Google (GOOG, GOOGL)

YTD Performance: -1%
Investor: Paul R. La Monica

Google (GOOG, GOOGL) has its hands in just about everything nowadays: Driverless cars, smartwatches, streaming music — you name it, and the search engine giant probably has a whole team of geniuses devoted to making it a reality.

Some investors argue that Google’s attempt to broaden its horizons isn’t necessarily a good thing. “Disworsification” can occur when you try to do too many things at once and lose focus on your core competency. That could be happening with GOOG, sure, but can you really blame a company that still depends on advertising for 90% of its revenues for wanting to branch out?

Wall Street can, and that’s precisely why Paul R. La Monica, hunting for the best stocks to buy for 2015, tapped GOOG as his pick:

“I couldn’t pass up on Google. The stock now trades for just 17 times 2015 earnings estimates. Its P/E is pretty much in line with its expected earnings growth rate.

It’s also worth noting that Google has been through periods where investors have shunned it before. And the company has always had the last laugh.”

With Google now trading at just 18 times 2015 earnings estimates, Wall Street clearly hasn’t come on board yet. But with Morgan Stanley’s (MS) CFO Ruth Porat leaving her position to take the CFO role at Google, she may very well bring some fiscal discipline to GOOG.

Source: Investor Place

[winston]

What Google Stock Investors Should Know Before Thursday’s Close

The Google earnings report due later this week may sound and feel a little different than past ones have

By James Brumley

Source: Investor Place

http://investorplace.com/2015/07/google ... aduBtKqqko

[winston]

not vested

On Friday, Google soared US$93 (HK$725.40), or 16 percent, to US$672, an all-time high after reporting better quarterly earnings.

Its market capitalization hit US$459 billion, the second after Apple Inc on US$746 billion.

Beijing's banning of the Gmail service last year sent Google's share price falling to US$490, but the earnings data tell us the impact on growth was minimal in its strong core search business, particularly in YouTube and advertising.

Source: Dr Check, The Standard HK

[winston]

not vested

Google Stock is Looking Good Again as Company Gets Back to Basics

The Google earnings numbers and comments were unusually encouraging

By James Brumley

Source: Investor Place

http://investorplace.com/2015/07/google ... azUyNKqqko

[winston]

not vested

5 Reasons Google Stock Still a Buy After Post-Earnings Pop

Google stock surged 20% in the last week, but there's still plenty of upside to be had in GOOG

By Jeff Reeves

Source: Investor Place

http://investorplace.com/2015/07/goog-s ... a91NdKqqko

[winston]

Never wait in line again… New Google tool tells you the best time to go anywhere

by Justin Dove

Source: The Crux

http://thecrux.com/if-you-hate-long-lin ... om-google/