Alphabet, unlike many of is tech conglomerate peers, remains consistent in earnings. Fourth quarter results announced on Thursday that Google’s parent company beat analyst exceptions as revenue rose 22% to $26.06 billion. Alphabet’s net income also rose from $4.92 billion a year earlier to $5.33 billion.
Alphabet is distinct from Apple, Amazon and Facebook due to the company’s search engine. Google’s search engine is a necessary tool for anyone using the internet. While Apple is profitable, its earnings come from fluctuating preferences of smartphone buyers, and the consumer can delay purchasing an iPhone. Amazon, in order to retain customers who can shop elsewhere, is liable to push quality profits aside in order to invest in faster delivery times or even bigger data centers. Facebook’s volatility can be attributed to its relative young nature.
Even the perceived threat of the shift toward mobile devices has worked out in the company’s favor. According to research from NetMarketShare.com, Google’s market share on searches made on desktops is approximately 78%, while it is above 90% on searches made on mobile devices. Mobile devices also pull in more ad revenue–the ads occupy a larger portion of the screen on smaller displays, which increases the likelihood that a user will click on them.
The quarter saw a 36% rise in clicks on Google ads, but a 15% decrease for what advertisers paid per click. While Alphabet did not release results for Google’s other websites, the company runs ads on Youtube, where more than a billion people watch videos every month, according to Google.
Amidst this success, Alphabet has experienced mild setbacks. The company’s earnings per share were reported to be 11 cents below analysts’ estimates at $7.56. The company explained this shortfall was the result of paying more in taxes in the United States but did not explain why. Alphabet’s effective tax went from 5% a year earlier to 22% this quarter.
Alphabet’ stock reached a record high on Wednesday and dropped 2% in after-hours trading on Thursday.
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