Alphabet Q4 Earnings Preview: AI, Digital Ads, and Wall Street's Expectations

Key Metrics:

* Earnings per Share (EPS): $2.13 (estimated)
* Revenue: $96.6 billion (estimated)
* Advertising Revenue: $71.7 billion (estimated)
* Google Cloud Revenue: $12.1 billion (estimated)

Wall Street Outlook:

Alphabet (GOOG, GOOGL) reports its fourth-quarter earnings on Tuesday after the market close, kicking off earnings season for tech giants. Analysts anticipate strong results, reflecting the company's dominance in digital advertising and AI investments.

AI and Competition:

Investors will scrutinize Alphabet's AI initiatives amid competition from Chinese startup DeepSeek. Alphabet plans to provide updates on its massive AI spending, aiming to monetize these investments.

Digital Advertising Market:

Meta's recent earnings beat highlights the resilience of the digital ad market. Alphabet's performance will provide insights into industry trends and the impact of competitive dynamics.

Cloud Growth:

Alphabet's cloud unit, Google Cloud, plays a crucial role in driving growth. Analysts forecast 20% to 30% growth in this segment, driven by AI adoption and the expansion of cloud capacity.

Regulatory and Political Risks:

Alphabet faces ongoing regulatory challenges related to its search dominance and potential antitrust investigations. Investors will monitor updates on these matters.

Impact of Trump's Policies:

CEO Sundar Pichai's presence at Trump's inauguration suggests a more conciliatory approach between Silicon Valley and the administration. Potential changes to regulation or trade policies could impact Alphabet's business.

Stock Performance:

Alphabet shares have outperformed Amazon and Microsoft in the past year. Continued positive earnings may strengthen investor confidence.