Is GOOG Stock a Buy Now? A Deep Dive into Alphabet’s 2026 Outlook

As we navigate through early 2026, Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOGL, GOOG) has once again captured the market’s full attention. After a blockbuster 2025 fueled by the release of Gemini 3 and a strategic investment from Berkshire Hathaway, investors are asking: is there still room for growth? Following the record-breaking Q4 2025 earnings report released in February 2026, the data suggests Alphabet is evolving from a search giant into an AI and cloud powerhouse.

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The Numbers Behind the Surge: Q4 2025 Highlights

Alphabet recently reported consolidated fourth-quarter 2025 revenue of $113.8 billion, representing an 18% increase year-over-year. For the first time in the company’s history, annual revenue has surpassed the $400 billion milestone. Key financial metrics include:

Earnings Per Share (EPS): $2.82, beating the consensus estimate of $2.63.
Google Cloud Growth: A massive 48% surge to $17.7 billion, significantly outperforming competitors like Microsoft Azure.
YouTube Revenue: Surpassed $60 billion annually across ads and subscriptions.
Paid Subscriptions: Over 325 million across YouTube Premium, Music, and Google One.

The 2026 Price Targets: Analysts’ Verdict

Wall Street’s outlook for Alphabet remains overwhelmingly bullish, despite a massive 2026 capital expenditure (CapEx) guidance of $175–$185 billion. Analysts believe this aggressive spending on AI infrastructure is essential for maintaining a competitive moat.

Analyst Tier	2026 Price Target	Rating
Bull Case (BMO Capital)	$400.00	Strong Buy
Average Consensus	$358.48	Buy
Bear Case (Risk Adjusted)	$220.00	Hold

Leading firms like TipRanks and Seeking Alpha highlight that while the forward P/E ratio has crept up to roughly 30x, the ‘Gemini halo effect’ is driving 17% growth in core Search, defying fears of AI disruption.

Risk Factors: The Antitrust Shadow

It isn’t all blue skies for Google. The Department of Justice (DOJ) and several states have filed appeals to seek stricter remedies in the ongoing antitrust litigation. While a federal judge initially rejected a breakup of the company (divesting Chrome or Android), the appeal process remains a major regulatory overhang that could cause volatility in late 2026.

Why Berkshire Hathaway is Betting on GOOG

One of the biggest signals of 2025 was Berkshire Hathaway’s $4.9 billion investment in Alphabet. This move by Warren Buffett’s firm suggests that Google is now viewed as a ‘value-growth’ hybrid, with a dominant market position and cash flows that are resilient enough for the world’s most famous value investor.

Final Thoughts: Buy, Sell, or Hold?

With Google Cloud reaching an annual run rate of over $70 billion and AI integration increasing user engagement in Search, Alphabet looks more like an infrastructure play than ever before. For long-term investors, the current 2026 targets suggest a 10-15% upside from current levels near $333, provided the regulatory risks remain manageable.