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Barclays maintains target on Alphabet shares, cites AI prospects

EditorEmilio Ghigini
Published 05/21/2024, 06:53 AM
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On Tuesday, Barclays reaffirmed its Overweight rating on Alphabet Inc (NASDAQ:GOOGL) with a $200.00 shares target, highlighting recent advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) technology.

The firm's analyst pointed out the significant developments in AI, particularly multi-modal products that operate swiftly on a single neural network, offering low latency and fast responses.

This innovation could lead to a shift in how society interacts with technology, potentially reducing the time spent on screens and enabling quicker, more efficient interactions.

The analyst underscored that while Alphabet's AI projects, such as Project Astra, and OpenAI's GPT-4o are not yet ready for widespread consumer use, they are nonetheless impressive.

These technologies will likely require smartphone upgrades and further refinements before becoming mainstream. The analyst anticipates that as AI becomes integrated into iOS and Android systems, it could reach consumer markets in the coming years.

Despite the rise of new AI products like ChatGPT and others gaining significant user bases, Google has not seen a decline in its web search query share.

The current AI offerings may be complementary to Google's search engine or still too early in their development to pose a real threat.

The analyst suggests that concerns about AI cannibalizing Google's core search business could intensify in the second half of 2024 due to several key developments.

One such development is the potential introduction of Siri 2.0 by Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL), which may incorporate technology from OpenAI, as reported by Bloomberg.

Additionally, the analyst expects more AI products to emerge from companies with established distribution networks, such as META (NASDAQ:META), which could further intensify the competitive landscape for AI in the tech industry.

InvestingPro Insights

As Barclays maintains a positive outlook on Alphabet Inc (NASDAQ:GOOGL), citing advancements in AI, it's worth noting some key financial metrics and insights that could further inform investors about the company's position. Alphabet holds more cash than debt, which is a strong indicator of financial health and resilience. Additionally, a significant number of analysts have revised their earnings upwards for the upcoming period, reflecting optimism in Alphabet's financial future.

From a valuation standpoint, Alphabet's P/E ratio stands at 27.21, which adjusts to 25.64 when looking at the last twelve months as of Q1 2024, suggesting a reasonable valuation relative to its near-term earnings growth. Moreover, the company's revenue growth for the same period was 11.78%, with a quarterly growth rate of 15.41% in Q1 2024, indicating sustained business expansion. Alphabet's strong gross profit margin at 57.47% also demonstrates its ability to maintain profitability amidst market challenges.

For investors seeking additional insights, there are over 15 more InvestingPro Tips available for Alphabet, which can be accessed by visiting Investing.com/pro/GOOGL. Remember to use the coupon code PRONEWS24 to get an additional 10% off a yearly or biyearly Pro and Pro+ subscription, enriching your investment strategy with valuable data and expert analysis.

This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C.

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