Alphabet Inc. (formerly: Google)

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#1
Bloomberg: Google Investors Say They Wanted More From Page on Analyst Call

Google Inc. investors say they got scant reassurance from new Chief Executive Officer Larry Page during this week’s earnings conference call, following a surge in operating expenses.

Page spoke for less than 2 minutes and 30 seconds near the beginning of the April 14 call with analysts, which lasted about an hour. Page, who wasn’t originally slated to speak on the call, said he was pleased with first-quarter results and that there was strong momentum at the company.

“The thing that has spooked everybody is the combination of the expense numbers being higher than people anticipated -- and this kind of odd, slightly disconnected-sounding, ‘Hey, everything is great,’” said Bob Rice, general managing partner at New York-based Tangent Capital Partners LLC, which owns Google shares. “The whole way it was staged was bizarre.”

Page, facing rising competition from rivals Apple Inc. and Facebook Inc., is ramping up spending on hiring and marketing. That’s pushing up operating costs. First-quarter profit excluding some items was $8.08 a share, below the $8.12 average of analysts’ estimates compiled by Bloomberg.

Google declined $47.81, or 8.3 percent, to $530.70 yesterday in Nasdaq Stock Market trading, the biggest drop since December 2008. The shares have fallen 11 percent this year.

Aaron Zamost, a spokesman for Mountain View, California- based Google, declined to comment.

More Clarity Needed?

While it’s too early to tell how well Page is performing, he could have helped investors with a broader discussion of the company’s perspective on spending, said Ryan Jacob, chief investment officer at Los Angeles-based Jacob Funds.

“Wall Street hates uncertainty,” said Jacob, whose funds include Google holdings. “A lot of the expenditures they’re making are somewhat discretionary to whatever management’s strategies and goals are. To elaborate on that from the CEO’s position I think would have given a bit more clarity to people.”

Operating costs during the first quarter rose 54 percent, the biggest jump in three years, partly because of a hiring spree. The company had 26,316 employees at the end of the quarter, up 7.9 percent from the end of December. Research and development costs rose 50 percent from a year earlier, while sales and marketing climbed 69 percent.
‘Very Excited’

During the call with analysts, Page emphasized that Google had sales growth of 27 percent last quarter and that there have been improvements in its main search business.

“I’m very excited about Google and our momentum,” said Page, 38. “I’m very, very optimistic about our future.”

Even before Page took over last week, Google was moving away from having its CEO on quarterly calls. The company said in the first quarter of last year that then CEO Eric Schmidt would stop joining calls. He did speak on a call in January when the company announced he would become executive chairman and Page would replace him as chief.

In his first week on the job, Page promoted seven of his managers to senior positions, including Andy Rubin, who heads up mobile efforts, and Vic Gundotra, who is in charge of social initiatives, according to a person briefed on the changes. The executives will report directly to Page, the person said.

Page’s changes are designed to streamline engineering and product development, placing a single manager in charge of each product group, said Chris Gaither, a company spokesman. Page said in January that the company needs to stay nimble even as it becomes larger.

While Page needs to prove himself, he has the opportunity to be a strong CEO in the tradition of Microsoft Corp.’s Bill Gates and Apple’s Steve Jobs, said Morris Mark, president of Mark Asset Management Corp. in New York.

“I do like some of the things he’s done so far -- the reorganization in the key divisions, freeing those divisions to have room to maneuver, to create, to innovate,” Mark said in a televised interview on “Bloomberg West.”

To contact the reporter on this story: Brian Womack in San Francisco at bwomack1@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Tom Giles at tgiles5@bloomberg.net
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#2
Slightly off-topic (or does it count as straddling the other category on books?) but anyway, there's a new book out on Google. It's titled 'In the Plex' and has been getting good reviews. Here's one (More details from Amazon here):

Thoroughly versed in technology reporting, Wired senior writer Levy deliberates at great length about online behemoth Google and creatively documents the company’s genesis from a 'feisty start-up to a market-dominating giant.' The author capably describes Google’s founders, Stanford grads Larry Page and Sergey Brin, as sharp, user-focused and steadfastly intent on 'organizing all the world’s information.' Levy traces how Google’s intricately developed, intrepid beginnings and gradual ascent over a competitive marketplace birthed an advertising-fueled 'money machine' (especially following its IPO in 2004), and he follows the expansion and operation of the company’s liberal work campus ('Googleplex') and its distinctively selective hiring process (Page still signs off on every new hire). The author was afforded an opportunity to observe the company’s operations, development, culture and advertising model from within the infrastructure for two years with full managerial cooperation. From there, he performed hundreds of interviews with past and current employees and discovered the type of 'creative disorganization' that can either make or break a business. Though clearly in awe of Google’s crowning significance, Levy evenhandedly notes the company’s more glaring deficiencies, like the 2004 cyber-attack that forced the removal of the search engine from mainland China, a decision vehemently unsupported by co-founder Brin. Though the author offers plenty of well-known information, it’s his catbird-seat vantage point that really gets to the good stuff.

Outstanding reportage delivered in the upbeat, informative fashion for which Levy is well known."

—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
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#3
One key survival of technology company is to keep innovation going...

Google Maps now goes Indoors

SINGAPORE — Last year, I wrote about the call for collaboration by the Infocomm Development Authority (IDA) on the development of an indoor location-aware service.

Among the early developers are YFind Technologies, a Singapore-based company that creates location-intelligent cities and buildings, as well as technology giant Cisco.

http://www.todayonline.com/tech/google-m...es-indoors
“夏则资皮,冬则资纱,旱则资船,水则资车” - 范蠡
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#4
Next major innovation from Google. Looking forward to see the product in market. Big Grin

Google to sell Internet glasses to contest winners

SAN FRANCISCO — Google is giving more people a chance to pay US$1,500 (S$1,859) for a pair of the Internet-connected glasses that the company is touting as the next breakthrough in mobile computing.

The product, dubbed “Google Glass”, will be offered to “bold, creative individuals” selected as part of a contest announced yesterday (this morning, Singapore time). Participants must live in the United States and submit an application of up to 50 words explaining what they would do with the Google Glass technology. Entries must include the hash tag #ifihadglass and be submitted through Google Plus or Twitter by next Wednesday. Google did not say how many glasses it will sell this way.

http://www.todayonline.com/tech/gadgets/...st-winners
“夏则资皮,冬则资纱,旱则资船,水则资车” - 范蠡
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#5
There seems like a game of musical chair for Google, Apple and Exxon Mobil Big Grin

Driven by Androids, Google shares hit new highs

NEW YORK — These days Google Inc is on a roll, making it the US$800 (S$996.48) gorilla in the room. Its shares hit an all-time closing high of US$821.50 yesterday (this morning, Singapore time) and some securities analysts are already forecasting the search company could soon be a US$1,000 stock.

Its surge to new highs has come as its Android software dominates the mobile phone market and it continues to lead in mobile advertising. The gains have put Google firmly in third place among United States companies in terms of market value after Apple Inc and Exxon Mobil Corp.

http://www.todayonline.com/business/driv...-new-highs
“夏则资皮,冬则资纱,旱则资船,水则资车” - 范蠡
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#6
This definitely deserves attention from market players...

Google puts Android and Chrome under a single boss

SAN FRANCISCO — Google yesterday announced a change in its executive ranks that could have broad implications for the mobile business.

Mr Andy Rubin, who had been Senior Vice-President in charge of Android, Google’s mobile operating system, has been replaced by Mr Sundar Pichai. Mr Pichai, the Senior Vice-President of Chrome, will now oversee Android as well.

At first, Google said the two operating systems were separate: Chrome was for computers and the Web, and Android was for touch-screen mobile devices and apps.

But the lines among devices have blurred. Now, some computers (like the Chromebook Pixel that Google introduced last month) have touch screens, and people use mobile devices the way they used to use computers.

http://www.todayonline.com/tech/google-p...ingle-boss
“夏则资皮,冬则资纱,旱则资船,水则资车” - 范蠡
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#7
One step closer to mass production?

I already have issue with people talking to phone with a hidden headset, i foresee more issue with people with google glass in the future. You will never know if someone is taking to you, or to a phone Tongue

Google picks 8,000 to test net-connected glasses

SAN FRANCISCO — Google has picked 8,000 people in the United States who will have a chance to wear the company’s new Internet-connected glasses, which are being described as the next breakthrough in mobile computing.

Google Inc began notifying contest winners yesterday (this morning, Singapore time).

The winners will have to pay US$1,500 (S$1,860) apiece if they want a test version of the product, called “Google Glass”. They also will have to travel to New York, Los Angeles or the San Francisco Bay area to pick up the device, which isn’t expected to be available on the mass market until late this year or early next year.

http://www.todayonline.com/tech/google-p...ed-glasses
“夏则资皮,冬则资纱,旱则资船,水则资车” - 范蠡
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#8
After Microsoft, next Google...European regulators are very busy... Tongue

Six European states take aim at Google privacy policy

PARIS — European regulators moved a step closer to penalising Google for the way it handles user data after the search engine refused to change its privacy policy.

France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and Britain yesterday said that they have begun a process to decide if Google’s policy introduced in March last year broke national laws.

Google consolidated 60 privacy policies into one last year and started combining data collected on individual users across its services, such as YouTube and Gmail. It gave users no means to opt out.

Twenty-nine European data protection regulators began a joint enquiry as a result. Led by France’s CNIL, the enquiry found in October that Google’s new policy posed a “high risk” to users’ privacy, although it stopped short of declaring it illegal.

http://www.todayonline.com/business/six-...acy-policy
“夏则资皮,冬则资纱,旱则资船,水则资车” - 范蠡
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#9
Google acquiring one more successful apps under its umbrella. Market consolidation under one platform probably a win-win for both Google and users...

Google close to buying WhatsApp for S$1.24b: Reports

MOUTAIN VIEW (California) — Google is currently negotiating with popular Internet messaging service WhatsApp to buy it for US$1 billion (S$1.24 billion), say reports.

Technology blog Digital Trends reported an “inside source” that said that Google has been in negotiations to buy WhatsApp for slightly over a month ago, but that WhatsApp is “playing hardball” and is negotiating for a higher price — a price which has since approached US$1 billion.
http://www.todayonline.com/tech/google-c...4b-reports
“夏则资皮,冬则资纱,旱则资船,水则资车” - 范蠡
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#10
(09-04-2013, 08:57 AM)CityFarmer Wrote: Google acquiring one more successful apps under its umbrella. Market consolidation under one platform probably a win-win for both Google and users...

Google close to buying WhatsApp for S$1.24b: Reports

MOUTAIN VIEW (California) — Google is currently negotiating with popular Internet messaging service WhatsApp to buy it for US$1 billion (S$1.24 billion), say reports.

Technology blog Digital Trends reported an “inside source” that said that Google has been in negotiations to buy WhatsApp for slightly over a month ago, but that WhatsApp is “playing hardball” and is negotiating for a higher price — a price which has since approached US$1 billion.
http://www.todayonline.com/tech/google-c...4b-reports

Rumors? Tongue

WhatsApp denies Google acquisition claim

SAN FRANCISCO - WhatsApp, the popular free messaging app, has denied claims it is in talks to be acquired for US$1 billion by Google.

Mr Neeraj Arora, WhatsApp’s head of business development, told AllThingsD that the company was not holding sales talks with Google.

http://www.todayonline.com/tech/whatsapp...tion-claim
“夏则资皮,冬则资纱,旱则资船,水则资车” - 范蠡
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