Brand Asset Management Group Inc. Increases Investment in Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOGL)

Brand Asset Management Group Inc. has increased its investment in Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOGL) by 7.9% during the fourth quarter, as stated in its recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). After acquiring an additional 104 shares, the firm now holds a total of 1,421 shares of the tech giant, which are valued at approximately $269,000 based on the latest SEC reports.

Alongside Brand Asset Management Group, various other institutional investors have also adjusted their holdings in Alphabet. For instance, International Assets Investment Management LLC drastically increased its stake by 43,005.6% in the third quarter and now possesses 18,743,594 shares valued at about $31,086,250,000, after purchasing 18,700,111 additional shares during that quarter. Additionally, SG Americas Securities LLC raised its stake in Alphabet shares by 587.4%, resulting in ownership of 10,690,326 shares worth around $1,772,991,000 after acquiring another 9,135,056 shares. Furthermore, Assenagon Asset Management S.A. expanded its holdings by 116.4%, now owning 8,670,225 shares valued at approximately $1,437,957,000. Other large investors like JPMorgan Chase & Co. and Wulff Hansen & Co. have similarly increased their stakes in the company, reflecting a growing confidence in Alphabet's performance. As of now, institutional investors and hedge funds collectively own 40.03% of Alphabet's stock.

Insider Transactions

In related insider trading news, CAO Amie Thuener O’Toole sold 2,834 shares on December 16, with an average sale price of $197.55, totaling $559,856.70. This sale reduced her ownership stake by 12.05%, leaving her with 20,681 shares valued at approximately $4,085,531.55. Another insider, John Kent Walker, sold 16,820 shares on December 30 at an average price of $192.62, amounting to $3,239,868.40, which decreased his holding by 27.66%. Within a span of 90 days, insiders sold a total of 133,387 shares worth $24,368,654. Company insiders are known to hold about 11.55% of Alphabet's stock.

Performance of Alphabet Stocks

The shares of Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOGL) opened at $196.00 on Monday. The stock's 50-day simple moving average stands at $184.43, with a 200-day moving average at $173.34. Alphabet boasts a market capitalization of $2.40 trillion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 25.99, and a PEG ratio of 1.22. The firm exhibits a quick ratio and current ratio of 1.95, along with a low debt-to-equity ratio of 0.04. Over the past year, Alphabet's stock price has seen a range from a low of $130.66 to a high of $201.42.

Alphabet released its quarterly earnings report on October 29, showcasing earnings of $2.12 per share, which surpassed the anticipated $1.83, outperforming analyst expectations by $0.29. The company reported a remarkable return on equity of 31.66% and a net profit margin of 27.74%, with revenue reaching $88.27 billion compared to analysts' predictions of $72.85 billion. Last year, the company managed to report earnings of $1.55 per share. Analysts collectively project Alphabet Inc. will deliver 8.03 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Dividend Declaration

Recently, Alphabet announced a quarterly dividend which has already been paid out on December 16. Investors officially recorded on December 9 were issued a $0.20 dividend, leading to an annual dividend of $0.80, translating to a dividend yield of 0.41%. At present, Alphabet's dividend payout ratio stands at 10.61%.

Growth Forecasts from Analysts

Several analysts have offered their insights on Alphabet's stock. Pivotal Research upgraded its target price for the shares from $215.00 to $225.00, maintaining a 'buy' rating. Scotiabank has moved to a 'strong-buy' rating as of October 11. Royal Bank of Canada also raised its price target from $204.00 to $210.00 while giving Alphabet an 'outperform' rating. Similarly, Piper Sandler reiterated an 'overweight' rating with a new price target of $210.00, up from $200.00. BMO Capital Markets reaffirmed its 'outperform' rating and increased its price objective from $215.00 to $217.00. In total, the stock has attracted nine hold ratings, thirty buy ratings, and four strong buy ratings from analysts. Data indicates that Alphabet holds an average rating of 'Moderate Buy' with a price target set at $208.15.

About Alphabet Inc.

Alphabet Inc. operates various platforms and products globally, including in regions like the United States, Europe, and Asia. The company functions through different segments such as Google Services, Google Cloud, and Other Bets. Within the Google Services segment, Alphabet offers a range of products and services which include advertising, Android, Chrome, devices, Gmail, Google Drive, Google Maps, Google Photos, Google Play, Search, and YouTube.

investment, stocks, growth