Alphabet is the parent organization of Google and became one of the world’s largest technology companies by market value.
Google’s founders, Larry Page and Sergey Brin, created Alphabet as a new holding company in 2015. Google became Alphabet’s largest subsidiary, while businesses such as Waymo and other projects were placed under the broader corporate structure.
Alphabet’s main business remains online advertising, especially advertising connected with Google Search, YouTube, and the Google advertising network. It also earns revenue from cloud computing, hardware, subscriptions, and digital services. These multiple businesses help explain why investors value Alphabet far beyond a traditional search-engine company.
Alphabet’s stock trades under the ticker symbols GOOGL and GOOG. The difference is voting rights: GOOGL shares generally carry voting rights, while GOOG shares generally do not. Both represent ownership in Alphabet, rather than in a separately listed Google company.