Alphabet owns Google and became a separate public holding company in 2015.
Google announced the Alphabet restructuring in August 2015, and the new corporate structure took effect later that year. Alphabet became the parent company, while Google remained the largest subsidiary and continued operating its core internet businesses.
The reorganization separated Google’s established products, such as Search, YouTube, and advertising, from other ventures. Alphabet’s structure also included businesses associated with research, life sciences, autonomous vehicles, and advanced technology. Some projects later changed names, were sold, or became independent.
Alphabet’s stock-market value is commonly discussed alongside other megacap technology companies. Investors generally buy Alphabet’s publicly traded shares rather than separate public shares in Google. The company has two major share classes with different voting rights, a detail that can matter when comparing share prices with total market capitalization.