Alphabet owns Google and has used the stock ticker GOOGL since its 2015 restructuring.
Alphabet was created as Google’s parent company in October 2015. The restructuring separated Google’s core internet businesses from several other ventures, while Google remained Alphabet’s largest subsidiary.
Alphabet has two widely traded share classes associated with the symbols GOOGL and GOOG. GOOGL shares generally carry voting rights, while GOOG shares generally do not; both represent ownership in Alphabet. This distinction is separate from market capitalization, which reflects the value of all outstanding shares.
Google’s search engine, advertising systems, YouTube, Android, and cloud services are central to Alphabet’s business. The parent-company structure also allows Alphabet to report activities outside Google, including research and experimental projects.