Alphabet owns Google and uses the stock ticker GOOGL on the Nasdaq exchange.
Alphabet Inc. became Google’s parent company in 2015, when Google reorganized its businesses under a new corporate structure. Google remained the core operating company, while Alphabet provided a broader holding-company framework for Google and other ventures.
Alphabet has two widely traded share classes relevant to ordinary investors: Class A shares trade under GOOGL and carry voting rights, while Class C shares trade under GOOG and generally do not carry voting rights. The distinction is about share class, not two separate companies.
Alphabet’s market value is driven mainly by Google’s advertising, search, cloud, and online-video businesses. Some readers incorrectly use “Google” as the legal name of the entire listed parent, but Alphabet is the public company whose shares investors buy.