Alphabet (GOOGL) Stock Hits All-Time High After Blowout Q1 Earnings

Alphabet Inc. surged to a record high of $385.84 following a stellar first-quarter performance that demolished analyst expectations. Revenue climbed 22% year-over-year to $109.9 billion, while earnings per share more than doubled consensus estimates at $5.11. The company's cloud division emerged as the growth engine, with revenue skyrocketing 63% to $20 billion and backlog swelling to $460 billion.

Bank of America responded with a bullish $430 price target, reflecting confidence in Alphabet's AI infrastructure investments. CEO Sundar Pichai dismissed competitive threats from AI chatbots, noting strong user engagement with Google's own AI-powered search features. The company simultaneously raised its 2026 capital expenditure forecast to $180–$190 billion, signaling aggressive expansion in artificial intelligence capabilities.