HM Payson & Co. Sells 19,708 Shares of Alphabet Inc. $GOOG

HM Payson & Co. decreased its holdings in Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) by 1.6% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 1,212,629 shares of the information services provider’s stock after selling 19,708 shares during the quarter. Alphabet comprises approximately 4.2% of HM Payson & Co.’s portfolio, making the stock its 5th biggest holding. HM Payson & Co.’s holdings in Alphabet were worth $295,336,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Higgins & Schmidt Wealth Strategies LLC grew its position in Alphabet by 2.2% during the third quarter. Higgins & Schmidt Wealth Strategies LLC now owns 1,818 shares of the information services provider’s stock worth $443,000 after buying an additional 40 shares during the period. Meritas Wealth Management LLC lifted its position in shares of Alphabet by 3.0% during the 3rd quarter. Meritas Wealth Management LLC now owns 1,458 shares of the information services provider’s stock valued at $355,000 after acquiring an additional 42 shares during the period. First Financial Bank Trust Division boosted its stake in shares of Alphabet by 0.6% during the 3rd quarter. First Financial Bank Trust Division now owns 7,208 shares of the information services provider’s stock worth $1,756,000 after acquiring an additional 45 shares in the last quarter. Falcon Wealth Planning grew its holdings in shares of Alphabet by 0.4% in the 3rd quarter. Falcon Wealth Planning now owns 11,881 shares of the information services provider’s stock worth $2,894,000 after acquiring an additional 45 shares during the period. Finally, Trust Co of the South increased its stake in Alphabet by 0.5% in the 3rd quarter. Trust Co of the South now owns 8,800 shares of the information services provider’s stock valued at $2,143,000 after purchasing an additional 48 shares in the last quarter. 27.26% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Alphabet Price Performance

Alphabet stock opened at $315.32 on Friday. The stock has a market capitalization of $3.80 trillion, a P/E ratio of 31.10, a P/E/G ratio of 1.73 and a beta of 1.09. Alphabet Inc. has a 12-month low of $142.66 and a 12-month high of $328.67. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.06, a current ratio of 1.75 and a quick ratio of 1.75. The firm’s 50-day moving average is $302.26 and its two-hundred day moving average is $244.25.

Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOG) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, October 30th. The information services provider reported $2.87 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.29 by $0.58. Alphabet had a net margin of 32.23% and a return on equity of 35.00%. The business had revenue of $102.35 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $99.90 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $2.12 earnings per share. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 15.9% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities analysts predict that Alphabet Inc. will post 8.89 earnings per share for the current year.

Alphabet Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, December 15th. Stockholders of record on Monday, December 8th were issued a dividend of $0.21 per share. The ex-dividend date was Monday, December 8th. This represents a $0.84 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.3%. Alphabet’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 8.28%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of analysts have commented on GOOG shares. Cantor Fitzgerald reiterated a “neutral” rating on shares of Alphabet in a research report on Wednesday, December 3rd. BMO Capital Markets reiterated an “outperform” rating and issued a $340.00 price objective on shares of Alphabet in a research report on Thursday, October 30th. Sanford C. Bernstein increased their price objective on shares of Alphabet from $260.00 to $305.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Thursday, October 30th. KeyCorp restated an “overweight” rating and set a $330.00 target price on shares of Alphabet in a research report on Thursday, October 30th. Finally, Mizuho set a $325.00 price target on shares of Alphabet in a report on Thursday, October 30th. Seven research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-nine have issued a Buy rating, three have assigned a Hold rating and two have assigned a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of “Buy” and an average target price of $313.04.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, insider John Kent Walker sold 17,829 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, December 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $314.89, for a total value of $5,614,173.81. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider directly owned 42,972 shares in the company, valued at approximately $13,531,453.08. This represents a 29.32% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, Director John L. Hennessy sold 600 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, December 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $308.19, for a total value of $184,914.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director directly owned 3,916 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,206,872.04. The trade was a 13.29% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Over the last 90 days, insiders have sold 195,465 shares of company stock valued at $57,056,497. 12.99% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Key Alphabet News

Here are the key news stories impacting Alphabet this week:

• Positive Sentiment: AI momentum & monetization — Coverage highlights faster Gemini adoption, stronger YouTube/search integration and improving ad + cloud monetization that underpin revenue upside and multiple expansion. Article
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst and institutional backing — Several firms have raised targets and big holders (including UBS AM and Berkshire additions reported last quarter) continue to build positions, supporting sentiment and limiting downside. Article
• Neutral Sentiment: Options activity/earnings plays — Several retail/strategy pieces outline income and defined‑risk option trades (one‑month OTM puts, butterfly spreads) ahead of earnings; these signal increased short‑term options flow and hedging but not a directional fundamental change. Butterfly spread idea
• Neutral Sentiment: Longer‑term tech positioning — Pieces comparing legacy tech vs. pure‑play quantum note Alphabet as a lower‑risk way to get quantum/AI exposure, which appeals to investors preferring large‑cap stability over speculative small caps. Article
• Negative Sentiment: Insider selling headlines — Recent director and executive stock sales have been reported (SEC filings / press coverage); while routine for executives, high‑profile sell activity can weigh on near‑term sentiment. Article
• Negative Sentiment: Regulatory / lobbying overhang — New lobbying disclosures and reports of DOJ interest in company practices are drawing attention; escalation of enforcement or broad probes would increase volatility and could pressure multiples. Article

Alphabet Company Profile

Alphabet Inc (NASDAQ: GOOG) is a multinational technology holding company headquartered in Mountain View, California. Formed in 2015 through a corporate restructuring of Google, Alphabet serves as the parent to Google LLC and a portfolio of businesses collectively known as “Other Bets.” Google was originally founded in 1998 by Larry Page and Sergey Brin; Alphabet is led by CEO Sundar Pichai, who oversees Google and the broader company while the founders remain prominent shareholders and influential figures in the company’s history.

Alphabet’s core business centers on internet search and advertising, with Google Search and the company’s ad platforms (including Google Ads and AdSense) generating the majority of revenue by connecting advertisers with consumers worldwide.