Business

Alphabet's Earnings Under Scrutiny Amid Unrealized Gains

Updated 2026-07-23 14:40 UTC 1 source Negative

Google parent company Alphabet reported a quadrupled profit, but an analyst argues this is an illusory performance supported by unrealized gains from equity investments. The earnings mask a historic cash drain.

Coverage timeline — 2 articles

MarketWatch

I am a 63-year-old semiretired physician. If you have saved $2 million for retirement, should Social Security be optional?

“At that point, they arguably no longer need the government’s retirement safety net.”

2026-07-23 14:21 UTC

MarketWatch

Alphabet’s massive profit growth is just an illusion, as SpaceX and Anthropic help mask a historic cash drain

Earnings quadrupled on paper, but an analyst calls that an “illusory” performance propped up by unrealized gains from equity investments.

2026-07-23 14:28 UTC