Quick Summary
- On February 17, Alphabet’s Chief Legal Officer John Kent Walker divested 47,574 shares of GOOGL stock valued at approximately $14.34 million, reducing his holdings by 78.25%.
- The transaction occurred via the Arete Trust with per-share prices between $297.70 and $304.47.
- The company exceeded Q4 projections, reporting EPS of $2.82 against expectations of $2.59, while revenue reached $113.83B, representing 18% annual growth.
- GOOGL shares currently trade near $303, featuring a P/E ratio of 28 and analyst consensus targeting $343.90.
- A quarterly dividend of $0.21 was announced, set for March 16 distribution, yielding approximately 0.3%.
John Kent Walker, serving as Alphabet’s Chief Legal Officer and President of Global Affairs, executed a sale of 47,574 Class C shares on February 17, 2026, generating approximately $14.34 million in proceeds.
The divestiture was conducted through the Arete Trust, with Walker acting as co-trustee along with Diana Ruth Walsh. Individual share prices during the transaction ranged from $297.70 to $304.47.
This substantial sale reduced Walker’s ownership stake by 78.25%. His remaining holdings include 13,227 shares held indirectly via the trust and 23,939 shares owned directly. SEC filings document the transaction.
This wasn’t Walker’s initial recent divestiture. Previously, in December 2024, he offloaded 17,829 shares averaging $314.89 per share, netting roughly $5.6 million.
Robust Earnings Preceded Transaction
The transaction timing warrants attention. Walker’s sale occurred approximately two weeks following Alphabet‘s impressive Q4 results announced on February 4, 2026.
Earnings per share reached $2.82, surpassing analyst consensus of $2.59 by $0.23. Revenue totaled $113.83 billion, exceeding the $111.24 billion projection and marking an 18% year-over-year increase.
Net profit margin reached 32.81% while return on equity measured 35.01%. Annual EPS projections forecast approximately $8.89.
The company simultaneously announced a $0.21 quarterly dividend per share, scheduled for March 16 distribution with March 9 as the ex-dividend date. The annualized dividend yield approximates 0.3%.
Current GOOGL Market Position
GOOGL currently trades around $303.56 per share, exhibiting a P/E ratio of 28.08 and commanding a $3.67 trillion market capitalization. The 52-week trading range spans $142.66 to $350.15, with shares appreciating roughly 65% year-over-year.
Analyst consensus maintains a “Buy” rating with an average price target of $343.90. KeyCorp projects $370, Citizens assigns a $385 target with Market Outperform designation, while UBS maintains a neutral stance at $348.
Institutional investment continues strong. Vanguard expanded its position 2% during Q4, while J. Stern & Co. dramatically increased holdings by over 28,000% in the identical period.
Regarding product developments, Alphabet introduced Gemini 3.1 Pro, achieving a 77.1% score on the ARC-AGI-2 benchmark. Fresh AI collaborations with Sea Ltd and Apple were unveiled.
Waymo encountered obstacles when New York withdrew a proposal expanding robotaxi operations beyond NYC boundaries.
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