Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) Maintains "Buy" Rating Amid Antitrust Scrutiny

• Goldman Sachs reaffirms a "Buy" rating for Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG), highlighting the potential of Google AI and YouTube.
• Google faces significant antitrust scrutiny, with debates on the potential benefits of a breakup for innovation and customer value.
• A $500 million investment is planned for Google's compliance overhaul as part of a settlement to resolve shareholder litigation over antitrust violations.

Alphabet Inc., trading as NASDAQ:GOOG, is a leading technology company known for its search engine, Google, and other services like YouTube and Android. On June 2, 2025, Goldman Sachs maintained a "Buy" rating for GOOG, with the stock priced at $169.71. This decision underscores the potential gains from Google AI innovation and the underappreciated value of YouTube, as highlighted by Benzinga.

Despite the positive outlook, Google faces significant antitrust scrutiny. As reported by NYTimes, there is ongoing debate about a potential breakup of Google. Prosecutors advocate for a smaller Google, while some critics believe this could benefit investors and customers by fostering innovation. This scrutiny has led to a $500 million investment over the next decade to revamp Google's compliance structure.

The compliance overhaul is part of a settlement to resolve shareholder litigation accusing Google of antitrust violations. The lawsuit, led by Michigan pension funds, alleged breaches of fiduciary duties by executives, including CEO Sundar Pichai. The settlement, pending approval, includes establishing a standalone board committee for risk and compliance oversight.

GOOG's current stock price on NASDAQ is $169.63, reflecting a 1.86% decrease. The stock has traded between $168.65 and $171.06 today, with a 52-week high of $208.70 and a low of $142.66. Alphabet's market capitalization is approximately $2.05 trillion, with a trading volume of 13.6 million shares.