Alphabet Stock Soars on Bullish Signs for Google Search
Alphabet's stock price rose in premarket trading on Friday after two major investment firms boosted their price targets for the company. Evercore analyst Mark Mahaney lifted his target to $450 from $420 and maintained a Buy rating, citing evidence that Google is regaining ground in online search.
The decision was based on a recent study showing that 78% of respondents named Google as their primary search engine in August 2026, up from a low of 70% in 2024 and early 2025. Evercore increased its estimates for Google Search revenue growth in 2026 through 2028 on the study.
Tigress Financial also raised its price objective for Alphabet to $485 from $415, further boosting investor confidence. The recent antitrust verdict, which required Google to adjust its ad-bidding methods and install an internal compliance monitor, also contributed to the stock's rise.