Stock FAQs

what is the difference between goog and googl stock symbols

by Paolo DuBuque Published 2 years ago Updated 2 years ago
image

GOOG and GOOGL are stock ticker symbols for Alphabet (the company formerly known as Google). The main difference between the GOOG and GOOGL stock ticker symbols is that GOOG shares have no voting rights while GOOGL shares do.

Should you buy GOOGL stock?

Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOG.L) has had a rough month with its share price down 11%. But if you pay close attention, you might gather that its strong financials could mean that the stock could ...

Which one to buy GOOG or GOOGL?

  • Alphabet stock at a glance.
  • Pros of buying.
  • Cons of buying.
  • The bottom line: Should you buy Alphabet stock?

Why does Google have two stocks?

The short answer is a stock split, but a longer answer is an attempt by the company’s top shareholders —Google co-founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page, along with company chair Eric Schmidt—to...

Is it good to invest in Google stocks?

More from Marketwatch

  • Amazon workers at Alabama warehouse get second chance for union vote
  • 10-year Treasury yield bounces after Friday’s omicron-sparked slide
  • Dow rises over 230 points, Nasdaq rallies nearly 2% Monday, as stock market recovers a portion of Friday's omicron-led selloff

image

Is it better to own GOOG or GOOGL?

The A class shares have the symbol GOOGL and come with one vote, while the C class shares have the symbol GOOG and come with no voting rights at all. The shares have the same economic interest in Google's business, so other than voting rights there is really no reason to prefer one or the other.

Why is GOOG more than GOOGL?

The fact that GOOGL -- which has voting rights -- usually was a little more expensive than GOOG, which has no voting rights, makes sense. Investors did not value the voting rights too much, but they still put a premium of a couple of percentage points on that.

Which is better Class A or C stock?

Class A and B shares are aimed at long-term investors, whereas Class C shares are for beginning investors who aim for short-term gains and may have less money to invest. Class C shares, especially those with no load, are the least expensive to purchase, but they will incur higher fees in the long term.

Will both GOOG and GOOGL split?

Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOG)(NASDAQ:GOOGL) recently announced a 20:1 stock split that will take place in July 2022. Shareholders of record will receive 19 additional shares for each share held after market close on Friday, July 15th.

Is Google splitting Class A or C?

2 The two tickers represent two different share classes. The first group falls into the A-shares category (GOOGL), while the others are C-shares (GOOG). In this article, we look at these two stocks and what they mean for their investors.

Are GOOG and GOOGL the same?

GOOG and GOOGL are stock ticker symbols for Alphabet (the company formerly known as Google). The main difference between the GOOG and GOOGL stock ticker symbols is that GOOG shares have no voting rights while GOOGL shares do.

Do Class C shares pay dividends?

This class of stock has priority distribution for dividends and assets. Class C, executive stock: Each share confers 100 votes. Shareholders receive ordinary access to dividends and assets.

Should I buy 1 Google share?

Should you buy Google stock? Google parent Alphabet's stock split will not affect the value of the stock an investor holds. But if you wanted to buy even a single share of Google but found it too expensive, that will be much easier to afford after the stock splits.

Why Companies Use Multiple Stock Classes

Difference Between GOOG and GOOGL

Typically, one of the major trade-offs when a private company chooses to go public is that the founders and company executives turn over control of the company. An initial public offering represents the owners of the company selling it to public investors.

Other Multiclass Stocks

Google first went public under the ticker GOOG in 2004. At the time, the company created two classes of stock. Google offered Class A stock to the public. Google co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin, along with other Google executive managers and directors, owned Class B stock.

GOOG vs. GOOGL: Which Class Is The Better Investment?

Alphabet isn’t the only well-known company that has multiple share classes.

Class Inequities

When it comes to which share class is better for investors to buy, the answer is: It really doesn’t matter. Investors who want voting rights should opt for GOOGL shares, but they should understand their voting rights are limited given that Page and Brin essentially have full veto power.

Special Considerations

Google split its stock in April 2014, which created the A- and C-share classes. 2 Like any other one-for-one split, the number of shares doubled, and the price dropped in half. However, there is one crucial difference: The A-shares receive one vote, while the C-shares receive no votes.

Why Does Alphabet Have 2 Share Classes That Trade in the Market?

There was one twist that came with owning the C-shares. In part to quiet some stockholders’ objections to the original split, Google promised to compensate C-class shareholders if the price of their shares fell more than 1% below those of A-shares a year after the split. 5 While the difference isn’t huge, it did exist.

How Much Is Google Worth?

There are two share classes to preserve ownership control by Google’s founders after the company was reorganized as Alphabet Inc.

How Many Shares Are Outstanding for Each Share Class of Alphabet?

As of November 2021, Alphabet’s market capitalization was around $2 trillion, making it one of the world’s most valuable companies.

The Bottom Line

There are 317.74 million shares of GOOG and 300.81 million shares of GOOGL outstanding as of November 2021. 10 11

What about class B stock?

There’s definitely a difference between the price of the two types of Google shares that you can buy, though it is relatively small. If you feel that voting at the stockholders’ meeting is important to you, aim for the A-shares.

GOOGL tends to cost slightly more than GOOG

The third type of stock is class B shares, of which there are 46.5 million outstanding.

Is voting power really that important?

Because GOOGL (class A) stock owners have voting rights, the shares tend to cost slightly more than GOOG (class C).

Which should you buy?

If you buy GOOGL stock, then you will be allowed to cast your vote in shareholder meetings.

What is the Difference Between GOOG vs GOOGL Stocks?

The only difference between GOOG and GOOGL is that GOOGL (class A) shares provide voting power.

GOOG vs GOOGL – A Closer Look

GOOG vs GOOGL – Both are stock ticker symbols for Alphabet (formerly Google). GOOG shares do not have voting rights while GOOGL shares do.

GOOG vs GOOGL – Why the Difference

Alphabet Inc is on a mission to organize the world’s information. Additionally, it remains strongly committed to its founders’ vision. However, company focus can be compromised when they go public. Vision is often forced to take a back seat to shareholders’ interests.

GOOG vs GOOGL – Neither Pays Dividends

Prior to 2014, Google Inc had just two classes of shares: Class A and Class B. Class A shares were publicly traded and were worth one vote each. Meanwhile, Class B shares were held exclusively by Google founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page, Google chairman Eric Schmidt, and other unnamed directors. These shares were worth 10 votes each.

GOOG vs Googl – Why is GOOG more expensive?

GOOG and GOOGL don’t pay dividends. Alphabet probably won’t initiate a dividend payment because it’s still a growth stock. In the third quarter of 2020, Alphabet’s sales rose by 14 percent year-over-year. Net income increased by 59 percent year-over-year. Growth stocks don’t usually pay dividends.

GOOG vs GOOGL – Which Should You Buy?

Initially, GOOGL, which has voting rights, was a little more expensive than GOOG, which has no voting rights. And, this makes sense. While investors did not value the voting rights too much, they still added a premium of a couple of percentage points.

Next: What Is IRS Form 2106 – Employee Business Expenses?

GOOGL – is currently cheaper and there is potential for the GOOG/GOOGL ratio reverting to the historic pattern. In that case, GOOGL would be more attractive than GOOG. Also, if you want to have voting rights at Alphabet’s shareholder meetings, then go with GOOGL stock.

Why Did Google Stock Split?

IRS Form 2106 lets individuals deduct ordinary and necessary expenses from federal taxes incurred performing a qualified trade or profession.

What Experts Said About the Google Stock Split

Originally, Google stock existed purely as GOOGL, which refers to class A shares. These shares have traded on Wall Street since the company’s 2004 IPO. Class B stock also existed since then as well, but this is private stock with much greater voting power.

Will Google Stock Split Again?

Investors might have found the split unsavory; it was a blatant attempt to lower prices without diminishing Page and Brin’s control. Of course, the controversy is what spawned the class-action lawsuit around the stock. But, financial experts weren’t down and out about the Google stock split.

Which Alphabet stock should you buy?

As I mentioned earlier, this split might seem like ancient history in a fast-moving tech market. But, if the past serves as any prediction for the future, there are lots of questions to be asked over whether Google stock will split again.

GOOG and GOOGL don't pay dividends

If you are only considering the stock price appreciation or a potential dividend payout, it doesn’t matter which stock you purchase. Both GOOGL and GOOG stocks will generate similar returns over a longer period of time. If you want to have voting rights at Alphabet’s shareholder meetings, then go with GOOGL stock.

DAO Spotlight

GOOG and GOOGL don't pay dividends. Alphabet probably won't initiate a dividend payment because it's still a growth stock. In the third quarter of 2020, Alphabet’s sales rose by 14 percent YoY, while its net income increased by 59 percent YoY. Growth stocks don’t usually pay dividends.

When Is the Google Stock Split Date? And What Does That Mean for Shares?

When Is the Google Stock Split Date? What Will Happen to GOOG and GOOGL Stocks?

image
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9