Google makes billions in profit
Business is back in full swing at the Internet giant Google. In the fourth quarter of 2009, revenue rose 17 percent to 6.67 billion U.S. dollars. Profit climbed to 1.97 billion U.S. dollars.
In the same quarter of the previous year, a billion-dollar write-down on investments in other Internet companies pushed earnings down to 382 million dollars. Google earned 6.5 billion dollars for the year as a whole. This is over 50 percent more than in 2008. Google's business had suffered at times from the effects of the economic crisis. The company's main source of income was advertising around search results, which had been clicked on less frequently by Internet users. Google curbed its spending for some time, but the company is now attacking again, among other things with a further push into the mobile Internet business.
2010 will be a decisive year for Google. The Californian company is facing more and more competition. Last year, Microsoft and Yahoo agreed a far-reaching cooperation in Internet search in the fight against Google's superiority. In addition, Google's "Nexus One" cell phone is increasingly attracting the attention of Apple. According to rumors, Microsoft is currently negotiating with Apple about whether the US software giant's search engine Bing could replace Google on iPhones in the future. Google boss Eric Schmidt did not want to comment on this.
One takeover per month
According to SDA, analysts expect the group, which has almost 20,000 employees worldwide, to generate new business impetus. Schmidt has already announced that he will invest heavily in 2010. Google wants to remain the number one on the search engine market and at the same time conquer new markets. Last year, Google acquired the Internet advertising company Ad Mob, among others. Schmidt expects the fastest sales growth to come from mobile Internet applications. Google is still aiming for around one acquisition per month, the CEO reiterated.
Google did not disclose the size of its business in China. The Group competes there with the domestic provider Baidu. For a few days now, trouble in the world's most populous country has been weighing on Google shares. Following a hacker attack, the US company has threatened to close down its activities in the world's fastest growing internet market.
2010 will be a decisive year for Google. The Californian company is facing more and more competition. Last year, Microsoft and Yahoo agreed a far-reaching cooperation in Internet search in the fight against Google's superiority. In addition, Google's "Nexus One" cell phone is increasingly attracting the attention of Apple. According to rumors, Microsoft is currently negotiating with Apple about whether the US software giant's search engine Bing could replace Google on iPhones in the future. Google boss Eric Schmidt did not want to comment on this.
One takeover per month
According to SDA, analysts expect the group, which has almost 20,000 employees worldwide, to generate new business impetus. Schmidt has already announced that he will invest heavily in 2010. Google wants to remain the number one on the search engine market and at the same time conquer new markets. Last year, Google acquired the Internet advertising company Ad Mob, among others. Schmidt expects the fastest sales growth to come from mobile Internet applications. Google is still aiming for around one acquisition per month, the CEO reiterated.
Google did not disclose the size of its business in China. The Group competes there with the domestic provider Baidu. For a few days now, trouble in the world's most populous country has been weighing on Google shares. Following a hacker attack, the US company has threatened to close down its activities in the world's fastest growing internet market.
