Who is the owner of Google?
Introduction:
Google is one of the most successful companies in the world, with a market capitalization of over $2 trillion. Many people believe that Google is owned by Larry Page and Sergey Brin, the co-founders of the company. However, this is not entirely accurate.
Business Model:
Google’s business model is based on advertising. The company generates revenue through its AdWords platform, where advertisers pay to have their ads displayed on Google’s search engine results page (SERP) when users search for specific keywords. In addition, Google also offers other services such as Google Maps, Google Drive, and YouTube, which generate revenue through advertising and subscription-based models.
Ownership Structure:
Google is a publicly traded company that is listed on the NASDAQ stock exchange. The majority of the company’s shares are owned by institutional investors, including mutual funds and pension funds. However, individual shareholders also own a significant portion of the company. According to a report by Forbes, Larry Page and Sergey Brin own approximately 13% of the company, making them the third-richest people in the world after Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos.
Who Owns Google?
While Larry Page and Sergey Brin are listed as co-founders of the company, they do not actually own the majority of the shares in Google. Instead, the majority of the shares are owned by institutional investors.
Case Studies:
Let’s look at a few examples to better understand who owns Google. In 2015, Google acquired Alphabet Inc., which was formed as the parent company of all of Google’s subsidiaries. At the time, Larry Page and Sergey Brin owned approximately 16% of Alphabet Inc., while institutional investors owned the majority. This illustrates how institutional investors play a significant role in the ownership structure of public companies.
Another example is the sale of Google’s Motorola Mobility division to Lenovo in 2014 for $2.9 billion. At the time, Larry Page and Sergey Brin owned approximately 5% of Motorola Mobility, while institutional investors owned the majority. This shows that even when a company sells off one of its subsidiaries, institutional investors still play a significant role in the ownership structure.
Comparisons:
To better understand who owns Google, it’s useful to compare it to other companies with different ownership structures. For example, Apple is a publicly traded company that is owned by its shareholders. However, the majority of Apple’s shares are owned by institutional investors, including mutual funds and pension funds. This is similar to the ownership structure of Google.
On the other hand, Microsoft is a company that was founded by Bill Gates and owned by him for many years. In 2000, Microsoft went public and sold shares to investors. Today, Microsoft is still owned by its shareholders, but institutional investors own a significant portion of the company. This shows that ownership structures can evolve over time as companies grow and change.
FAQs:
Q: Who actually owns Google?
While Larry Page and Sergey Brin are listed as co-founders of the company, they do not actually own the majority of the shares in Google. Instead, the majority of the shares are owned by institutional investors.
Q: How does Google generate revenue?
Google generates revenue through advertising. The company offers services such as AdWords, Google Maps, and YouTube, which generate revenue through advertising and subscription-based models.
Q: What is Alphabet Inc.?
Alphabet Inc. was formed in 2015 as the parent company of all of Google’s subsidiaries. It includes companies such as Google, YouTube, and Nest.