Alphabet Inc. Reports Robust Q4 Earnings: GOOGL Surges

[Para 1: The Lead] Alphabet Inc., parent company of Google, reported strong Q4 financial results, exceeding market expectations. The company's revenue reached $73.1 billion, up 6% from the same period last year. Shares of GOOGL surged 5.2% in after-hours trading following the announcement, reflecting investors' positive response to the earnings report. [Para 2-3: Supporting details & Context] Alphabet's net income was $19.4 billion, a 12% increase from Q4 2024. Digital services revenue, which includes Google Ads, accounted for 88% of total revenue, growing 5% year-over-year. The company's strong performance is attributed to robust advertising demand and continued success in its cloud services. Alphabet also announced a $20 billion stock buyback program, signaling confidence in its future growth prospects.