Alphabet Inc

Our operations and financial results are subject to various risks and uncertainties, including those described in Part I, Item 1A, "Risk Factors" in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023, which could adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations, cash flows, and the trading price of our stock. Below are material changes to our risk factors since our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023.

Risks Specific to our Company

We generate a significant portion of our revenues from advertising. Reduced spending by advertisers, a loss of partners, or new and existing technologies that block ads online and/or affect our ability to customize ads could harm our business.

We generated more than 75% of total revenues from online advertising in 2023. Many of our advertisers, companies that distribute our products and services, digital publishers, and content providers can terminate their contracts with us at any time. These partners may not continue to do business with us if we do not create more value (such as increased numbers of users or customers, new sales leads, increased brand awareness, or more effective monetization) than their available alternatives. Changes to our advertising policies and data privacy practices, such as our initiatives to phase out third-party cookies (which remain subject to review, affecting the timing), as well as changes to other companies’ advertising and/or data privacy practices have in the past, and may in the future, affect the advertising that we are able to provide. In addition, technologies have been developed that make customized ads more difficult, or that block the display of ads altogether, and some providers of online services have integrated these technologies that could potentially impair the availability and functionality of third-party digital advertising. Failing to provide superior value or deliver advertisements effectively and competitively could harm our business, reputation, financial condition, and operating results.

In addition, expenditures by advertisers tend to correlate with overall economic conditions. Adverse macroeconomic conditions have affected, and may in the future affect, the demand for advertising, resulting in fluctuations in the amounts our advertisers spend on advertising, which could harm our financial condition and operating results.

Risks Related to Ownership of our Stock

We cannot guarantee that any share repurchase program or dividend program will be continuously active or fully consummated or will enhance long-term stockholder value, and share repurchases or dividends could increase the volatility of our stock prices and could diminish our cash reserves.

We engage in share repurchases of our Class A and Class C stock from time to time in accordance with authorizations from the Board of Directors of Alphabet. Our repurchase program does not have an expiration date and does not obligate Alphabet to repurchase any specific dollar amount or to acquire any specific number of shares. In April 2024, we announced the approval of a cash dividend to our Class A, Class B and Class C stockholders. Any and all future cash dividends are subject to declaration by the Board of Directors at their sole discretion, and in accordance with the requirements of any applicable laws, rules and regulations, including the Delaware General Corporation Law. Our cash dividend program does not require, and our Board of Directors may not declare, a cash dividend each quarter, and does not obligate our Board of Directors to declare a dividend in any specific dollar amount per share. Further, our share repurchases or dividends could affect our share trading prices, increase their volatility, reduce our cash reserves and may be suspended or terminated at any time, which may result in a decrease in the trading prices of our stock.

The trading price for our Class A stock and non-voting Class C stock may continue to be volatile.

The trading price of our stock has at times experienced significant volatility and may continue to be volatile. In addition to the factors discussed in this report, the trading prices of our Class A stock and Class C stock have fluctuated, and may continue to fluctuate widely, in response to various factors, including, among others, the size or continuity of either our share repurchase or dividend programs, the activities of our peers and changes in broader economic and political conditions around the world. These broad market and industry factors could harm the market price of our Class A stock and our Class C stock, regardless of our actual operating performance.