Google acquisition history

How did Google become one of the largest companies in the world?

Google held its IPO on August 19 2004 but at the time, the company was a relative unknown. The internet – let alone the concept of a search engine – was still in its relative infancy. At the time of its IPO, Google shares were worth $85 a piece.

Now, 17 years and 232 acquisitions later, Google is not only the world’s largest search engine but it’s synonymous with search engine itself. Nobody looks something up on the internet, they Google it. But the company is also far more than its internet empire. These acquisitions have taken Google into industries such as advertising, hardware and many more. To account for its growing areas of interest, in 2015, Google changed its name to Alphabet.

Under the new parent company, Google became a subsidiary, usually referred to as the search-and-services segment of earnings. This ‘core bets’ part of the business is comprised of Google, Android, YouTube and Google Cloud. The rest of Alphabet’s business is called ‘other bets’ and spans industries such as Fiber broadband (Access), artificial intelligence (DeepMind), startup investments (Google Ventures), smart homes (Nest) and ‘moon shot’ projects under the Google X wing, such as self-driving cars (Waymo), delivery drones (Wing) and robots (Boston Dynamics).

Despite a rough 2020 with Covid-19 impacting businesses across the world, shares of GOOG trade for roughly $2,841 each as of August 28 2021. Had you invested £1000 in Google’s IPO – buying 11 shares – your investment would now be worth over $62,000 thanks to a 2-4-1 stock split in 2014.

What companies does Google own?

Google owns approximately 232 companies for a total cost of about $20.89 billion. A lot of the businesses Google has acquired were all for their tech. What Google can’t do internally, it buys and incorporates into its own operations. The companies Google has acquired span industries such as social platforms, advertising and cybersecurity.

Google's biggest acquisitions

Google’s biggest acquisition to date is Motorola Mobility, which it bought for $12.5 billion but was later sold to Lenovo for just a quarter of the price ($2.9 billion). Of Google’s current holdings, the largest acquisition deal was Nest for $3.2 billion.

Here are Google’s ten biggest acquisitions.

Motorola Mobility, 2012, Telecommunications, £12.5 billion
Nest, 2014, Home automation, $3.2 billion
DoubleClick, 2007, Online advertising, $3.1 billion
Looker, 2019, Data analytics, $2.6 billion
Fitbit, 2007, Consumer electronics, $2.1 billion
YouTube, 2005, Online video platform, $1.65 billion
Waze, 2007, GPS navigation software, $1.3 billion
HTC, 2017, Telecommunications, $1.1 billion
AdMob, 2006, Mobile advertising, $750 million
ITA Software, 2011, Software and travel, $700 million

Google’s acquisition history

Google’s acquisition history has seen it buy a lot of big names and build on an already impressive empire. And it doesn’t look like there’s any sign of its M&As slowing down either. However, a lot of Google’s most recent acquisitions remain fairly private – so far in 2021, Google has acquired Pring and Dysonics but both deal amounts remain undisclosed.

How to trade shares with FOREX.com

You can trade Google, and hundreds of other global shares with us in just four steps:

Open a FOREX.com account, or log in if you’re already a customer
Search for the company you want to trade in our award-winning platform
Choose your position and size, and your stop and limit levels
Place the trade

Alternatively, if you're not ready to trade live markets, you can open a demo account and practise trading in a risk-free environment.

StoneX Europe Ltd makes no representation or warranty and assumes no liability as to the accuracy or completeness of the information provided, nor any loss arising from any investment based on a recommendation, forecast or other information supplied. You should always seek independent advice as to your suitability to speculate in any related markets and your ability to assume the associated risks, if you are at all unsure. We are not under any obligation to update any such material. Any opinion made may be personal to the author and may not reflect the opinion of StoneX Europe Ltd.

CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 76% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money. Please ensure you fully understand the risks involved by reading our full risk warning.

FOREX.com is a trading name of StoneX Europe Limited, and FOREX.com/ie is a domain operated by StoneX Europe Ltd, a member of StoneX Group Inc. StoneX Europe Ltd, is a Cyprus Investment Firm (CIF) company registered to the Department of Registrar of Companies and Official Receiver with a Registration Number HE409708, and authorized and regulated by the Cyprus Securities & Exchange Commission (CySEC) under license number 400/21. StoneX Europe is a Member of the Investor Compensation Fund (ICF) and has its registered address at Nikokreontos 2, 5th Floor, 1066 Nicosia, Cyprus.

StoneX Europe Limited is registered with the German Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin). BaFin registration ID: 10160255

FOREX.com is a trademark of StoneX Europe Ltd, a member of StoneX Group Inc.

The statistical data and the awards received refer to the Global FOREX.com brand.

This website uses cookies to provide you with the very best experience and to know you better. By visiting our website with your browser set to allow cookies, you consent to our use of cookies as described in our Privacy Policy.

Through passporting, StoneX Europe is allowed to provide its services and products on a cross-border basis to the following European Economic Area ("EEA") states: Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden.

Additionally, StoneX Europe Ltd is allowed to provide Investment and Ancillary Services to the following non-EU jurisdiction: Switzerland.

StoneX Europe Ltd products, services and information are not intended for residents other than the ones stated above.

Tied Agent Information: KQ Markets Europe Ltd with Company No. HE427857.
Address: Athalassas 62, Mezzanine, Strovolos, Nicosia Cyprus.
Services Provided: Reception and Transmission of Orders.
Commencement Date: 06/12/2022
Website: KQ Markets - CFD Trading | KQ Markets

We may pay inducements, such as commissions or fees, to affiliates or third-party introducers for referring clients to us. This is in line with regulatory guidelines and fully disclosed where applicable.

StoneX Europe Ltd may make third party material available on this website which may contain information included but not limited to the conditions of financial markets. The material is for information purposes only and does not contain, and should not be construed as containing, investment advice and/or investment recommendation and/or an investment research and/or an offer of or solicitation for any transactions in financial instruments; any decision to enter into a specific transaction shall be made by the client following an assessment by him/her of their situation. StoneX Europe Ltd makes no representation or warranty and assumes no liability as to the accuracy or completeness of the information provided, nor any loss arising from any investment based on a recommendation, forecast or other information supplied. You should always seek independent advice as to your suitability to speculate in any related markets and your ability to assume the associated risks, if you are at all unsure. We are not under any obligation to update any such material. Any opinion made may be personal to the author and may not reflect the opinion of StoneX Europe Ltd.