Alphabet’s Rally Threatens World’s Most Valuable Stock Standings

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(Bloomberg) -- Alphabet Inc. shares are poised to shake up the ranking of the world’s most valuable companies, amid signs the search giant is making headway in efforts to rival Nvidia Corp.’s bestselling AI accelerator.

That’s prompting investors to reassess the technology landscape and the potential changes in stock market leadership, as rave reviews for Alphabet’s new Gemini artificial intelligence model and demand for AI chips pushes its shares higher.

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Alphabet is up 35% since mid-October, adding nearly $1 trillion in value over that time. Gains this year have left the Google parent about $590 billion away from Nvidia’s $ market cap, as of Monday’s close.

Meta Platforms Inc. is in discussions to use Google chips — known as tensor processing units, or TPUs — in data centers in 2027, The Information reported, citing an unidentified person familiar with the talks. Meta also may rent chips from Google’s cloud division next year, the news outlet said.

“Nvidia is expected to have phenomenal growth and now it will be very natural to see a market that is much more wary of competition,” said Alexandra Morris, an investment director at Skagen AS. “The narrative that Nvidia is the only one that will provide chips to this buildup of data centers — that narrative has changed.”

An agreement with Meta would help establish TPUs as an alternative to Nvidia’s chips, the gold standard for big tech firms and startups from Meta to OpenAI that need computing power to develop and run AI models.

Alphabet shares were set to extend gains for a third consecutive session, rising as much as 3.5% in premarket trading on Tuesday. Nvidia shares slipped 3.5%, while smaller-rival Advanced Micro Devices Inc. fell 3%.

Nvidia’s valuations have pulled back, trading at 26 times forward earnings, well below its average over the past decade of 35 times. Alphabet’s has shot up to trade at 27 times forward earnings compared to an average of 20 times.

While a possible deal with Meta — one of the biggest spenders globally on data centers and AI development — draws attention to the potential for long-term challenges to Nvidia’s dominant market position, much depends on whether the tensor chips can demonstrate the power efficiency and computing muscle necessary to become a viable option in the long run.

“Google’s TPUs represent a potential alternative, but it’s important to remember that the AI industry is still in its early stages, and the learning curve remains very steep,” said Florian Ielpo, head of macro at Lombard Odier Investment Managers.

“For now, Nvidia remains the leader, but as more companies like Google and others develop competing solutions, the landscape will likely become more fragmented.”

--With assistance from Neil Campling, Nick Turner and Farah Elbahrawy.

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