Alphabet investors will soon see whether its operating growth continues. Third-quarter results arrive October 28, giving holders of GOOGL fresh business evidence before an approaching seasonal opportunity.[2][3]
The October 30, 2026 to February 1, 2027 window finished higher in nine of ten selected historical windows starting in 2016–2025. Longer and midterm histories are less convincing. What will earnings reveal before that favorable, but uneven, period begins?[3][2]
Separate operating growth from investment gains
The latest results, published July 22 for the quarter ended June 30, showed revenue rising 24% to $119.796 billion from $96.428 billion a year earlier. Services grew 15% to $94.5 billion; Cloud grew 82% to $24.8 billion. Alphabet attributed Cloud’s growth to enterprise AI infrastructure, AI solutions and core platform services. Operating income rose 30%. Equity-securities gains added $6.26 to reported diluted EPS of $9.11, making EPS growth alone an overstated picture of operating progress.[1]
Alphabet revenue rose in the latest reported quarter
Quarter ended June 30; reported consolidated revenue
View chart data & download
| Measure | Value | Period | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q2 2025 | 96,428 | Q2 2025 | reported |
| Q2 2026 | 119,796 | Q2 2026 | reported |
A favorable record that weakens further back
TradeWave’s selected seasonal record has a 13.9% median full-window return. Checking 2006–2025 tests whether that strength extends further back: the median falls to 5.4%. Both remain positive, but the difference limits confidence. The longer history includes all ten selected windows, so it offers no independent confirmation.[3]
The year-by-year seasonal record
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| Window starting year | Ending price change | Highest from entry | Lowest from entry |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | +0.66% | +7.05% | -8.19% |
| 2017 | +14.37% | +15.96% | -2.98% |
| 2018 | +6.58% | +8.15% | -6.85% |
| 2019 | +17.60% | +19.03% | -0.89% |
| 2020 | +17.14% | +19.55% | -0.25% |
| 2021 | -4.08% | +5.21% | -13.24% |
| 2022 | +6.26% | +8.19% | -11.82% |
| 2023 | +13.42% | +23.56% | -1.43% |
| 2024 | +15.48% | +17.92% | -6.17% |
| 2025 | +22.18% | +22.59% | -3.83% |
Explore this exact seasonal window in TradeWave. Compare its win rate and average result across different histories, and inspect how far prices moved above or below their starting point. Account access applies in TradeWave.
A positive finish can conceal a difficult period
The yearly range chart shows each year’s same seasonal period, not a whole calendar year. October 30, 2022 to February 1, 2023 is useful because its 6.26% ending gain coexisted with a move 11.82% below the starting price. Highs and lows reveal the range endured, not their order, a peak-to-trough loss or a forecast.[3]
What happened inside each seasonal window
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| Window starting year | Ending price change | Highest from entry | Lowest from entry |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | +0.66% | +7.05% | -8.19% |
| 2017 | +14.37% | +15.96% | -2.98% |
| 2018 | +6.58% | +8.15% | -6.85% |
| 2019 | +17.60% | +19.03% | -0.89% |
| 2020 | +17.14% | +19.55% | -0.25% |
| 2021 | -4.08% | +5.21% | -13.24% |
| 2022 | +6.26% | +8.19% | -11.82% |
| 2023 | +13.42% | +23.56% | -1.43% |
| 2024 | +15.48% | +17.92% | -6.17% |
| 2025 | +22.18% | +22.59% | -3.83% |
Midterm years offer weaker support
The five selected midterm-election years spanning 2006–2022 check whether matching the election phase changes the reading. Their 60.0% success rate offers weaker support. Five observations cannot establish an election effect, and the reused 2018 and 2022 windows limit independent confirmation; all five also appear in the longer history.[3]
See the history behind this comparison
TradeWave checks the same seasonal dates across different sets of years. This helps show whether the pattern holds up when you look at another stretch of history.
| History | Observed start years | Direction | Success rate | Median result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Article study: 10 consecutive historical windows (2016–2025) | 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 | long | 90.0% | 13.9% |
| 20 consecutive historical windows (2006–2025) | 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 | long | 65.0% | 5.4% |
| 5 selected midterm-election years (2006–2022) | 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022 | long | 60.0% | 1.09% |
Some years appear in more than one group, so agreement is not an independent test. A requested lookback can extend beyond available history; the observed years are listed above. Election-cycle groups use matching phases, not consecutive years. Results follow the direction shown: a positive short result means prices fell. Small samples and different market periods make the comparison less conclusive.
Read earnings, then inspect the historical shape
October 28 brings the next operating-growth evidence, two days before entry.[2][3]
The price chart below pairs prices recorded through October 21, 2026 with the engine’s seasonal overlay using this article’s 2016–2025 start years. Its next 60 weekdays, October 22 through January 13, 2027, illustrate historical shape over a separate horizon from the full window. Those future dates contain no recorded prices or price targets. Inspect this same window across histories and its range of outcomes in TradeWave.[3]
Price history and the seasonal outlook
Explore this exact seasonal window in TradeWave. Compare its win rate and average result across different histories, and inspect how far prices moved above or below their starting point. Account access applies in TradeWave.
About this seasonal analysis
10 consecutive historical windows (2016–2025). The selected dates, years, direction, returns and ranges come from TradeWave. When a window boundary is a weekend or market holiday, TradeWave uses the next available trading session. SMN displays the returned results without recalculating them. A year label identifies the start of the historical window; a window can end in the following calendar year.
Green and red bars show the underlying adjusted-price movement. The range endpoints measure changes from the entry price, not a peak-to-trough loss. Historical results are before trading costs and do not guarantee future performance.
Sources & methodology
- Alphabet Announces Second Quarter 2026 Results · 2026-07-22
- Alphabet Announces Date of Third Quarter 2026 Financial Results Conference Call · 2026-10-06
- TradeWave GOOGL seasonal evidence · 2026-10-22