$Alphabet(GOOGL.US)Google’s latest results reinforced a much bigger issue than valuation. Capital expenditure came in well above expectations, and free cash flow turned negative for the first time. At that point, debating whether the stock is trading at 18x or 20x earnings almost misses the point.
The real question is the cost of capital. As long as interest rates remain elevated, the market will continue to discount companies pouring enormous amounts of cash into AI infrastructure without near-term returns. Higher rates make long-duration investments less attractive, regardless of how cheap the valuation appears.
For Google—and much of Big Tech—the key catalyst is no longer a lower P/E multiple. It‘s whether financing conditions improve. Until the market gains confidence that rates are heading lower, AI spending is likely to be viewed as a drag on cash flow rather than a driver of future value.
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