Google’s Q4 ad sales soar again, parent plans to split stock

By MICHAEL LIEDTKE
AP Technology Writer

SAN RAMON, Calif. (AP) — Google’s digital advertising empire turned in another strong performance during the holiday shopping season, propelling a 36% increase in its corporate parent’s profit during the final three months of 2021. The results announced Tuesday underscore how technology giants have adapted to become even more successful during a nearly two-year pandemic that has roiled much of the economy. In a show of confidence intended to make its shares more affordable to a broader pool of investors, Google parent Alphabet also announced plans for its first stock split since 2014.  Alphabet’s shares surged nearly 9% on the news.