Read This if You Think Google Will Underperform

Tim Beyers, The Motley Fool
Updated

Most of the more than 17,000 investors who've rated Google (NAS: GOOG) in Motley Fool CAPS believe in the business. They think the stock will outperform because the Big G is positioned to profit as information, advertising, and software move to the Web.

" 'Organizing the worlds information' is the most profitable activity to pursue on the Internet," wrote Fool ballengerm in pitching the stock last week. "Out of all the worlds large web-based companies, [Google] is the most correctly focused."

Focus is certainly part of it, but volume plays a role, too. Google is grabbing more data than ever thanks to a digital tidal wave called Chrome. Have a look:

anImage
anImage

Washing onto Redmond's shores
See the pattern? Not only has Chrome narrowed the gap with Microsoft (NAS: MSFT) and Internet Explorer, but Google's browser is also just two percentage points behind Mozilla's Firefox in market share. It's like I said earlier this year; Microsoft isn't Mozilla's enemy, Google is. And the Big G is getting ready to roll over its rival as the market's second choice for finding and manipulating data online.

Don't be surprised if Chrome stays hungry for a while. We know from the revenue growth rates of service providers such as salesforce.com (NYS: CRM) , NetSuite (NYS: N) , and SuccessFactors (NAS: SFSF) that users are taking to cloud computing in ever-increasing numbers.

Presuming this trend continues and users get more accustomed to using a Web page as a software interface, browsers that best replicate the desktop experience via standards such as HTML5 -- and do so while integrating with common services such as email -- will win users. Chrome and Gmail are already among the best in these areas. It's only a matter of time before market share data reflect this reality.

Do you agree? Disagree? Please weigh in using the comments box below. You can also keep tabs on the cloud-computing movement by adding any of these stocks to your Foolish watchlist:

At the time thisarticle was published Fool contributor Tim Beyers is a member of theMotley Fool Rule Breakersstock-picking team. He owned shares of Google at the time of publication. Check out Tim's portfolio holdings and Foolish writings, or connect with him on Google+ or Twitter, where he goes by @milehighfool. You can also get his insights delivered directly to your RSS reader.The Motley Fool owns shares of Google and Microsoft. Motley Fool newsletter services have recommended buying shares of salesforce.com, Google, and Microsoft. Motley Fool newsletter services have recommended creating a bull call spread position in Microsoft. Motley Fool newsletter services have recommended shorting salesforce.com. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Copyright © 1995 - 2011 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Advertisement