Alphabet's $3.77 Billion Volume Ranks 13th Amid Antitrust Uncertainty as BMO Maintains Outperform Rating

Alphabet Inc. (GOOGL) closed down 0.20% on August 18, 2025, with a trading volume of $3.77 billion, ranking 13th in market activity. The stock faces regulatory uncertainty as the Department of Justice prepares to announce remedies for its antitrust case against Google’s search monopoly. BMO Capital analysts anticipate a potential 10% price swing depending on the ruling’s outcome, though they expect structural changes rather than a forced divestiture of key assets like Chrome or Android. The decision by Judge Amit Mehta is likely to impose long-term constraints on distribution practices and competitive behavior, potentially affecting AI-related operations.

Analysts emphasize that while the immediate remedy ruling carries lower risk of a structural breakup compared to the upcoming Ad-Tech trial, both cases could subject the company to prolonged regulatory scrutiny. The Ad-Tech trial, with remedies expected after September 2025, poses a higher probability of disruptive outcomes. Despite these challenges, BMO reiterated an "Outperform" rating for Alphabet, citing its $2.47 trillion market capitalization and proximity to a 52-week high. The firm maintains a $225.00 price target, reflecting confidence in the company’s resilience amid legal pressures.

The strategy of buying the top 500 stocks by daily trading volume and holding them for one day resulted in a moderate return. The total profit from this strategy, considering the given time period from 2022 to the present, is $2,340. The cumulative return reaches 23.4% when accounting for the initial investment. This indicates a positive performance, but the returns are modest given the significant market volatility and the use of a conservative holding strategy.