MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. – Google Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) announced financial results for the quarter ended June 30, 2009.
“Google had a very good quarter, especially given the continued macro-economic downturn. While most of the world’s largest economies shrank, Google’s year-over-year revenues were up 3%. These results highlight the enduring strength of our business model and our responsible efforts to manage expenses in a way that puts us in a good position for the economic upturn, when it occurs,” said Eric Schmidt, CEO of Google. “We remain focused on investing in technical innovation to drive growth in our core and new businesses.”
Q2 Financial Summary
Google reported revenues of $5.52 billion for the quarter ended June 30, 2009, an increase of 3% compared to the second quarter of 2008. Google reports its revenues, consistent with GAAP, on a gross basis without deducting traffic acquisition costs (TAC). In the second quarter of 2009, TAC totaled $1.45 billion, or 27% of advertising revenues.
Google reports operating income, operating margin, net income, and earnings per share (EPS) on a GAAP and non-GAAP basis. The non-GAAP measures, as well as free cash flow, an alternative non-GAAP measure of liquidity, are described below and are reconciled to the corresponding GAAP measures in the accompanying financial tables.
GAAP operating income for the second quarter of 2009 was $1.87 billion, or 34% of revenues. This compares to GAAP operating income of $1.58 billion, or 29% of revenues, in the second quarter of 2008. Non-GAAP operating income in the second quarter of 2009 was $2.17 billion, or 39% of revenues. This compares to non-GAAP operating income of $1.85 billion, or 34% of revenues, in the second quarter of 2008.
GAAP net income for the second quarter of 2009 was $1.48 billion as compared to $1.25 billion in the second quarter of 2008. Non-GAAP net income in the second quarter of 2009 was $1.71 billion, compared to $1.47 billion in the second quarter of 2008.
GAAP EPS for the second quarter of 2009 was $4.66 on 319 million diluted shares outstanding, compared to $3.92 for the second quarter of 2008 on 318 million diluted shares outstanding. Non-GAAP EPS in the second quarter of 2009 was $5.36, compared to $4.63 in the second quarter of 2008.
Non-GAAP operating income and non-GAAP operating margin exclude the expenses related to stock-based compensation (SBC). Non-GAAP net income and non-GAAP EPS exclude the expenses related to SBC and the related tax benefits. In the second quarter of 2009, the charge related to SBC was $293 million as compared to $273 million in the second quarter of 2008. The tax benefit related to SBC was $69 million in the second quarter of 2009 and $48 million in the second quarter of 2008. Reconciliations of non-GAAP measures to GAAP operating income, operating margin, net income, and EPS are included at the end of this release.
Q2 Financial Highlights
Revenues – Google reported revenues of $5.52 billion in the second quarter of 2009, representing a 3% increase over second quarter 2008 revenues of $5.37 billion. Google reports its revenues, consistent with GAAP, on a gross basis without deducting TAC.
Google Sites Revenues – Google-owned sites generated revenues of $3.65 billion, or 66% of total revenues, in the second quarter of 2009. This represents a 3% increase over second quarter 2008 revenues of $3.53 billion.
Google Network Revenues – Google’s partner sites generated revenues, through AdSense programs, of $1.68 billion, or 31% of total revenues, in the second quarter of 2009. This represents a 2% increase from second quarter 2008 network revenues of $1.66 billion.
International Revenues – Revenues from outside of the United States totaled $2.91 billion, representing 53% of total revenues in the second quarter of 2009, compared to 52% in the first quarter of 2009 and second quarter of 2008. Excluding gains related to our foreign exchange risk management program, had foreign exchange rates remained constant from the first quarter of 2009 through the second quarter of 2009, our revenues in the second quarter of 2009 would have been $44 million lower. Excluding gains related to our foreign exchange risk management program, had foreign exchange rates remained constant from the second quarter of 2008 through the second quarter of 2009, our revenues in the second quarter of 2009 would have been $497 million higher.
Revenues from the United Kingdom totaled $715 million, representing 13% of revenues in the second quarter of 2009, compared to 14% in the second quarter of 2008.
In the second quarter of 2009, we recognized a benefit of $124 million to revenues through our foreign exchange risk management program.
Paid Clicks – Aggregate paid clicks, which include clicks related to ads served on Google sites and the sites of our AdSense partners, increased approximately 15% over the second quarter of 2008 and decreased approximately 2% over the first quarter of 2009.
Cost-Per-Click – Average cost-per-click, which includes clicks related to ads served on Google sites and the sites of our AdSense partners, decreased approximately 13% over the second quarter of 2008 and increased approximately 5% over the first quarter of 2009.
TAC – Traffic Acquisition Costs, the portion of revenues shared with Google’s partners, decreased to $1.45 billion in the second quarter of 2009, compared to TAC of $1.47 billion in the second quarter of 2008. TAC as a percentage of advertising revenues was 27% in the second quarter of 2009, compared to 28% in the second quarter of 2008.
The majority of TAC is related to amounts ultimately paid to our AdSense partners, which totaled $1.24 billion in the second quarter of 2009. TAC also includes amounts ultimately paid to certain distribution partners and others who direct traffic to our website, which totaled $218 million in the second quarter of 2009.
Other Cost of Revenues – Other cost of revenues, which is comprised primarily of data center operational expenses, amortization of intangible assets, content acquisition costs as well as credit card processing charges, decreased to $655 million, or 12% of revenues, in the second quarter of 2009, compared to $674 million, or 13% of revenues, in the second quarter of 2008.
Operating Expenses – Operating expenses, other than cost of revenues, were $1.54 billion in the second quarter of 2009, or 28% of revenues, compared to $1.64 billion in the second quarter of 2008, or 31% of revenues.
Stock-Based Compensation (SBC) – In the second quarter of 2009, the total charge related to SBC was $293 million as compared to $273 million in the second quarter of 2008.
We currently estimate SBC charges for grants to employees prior to July 1, 2009 to be approximately $1.1 billion for 2009. This estimate does not include expenses to be recognized related to employee stock awards that are granted after June 30, 2009 or non-employee stock awards that have been or may be granted.
Operating Income – GAAP operating income in the second quarter of 2009 was $1.87 billion, or 34% of revenues. This compares to GAAP operating income of $1.58 billion, or 29% of revenues, in the second quarter of 2008. Non-GAAP operating income in the second quarter of 2009 was $2.17 billion, or 39% of revenues. This compares to non-GAAP operating income of $1.85 billion, or 34% of revenues, in the second quarter of 2008.
Interest and Other Income (Expense), Net – Interest and other income (expense), net decreased to an expense of $18 million in the second quarter of 2009, compared to an income of $58 million in the second quarter of 2008.
Income Taxes – Our effective tax rate was 20% for the second quarter of 2009.
Net Income – GAAP net income for the second quarter of 2009 was $1.48 billion as compared to $1.25 billion in the second quarter of 2008. Non-GAAP net income was $1.71 billion in the second quarter of 2009, compared to $1.47 billion in the second quarter of 2008. GAAP EPS for the second quarter of 2009 was $4.66 on 319 million diluted shares outstanding, compared to $3.92 for the second quarter of 2008, on 318 million diluted shares outstanding. Non-GAAP EPS for the second quarter of 2009 was $5.36, compared to $4.63 in the second quarter of 2008.
Cash Flow and Capital Expenditures – Net cash provided by operating activities for the second quarter of 2009 totaled $1.61 billion as compared to $1.77 billion for the second quarter of 2008. In the second quarter of 2009, capital expenditures were $139 million, the majority of which was related to IT infrastructure investments, including data centers, servers, and networking equipment. Free cash flow, an alternative non-GAAP measure of liquidity, is defined as net cash provided by operating activities less capital expenditures. In the second quarter of 2009, free cash flow was $1.47 billion.
We expect to continue to make significant capital expenditures.
A reconciliation of free cash flow to net cash provided by operating activities, the GAAP measure of liquidity, is included at the end of this release.
Cash – As of June 30, 2009, cash, cash equivalents, and short-term marketable securities were $19.3 billion.
On a worldwide basis, Google employed 19,786 full-time employees as of June 30, 2009, down from 20,164 full-time employees as of March 31, 2009.
