Google Parent Company Appeals Landmark Antitrust Ruling

Alphabet US02079K3059

Alphabet Inc., the parent company of Google, has launched a formal appeal against a pivotal antitrust judgment. The company filed the appeal on Friday, contesting a ruling that found it maintained an illegal monopoly in online search. This legal challenge marks the beginning of a process that analysts predict could span several years. Alphabet's stock closed the session at $330.00.

The appeal disputes the August 2024 decision by U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta, who concluded that Google's exclusive search agreements, most notably with Apple, violated the Sherman Act. Concurrently with its appeal, Alphabet has requested a stay of the court's remedies pending the final resolution of the case.

Lee-Anne Mulholland, Google's Vice President of Regulatory Affairs, stated that the ruling fails to account for the dynamic pace of innovation and the fierce competition the company faces from both established rivals and well-funded new entrants. The central argument is that consumers choose Google's services voluntarily, not due to a lack of alternatives.

The DC Circuit Court of Appeals is expected to hear the case later this year. A final decision from the appellate court typically follows approximately one year after an appeal is filed.

Seeking Relief from Specific Remedies

A critical component of Alphabet's strategy is a targeted request to suspend specific remedial measures that Judge Mehta finalized in December 2025. The most significant of these is an obligation to share raw search data with competitors, which would include AI firms such as OpenAI.

The company appears willing to accept other conditions, however, including a restriction that limits standard default search agreements to a maximum duration of one year. The U.S. Department of Justice and the coalition of involved states have until February 3 to file their own appeals against Judge Mehta's September 2025 order, which rejected more drastic proposals like a forced divestiture of the Chrome browser.

Share Performance Defies Legal Headwinds

Alphabet's equity demonstrated resilience, declining a modest 0.84% on the news Friday. The share price remains in close proximity to its all-time high of $340.49, recorded on January 13. Over the preceding twelve-month period, the stock has advanced approximately 68%.

The company's market capitalization surpassed the $4 trillion threshold on January 12, placing it alongside Nvidia, Microsoft, and Apple. This rally has been fueled by successful AI monetization within Google Cloud, a strategic partnership with Apple concerning Siri integration, and the development of the Gemini language model.

Notably, Alphabet shares have gained roughly 56% since September 2025, when Judge Mehta dismissed the government's more severe structural demands and opted solely for behavioral remedies—a decision some market experts characterized as a mere "slap on the wrist."

Investor focus now shifts to the upcoming Q4 2025 earnings report scheduled for February 4. Market participants are anticipated to scrutinize any early effects of the "Choice Screen" regulation, effective since January 1, which mandates that device manufacturers offer users a selection of alternative search engines during initial setup.