Google parent Alphabet sees profits rise to $9.2b

San Francisco: Google parent Alphabet said Thursday its third-quarter profit rose 36 per cent to $9.2 billion (Dh33.8 billion), fuelled by gains in digital advertising delivered online and on smartphones.

Profits were better than expected for the US technology giant, while revenues fell short of forecasts, rising 21 per cent to $33.7 billion in the three months ending in September, compared with the same period a year earlier.

“Our business continues to have strong momentum globally, led by mobile search and our many products that help billions of people every day,” said chief financial officer Ruth Porat, who added, “we remain focused on delivering on the opportunities we see.”

The vast majority of revenue for Alphabet came from Google and more than $28 billion came from digital advertising, where it leads the market.

Alphabet’s “other bets,” which include divisions on self-driving cars, life sciences and cybersecurity, rose to $146 million from $117 million a year earlier.