What are alphabet's share classes?

Alphabet's share classes, GOOG and GOOGL, are all about voting power. There are not many practical differences between the two share classes for the average investor.

Why does alphabet have multiple common stock classes?

Alphabet and other companies that have multiple common stock classes often structure the different classes so that certain classes have more voting rights than others. By doing so, insiders can maintain control over shares that have more voting rights while selling shares with less voting rights to public investors.

Is alphabet a company?

Alphabet, formerly called Google, maintains the largest online index of websites accessible through automated search technology. It generates revenue through online advertising, cloud services, and hardware. Google is now an operating segment of Alphabet. The company was founded in 1998 by Sergey Brin and Larry Page and went public in 2004.