Google Reports $1.9 Billion in Q4 Revenues

Google reported revenues of $1.9 billion in the fourth quarter, up 86 percent over the year-ago period and up 22 percent sequentially. Net income was $372 million, or $1.22 earnings per share.

The results bring Google’s full-year 2005 revenues to a staggering $6.1 billion.

Despite its record earnings, the company missed analyst expectations and its stock price was down in after hours trading.

“We see tremendous opportunity for growth,” said CEO Eric Schmidt. “It looks, based on our analysis, that international markets are highly underpenetrated. Perhaps most importantly, we believe the rate of innovation will increase in 2006, as we continue to bring the most talented minds into Google.

Sites owned by Google generated 57 percent of revenue for the quarter, while publishers in its AdSense network brought in 42 percent. Network revenue grew at a slightly slower pace, recording an 18 percent increase over Q3 compared with 24 percent for the company’s native sites.

Thirty-eight percent of revenue came from outside the U.S., which is approximately in line with the previous two quarters. The U.K. contributed 14 percent of total revenues, compared with 15 percent in the prior quarter. Executives reported healthy growth in Europe, Asia and Central and South America.

During the quarter, Google renewed AdSense partnerships with InfoSpace, Terra, Business.com and WebMD. Co-founder Sergei Brin noted that Ford became the first major advertiser to run a large campaign using its site-targeting program. Additionally, it was the first full quarter during which the company’s sales force was organized by vertical. At year’s end, it employed 5,680 full-time staffers worldwide, up by more than 2,000 since December 2004.

Also in Q4, Google made a contribution of $90 million to Google Foundation, its philanthropic organ.