Alphabet Inc. (GOOGL.US), the parent company of Google, reported fourth-quarter revenues that fell short of analysts' projections, primarily attributed to the deceleration in its cloud business segment. According to the financial report, total revenue for the quarter amounted to $96.5 billion, marking an 11.8% year-over-year increase but failing to meet market expectations of $82.8 billion (or $81.6 billion after accounting for partner expenditures). Earnings per share (EPS) stood at $2.15, marginally surpassing market estimates of $2.13. Following this announcement, the company's stock plunged nearly 8% during after-hours trading in the U.S. market.
