Google Paid Clicks 'Accelerated' in April, Analysts Bullish

A bunch of analysts this morning are upbeat about a 20% increase in paid clicks for Google (GOOG) in April, according to data released by Web measurement firm ComScore (SCOR) after market close yesterday.

Susquehanna Financial Group’s Marianne Wolk this morning raised her price target on Google from $600 to $635, saying that the company’s growth in paid clicks (a measure of keyword search advertising) is “accelerating.” Wolk says that ComScore accurately predicted a slowdown in Google’s paid clicks back in February, and she thinks the Web measurement firm is “directionally correct” in suggesting a pickup in the second quarter from the first quarter.

Thomas Weisel’s Christa Quarles notes that ComScore has added to its report the rate of growth of total clicks, paid or unpaid, on Google, to compensate for past controversy over how to properly measure Google’s growth as it reduces ad coverage on some paes. Total clicks at Google rose 28% in April, according to the ComScore data. While Google’s paid clicks rose 20% year-over-year, they were down 2.5% from March, according to the report. Weisel’s Quarles says Google is using the recent decline in search share at Yahoo! (YHOO) and Microsoft (MSFT) as an opportunity to focus on quality versus quantity, by reducing the number of ads overall. She thinks this is a good thing, and maintains an “Overweight” rating on Google stock and a $745 price target.

Note that ComScore data includes only clicks in the US, which leaves out a lot of Google, including international paid clicks and ads shown on other Web sites.

Comments

[CrossProfit]

Yeah right!
Based on ComScore's track record, the opposite is probably true. Why Wolk is running with this is beyond our clickability to comprehend.

CrossProfit