Alphabet (GOOGL) stock vs the S&P 500 and communication services stocks
As of 2 October 2026, Alphabet (GOOGL) is trailing both the S&P 500 and communication services stocks as a group (XLC) over the past three months.
Where Alphabet stands now
As of 2 October 2026, Alphabet had a good month against the S&P 500 after a weaker quarter. One month alone does not make a trend.
Inside its group, GOOGL is catching up: ahead of communication services stocks (XLC) over the past month, still behind over three months. As a group, communication services stocks are trailing the S&P 500 right now. Stock and group are both under pressure.
Alphabet is 11.3% of XLC, a weight large enough to drive the fund. It sits in 11 of the sector and theme funds Zensei tracks. The thing to watch is the past month: a turn against the market usually shows there first.
GOOGL vs the S&P 500: returns
Alphabet and the S&P 500 (SPY) side by side, over each window Zensei tracks.
Prices as of · computed from daily adjusted closes · how we measure
GOOGL against communication services stocks, in depth
See the size of the gap between Alphabet and communication services stocks (XLC) over every window, its momentum and its relative strength, and where it sits among communication services stocks.
See the full analysisWhich ETFs hold Alphabet?
11 funds that Zensei tracks hold GOOGL, by weight. The fund with the largest weight is its sector on this page.
Alphabet competitors
The largest other holdings of Communication Services Select Sector SPDR (XLC), with their return over the past month.
Alphabet stock: common questions
Is Alphabet stock beating the S&P 500?
As of 2 October 2026, Alphabet (GOOGL) is up 2.6% over the past month. The S&P 500 is up 1.3% over the same month. Over three months, the stock is down 4.5% and the S&P 500 is up 3.6%.
Which ETFs hold Alphabet?
As of 2 October 2026, 11 funds that Zensei tracks hold GOOGL. Its largest weight is in Communication Services Select Sector SPDR (XLC), at 11.3%. It is also in First Trust Dow Jones Internet Index Fund (FDN, 5.8%), Global X Social Media ETF (SOCL, 5.4%), MUSQ Global Music Industry ETF (MUSQ, 4.8%), Fidelity Metaverse ETF (FMET, 4.7%), First Trust S-Network Future Vehicles & Technology ETF (CARZ, 4.3%).
Who are Alphabet's competitors?
As of 2 October 2026, the largest other holdings of Communication Services Select Sector SPDR (XLC) are Meta Platforms (META), Alphabet Inc (GOOG), Warner Bros. Discovery Inc (WBD), AppLovin (APP), AT&T (T). These are the stocks Alphabet sits next to among communication services stocks.
Is Alphabet doing better than other communication services stocks?
As of 2 October 2026, Alphabet (GOOGL) is behind communication services stocks as a group (XLC) over the past three months. Zensei Edge shows the size of the gap, its momentum and its relative strength.
Track Alphabet against communication services stocks and the market
Zensei Edge maps 100+ sectors and themes against the S&P 500, with each stock inside them measured against its group.