Google revenue misses estimates

19 January 2012 Last updated at 22:52 GMT  The amount Google managed to charge advertisers per click fell 8% Google reported a 27% increase in revenues for the last three months of 2011, but even that was not good enough to meet Wall Street estimates, sending the shares tumbling.

Google shares fell 10% in after-hours trading to $575.

It reported 3-month revenues of $10.6bn (£6.8bn). Its net profit rose 6.4% to $2.7bn.

"Google had a really strong quarter ending a great year," said chief executive Larry Page.

"I am super excited about the growth of Android, Gmail, and Google+, which now has 90 million users globally - well over double what I announced just three months ago."

But analysts were less impressed.

"Expectations were very high and they have missed that," said Trip Chowdhry, from Global Equities Research.

"Unlike Microsoft and Intel, estimates for Google have been rising for a few months."

The number of clicks on Google's search adverts rose significantly in the fourth quarter, but the amount that Google was able to charge advertisers for each click fell 8%.

"Expectations had got ahead of themselves for Google, largely because investors don't have a good feel for what happens outside the US," said Jordan Rohan from Stifel Nicolaus.

"North America has remained strong, but there are parts of the world where there's a lot of economic pressure. I would have to assume Europe, particularly Germany and some others, undergoing austerity measures. The underlying demand in those countries is weak."

For the full year, Google reported a 29% rise in revenue to $37.9bn, with net profit up 14% to $9.7bn.