11:05 AM EDT, 03/18/2025 (MT Newswires) -- CFRA, an independent research provider, has provided MT Newswires with the following research alert. Analysts at CFRA have summarized their opinion as follows:

GOOG announced its largest-ever acquisition, planning to acquire cloud security platform Wiz for $32B in cash, significantly above rumors of $23B a year earlier. The deal, expected to close in 2026, will integrate Wiz into Google Cloud, while maintaining multi-cloud compatibility across AWS, Azure, and Oracle Cloud. We believe this strategic move strengthens Google's ( GOOG ) competitive position against Microsoft and Amazon in cloud security, particularly as organizations seek comprehensive multi-cloud security solutions amid growing AI workloads. The acquisition follows Google's ( GOOG ) $5.4B Mandiant purchase in 2022, with Google's ( GOOG ) strong financial position ($120B+ net cash) easily supporting the all-cash transaction. While the deal will test the new Trump administration's stance on Big Tech M&A, we assign a 60% probability of approval, partly given its complementary nature. We also expect Google ( GOOG ) to maintain its capital allocation strategy, with continued substantial share buybacks and modest dividend hikes.