Jun 28, 08:29 PM

Alphabet Cut to Neutral by BNP Paribas Exane amid Insider Sales

Alphabet Inc. came under fresh pressure after BNP Paribas Exane lowered its rating on the Google parent to Neutral from Outperform and set a $172 price target, according to a research note dated 26 June. The downgrade coincided with a series of insider stock sales at the company. Securities filings show Chief Executive Officer Sundar Pichai divested 74,811 Class C shares for about $6.3 million, while President of Global Affairs and Chief Legal Officer John Kent Walker disposed of 35,809 shares. The transactions add to a broader wave of selling by senior management across the technology sector. Broadcom’s leadership has also been trimming stakes, with Chief Financial Officer and Chief Accounting Officer Kirsten M. Spears offloading 56,310 shares for $14.2 million and Director Hock Tan selling 40,000 shares for $10.5 million. Similar activity was reported at cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike Holdings, where multiple directors and executives sold tens of thousands of shares. Alphabet shares are down about 3% so far in 2025, lagging Meta Platforms’ 25% advance and Microsoft’s 18% gain, according to market data compiled for the year to date.