Google’s operating margins fell to 23.7% last quarter. This level is the lowest I’m aware of. From 2007 to late 2009 margin went from about 31% to about 37%. Then from early 2010 until present they fell. The history is shown the the following graph.
[I included Microsoft and Apple operating margins for comparison.]
Some of the recent decline is due to the inclusion of Motorola into consolidated earnings. Motorola gross margins were therefore 18%. Excluding Motorola, Google gross margins (Revenues-Cost of Revenues) were 61.5% of revenues. However, even excluding Motorola, Google’s core margins dropped. Continue reading “The cost of mobile clicks”