Separately, Bear Stearns hosted a conference call recently to discuss ways Google may yet hit a stated goal of bringing in $100 billion in annual revenue. The company pulled in $3.87 billion in revenue in its second quarter ended in June.

Points in Google’s favor include “a nine- to 24-month lead over its competitors” in technology, which “is still increasing,” according to a note later released by Bear Stearns analyst Robert Peck.

In addition, Google has shown a strong ability to integrate newly acquired companies and technology at a steady clip, and will use this ability to move beyond its core search products and into other areas, the note said.

Cowen & Co. analyst Jim Friedland chimed in with a note released Friday, saying that Google’s paid-search advertising business should be “partially insulated” from the current economic slowdown, because “when marketing budgets get trimmed during periods of economic weakness, spending on media that drive sales gets cut last or not at all.”

Source: Marketwatch

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