Alphabet is rapidly approaching the status of the world’s most valuable company, potentially overtaking Nvidia, fueled by strong earnings and stock performance.
Nvidia, on the other hand, is experiencing a downturn, partly due to reports concerning its AI partner OpenAI, leading options traders to predict Alphabet’s ascent to the top spot in the near future.
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A significant shift is brewing in the ranks of the world's largest tech giants, with Alphabet, the parent company of Google, on the cusp of becoming the most valuable company globally, potentially unseating AI leader Nvidia.
Alphabet's stock has experienced a remarkable surge, with a 140% gain over the past year, pushing its market capitalization past $4.6 trillion and nearing the $5 trillion milestone. This ascent follows a strong quarterly earnings report, which saw revenue exceed analyst expectations and Google Cloud revenue surpass $20 billion.
Meanwhile, Nvidia, which has been at the forefront of the AI boom, is facing headwinds. A recent report suggesting that business partner OpenAI missed internal growth targets has contributed to a more than 6% dip in Nvidia's stock over the past two days, bringing its market cap to just under $4.9 trillion.
Options market data suggests that this transition could happen sooner rather than later. If Nvidia fails to rebound following its upcoming earnings report on May 20, there's a significant probability that Alphabet will claim the top spot as early as May 15. For Alphabet to reach Nvidia's current market valuation, its stock would need to appreciate by an additional 4%, reaching approximately $401 per share.
Traders are pricing in a roughly 53% chance that Alphabet could touch this level by May 15. Furthermore, the probability of Alphabet closing above $400 on May 22, the Friday after Nvidia's earnings, is estimated at around 30%.
This potential change marks a significant moment, as Alphabet last held the title of the world's most valuable company in 2016, when it briefly surpassed Apple.