Google/Alphabet’s $5bn share buyback was the geekiest ever, and maths fans will love it
Don't say Google – now known as Alphabet – doesn't know how to have a bit of fun.
Of course, it's the geeky type of fun that will bring a smile to the face of maths whizzes, or anyone who enjoys a good in-joke.
While a massive jump in earnings yesterday gained the most headlines, and a $5bn share buyback cheered investors, eagle-eyed readers spotted a quirky detail.
The share repurchase was a weirdly exact $5,099,019,513.59.
And that number (5.09901951359) just happens to be the square root of 26…. the number of letters in the alphabet.
Google isn't the only tech company that likes to have a little fun. Remember when Apple rickrolled us all? And not for the first time.