Google posted stronger-than-expected first-quarter profit despite a broad-based slump in advertising spending, sending its shares up 5 per cent in extended trading.
The internet search company's revenue was $5.51 billion, up 6 per cent from year-ago quarter, and was roughly in line with analysts' average expectation of $5.53 billion.
But revenue fell 3 per cent from the 2008 fourth quarter.
Google reported a net profit in the first quarter ended March 31st of $1.42 billion, or $4.49 cents a share, up from $1.31 billion, or $4.12 a share, a year earlier.
Excluding special items, Google earned $5.16 a share.
Google said that paid clicks, by surfers on its text-based search ads, increased 17 per cent year-over-year in the first quarter, and rose 3 per cent from the last quarter.
Reuters