Cloud Wars & Dividend Plays

The tech world’s been twitching lately, a slow burn into something new. Cloud computing, it wasn’t just a trend, it was a necessity. Then came the AI boom, and suddenly everyone needed a bigger server farm. Data, you see, is the new oil, and AI is the engine. Synergy Research Group says the cloud infrastructure business hit $119 billion last quarter, up 30%. Not bad. Not bad at all. And where there’s growth, there’s opportunity. For those who know where to look.

Amazon, Microsoft, and Alphabet – the Big Three – are the houses in this game. They’re all taking in money, but some are playing a smarter hand than others. I’ve been watching them, sizing them up. Not for the tech, mind you. I’m after the steady drip, the consistent return. The kind of income that keeps you warm on a cold night.

Amazon Web Services

Amazon. They built the road, and they still own most of it. Twenty-eight percent of the market, they say. A solid position. Last quarter, cloud revenue clocked in at $35.6 billion, up 24%. Not a bad haul. Andy Jassy, the man at the helm, says it’s their fastest growth in thirteen quarters. He’s also promising $200 billion in capital expenditures. A lot of money. But money well spent if it keeps the machine humming. The problem with giants, though, is they can be slow to turn. Like trying to redirect an oil tanker.

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Microsoft Azure

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Google Cloud

Google. The underdog. Always seemed to be tinkering in the background while Amazon and Microsoft grabbed the headlines. But they’re starting to make some noise. Last quarter, cloud revenue jumped 48%. That’s a serious move. Faster than anyone else. They sold over 8 million Gemini Enterprise seats. People are paying attention. They also managed to cut serving costs by 78%. Efficiency. That’s a word you don’t hear enough in this business. They’re planning to spend between $175 and $185 billion on capital expenditures. A gamble, maybe. But a calculated one.

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The Smart Money

Google Cloud. That’s where I’m putting my money. Not because they’re the biggest, but because they’re the fastest. Jassy, over at Amazon, dismissed their growth as being on a “smaller base.” A fair point, perhaps. But growth is growth. And Google is showing they can deliver it, while also keeping costs under control. At 30 times earnings, they’re attractively priced, especially considering the potential.

Amazon is solid. Microsoft is reliable. But Google? Google is hungry. And in this game, hunger can be a powerful thing. It’s not about the giants. It’s about finding the companies that can adapt, innovate, and deliver a consistent return. The steady drip, remember? That’s what matters. That’s where the real money is made.

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2026-02-12 11:02