Google had revenue of US$6.67 billion, up 17 percent compared to the fourth quarter of 2008. Subtracting the commissions Google pays to its ad-network partners, revenue was $4.95 billion, topping the $4.92 billion analyst consensus expectation.
Net income came in at $1.97 billion, or $6.13 per share, compared to $382 million, or $1.21 per share, in the same period last year. On a pro forma basis, which excludes certain one-time items, net income was $2.19 billion, or $6.79 per share, compared to $1.62 billion, or $5.10 per share, in the fourth quarter of 2008. Analyst consensus had been for earnings per share of $6.50 on a pro forma basis.
Google-owned sites generated 66 percent of the total revenue, while ad-network partner sites generated the rest.
Paid clicks, which are ads on which users clicked, thus generating a fee for Google, increased 13 percent compared with 2008's fourth quarter. The average value of clicks rose 5 percent.
Google ended 2009 with $24.5 billion in cash, cash equivalents and short-term marketable securities, and a staff of 19,835 full-time employees, 170 more than in 2009's third quarter.