JPMorgan says DOJ final proposed remedies bring both risk, clarity for Alphabet

JPMorgan expects the DOJ’s final proposed remedies in the ongoing search commercial agreements trial to come next Wednesday, November 20, and heading toward that date the firm says that sentiment on Alphabet (GOOG) (GOOGL) shares “remains mixed.” The firm believes the final proposed remedies next week “carry headline risk, but it will also be positive to have some clarity on the worst case remedies.” Even after this, there are major steps ahead, including the Judge’s final decision that likely comes in August of next year, Google’s appeal, and ultimately a strategic decision from Apple (AAPL) on how it will proceed if Google can no longer be the exclusive default search provider on Safari. In addition, there will also likely be meaningful changes at the DOJ next year, which could impact final remedies presented to the judge next March and a potential settlement, notes the analyst, who has an Overweight rating and $212 price target on Alphabet shares.