Instant View: Google Q3 results miss expectations, stock sinks

Commentary:

SAMEET SINHA, ANALYST AT B RILEY

"The core business seems to have slowed down pretty significantly, which is shocking. I don't think anybody saw this. Business grew 21 (percent) in the second quarter and now just 14.7 percent. Volumes look to be a little weaker than expected. We were expecting volumes up 37 percent and they're saying 33 percent. We were expecting pricing down 13 percent and here they're down 15 percent.

"The only conclusion l can look at is -- search is happening more and more outside of Google, meaning people are searching more through apps than through Google search. That could indicate a secular change, especially when it comes to ecommerce searches. The big fear has always been -- what if people decide just to go straight to Amazon and do their searches? And potentially that's what could be happening."

COLIN GILLIS, ANALYST AT BCG:

"We have been saying this thing was ripe for a pullback. It's not like they're Google not being Google, but you still have some major issues. Click prices declined for the fourth consecutive quarter after rising for eight consecutive quarters before then. That's a negative. This is the mobile problem.

"The other bit is the Motorola millstone had been ignored by the market, and - boom - now you've got weak revenue from Motorola. When you acquire a business and you're about to whack all kinds of people and close offices, you know what happens to the employees? They take their eye off the ball. Sales are down."

(Reporting By Noel Randewich in San Francisco)