's (NASDAQ: GOOGL) (NASDAQ: GOOG) Google Search is totally back to kick off 2024. But as investors' collective focus pivoted to profitable growth during the bear market, this is where the company stood out. Total operating income profit margins dialed in at 27.5% in Q4 2023, up from 24% a year ago.

With profits rising again, Alphabet went to work last year doling out more shareholder returns. And those returns comprise the 61.5 billion reasons Alphabet is still a buy and hold in my book for 2024.

Alphabet revealed in its Q4 2023 financial filings that it shelled out a whopping $61.5 billion worth of share buybacks last year. That was a near-4% increase from 2022. Not bad for a bear market.

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Source Fool.com