Google Profit, Revenue Top Analysts’ Estimates; Shares Surge

Google Inc.’s earnings topped analysts’ estimates amid slower spending, sending the stock up as much as 14 percent in late trading on investor optimism that the Internet search giant can keep costs in check.

Second-quarter profit before certain items was $6.99 a share, the company said Thursday in a statement. Sales, minus revenue passed on to partners, rose 13 percent to $14.4 billion. Analysts on average projected $6.73 a share in profit on $14.3 billion in sales, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.