It does not appear that Google violated any disclosure rules with the approach, but the move sent financial news reporters into a tizzy, sparking Reuters to proclaim, "Google 's Unorthodox Press Release Raises Questions".
"The statement posed a brief obstacle for the media, analysts and others hungry for Google's numbers," the financial news service wrote. "It may also suggest the company is headed down a road that could hurt companies that distribute press releases, and that some worry could disadvantage some investors."
The reaction is ironic, given the fact that Google's core mission is to help people find information online, and the fact that its mission statement reads: "to organize the world's information and make it universally accessible and useful."
This is not the first time that Google has shaken up Wall Street - and the financial press - by an unconventional approach to investor relations. In fact, when the company initially went public, it sold its shares directly to investors via a process known as a "Dutch auction," as opposed to syndicating it through a big investment banks as is the financial industry's norm.
I thought most companies already did that.
Good for Google to take a different path. Following convention creates habit, and habits create blind spots. To keep a fresh look on any task, it's good to occasionally take an alternative path.