Google Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG) has spent most of the last three months trading in a range of $850 to $900, without much deviation above $900 and without much trading below $850. That was at least the case until earnings came out on Thursday.

Now the internet search giant has its Android smartphones and devices adding more to sales each quarter. The company’s earnings came in at $10.79 in earnings per share on revenue gains of 12% up to $14.89 billion. Thomson Reuters had estimates of $10.34 EPS and $14.79, which compared to a year ago results of $9.03 EPS and $11.33 billion in revenue.

In the third quarter of 2013, TAC totaled $2.97 billion, or 24% of advertising revenues. Google’s valuation was right at 20-times expected earnings right before the close of trading on Thursday.

We would like to ask if Google is really paying enough in taxes? The company said that its effective tax rate was 15% for the third quarter of 2013. Cash flow from operations was $5.08 billion versus a year ago, while capital expenditures were $2.29 billion. Free cash flow was $2.79 billion. As of September 30, 2013, cash and cash equivalents came to a whopping $56.52 billion.

Google also employed 46,421 full-time employees (42,162 in Google and 4,259 in Motorola Mobile) as of September 30, 2013, compared to 44,777 full-time employees (40,178 in Google and 4,599 Motorola Mobile) as of June 30, 2013. Here were some of the highlights from the company:

• Google-owned sites generated segment revenues of $9.39 billion or 68% of total sales, up 22% from a year ago.
• Paid clicks include clicks related to ads served on Google sites and the sites of Network members and rose 26% annually and 8% sequentially.
• The cost-per-click decreased approximately 8% annually and 4% sequentially.
• Traffic acquisition costs as a percentage of advertising revenues was 24% in the third quarter of 2013, compared to 26% in the third quarter of 2012.
• Motorola Mobile segment revenues, those smartphones and devices, were $1.18 billion, or 8% of consolidated revenues in the third quarter of 2013, compared to $1.78 billion, or 13% of consolidated revenues in the third quarter of 2012.
• Google’s international segment revenues totaled $7.67 billion, which was 56% of total sales versus 55% last quarter and versus 53% a year ago.
• Operating expenses were $5.04 billion in the third quarter or 34% of revenues, compared to $4.61 billion a year ago which was 35% of revenues then.

Google shares closed down 1% at $888.79 versus a 52-week range of $636.00 to $928.00. Shares are up almost 6% at $941.00 in the after-hours. Go ahead and chalk this up as an all-time high.

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