Google's first-quarter profit climbed 30%, earning $1.31 billion, or $4.12 per share, during the first three months of the year. That compared with $1 billion, or $3.18 per share, in the first quarter of 2007. If not for expenses to cover stock given its employees, Google said it would have made $4.84 per share.

Analysts, on average, projected $4.52 per share.