Alibaba Group (NYSE:BABA) Shares Up 2.3% - Time to Buy?

Alibaba Group Holding Limited (NYSE:BABA - Get Free Report)'s share price traded up 2.3% during mid-day trading on Tuesday . The stock traded as high as $129.62 and last traded at $129.47. 7,747,686 shares were traded during trading, a decline of 62% from the average session volume of 20,506,739 shares. The stock had previously closed at $126.57.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of equities research analysts have weighed in on BABA shares. StockNews.com upgraded shares of Alibaba Group from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a research report on Thursday, April 3rd. Citigroup lowered their price objective on Alibaba Group from $170.00 to $169.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, April 8th. Mizuho upgraded shares of Alibaba Group to a "strong-buy" rating in a report on Friday, April 18th. Benchmark upped their price objective on Alibaba Group from $118.00 to $190.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research report on Friday, February 21st. Finally, Robert W. Baird upped their price target on Alibaba Group from $110.00 to $125.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a report on Wednesday, February 19th. Fourteen equities research analysts have rated the stock with a buy rating and two have issued a strong buy rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Alibaba Group has a consensus rating of "Buy" and a consensus target price of $150.36.

Alibaba Group Stock Performance

The company has a market capitalization of $300.92 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 18.21, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.61 and a beta of 0.24. The company's fifty day simple moving average is $124.55 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $105.81. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.19, a quick ratio of 1.48 and a current ratio of 1.48.

Alibaba Group (NYSE:BABA - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 20th. The specialty retailer reported $2.77 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $2.84 by ($0.07). Alibaba Group had a net margin of 12.29% and a return on equity of 12.89%. The firm had revenue of $38.38 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $38.19 billion. Equities research analysts predict that Alibaba Group Holding Limited will post 7.86 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of large investors have recently modified their holdings of BABA. Hazlett Burt & Watson Inc. boosted its stake in Alibaba Group by 1,960.0% during the first quarter. Hazlett Burt & Watson Inc. now owns 206 shares of the specialty retailer's stock valued at $27,000 after buying an additional 196 shares in the last quarter. Inlight Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in Alibaba Group during the first quarter valued at $31,000. Bruce G. Allen Investments LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Alibaba Group during the first quarter worth approximately $31,000. LFA Lugano Financial Advisors SA acquired a new stake in shares of Alibaba Group during the 1st quarter valued at $35,000. Finally, Valley National Advisers Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Alibaba Group by 151.9% during the 1st quarter. Valley National Advisers Inc. now owns 267 shares of the specialty retailer's stock valued at $35,000 after acquiring an additional 161 shares in the last quarter. 13.47% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Alibaba Group Company Profile

Alibaba Group Holding Limited, through its subsidiaries, provides technology infrastructure and marketing reach to help merchants, brands, retailers, and other businesses to engage with their users and customers in the People's Republic of China and internationally. The company operates through seven segments: China Commerce, International Commerce, Local Consumer Services, Cainiao, Cloud, Digital Media and Entertainment, and Innovation Initiatives and Others.