Alibaba Group Holding Limited $BABA Shares Sold by Nations Financial Group Inc. IA ADV

Key Points

• Nations Financial Group cut its Alibaba stake by 49.8% in the first quarter, leaving it with 25,168 shares valued at about $3.16 million.
• Alibaba reported fiscal Q4 earnings with $35.3 billion in revenue and $0.01 EPS, while analysts still expect the company to post 6.75 EPS for the current year.
• The stock continues to draw mixed sentiment: analysts have mostly Buy or better ratings with an average target of $188.76, but shares are also facing pressure from geopolitical concerns, including a Pentagon blacklist addition and broader weakness in Chinese equities.

Nations Financial Group Inc. IA ADV decreased its holdings in Alibaba Group Holding Limited (NYSE:BABA - Free Report) by 49.8% in the first quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 25,168 shares of the specialty retailer's stock after selling 24,955 shares during the quarter. Nations Financial Group Inc. IA ADV's holdings in Alibaba Group were worth $3,158,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. raised its stake in Alibaba Group by 7,680.3% in the fourth quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. now owns 6,014,147 shares of the specialty retailer's stock valued at $881,554,000 after buying an additional 5,936,847 shares during the last quarter. Capital World Investors grew its stake in shares of Alibaba Group by 1,074.9% during the third quarter. Capital World Investors now owns 6,038,318 shares of the specialty retailer's stock worth $1,079,229,000 after acquiring an additional 5,524,354 shares during the last quarter. Norges Bank purchased a new stake in shares of Alibaba Group during the fourth quarter worth about $594,477,000. Artisan Partners Limited Partnership acquired a new position in shares of Alibaba Group during the third quarter valued at about $290,208,000. Finally, Trivest Advisors Ltd acquired a new position in shares of Alibaba Group during the third quarter valued at about $202,126,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 13.47% of the company's stock.

Alibaba Group Stock Performance

NYSE BABA opened at $107.22 on Monday. The firm has a market capitalization of $257.23 billion, a P/E ratio of 17.61, a PEG ratio of 1.84 and a beta of 0.48. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $128.75 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $142.06. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.21, a quick ratio of 1.28 and a current ratio of 1.28. Alibaba Group Holding Limited has a fifty-two week low of $103.71 and a fifty-two week high of $192.67.

Alibaba Group (NYSE:BABA - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, March 31st. The specialty retailer reported $0.01 EPS for the quarter. The firm had revenue of $35.30 billion for the quarter. Alibaba Group had a return on equity of 4.76% and a net margin of 10.31%. On average, equities analysts forecast that Alibaba Group Holding Limited will post 6.75 earnings per share for the current year.

Alibaba Group Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed an annual dividend, which will be paid on Monday, July 13th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, June 11th will be given a $1.05 dividend. This represents a yield of 93.0%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, June 11th. Alibaba Group's dividend payout ratio is currently 16.91%.

Trending Headlines about Alibaba Group

Here are the key news stories impacting Alibaba Group this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Alibaba continues to highlight its AI strategy, including new robotics models for logistics, warehousing, and business operations, while executives also discussed AI investment opportunities at a Bloomberg event. This supports the bullish case that AI could drive future growth. Alibaba (BABA) Faces Pentagon Blacklist As It Pushes Deeper Into AI Robotics
• Positive Sentiment: Alibaba filed its annual report on Form 20-F for fiscal 2026, reducing filing uncertainty and confirming the company remains current with its reporting obligations. Alibaba Group Announces Filing of Annual Report on Form 20-F for Fiscal Year 2026
• Neutral Sentiment: Alibaba adjusted conversion terms on its 2031 convertible notes after its 2026 dividend. This is a technical financing update, but it may matter to investors watching dilution and capital structure. Alibaba adjusts conversion terms on 2031 convertible notes after 2026 dividend
• Neutral Sentiment: Commentary comparing MercadoLibre and Alibaba underscores that BABA is still viewed as a growth-oriented e-commerce and AI play, but with credit risk and macro challenges clouding the outlook. MercadoLibre vs. Alibaba: Which E-Commerce Stock Holds an Edge?
• Negative Sentiment: Alibaba was added to a new Pentagon blacklist alleging links to the Chinese military, increasing geopolitical and regulatory uncertainty even if the direct business impact is expected to be limited. Alibaba (BABA) Faces Pentagon Blacklist As It Pushes Deeper Into AI Robotics
• Negative Sentiment: Broader weakness in Chinese equities is weighing on sentiment, with a major China stock gauge nearing a bear market on soft growth and a tech selloff, which can drag on BABA even when company-specific news is constructive. China Stock Gauge Nears Bear Market on Weak Growth, Tech Slide

Analysts Set New Price Targets

BABA has been the subject of a number of recent analyst reports. Mizuho lifted their target price on shares of Alibaba Group from $190.00 to $195.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research note on Thursday, May 14th. Barclays upped their price target on shares of Alibaba Group from $186.00 to $195.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research note on Thursday, May 14th. BNP Paribas Exane initiated coverage on shares of Alibaba Group in a report on Wednesday, April 29th. They issued an "outperform" rating and a $209.00 price target for the company. Freedom Capital upgraded shares of Alibaba Group from a "hold" rating to a "strong-buy" rating in a research note on Friday, April 24th. Finally, Nomura boosted their price objective on shares of Alibaba Group from $200.00 to $207.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a report on Friday, May 15th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, sixteen have given a Buy rating and five have issued a Hold rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $188.76.

Alibaba Group Profile

Alibaba Group Holding Limited is a Chinese multinational conglomerate founded in 1999 in Hangzhou, China, by Jack Ma and a group of co‑founders. The company built its business around internet-based commerce and related services and has grown into one of the largest e-commerce and technology companies in the world. Alibaba completed a high‑profile initial public offering on the New York Stock Exchange in 2014.

The company operates a portfolio of online marketplaces and platforms serving different customer segments: Alibaba.com for global and domestic B2B trade, Taobao for consumer-to-consumer shopping, and Tmall for brand and retailer storefronts targeted at Chinese consumers.

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