Alibaba Group Holding Limited $BABA Stake Lowered by China Universal Asset Management Co. Ltd.

Key Points

• China Universal Asset Management cut its stake in Alibaba by 27.9% in Q4, selling 8,641 shares and finishing the quarter with 22,282 shares worth about $3.27 million.
• Other institutional shifts were large and mixed — notably Capital World Investors increased its position by 1,074.9% to 6,038,318 shares (~$1.08B), while Coatue, Artisan, Trivest and Altimeter also added or initiated sizable stakes; institutional ownership is reported at 13.47%.
• On the business front, Alibaba is pushing AI commercialization (opening Qwen AI to China Eastern and exploring a possible investment in DeepSeek with Tencent), and analysts maintain a Moderate Buy consensus with an average target of $187.68 versus a recent price near $131.65.

China Universal Asset Management Co. Ltd. cut its stake in shares of Alibaba Group Holding Limited (NYSE:BABA - Free Report) by 27.9% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 22,282 shares of the specialty retailer's stock after selling 8,641 shares during the quarter. China Universal Asset Management Co. Ltd.'s holdings in Alibaba Group were worth $3,266,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in BABA. Capital World Investors grew its holdings in Alibaba Group by 1,074.9% in the 3rd quarter. Capital World Investors now owns 6,038,318 shares of the specialty retailer's stock worth $1,079,229,000 after buying an additional 5,524,354 shares in the last quarter. Artisan Partners Limited Partnership bought a new position in Alibaba Group in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $290,208,000. Trivest Advisors Ltd bought a new position in Alibaba Group in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $202,126,000. Coatue Management LLC grew its holdings in Alibaba Group by 130.1% in the 3rd quarter. Coatue Management LLC now owns 1,996,593 shares of the specialty retailer's stock worth $356,851,000 after buying an additional 1,128,826 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Altimeter Capital Management LP bought a new position in Alibaba Group in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $173,207,000. 13.47% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Alibaba Group News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: Alibaba has opened its Qwen AI to China Eastern, enabling natural‑language flight search, booking and management — a clear step toward monetizing Qwen via airline and travel integrations that could drive enterprise revenue. Alibaba Opens Qwen AI To China Eastern, Enabling Flight Booking Via Chat
• Positive Sentiment: Alibaba Cloud’s collaboration with 0G to make Qwen models accessible on‑chain opens new distribution channels to autonomous AI agents and Web3 developers — a strategic infrastructure move that may expand model usage and developer engagement. 0G to Make Alibaba's Qwen wModels Accessible to AI Agents via Blockchain Integration
• Positive Sentiment: Reports that Alibaba is in talks with Tencent to invest in AI startup DeepSeek (valuation >$20B) signal a potential strategic bet to secure cutting‑edge AI capabilities and partnerships that could bolster Alibaba’s long‑term AI roadmap. Tencent, Alibaba in talks to invest in DeepSeek, The Information reports
• Neutral Sentiment: Alibaba.com’s leadership is highlighting AI tools for small businesses — an encouraging messaging point for merchant adoption but with unclear near‑term revenue impact. Alibaba.com president: How small businesses win online
• Neutral Sentiment: Industry reports reaffirm Alibaba’s strong position in China’s social commerce market, supporting long‑term growth thesis in integrated content+transaction commerce. China Social Commerce Market Report 2026
• Negative Sentiment: Tencent’s unveiling of an upgraded foundational model underscores intensifying AI competition in China — a near‑term headwind for investor sentiment as rivals vie for talent, partnerships and enterprise deals. Tencent Unveils AI Model in High‑Stakes Test for OpenAI Hire
• Negative Sentiment: Coverage notes regulators are closely watching platform firms and their data‑rich AI activities; that scrutiny could complicate large investments, partnerships or monetization efforts in the near term. Alibaba Weighs DeepSeek AI Stake As Social Commerce Role Expands

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of brokerages recently issued reports on BABA. Freedom Capital lowered Alibaba Group from a "strong-buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Tuesday, January 6th. Barclays decreased their price objective on Alibaba Group from $190.00 to $186.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, April 14th. Nomura increased their price objective on Alibaba Group from $193.00 to $237.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Monday, January 26th. Zacks Research raised Alibaba Group from a "strong sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Tuesday, March 24th. Finally, Arete Research upgraded Alibaba Group from a "neutral" rating to a "buy" rating and set a $190.00 target price for the company in a research report on Wednesday, January 21st. Sixteen research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and six have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $187.68.

Alibaba Group Price Performance

Shares of NYSE:BABA opened at $131.65 on Friday. Alibaba Group Holding Limited has a one year low of $103.71 and a one year high of $192.67. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $135.36 and a 200-day moving average of $152.88. The company has a market capitalization of $314.88 billion, a PE ratio of 24.84, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.45 and a beta of 0.50. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.22, a quick ratio of 1.33 and a current ratio of 1.33.

Alibaba Group (NYSE:BABA - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Saturday, February 14th. The specialty retailer reported $0.13 EPS for the quarter. Alibaba Group had a return on equity of 7.43% and a net margin of 9.12%.The company had revenue of $40.71 billion during the quarter. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that Alibaba Group Holding Limited will post 4.39 EPS for the current fiscal year.

About Alibaba Group

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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