Altshuler Shaham Ltd Acquires New Shares in Alibaba Group Holding Limited $BABA

Key Points

• Altshuler Shaham Ltd initiated a new position in Alibaba Group, buying 1,094,350 shares worth about $160.4 million in the fourth quarter. Alibaba now accounts for roughly 2.4% of the firm’s portfolio and is its 15th-largest holding.
• Other institutional investors also piled into BABA, including major increases from Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management and Capital World Investors, while overall institutional ownership stands at 13.47%.
• Analyst sentiment remains moderately bullish: recent updates included upgrades and higher price targets, with a consensus target price of $188.76, even as the stock faces mixed commentary and geopolitical pressure.

Altshuler Shaham Ltd purchased a new position in shares of Alibaba Group Holding Limited (NYSE:BABA - Free Report) during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor purchased 1,094,350 shares of the specialty retailer's stock, valued at approximately $160,410,000. Alibaba Group makes up about 2.4% of Altshuler Shaham Ltd's investment portfolio, making the stock its 15th largest holding.

A number of other large investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in BABA. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. lifted its stake in Alibaba Group by 7,680.3% during the fourth quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. now owns 6,014,147 shares of the specialty retailer's stock worth $881,554,000 after purchasing an additional 5,936,847 shares in the last quarter. Capital World Investors lifted its stake in 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 purchasing an additional 5,524,354 shares in the last quarter. Norges Bank acquired a new position in Alibaba Group during the fourth quarter worth $594,477,000. Artisan Partners Limited Partnership acquired a new position in Alibaba Group during the third quarter worth $290,208,000. Finally, Trivest Advisors Ltd acquired a new position in Alibaba Group during the third quarter worth $202,126,000. 13.47% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of research analysts have commented on the company. Zacks Research upgraded Alibaba Group from a "strong sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Tuesday, June 2nd. Jefferies Financial Group decreased their price target on Alibaba Group from $225.00 to $212.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, March 19th. Nomura upped their price target on Alibaba Group from $200.00 to $207.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research note on Friday, May 15th. Susquehanna upped their price target on Alibaba Group from $170.00 to $185.00 and gave the stock a "positive" rating in a research note on Friday, May 15th. Finally, Mizuho upped their price target on Alibaba Group from $190.00 to $195.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research note on Thursday, May 14th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, sixteen have assigned a Buy rating and five have issued a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Alibaba Group presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $188.76.

Key Stories Impacting Alibaba Group

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

• Positive Sentiment: Alibaba unveiled new AI models built for robots, signaling a deeper push into “physical AI” and expanding its cloud/AI strategy beyond chatbots. Reuters article: Alibaba unveils AI models for robots, amid shift from chatbots to agents
• Positive Sentiment: The company is also widening its global reach, with reports on Alibaba Cloud’s international expansion and efforts to help Pakistani businesses sell more globally, which could support future revenue growth. China Daily article: Alibaba Cloud eyes faster globalization ProPakistani article: Alibaba Will Help Pakistani Businesses Sell More Globally
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst commentary has been mixed: some see Alibaba’s Qwen-Robot initiative as strategically important, but others say rising costs, a valuation premium, and volatility could limit near-term upside. Zacks article: New Qwen Models Fuel BABA's Robotics Ambitions? Hold the Stock Now?
• Neutral Sentiment: There was also unusual options activity, with traders buying far more put options than usual, suggesting hedging or bearish sentiment, though it does not by itself prove a fundamental change.
• Negative Sentiment: Alibaba remains under geopolitical pressure after the Pentagon blacklisted the company over alleged military ties, a headline that can weigh on sentiment despite Alibaba’s denial. Yahoo Finance article: Alibaba Group Holding Ltd (BABA): Looking Beyond Pentagon’s Black List
• Negative Sentiment: Broader market commentary on Chinese stocks has been weak, with investors favoring AI winners elsewhere and leaving internet/consumer names like Alibaba out of favor. Bloomberg/Yahoo Finance article: China Stock Gauge Sinks as Traders Favor AI Winners Elsewhere
• Negative Sentiment: Reports that Alibaba may be pursuing a large bid for grocery delivery company Pupu also raise execution and capital-allocation concerns, especially if the deal is expensive. Benzinga article: Alibaba Reportedly Eyeing A Super-Sized Bid For Pupu Following Meituan's Dingdong Deal

Alibaba Group Stock Performance

NYSE:BABA opened at $107.45 on Thursday. The firm has a market capitalization of $257.79 billion, a PE ratio of 17.64, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.90 and a beta of 0.47. The business's fifty day moving average price is $129.36 and its 200 day moving average price is $142.81. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.21, a current ratio of 1.28 and a quick ratio of 1.28. Alibaba Group Holding Limited has a 12 month low of $103.71 and a 12 month high of $192.67.

Alibaba Group (NYSE:BABA - Get Free Report) last posted 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, sell-side analysts anticipate that Alibaba Group Holding Limited will post 6.75 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Alibaba Group Announces Dividend

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

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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