Jefferies Financial Group Forecasts Strong Price Appreciation for Alibaba Group (NYSE:BABA) Stock

Key Points

• Jefferies Financial Group raised its target price for Alibaba Group from $178.00 to $230.00, indicating a potential upside of 33.82% from the stock's current price.
• Multiple research firms are showing increasing confidence in Alibaba, with ratings ranging from strong-buy to buy, and an average target price of $176.06.
• Institutional investors have significantly increased their holdings in Alibaba Group, with notable firms like Temasek Holdings and American Century Companies boosting their stakes by as much as 52.1% in the recent quarter.

Alibaba Group (NYSE:BABA - Get Free Report) had its target price raised by analysts at Jefferies Financial Group from $178.00 to $230.00 in a research report issued on Monday,Benzinga reports. The brokerage currently has a "buy" rating on the specialty retailer's stock. Jefferies Financial Group's price objective suggests a potential upside of 33.82% from the stock's current price.

A number of other research firms have also commented on BABA. Arete Research upgraded shares of Alibaba Group from a "hold" rating to a "strong-buy" rating in a research report on Wednesday, September 3rd. Citigroup reissued a "buy" rating on shares of Alibaba Group in a report on Wednesday. Zacks Research upgraded shares of Alibaba Group from a "strong sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Tuesday, September 9th. Barclays increased their price objective on Alibaba Group from $145.00 to $190.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a research report on Monday, September 8th. Finally, Susquehanna boosted their target price on Alibaba Group from $175.00 to $190.00 and gave the stock a "positive" rating in a research report on Thursday, September 18th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fourteen have issued a Buy rating and one has assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, Alibaba Group has a consensus rating of "Buy" and an average target price of $176.06.

Alibaba Group Price Performance

Shares of NYSE BABA opened at $171.88 on Monday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.19, a quick ratio of 1.45 and a current ratio of 1.45. Alibaba Group has a fifty-two week low of $80.06 and a fifty-two week high of $180.16. The stock has a market cap of $409.77 billion, a PE ratio of 19.99, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.98 and a beta of 0.11. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $134.37 and a 200-day moving average of $124.52.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Temasek Holdings Private Ltd lifted its holdings in Alibaba Group by 23.4% in the 1st quarter. Temasek Holdings Private Ltd now owns 5,510,348 shares of the specialty retailer's stock worth $728,633,000 after buying an additional 1,045,789 shares during the period. American Century Companies Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Alibaba Group by 52.1% during the first quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 2,293,085 shares of the specialty retailer's stock valued at $303,215,000 after acquiring an additional 785,494 shares in the last quarter. Causeway Capital Management LLC lifted its stake in Alibaba Group by 42.6% in the first quarter. Causeway Capital Management LLC now owns 1,356,010 shares of the specialty retailer's stock worth $179,305,000 after acquiring an additional 404,842 shares during the period. WCM Investment Management LLC purchased a new stake in Alibaba Group in the first quarter worth $4,074,000. Finally, KMG Fiduciary Partners LLC bought a new stake in Alibaba Group in the first quarter valued at $1,948,000. Institutional investors own 13.47% of the company's stock.

About Alibaba Group

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.

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