Alibaba Group (NYSE:BABA) Trading 3.9% Higher on Analyst Upgrade

Alibaba Group Holding Limited (NYSE:BABA) shares shot up 3.9% during mid-day trading on Wednesday after Arete Research upgraded the stock from a neutral rating to a buy rating. Arete Research now has a $190.00 price target on the stock. Alibaba Group traded as high as $169.87 and last traded at $168.67. 11,585,258 shares traded hands during trading, a decline of 29% from the average session volume of 16,379,058 shares. The stock had previously closed at $162.39.

A number of other research firms have also recently weighed in on BABA. Loop Capital set a $140.00 price objective on shares of Alibaba Group in a report on Tuesday, January 6th. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “buy (b-)” rating on shares of Alibaba Group in a report on Wednesday, October 8th. Robert W. Baird boosted their price objective on Alibaba Group from $153.00 to $174.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Wednesday, September 24th. Citigroup raised their target price on Alibaba Group from $218.00 to $225.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, November 26th. Finally, Erste Group Bank raised Alibaba Group from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, October 3rd. Eighteen analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, one has issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Alibaba Group currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $192.72.

Key Stories Impacting Alibaba Group

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

• Positive Sentiment: Alibaba is preparing an IPO for its AI chipmaking arm, T-Head, restructuring it into a standalone unit (with partial employee ownership) before a potential listing — a move investors view as value-unlocking and timely given strong demand for AI chip plays. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: Reports say Alibaba formed or plans a JV with state-owned CNNC to secure nuclear power for its AI/data center operations — this addresses the energy needs and cost/availability risks of large-scale AI workloads. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst sentiment is turning more bullish: Arete Research upgraded BABA to a “buy” with a $190 target, reinforcing the positive narrative around growth and AI investments. Read More.
• Neutral Sentiment: Industry context: Chinese tech peers are aggressively building AI-powered “agentic commerce” super‑apps — a structural trend that benefits Alibaba but also intensifies competition. Read More.
• Neutral Sentiment: Details on the planned T-Head spinout include internal restructuring and employee ownership plans ahead of any IPO — positive for alignment but adds execution and timing risk. Read More.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Alibaba Group

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Traphagen Investment Advisors LLC raised its holdings in shares of Alibaba Group by 2.0% in the 3rd quarter. Traphagen Investment Advisors LLC now owns 3,018 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock worth $539,000 after purchasing an additional 59 shares in the last quarter. Bruce G. Allen Investments LLC increased its holdings in shares of Alibaba Group by 26.4% in the third quarter. Bruce G. Allen Investments LLC now owns 302 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $54,000 after buying an additional 63 shares in the last quarter. Bluesphere Advisors LLC lifted its position in shares of Alibaba Group by 2.2% during the 3rd quarter. Bluesphere Advisors LLC now owns 3,023 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $540,000 after acquiring an additional 64 shares during the last quarter. Richardson Financial Services Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Alibaba Group by 34.4% during the 3rd quarter. Richardson Financial Services Inc. now owns 254 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock worth $45,000 after acquiring an additional 65 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Transcend Capital Advisors LLC boosted its stake in shares of Alibaba Group by 1.0% during the 3rd quarter. Transcend Capital Advisors LLC now owns 6,661 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock worth $1,191,000 after acquiring an additional 66 shares in the last quarter. 13.47% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Alibaba Group Stock Up 5.2%

The stock has a fifty day moving average of $156.58 and a 200-day moving average of $149.26. The firm has a market capitalization of $423.67 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 24.51, a PEG ratio of 3.63 and a beta of 0.37. The company has a current ratio of 1.46, a quick ratio of 1.46 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.23.

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.