Alibaba Group (NYSE:BABA) Shares Down 3.2%

Alibaba Group Holding Limited (NYSE:BABA) dropped 3.2% on Friday . The stock traded as low as $72.31 and last traded at $72.44. Approximately 5,843,188 shares changed hands during trading, a decline of 68% from the average daily volume of 18,342,648 shares. The stock had previously closed at $74.85.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of research firms have recently issued reports on BABA. The Goldman Sachs Group reduced their target price on Alibaba Group from $121.00 to $105.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Thursday, February 8th. Susquehanna dropped their target price on Alibaba Group from $150.00 to $135.00 and set a “positive” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, February 8th. Robert W. Baird decreased their price target on shares of Alibaba Group from $95.00 to $90.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a report on Friday, January 19th. Macquarie lowered shares of Alibaba Group from an “outperform” rating to a “neutral” rating and decreased their target price for the company from $88.50 to $85.40 in a research note on Thursday, February 8th. Finally, StockNews.com raised shares of Alibaba Group from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 27th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and thirteen have given a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $112.91.

Alibaba Group Trading Down 4.8 %

The company has a current ratio of 1.80, a quick ratio of 1.80 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.12. The business’s fifty day simple moving average is $73.59 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $76.40. The stock has a market capitalization of $180.90 billion, a P/E ratio of 13.15 and a beta of 0.46.

Alibaba Group (NYSE:BABA) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, February 7th. The specialty retailer reported $18.97 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $19.12 by ($0.15). The business had revenue of $260.35 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $260.26 billion. Alibaba Group had a return on equity of 12.65% and a net margin of 10.75%. Alibaba Group’s revenue was up 5.1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $2.44 earnings per share. As a group, analysts forecast that Alibaba Group Holding Limited will post 7.97 earnings per share for the current year.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Alibaba Group

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Princeton Global Asset Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Alibaba Group during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $26,000. Baystate Wealth Management LLC boosted its holdings in Alibaba Group by 184.6% during the fourth quarter. Baystate Wealth Management LLC now owns 333 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock worth $26,000 after purchasing an additional 216 shares during the last quarter. EdgeRock Capital LLC acquired a new position in Alibaba Group during the fourth quarter worth $26,000. Householder Group Estate & Retirement Specialist LLC acquired a new position in Alibaba Group during the third quarter worth $27,000. Finally, GPS Wealth Strategies Group LLC raised its position in Alibaba Group by 116.7% during the third quarter. GPS Wealth Strategies Group LLC now owns 325 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock worth $28,000 after acquiring an additional 175 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 13.47% of the company’s stock.

Alibaba Group Company Profile

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.