Alibaba Group (NYSE:BABA) Trading 1.5% Higher – Should You Buy?

Alibaba Group Holding Limited (NYSE:BABA) shares were up 1.5% on Friday . The stock traded as high as $152.98 and last traded at $152.2750. Approximately 5,812,091 shares traded hands during trading, a decline of 70% from the average daily volume of 19,626,094 shares. The stock had previously closed at $150.06.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several analysts have commented on BABA shares. Mizuho set a $195.00 target price on Alibaba Group in a research note on Wednesday, October 22nd. Arete downgraded Alibaba Group from a “buy” rating to a “neutral” rating and set a $172.00 price target on the stock. in a report on Tuesday, December 9th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their price objective on Alibaba Group from $240.00 to $230.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, November 26th. Sanford C. Bernstein decreased their price objective on shares of Alibaba Group from $200.00 to $190.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, November 26th. Finally, Erste Group Bank raised Alibaba Group from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, October 3rd. Seventeen research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, two have issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $194.00.

Alibaba Group Price Performance

The stock has a 50 day simple moving average of $160.67 and a 200-day simple moving average of $143.16. The firm has a market cap of $363.35 billion, a PE ratio of 21.03, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.33 and a beta of 0.33. The company has a current ratio of 1.46, a quick ratio of 1.46 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.23.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Ransom Advisory Ltd bought a new stake in shares of Alibaba Group during the first quarter valued at approximately $26,000. 1248 Management LLC bought a new stake in Alibaba Group in the 1st quarter valued at $26,000. Rosenberg Matthew Hamilton bought a new stake in Alibaba Group in the 2nd quarter valued at $26,000. Ameriflex Group Inc. lifted its stake in Alibaba Group by 101.4% in the 3rd quarter. Ameriflex Group Inc. now owns 143 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock worth $26,000 after purchasing an additional 72 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Mather Group LLC. bought a new position in shares of Alibaba Group during the 3rd quarter valued at about $30,000. 13.47% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Alibaba Group Company Profile

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.