Barclays Raises Alibaba Group Price Target to $180.00

Analysts at Barclays have recently raised their price target for Alibaba Group (NYSE:BABA) from $130.00 to $180.00, as reported in a note provided to investors on Friday. This increase in target price reflects Barclays' optimistic outlook for the company, which currently receives an "overweight" rating for its stock. This new target implies a potential upside of 32.10% based on Alibaba's existing share price.

Research Analyst Consensus on Alibaba Group

Alibaba's stock has caught the attention of several other research firms. Mizuho has also adjusted its price target, uplifting it from $92.00 to $113.00, assigning an "outperform" rating in a report issued a few days ago. Similarly, Bank of America has raised their price target from $117.00 to $150.00, giving Alibaba a "buy" rating. Additionally, Robert W. Baird has increased their target price from $110.00 to $125.00, maintaining an "outperform" stance. StockNews.com has upgraded Alibaba Group from a "hold" to a "buy" as of Friday. Benchmark was also seen reaffirming a "buy" rating on the stock with a target price set at $118.00.

Market Performance and Analyst Ratings

As it stands, two analysts have rated Alibaba with a hold rating, while thirteen have expressed a buy rating. According to data compiled by MarketBeat, Alibaba has an overall consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" with an average price target hovering around $122.36.

Current Stock Price Movements

On Friday, shares of Alibaba Group opened at $136.26. Over the past year, the stock has reached a low of $68.36 and a high of $144.51. The company shows a current ratio of 1.37 and a quick ratio of 1.37, with a low debt-to-equity ratio of 0.16. Alibaba's 50-day moving average is at $94.31, while the 200-day moving average stands at $92.42, reflecting a healthy upward trend. The company's market capitalization is estimated at $323.74 billion, with a P/E ratio of 27.64 and a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.53, alongside a beta of 0.31.

Financial Performance and Outlook

Recently, Alibaba Group released its quarterly earnings on February 20th, where it reported an EPS of $2.77, falling short of analysts' expectations of $2.84 by $0.07. The firm also recorded a return on equity of 12.28% and a net margin of 8.98%. Analysts remain optimistic, projecting that Alibaba Group will achieve around 7.86 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Investment Trends

Recent trends indicate that several hedge funds and institutional investors have been adjusting their stakes in Alibaba Group. For instance, Concord Wealth Partners elevated its stake by an impressive 155.0% in the third quarter. They now hold 255 shares valued at approximately $27,000 after adding 155 shares over the past quarter. Additionally, Highline Wealth Partners LLC made a new investment during the third quarter amounting to $36,000. Other institutional movements include Decker Retirement Planning Inc. and Sierra Ocean LLC, both of which purchased shares in Alibaba recently.

Company Overview

Alibaba Group Holding Limited, through its various subsidiaries, provides a range of technological infrastructure and marketing services to help merchants and businesses interface with their customer base in China and beyond. The company operates across several segments, including China Commerce, International Commerce, Local Consumer Services, Cainiao, Cloud, Digital Media and Entertainment, and Innovation Initiatives.

Barclays, Alibaba, Stocks