Alibaba Group HoldingBABACOMMENTOct 23, 2015Stock price when the opinion was issued
As of Jul 24, 2026. Market Open.
Looks great on the numbers -- growth rate, EPS, etc. Trouble is you don't know what's going to happen with the Chinese government. This is a known hazard. Even when you do everything right with your portfolio, you'll still be hit by the unexpected. As an investor, you need open markets and the rule of law.
E-commerce and cloud computing (the most nascent piece). E-commerce is under a lot of strain. AI large-language models are compelling in Chinese market, but that entire market is very competitive and ripe for disruptors. A trading stock over the next 2-3 years. Not a buy-and-hold. Tactically a buy today, but be very careful.
Like Amazon, they dominate key secular growth areas in e-commerce, are in cloud computer though trade at only one third of Amazon's PE. Is a modest grower, but has a huge margin of safety. There's so much pessimism about tariffs now. Wait and see, but would be an opportunity if the tariffs are more bark than bite.
A play on the Chinese consumer. It has pulled back a great deal. The Chinese market was off 30% in the 3rd quarter alone, which is pretty remarkable. The penetration of Internet sales in China will continue. The real question is, has confidence been shaken sufficiently by the crash in the stock market to persuade people to reign in their horns. One good thing about this company is that it is not a conspicuous consumption that the Communist Party has been targeting. As a long term play on the Chinese consumer, it is probably not a bad Buy now, but it might not actually go anywhere for the foreseeable future because people will be worried about China. Until we see some strength in Chinese domestic consumption, that may be enough to keep a lid on things.