Alibaba Group HoldingBABACOMMENTOct 01, 2018Stock 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.
He's amazed that tech stocks are off this year. Long-term, BABA has been a great story, but there's been a slowdown in China where the government is tightening lending conditions and only recently is starting to ease this.