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

Alibaba Group Holding Limited (NYSE:BABA) shares shot up 1.5% during mid-day trading on Friday . The company traded as high as $176.44 and last traded at $174.49. 11,779,965 shares traded hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 45% from the average session volume of 21,345,879 shares. The stock had previously closed at $171.90.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several analysts recently issued reports on the company. Arete upgraded Alibaba Group from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $152.00 price objective for the company in a report on Wednesday, September 3rd. Barclays raised their price target on Alibaba Group from $145.00 to $190.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Monday, September 8th. Citigroup reissued a “buy” rating on shares of Alibaba Group in a research report on Wednesday, September 24th. Sanford C. Bernstein lifted their target price on Alibaba Group from $167.00 to $200.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Friday, October 10th. Finally, Bank of America lifted their price objective on Alibaba Group from $168.00 to $195.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, September 24th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, seventeen have given a Buy rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $190.18.

Alibaba Group Stock Up 1.5%

The company has a market cap of $416.00 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 20.29, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.33 and a beta of 0.18. The company has a current ratio of 1.45, a quick ratio of 1.45 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.19. The firm’s fifty day moving average price is $155.80 and its 200-day moving average price is $130.74.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Temasek Holdings Private Ltd grew its position in shares of Alibaba Group by 23.4% during the 1st quarter. Temasek Holdings Private Ltd now owns 5,510,348 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock worth $728,633,000 after purchasing an additional 1,045,789 shares in the last quarter. American Century Companies Inc. lifted its stake in Alibaba Group by 52.1% in the 1st quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 2,293,085 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $303,215,000 after purchasing an additional 785,494 shares during the last quarter. Verde Servicos Internacionais S.A. raised its stake in shares of Alibaba Group by 6.9% during the second quarter. Verde Servicos Internacionais S.A. now owns 67,773 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $7,686,000 after acquiring an additional 4,373 shares during the last quarter. Causeway Capital Management LLC raised its stake in Alibaba Group by 42.6% during the first quarter. Causeway Capital Management LLC now owns 1,356,010 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock worth $179,305,000 after buying an additional 404,842 shares during the last quarter. Finally, WCM Investment Management LLC bought a new position in Alibaba Group during the first quarter worth $4,074,000. 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.