Alibaba Is Restructuring Its E-Commerce Unit. How Should You Play BABA Stock Here?

Alibaba by testing via Shutterstock

China’s Alibaba Group (BABA) is making waves with an ambitious plan to restructure its core consumer-facing business, consolidating food delivery platform Ele.me and travel portal Fliggy into an all-new e-commerce unit. CEO Eddie Wu termed the restructuring a “strategic upgrade” while Alibaba is shifting from an old-school marketplace to an end-to-end integrated consumer platform powered by machine intelligence. The stock is already up more than 33% in the year to date, gaining momentum on rumors of such restructuring.

The restructuring comes amid signs of fresh momentum for China’s e-commerce sector and speculation about potential spinoffs, including the possible return of an Ant Financial IPO. Even though shares are still much lower than their all-time highs, investors are taking notice again in 2025. 

About Alibaba Stock

China-based Alibaba is a multinational cloud computing and e-commerce firm. It operates across consumer retail (Taobao, Tmall), cross-border retail (AliExpress, Lazada), cloud computing (Alibaba Cloud), logistics (Cainiao), and digital media and entertainment. Its market capitalization is roughly $271 billion and Alibaba remains one of Asia’s most influential technological powerhouses.

BABA shares have gained 33% in 2025, handily surpassing the S&P 500 Index’s ($SPX) 4.5% gain. The stock had bottomed at $71.80 at its 52-week low but was recently trading above $113, up nearly 60% from its lows. 

Investors are responding positively to stabilization trends at Alibaba’s core China businesses and its new focus on shareholder returns.

https://www.barchart.com

Despite the YTD rally, BABA’s valuation is still attractive relative to peers. BABA trades at 11.8x forward earnings and 2x price-to-sales, both lower than its historical averages and its sector benchmarks. 

Alibaba Beats on Earnings

Alibaba recently reported strong Q4 FY2025 results. Its revenue rose 7% year-on-year to $32.58 billion, and its adjusted EBITA rose 36% to $4.5 billion. What was most notable was that its net income rose 1,203% to $1.65 billion. Its adjusted EPS were $1.73, up 23% from the prior year, easily beating Wall Street estimates.

Cloud growth remains robust, and AI-related product revenue saw triple-digit gains for seven straight quarters. For fiscal 2026, analysts have a consensus EPS estimate of $9.72, forecasting nearly 18% growth year over year. 

The most recent restructuring aims to eliminate internal silos and motivate higher user adoption by bringing consumer services together under a single leadership group. This opens things up for an across-the-board revival of Alibaba’s domestic commerce growth, particularly since AI-powered functionalities boost customization and marketing efficiency.

What Do Analysts Expect for Alibaba Stock?

Alibaba receives a “Strong Buy” consensus rating from analysts. Its average target price is $161.26, 41% higher than its current price. Its highest target is $180, implying 58% potential upside. 

Although execution risks are still there, analysts still believe the restructuring and AI investments will reverse decelerating revenue growth and boost its margins again. 

https://www.barchart.com

On the date of publication, Yiannis Zourmpanos did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. For more information please view the Barchart Disclosure Policy here.