Alibaba Group Holding (BABA) is leaning into its AI story, rolling out new Qwen models, expanding AI cloud services and signing high profile partnerships like UEFA, while broad equity grants tie employees to this AI focused push.

Despite this flurry of AI launches, cloud partnerships and global deals, Alibaba’s share price has eased in recent weeks, with a 30 day share price return of 4.55% down and year to date share price return of 18.32% down, while the 1 year total shareholder return of 8.28% and 3 year total shareholder return of 56.96% suggest that longer term holders have seen very different outcomes over time.

If Alibaba’s AI push has caught your eye, it could be a good moment to see what else is happening in the sector by scanning 48 AI infrastructure stocks

With Alibaba scoring 6 out of 6 on Simply Wall St’s valuation checks and a discounted cash flow estimate suggesting the stock trades about 22% below intrinsic value, the question is whether this signals a genuine opportunity or if the market has already accounted for future growth.

Most Popular Narrative: 32% Undervalued

At a last close of $127.21, the most followed narrative pegs Alibaba’s fair value at $187.04, framing the current price as a discount to its projected potential.

The "User-first" restructuring is finally stabilising the bleeding in Taobao/Tmall, while the Cloud intelligence unit is posting triple-digit AI revenue growth. The market still prices this as a failing retailer, completely missing the asymmetric upside of owning China's dominant AI layer.

The narrative leans heavily on Alibaba’s shift toward an AI centric cloud platform, rising cash adjusted valuation metrics, and a profit profile built around higher margin services rather than pure e commerce volume.

Result: Fair Value of $187.04 (UNDERVALUED)

However, this AI upside story could unravel if cloud growth slows or if renewed regulatory pressure in China changes how Alibaba allocates capital and pursues expansion.

Next Steps

If this mix of optimism and caution feels familiar, it helps to check the underlying numbers yourself and decide how convincing the story really is. To move quickly from sentiment to specifics, review the 4 key rewards

Looking for more investment ideas?

If Alibaba has sharpened your focus on AI and value, do not stop here. The next step could be broadening your watchlist with a few targeted stock ideas.

• Spot potential bargains early by scanning screener containing 22 high quality undiscovered gems before they gain wider attention among other investors.
• Prioritise durability by reviewing 63 resilient stocks with low risk scores that may offer a calmer ride when markets turn choppy.
• Target quality at a discount by checking 47 high quality undervalued stocks that combine fundamentals with pricing that might still leave room for upside.

This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.