We recently compiled a list of the 7 Best Consumer Cyclical Stocks To Buy According to Hedge Funds. In this article, we are going to take a look at where Alibaba Group Holding Limited (NYSE:BABA) stands against the other consumer cyclical stocks.
Cyclical stocks are shares of companies whose performance is heavily dependent on business cycles and economic conditions. These stocks represent industries that produce non-essential, or discretionary, goods and services, such as automobiles, housing, entertainment, travel, and retail.
As the Federal Reserve lowers interest rates, it creates a favorable environment for investing in cyclical stocks. Lower interest rates reduce the cost of borrowing, which encourages both consumers and businesses to take out loans and spend more. This boost in consumer spending is particularly beneficial for companies that sell discretionary goods and services, such as those in the automotive, housing, travel, and retail sectors.
According to the latest report, released by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) on September 27, personal income in the US increased by $50.5 billion, or 0.2%, in August. This growth was driven by an increase in compensation, which was partially offset by a decrease in personal income receipts on assets. Disposable personal income (DPI), which is personal income less personal current taxes, also increased by $34.2 billion, or 0.2%. Additionally, personal consumption expenditures (PCE) rose by $47.2 billion, or 0.2%, with a $54.8 billion increase in spending for services and a $7.6 billion decrease in spending for goods.
Large Bank Sees Stabilizing Economy Boosting Cyclical Stocks
On October 14, CNBC reported that Morgan Stanley is optimistic about the stabilizing economy and its potential to boost cyclical stocks. According to equity strategist Michael Wilson, the recent rise in yields following optimistic economic data, including the latest wholesale inflation report, could indicate that the bond market is beginning to part with some of the growth concerns on the hope that the economy is on stable footing. He added that this trend provides greater confidence in cyclical stocks, which are positively correlated to upward moves in the 10-year Treasury yield. Wilson expects both rates and economic data to support cyclical stocks. The bank’s bullish call comes as the S&P 500 rose to a fresh record high, supported by better-than-expected results from a handful of companies that have reported third-quarter results.
Cyclical stocks offer significant opportunities for investors looking to capitalize on economic growth and favorable monetary policy. As the Federal Reserve continues to lower interest rates, the reduced borrowing costs will continue to stimulate consumer and business spending, driving demand for discretionary goods and services. With that in context let’s take a look at the 7 best consumer cyclical stocks to buy according to hedge funds.
Our Methodology
To compile our list of the 7 best consumer cyclical stocks to buy according to hedge funds, we used the Finviz and Yahoo stock screeners to find the largest consumer cyclical companies. We then narrowed our choices to 7 stocks according to their hedge fund sentiment, which was taken from our database of 912 elite hedge funds as of Q2 of 2024. The list is sorted in ascending order of their hedge fund sentiment, as of the second quarter.
Why do we care about what hedge funds do? The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly newsletter’s strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 275% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 150 percentage points (see more details here).
Alibaba Group Holding Limited (NYSE:BABA)
Number of Hedge Fund Investors: 91
Alibaba Group Holding Limited (NYSE:BABA) is a Chinese multinational conglomerate specializing in e-commerce, technology, and digital payments. The company operates one of the world’s largest online marketplaces, including Aliexpress, Alibaba, Lazada, Taobao, and Tmall. Alibaba Group Holding Limited (NYSE:BABA) has a diverse business interest in areas such as logistics, digital entertainment, and artificial intelligence. The company is also a leader in cloud computing through Alibaba Cloud.
For the quarter that ended on June 30, Alibaba Group Holding Limited (NYSE:BABA) reported a revenue of $33.47 billion, an increase of 4% year-over-year. The company’s revenue from Cloud Intelligence increased 6% year-over-year to $3.65 billion. Alibaba Group Holding Limited’s (NYSE:BABA) China commerce wholesale business increased 16% to $819 million, whereas revenue from Alibaba Group Holding Limited’s (NYSE:BABA) International Digital Commerce Group (AIDC) grew 32% year-over-year to $4.03 billion.
The strong performance was driven by the growth of cross-border businesses, in particular the Choice business on AliExpress. Industry analysts are bullish on the company’s stock price and have a consensus Buy rating at a target price of $118.33, which implies a 14.40% increase from its current level.
In their Q3 investor letter, Capital Management said the following regarding Alibaba Group Holding Limited (NYSE:BABA):
“Alibaba Group Holding Limited (NYSE:BABA) experienced a massive rebound gaining +47% in the quarter following the announced stimulus program from the Chinese government. As the unexpectedly strong government support was announced, shorts were reversed and any name exposed to China was off to the races. We have long liked Alibaba as the company has continued to trade at a significant discount to its sum-of-the-parts valuation. With most investors writing off Chinese companies entirely, you had an opportunity to invest in a high-quality business at rock bottom prices. Over that time, the company initiated both a dividend (0.9% Yield) and buyback program, repurchasing 9% of shares outstanding over the last twelve months. Despite the strong move in the quarter, the company trades at just 12.4x next-year’s earnings. We see potential for continued multiple expansion as the Chinese economy rebounds and the country becomes investable again.”
Overall, BABA ranks 3rd on our list of the best consumer cyclical stocks to buy according to hedge funds. While we acknowledge the potential of BABA as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and doing so within a shorter timeframe. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than BABA but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.
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Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.
