We recently compiled a list of the 8 Best 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 other best cyclical stocks to buy according to hedge funds.
Cyclical stocks are shares in companies whose performance is closely tied to the business cycle and economic conditions. These companies typically operate in industries that produce non-essential, or discretionary, goods and services, such as automobiles, housing, entertainment, travel, and retail.
During strong economic periods, cyclical stocks tend to perform well because consumers have more disposable income to spend on luxury items, vacations, and home improvements. Conversely, during economic downturns or recessions, people often cut back on discretionary spending, leading to a decrease in demand for these goods and services.
As the Federal Reserve lowers interest rates, it is creating 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 increase their spending. This uptick in consumer spending is especially beneficial for companies that rely heavily on discretionary purchases.
Read Also: 12 Cheapest Stocks with Biggest Upside Potential and Top 10 Undervalued Tech Stocks to Buy According to Hedge Funds.
On January 16, Reuters reported that the U.S. Commerce Department announced a rise in retail sales for December, driven by robust consumer demand for motor vehicles and a variety of other goods. The data highlights the economy’s resilience and supports the Federal Reserve’s cautious stance on further interest rate reductions this year. The upbeat retail figures, combined with recent labor market strength, prompted some economists to revise their economic growth forecasts for the fourth quarter closer to the strong pace seen in the July-September quarter.
Retail sales increased by 0.4% in December, following an upwardly revised 0.8% gain in November. Though economists had anticipated a 0.6% increase, the year-on-year growth stood at an impressive 3.9%. Auto dealership sales rose by 0.7%, while furniture stores and clothing retailers also posted gains of 2.3% and 1.5%, respectively. Miscellaneous store retailers, including gift shops and florists, led the charge with a 4.3% surge in receipts, while online store sales posted a modest 0.2% increase.
Core retail sales, which exclude volatile categories such as automobiles, gasoline, building materials, and food services, rose by a strong 0.7% in December after a 0.4% increase in November. These core sales closely align with the consumer spending component of GDP, leading economists to estimate a 3.3% annualized growth rate for consumer spending in the fourth quarter. Capital Economics revised its overall GDP growth forecast for the quarter to 2.9%, up from an earlier estimate of 2.7%.
Cyclical stocks present an attractive opportunity for investors looking to capitalize on favorable economic conditions and the Federal Reserve’s accommodative monetary policies. With consumer spending showing resilience, supported by strong retail sales and an optimistic GDP growth outlook, companies in discretionary sectors stand to benefit significantly.
An e-commerce platform displaying a wide range of products to customers online.
Our Methodology
To compile our list of the 8 best cyclical stocks to buy according to hedge funds, we used Finviz and Yahoo stock screeners to find the 20 largest consumer cyclical companies. From that list, we narrowed our choices to the 8 stocks according to their hedge fund sentiment, which was taken from Insider Monkey’s Hedge Fund database of 900 elite hedge funds as of Q3 of 2024. The list is sorted in ascending order of their hedge fund sentiment.
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: 115
Alibaba Group Holding Limited (NYSE:BABA) is a Chinese multinational technology company specializing in e-commerce, cloud computing, and digital entertainment. The company operates leading platforms such as Taobao, Tmall, Alibaba Cloud, and Alibaba International Digital Commerce (AIDC), catering to businesses and consumers. Alibaba Group Holding Limited (NYSE:BABA) generates revenue through marketplace commissions, advertising, cloud services, and digital media.
Alibaba Group Holding Limited (NYSE:BABA) is placing a strong emphasis on improving the user experience across its platforms, particularly Taobao and Tmall. The company aims to increase purchase frequency and customer loyalty through initiatives such as the 88VIP Club loyalty program. Alibaba Group Holding Limited (NYSE:BABA) is also investing significantly in advanced technology and AI infrastructure to deliver more reliable and cost-effective AI-driven solutions across various industries. The company has implemented industry-standard software service fees and expanded the adoption of Quanzhantui, its AI-powered marketing tool, to help merchants enhance marketing efficiency.
Alibaba Group Holding Limited (NYSE:BABA) is also concentrating on improving the operational efficiency of its unprofitable segments, including local services and digital media and entertainment. Efforts are being made to enhance collaboration among its business units, especially in global logistics, to create a more integrated and streamlined ecosystem.
Overall BABA ranks 2nd on our list of the best 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 time frame. 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.
