JD.com (JD) witnessed a drop in its stock on Thursday, despite reporting better-than-expected third-quarter earnings. Even though revenue climbed by 5.1%, it was just not enough to capture a bigger market share amid slowing consumer spending in China.
JD.com Inc., branded as Jingdong, is one of the largest B2C e-commerce companies and logistics service providers in China. Since its establishment in 2004, this Beijing-based company has distinguished itself through the use of a direct-sales model, thereby having significant control over product quality and supply chain efficiency. On top of that, JD.com Inc. is also noticed as having a tech-led retail approach, with constant innovation and the highest level of customer service.
The main offerings of the Chinese giant include consumer electronics, home appliances, apparel and clothing, and general merchandise. The main sources of revenue for JD.com include direct sales of the company’s products as served via its platform and third-party sales on the company’s marketplace. Added to the revenue sources are proceeds from logistics services offered through JD Logistics and technology solutions through JD Technology.
From individual consumers who seek quality products available online to businesses that use the company’s logistics and technology offerings, JD.com serves a wide range of customers. It targets shoppers who are quick with technology, value authenticity, and enjoy speed, positioning it as a trusted platform in an aggressively competitive e-commerce segment.
Although JD.com’s total income witnessed a 5.1% surge in the third quarter, standing at $35.95 billion, investors didn’t seem too thrilled by the numbers. In response, the share price of the stock fell as much as 7%.
JD.com mainly addresses urban consumers in China, though cross-border e-commerce is growing. Protracted property crisis, a slowing economy, and job insecurity have buffeted consumer confidence in China with retail sales suffering the brunt, sending major e-commerce giants into an intense price war. China’s concerns are further heightened by Donald Trump’s victory in the U.S. presidential election and the specter of significant new tariffs on China.
Just recently, the company’s expansion into the fashion markets by collaborating with French luxury brands Balenciaga and Saint Lauren made records in the industry. Despite turning heads everywhere, the growth of these partnerships appears to be a mid to long-term phenomenon.
Our bearish thesis also stems from a Bain & Company prediction that the growth of personal luxury goods to be as minimal as 0% to 4% during the year 2025, led primarily by Europe and North America with China recovering later in the year, depending on the macroeconomic stability. In this report, there is also a steep 50 million drop in the luxury consumer base over the past two years, with outlet channels taking the lead. This paints a somewhat challenging image for JD.com as an immediate shift in luxury spending doesn’t look likely to happen.
JD.com Inc is not on our latest list of the 31 Most Popular Stocks Among Hedge Funds. As per our database, 59 hedge fund portfolios held JD at the end of the second quarter which was 52 in the previous quarter. While we acknowledge the potential of JD as a leading investment, our conviction lies in the belief that some 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 as promising as JD 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 was originally published at Insider Monkey.
