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Alibaba posts flat revenue growth for the first time

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Shares of the Chinese language tech and e-commerce large jumped greater than 6% in premarket buying and selling in New York on Thursday. Its inventory in Hong Kong had earlier closed up 5.2%.

The pop got here regardless of the corporate reporting income of practically 205.6 billion yuan (about $30.4 billion) within the quarter ended June, roughly in step with what it recorded the identical time final yr.

However that topped analysts forecasts, and internet earnings was additionally higher than anticipated, at 22.7 billion yuan ($3.4 billion).

Alibaba (BABA), which owns the massively in style Taobao and Tmall on-line buying platforms, was not immune from the financial ache of Covid-19 lockdowns throughout China earlier this yr.

The corporate stated its retail gross sales slumped in April and Could, significantly as Shanghai and different main Chinese language cities handled crippling pandemic restrictions that scuttled client demand and created logistical nightmares.

However since June, enterprise has picked again up, significantly “as logistics and the availability chain state of affairs step by step improved after Covid restrictions eased,” stated CEO Daniel Zhang.

Alibaba stock slides in Hong Kong after US delisting threat
On a convention name Thursday, Zhang stated the corporate had seen glimmers of restoration in classes like trend and electronics, which have been hit hard earlier on.

Regardless of development nearly skidding to a halt, Zhang sought to place a very good spin on the most recent outcomes, noting the corporate had overcome “tender financial situations” to “ship steady revenues.”

Nevertheless, he warned of a rocky street forward, pointing to wider financial dangers.

“The exterior uncertainties, together with however not restricted to worldwide geopolitical dynamics, Covid resurgence, and China’s macroeconomic insurance policies and social traits, are past what we as an organization can affect,” Zhang informed analysts.

“The one issues we will do at this second is to give attention to enhancing ourselves,” he stated, including that Alibaba had centered on narrowing losses throughout companies corresponding to its grocery store and meals supply models.

However Alibaba has confronted greater questions currently, significantly after its addition to a key US Securities and Change Fee watchlist final Friday. Much like different Chinese language corporations, the transfer places the tech titan liable to being ejected from Wall Avenue if US auditors cannot totally examine its monetary statements.
Alibaba stock jumps after announcing Hong Kong primary listing

Alibaba has lengthy had a main itemizing in New York, the place its shares have traded since a large IPO in 2014.

Now, it seems to be spreading its bets. Final week, the corporate announced plans to improve its secondary listing in Hong Kong to a main itemizing. The change may happen by the top of this yr, and would give extra mainland Chinese language traders entry to the inventory.

That comes simply as considered one of Alibaba’s greatest longtime backers is seen to be pulling again.

The Financial Times reported Thursday that SoftBank (SFTBF) had “offered greater than half” of its holdings within the Chinese language firm, citing filings of ahead gross sales seen by the newspaper.

SoftBank didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.

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