Independent research on the U.S. markets, Baptista Research

Baptista Research

Independent research on the U.S. markets

Baptista Research is an independent financial research house focused on the U.S. markets. We provide equity research as well as credit research reports on the top-listed U.S. companies with most of our focus on technology, consumer goods and services, automobiles, industrials, oil and gas, pharma, and healthcare. Our research has served more than 3000 institutional investors including mutual funds, hedge funds, banks, family offices, and various buy-side firms. We operate a research subscription service where institutions, as well as retail investors, can have priority access to all our research. We also have a wide distribution of our research reports across some of the top global financial platforms. Apart from equity research and credit research, we also provide advisory services with respect to mergers & acquisitions (M&A), private equity/ venture capital fundraising, valuation reports, and investment management services for corporates.
Baptista Research is owned and managed by Ishan Majumdar, an ex-Venture Capitalist/ Investment Banker, a Chartered Accountant, and a Masters’ degree holder in Management from HEC Paris. Ishan has nearly a decade of experience in Mergers and Acquisitions, Leveraged Buyouts (LBOs), Venture Capital Investing, Corporate Strategy, and Valuation in front-office roles at the likes of BNP Paribas CIB, Credit Agricole CIB, Groupe Danone, and TIW Private Equity. He has worked on and closed multiple acquisition deals, leveraged buyouts, and start-up investment transactions.

Equity Bottom-Up

<ul><li>Alibaba Group delivered a mixed performance in the March quarter and for the full fiscal year 2025, showing resilience in its core operations while falling short of analyst expectations on key financial metrics.</li><li>The company reported revenue of $32.58 billion for the quarter, marking a 7% year-over-year increase, but this fell below projections of $33.28 billion.</li><li>Net income for the period came in at $1.71 billion, significantly lower than the anticipated $2.93 billion.</li></ul>

Alibaba Group delivered a mixed performance in the March quarter and for the full fiscal year 2025, showing resilience in its core operations while falling short of analyst expectations on key financial metrics.The company reported revenue of $32.58 billion for the quarter, marking a 7% year-over-year increase, but this fell below projections of $33.28 billion.Net income for the period came in at $1.71 billion, significantly lower than the anticipated $2.93 billion.

Alibaba’s Bold AI & Cloud Bet Is Driving Our Optimism–But It Comes at A BIG COST!

Derivatives and Quantitative Strategist

Gaudenz Schneider

Equity Derivatives

<ul>
<li>
Context: Stat-arb models flag <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/alibaba-group-holding-ltd-d7b798e2-202d-4e01-9a1e-799e2ae8f0c7" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:28434:1" rel="noopener">Alibaba (9988 HK)</a> as overvalued versus the <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/hong-kong-hang-seng-index" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:22899:1" rel="noopener">Hang Seng Index (HSI INDEX)</a>, with the difference between implied volatility and option premium at historically high levels.</li>
<li>
Highlight: An actionable trade setup — long HSI calls vs. short Alibaba calls — that captures relative value and introduces leverage through a ratio structure.</li>
<li>
Why Read: This is a timely opportunity to combine a directional view with favorable volatility dynamics, offering asymmetric payoff potential.</li>
</ul>



Context: Stat-arb models flag Alibaba (9988 HK) as overvalued versus the Hang Seng Index (HSI INDEX), with the difference between implied volatility and option premium at historically high levels.

Highlight: An actionable trade setup — long HSI calls vs. short Alibaba calls — that captures relative value and introduces leverage through a ratio structure.

Why Read: This is a timely opportunity to combine a directional view with favorable volatility dynamics, offering asymmetric payoff potential.


Alibaba (9988 HK) Vs. Hang Seng Index (HSI INDEX): Relative Value Options Play with Leverage

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events, Quiddity Advisors

David Blennerhassett

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events

Quiddity Advisors

Event-Driven

<ul>
<li>Back in August 2017, Xingxuan Technology, a privately held Cayman Islands company operating in the online food delivery space in China, was transferred by way of a statutory merger. </li>
<li>The buyer was <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/alibaba-group-holding-ltd-d7b798e2-202d-4e01-9a1e-799e2ae8f0c7" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:28434:1" rel="noopener">Alibaba Group (9988 HK)</a>-backed Rajax, the key seller, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/baidu-inc-a55ca720-5968-48f0-8194-ac94390d065c" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:32212:1" rel="noopener">Baidu (9888 HK)</a>. The dissenter, having paid US$125mn for its shares, was offered cash/scrip worth an estimated US$42mn.</li>
<li>The dissenter considered terms low-balled. The judge agreed. The uplift? 659%.</li>
</ul>


Back in August 2017, Xingxuan Technology, a privately held Cayman Islands company operating in the online food delivery space in China, was transferred by way of a statutory merger. 
The buyer was Alibaba Group (9988 HK)-backed Rajax, the key seller, Baidu (9888 HK). The dissenter, having paid US$125mn for its shares, was offered cash/scrip worth an estimated US$42mn.
The dissenter considered terms low-balled. The judge agreed. The uplift? 659%.


Pan-Asia Index Rebalances/ Events/ Delta One, Periscope Analytics

Brian Freitas

Pan-Asia Index Rebalances/ Events/ Delta One

Periscope Analytics

Periscope Analytics focuses on event-driven trades across Asia Pacific and provides comprehensive, timely and systematic coverage of index changes to major Asia Pacific indices in a structured manner.

The analysis includes forecasted inclusions and exclusions to all major Asian indices that have significant amount of tracking assets, including estimates of passive buy/sell flow on the stocks. The service also provides commentary and impact of market consultations, ground rule changes, and other events (IPOs, spin-offs, M&A) that could lead to index changes and passive flow.

Periscope Analytics works with multi-strategy hedge funds, proprietary trading firms, stat arb trading groups and long-only investors that invest and trade in the Asia Pacific region with the data being used to trade index rebalances, avoid pre-positioning and passive flow, and to time entry into and exit from stocks.

Event-Driven Trades Across Asia Pacific

<ul>
<li>In its last update, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/alibaba-group-holding-ltd-d7b798e2-202d-4e01-9a1e-799e2ae8f0c7" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:28434:1" rel="noopener">Alibaba Group</a> announced that the company was preparing for its primary listing in Hong Kong and the process was expected to complete by the end August.</li>
<li>The Board meets on 14 August to approve results for the three months ending June. Could there be an announcement on the dual primary listing too?</li>
<li>Mainland Chinese own between 3.5%-15.5% of companies that converted from Secondary to Dual-Primary in the last few years. Similar buying in <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/alibaba-group-holding-ltd-d7b798e2-202d-4e01-9a1e-799e2ae8f0c7" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:28434:1" rel="noopener">Alibaba</a> could take the stock higher from here. </li>
</ul>


In its last update, Alibaba Group announced that the company was preparing for its primary listing in Hong Kong and the process was expected to complete by the end August.
The Board meets on 14 August to approve results for the three months ending June. Could there be an announcement on the dual primary listing too?
Mainland Chinese own between 3.5%-15.5% of companies that converted from Secondary to Dual-Primary in the last few years. Similar buying in Alibaba could take the stock higher from here. 


Alibaba (9988 HK/BABA) Dual Primary Listing: Are We There Yet?

Asian Equities Analyst, Logistics & Transport, Tracking Traffic

Daniel Hellberg

Asian Equities Analyst, Logistics & Transport

Equity Capital Markets

To match service levels offered by <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/446" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:446:1">JD.com Inc (ADR) (JD US)</a> and leading express carrier <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/4128" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:4128:1">S.F. Holding Co Ltd (002352 CH)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/787" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:787:1">Alibaba Group Holding Ltd (BABA US)</a> and its logistics partners are making a belated push to invest in first- and last-mile parcel delivery capacity. BABA and its partners have so far avoided making the large investments needed to control 100% of their parcel delivery networks. Instead of direct ownership of first- and last-mile assets, BABA has tried to rely upon the 'transparency' provided by its technologically sophisticated logistics subsidiary, CaiNiao Network (CN). But five years after BABA set up CN, JD.com's continued lead in logistics quality and logistics speed -- confirmed in private surveys of Chinese consumers -- seems to have convinced BABA and its partners that they must finally take the plunge.Battle lines in this coming logistics war have been drawn over the past year or so. JD.com established JD Logistics in April 2017, and the private company recently raised US$2.5 bn at a valuation of US$13.4 bn. SF Express -- China's largest express carrier by revenue -- already offers first- and last-mile delivery, and has shown a willingness to butt heads with BABA. The five smaller express companies aligned with BABA have recently announced moves that will bring them even closer to the e-commerce giant; there are also indications these express companies are stepping up their own first- and last-mile investments at the behest of BABA.For the five carriers aligned with BABA, a belated push into ownership of first- and last-mile service will require an enormous increase in capital expenditures. The five carriers had combined capex of about 8.3 bn RMB in 2017; we estimate the push to acquire control of first- and last-mile capacity could require additional annual capex of 25 bn RMB or more over the next few years (BABA itself had CapEx of 29.8 bn RMB in its latest fiscal year). Such a dramatic increase in capital spending -- assuming it is mainly shouldered by the express companies -- will require significant, dilutive fundraising by these five express carriers over the next few years; we also anticipate initial returns on these investments will be very low.Alternatively, if it is BABA's private logistics subsidiary CN that does the heavy lifting, this would likely bring forward the timing of that company's IPO (it was valued at US$20 bn in a September 2017 funding round). We do not believe the expansion of first- and last-mile capacity is part of CN's projected total CapEx of 100 bn RMB between 2017-2021. The ultimate beneficiary of this costly expansion of express networks? Alibaba, of course. As a result of the expected push into first- and last-mile delivery, the e-commerce giant will likely end up with deeper reach and faster, more reliable delivery service. These improvements should allow it to retain its position as China's pre-eminent e-commerce company. The apparent asymmetry of expected capex and expected benefits from first- and last-mile investments -- express companies invest, BABA reaps the benefits -- suggests a pair trade: Long BABA against Short positions in China's express companies.

To match service levels offered by JD.com Inc (ADR) (JD US) and leading express carrier S.F. Holding Co Ltd (002352 CH), Alibaba Group Holding Ltd (BABA US) and its logistics partners are making a belated push to invest in first- and last-mile parcel delivery capacity. BABA and its partners have so far avoided making the large investments needed to control 100% of their parcel delivery networks. Instead of direct ownership of first- and last-mile assets, BABA has tried to rely upon the 'transparency' provided by its technologically sophisticated logistics subsidiary, CaiNiao Network (CN). But five years after BABA set up CN, JD.com's continued lead in logistics quality and logistics speed -- confirmed in private surveys of Chinese consumers -- seems to have convinced BABA and its partners that they must finally take the plunge.Battle lines in this coming logistics war have been drawn over the past year or so. JD.com established JD Logistics in April 2017, and the private company recently raised US$2.5 bn at a valuation of US$13.4 bn. SF Express -- China's largest express carrier by revenue -- already offers first- and last-mile delivery, and has shown a willingness to butt heads with BABA. The five smaller express companies aligned with BABA have recently announced moves that will bring them even closer to the e-commerce giant; there are also indications these express companies are stepping up their own first- and last-mile investments at the behest of BABA.For the five carriers aligned with BABA, a belated push into ownership of first- and last-mile service will require an enormous increase in capital expenditures. The five carriers had combined capex of about 8.3 bn RMB in 2017; we estimate the push to acquire control of first- and last-mile capacity could require additional annual capex of 25 bn RMB or more over the next few years (BABA itself had CapEx of 29.8 bn RMB in its latest fiscal year). Such a dramatic increase in capital spending -- assuming it is mainly shouldered by the express companies -- will require significant, dilutive fundraising by these five express carriers over the next few years; we also anticipate initial returns on these investments will be very low.Alternatively, if it is BABA's private logistics subsidiary CN that does the heavy lifting, this would likely bring forward the timing of that company's IPO (it was valued at US$20 bn in a September 2017 funding round). We do not believe the expansion of first- and last-mile capacity is part of CN's projected total CapEx of 100 bn RMB between 2017-2021. The ultimate beneficiary of this costly expansion of express networks? Alibaba, of course. As a result of the expected push into first- and last-mile delivery, the e-commerce giant will likely end up with deeper reach and faster, more reliable delivery service. These improvements should allow it to retain its position as China's pre-eminent e-commerce company. The apparent asymmetry of expected capex and expected benefits from first- and last-mile investments -- express companies invest, BABA reaps the benefits -- suggests a pair trade: Long BABA against Short positions in China's express companies.

Battle Lines Drawn As BABA Builds Out First/Last-Mile Capacity; But Who Will Fund 75+ Bn CNY CapEx?

China

Alibaba Group Holding Limited provides online sales services. The Company provides internet infrastructure, electronic commerce, online financial, and internet content services through its subsidiaries. Alibaba Group Holding offers its products and services worldwide.

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Alibaba (9988 HK)

Alibaba’s Bold AI & Cloud Bet Is Driving Our Optimism–But It Comes at A BIG COST!

Alibaba Group delivered a mixed performance in the March quarter and for the full fiscal year 2025, showing resilience in its core operations...

Baptista Research

Alibaba (9988 HK) Vs. Hang Seng Index (HSI INDEX): Relative Value Options Play with Leverage

Alibaba IV is still about twice HSI IV, keeping the opportunity open for an asymmetrical relative value trade. Traders bearish on the HSI or...

Gaudenz Schneider

When Dissenting REALLY Pays Off

Back in 2017, Alibaba acquired Baidu-backed Xingxuan Technology. A dissenter took the company to task on the merger price. Their effort paid off,...

David Blennerhassett

Alibaba (9988 HK/BABA) Dual Primary Listing: Are We There Yet?

Alibaba will be in included in Southbound Stock Connect from the open of trading today. Volumes should be higher than usual as mainland investors...

Brian Freitas

Battle Lines Drawn As BABA Builds Out First/Last-Mile Capacity; But Who Will Fund 75+ Bn CNY CapEx?

As China's largest smart locker company Hive Box prepares for a potential IPO in Hong Kong, we are resurfacing this old insight to help readers...

Daniel Hellberg

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