Derivatives and Quantitative Strategist

Gaudenz Schneider

Equity Derivatives

<ul>
<li>
Context: Analysis of <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's (9988 HK)</a> implied volatility surface as of June 20, 2025, examining implied volatility patterns, skew structures, and open interest distribution across various expiry dates.</li>
<li>
Highlights: One-month implied volatility at 31.6% is trading at historically cheap levels (13th percentile), while the skew shows a pronounced volatility smile favoring spreads.</li>
<li>
Why Read: Essential for options traders and volatility strategists looking to capitalize on the historical cheapness of current implied volatility levels, particularly given the favorable skew structure for spread strategies.</li>
</ul>



Context: Analysis of Alibaba's (9988 HK) implied volatility surface as of June 20, 2025, examining implied volatility patterns, skew structures, and open interest distribution across various expiry dates.

Highlights: One-month implied volatility at 31.6% is trading at historically cheap levels (13th percentile), while the skew shows a pronounced volatility smile favoring spreads.

Why Read: Essential for options traders and volatility strategists looking to capitalize on the historical cheapness of current implied volatility levels, particularly given the favorable skew structure for spread strategies.


Alibaba (9988 HK) Options Insights: Navigating Contango and Skew for Profitable Trades

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!

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events, Quiddity Advisors

David Blennerhassett

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events

Quiddity Advisors

Event-Driven

<ul>
<li>Back in 2021, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/jardine-matheson-holdings-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:19718:1" rel="noopener">Jardine Matheson (JM SP)</a> took 84.89%-held <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/jardine-strategic-holdings-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:15081:1" rel="noopener">Jardine Strategic (JS SP)</a> private by way of an Amalgamation. As Matheson was permitted to vote, the outcome was assured. </li>
<li>Less clear are "fair value" appraisal rights afforded Strategic's dissentient shareholders, the outcome of which navigates the Bermuda/UK courts. To date, dissenters have mostly had their way.</li>
<li>Which may have precipitated Matheson opting for a (full value) Scheme for <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/mandarin-oriental-international-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:4773:1" rel="noopener">Mandarin Oriental International (MAND SP)</a>, in which appraisal rights are not afforded.</li>
</ul>


Back in 2021, Jardine Matheson (JM SP) took 84.89%-held Jardine Strategic (JS SP) private by way of an Amalgamation. As Matheson was permitted to vote, the outcome was assured. 
Less clear are "fair value" appraisal rights afforded Strategic's dissentient shareholders, the outcome of which navigates the Bermuda/UK courts. To date, dissenters have mostly had their way.
Which may have precipitated Matheson opting for a (full value) Scheme for Mandarin Oriental International (MAND SP), in which appraisal rights are not afforded.


Matheson's Motive For Avoiding MAND's Dissentient Shareholders

<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

<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%.


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 (BABA US)

Alibaba (9988 HK) Options Insights: Navigating Contango and Skew for Profitable Trades

Analysis of Alibaba's implied volatility surface shows historically cheap implied volatility and favorable skew structure for spread strategies.

Gaudenz Schneider

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

Matheson's Motive For Avoiding MAND's Dissentient Shareholders

I see MAND trading at 2.1%/6.9% gross/annualised - assuming late Feb 2026 payment. That's not exciting. I prefer Matheson here.

David Blennerhassett

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

Price Gauge

52-week Range

Market Cap (USDm)

P/E

Dividend (Yield)

Alibaba (9988 HK) Options Insights: Navigating Contango and Skew for Profitable Trades

​Analysis of Alibaba's implied volatility surface shows historically cheap implied volatility and favorable skew structure for spread strategies.

Gaudenz Schneider

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

Matheson's Motive For Avoiding MAND's Dissentient Shareholders

I see MAND trading at 2.1%/6.9% gross/annualised - assuming late Feb 2026 payment. That's not exciting. I prefer Matheson here.

David Blennerhassett

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

Analysis of Alibaba's implied volatility surface shows historically cheap implied volatility and favorable skew structure for spread strategies.