Best Stock to Buy Right Now: Alibaba vs. Amazon

Core Viewpoint - Both Alibaba and Amazon are leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance growth in their cloud computing and e-commerce sectors, with Alibaba focusing on a turnaround strategy and Amazon emphasizing operational efficiency [1]. Alibaba - Alibaba is investing heavily in its core e-commerce platforms, Tmall and Taobao, to boost gross merchandise volume (GMV) growth, resulting in a 9% year-over-year increase in e-commerce revenue and a 12% rise in third-party revenue [3]. - The Cloud Intelligence segment of Alibaba saw an 18% year-over-year revenue increase, with AI-related revenue more than doubling for the seventh consecutive quarter, and adjusted EBITA surged by 69% [4]. - Alibaba's AI initiatives are driven by its Qwen series of models, including the latest Qwen3, which combines traditional large language model capabilities with advanced reasoning [5]. - The international commerce segment (AIDC), which includes AliExpress and Trendyol, grew revenue by 22% last quarter, with expectations of profitability within the next year [6]. - Alibaba's stock trades at approximately 12 times forward earnings, with nearly $20 billion in net cash and $57 billion in equity investments, indicating significant upside potential if sentiment around Chinese equities improves [7]. Amazon - Amazon is characterized by relentless operational execution, with its market cap at $2 trillion, continuously finding ways to increase revenue and margins [8]. - Amazon Web Services (AWS) remains a key growth driver, with revenue increasing by 17% year-over-year to $29.3 billion, and operating income growing by 23%, largely due to AI demand [9]. - AI is being integrated across Amazon's ecosystem, enhancing efficiencies in warehouses, logistics, and e-commerce, leading to improved operating leverage [10][11]. - Amazon's North American revenue rose 8% in Q1, with operating income increasing by 16%, indicating strong performance as AI initiatives are still in early stages [11]. - Amazon trades at a forward P/E of 34.5 times, which is significantly higher than Alibaba's valuation [11]. Investment Perspective - Alibaba presents more potential upside due to its successful turnaround in e-commerce, leadership in AI within China, and growth prospects in the AIDC business, all while trading at a discount to Amazon [12]. - Amazon is viewed as the safer investment option, with a proven track record of operational success and willingness to invest for long-term gains, despite facing typical retail risks [13]. - For investors seeking higher potential returns, Alibaba is recommended, while Amazon offers a more stable risk-reward profile [14].