Alibaba is the world’s largest online and mobile commerce company as measured by gross merchandise volume. It operates China’s online marketplaces, including Taobao (consumer-to-consumer) and Tmall (business-to-consumer). The China commerce retail division is the most valuable cash flow-generating business at Alibaba. Additional revenue sources include China commerce wholesale, international commerce retail/wholesale, local consumer services, cloud computing, digital media and entertainment platforms, Cainiao logistics services, and innovation initiatives/other.

Global stocks are gaining, if not at the pace of domestic equities. While the S&P 500 has risen 17% year to date, the EAFA index of large- and mid-cap stocks based in countries other than the U.S. and Canada has gained 9.5%. Over the past five years, the performance gap has been wider, with the S&P 500 advancing 94% compared to a 32% gain in EAFE. But the underperformance has given global stocks a valuation advantage, particularly in the area of dividends. Consider that the EAFE dividend yield of 2.9% is 170 basis points higher than the comparable S&P 500 dividend yield. We think global dividend stocks now offer opportunity, particularly given the endless speculation over the direction of interest rates in the U.S., which has created market-timing headaches for equity income investors, who have endured recent wide swings in prices for rate-sensitive equity in areas such as utilities, REITs and MLPs. In our view, investing in international income stocks is one way to increase portfolio diversification while reducing sensitivity to volatile U.S. interest rates. Investing in overseas stocks carries its own set of risks, including the impact of currency exchange and geopolitical turmoil. But there are also a number of positives in this asset class for U.S. investors, including a wide selection of companies that pay dividends, robust industry diversification, and, as we have mentioned, higher yields and lower valuations. Argus has recently boosted its global coverage, and recommends the following international dividend stocks, each of which has at least a long-term BUY rating from an Argus analyst. Note this list of approximately 25-30 companies offers exposure to eight of the 11 major industrial sectors. The list includes companies from 10 countries.

Alibaba provides Chinese and international e-commerce platforms, logistics, and ancillary services. The company operates in four segments (Core Commerce; Cloud Computing; Digital Media & Entertainment; and Innovation Initiatives) and has announced plans to split into six businesses. Key marketplaces include Taobao, a consumer marketplace; Tmall, a third-party platform for brands and retailers; Alibaba.com and 1688.com, online wholesale marketplaces; Alipay, for online payments; and Lazada, for Southeast Asia e-commerce.

Investors and analysts of all stripes seem amazed by the speed at which stocks are recovering from the early August swoon. Insiders, who had been so pessimistic a just few weeks ago, are included in this group. Among the positive indicators, the Insider Index from Vickers Stock Research has moved in a positive direction for a second week, marking its least-bearish reading since early May. Additionally, Vickers' Total One-Week Sell/Buy Ratio, NYSE One-Week Sell/Buy Ratio, and Nasdaq One-Week Sell/Buy Ratio are all lower (bullish) for a second week, and down dramatically from highs seen a mere three weeks ago. The above has led Vickers' Total, NYSE, and Nasdaq Eight-Week Sell/Buy Ratios to also move lower for the first time in months. And all of the above is taking place in an environment that features growing transaction volume now that earnings-related trading restrictions are falling away. On a sector basis, insider buying outpaced selling in the Energy sector by a factor of 2.75-times. On the flipside, selling by insiders last week was greatest in Information Technology, with shares valued at $157 million sold versus $25 million bought. This week, analysts at Vickers highlighted insider transactions of interest at Quanta Services Inc. (NYSE: PWR) and ConocoPhillips (NYSE: COP).