Alibaba (BABA) Cuts Buyback 80%, Increases CapEx 75% for AI Growth

Alibaba (BABA) reduced share buybacks by 80% year over year, repurchasing 13.4 million shares for US$162 million in the June 2026 quarter, down from 56 million shares for US$815 million the previous year. Capital expenditures surged 75% to RMB 67,678 million as the company prioritizes AI and cloud investments. Free cash flow deteriorated to negative RMB 44,670 million. Investors should note the company's total debt to adjusted EBITDA has doubled to 2.29x, which may impact future financial flexibility.