Daraz Group Faces Further Layoffs Despite Prior Workforce Reductions

Alibaba Group Holding Ltd’s subsidiary, Daraz Group, a key player in the e-commerce landscape of South Asia, excluding India, finds itself in turbulent waters once again. Despite slashing its staff by 11% just a year ago, the entity is now bracing for another round of layoffs amidst ongoing market challenges.

Challenges Mount as Financial Targets Remain Elusive

Alibaba’s Southeast Asian e-commerce division Lazada, under the leadership of Acting CEO James Dong, faces the unenviable task of implementing these job cuts. Dong emphasized the daunting task of achieving financial objectives in the wake of what he termed as “unprecedented challenges.”

Optimizing Operations Amidst Market Pressure

This decision stems from the need to streamline operations and bolster sales growth within Alibaba’s International Digital Commerce Group, encompassing Daraz and Lazada. The group, which includes AliExpress, witnessed a solid 24% surge in combined orders during the December quarter.

Antitrust Woes and Revenue Surge Amid Industry Turmoil

Despite facing antitrust fines and encountering delays in major IPOs, Alibaba’s international endeavors, including Daraz, recorded a striking 44% upsurge in revenue during the same quarter, surpassing growth rates in its core Chinese e-commerce sector.

Investor Impact and Stock Performance

Invesco Golden Dragon China ETF and Tidal Trust II CoreValues Alpha Greater China Growth ETF both maintain nearly 8% exposure to Alibaba. Notably, these ETFs saw gains of 7-10% in the past month, despite BABA shares experiencing a 3.27% decline to $75.14 on Wednesday.

Disclaimer:This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.