Alibaba's Revenue Rockets to $22.7 Billion

Alibaba’s Unexpected Victory in the COVID‑19 Storm

When the world hit its pause button, most Chinese firms felt the tremor—profits shrank, supplies faltered, and headlines were anything but rosy. But Alibaba Group turned the tide, emerging as one of the country’s biggest winners during the pandemic.

How the Story Unfolds

Opportunity in Chaos – As lockdowns flattened street traffic, people turned to online shopping like they’d never been before.
Rapid Expansion – In the first half of 2020, Alibaba leveraged the surge to broaden its services and platform.
Record‑Breaking Revenue – The group’s earnings leapt to $22.7 billion in Q2 2020.
Still Two‑Thirds Behind Amazon – Despite the jump, the figure was roughly four times smaller than Amazon’s.

Why Alibaba’s Numbers are Worth a Minute’s Attention

Think of the pandemic as a digital playground: Alibaba played, nearly nailed the game, and scored big. Their revenue surge signals that they not only survived the lockdown but also turned it into a markdown‑money power play.

Takeaway: When the world slows, it’s the big digital players who accelerate.

Alibaba quarterly revenue jumped 34% YoY, Amazon’s 40%

Alibaba Takes the Crown, but Amazon Still Rides the Wave

After the 2003 SARS scare, Alibaba seized the reins as China’s number‑one e‑commerce powerhouse. Since then, it’s been a major sponsor and lender, handing out more than 100,000 jobs and pouring billions into small‑business loans.

Taobao – The Money‑Making Engine

Taobao drives over 80 % of Alibaba’s sales.
Unlike Amazon, Alibaba doesn’t sell directly or own warehouses.
It acts as a bridge, letting brands and indie sellers reach hungry shoppers.

Both titans have nailed their home markets, but the real battle is in the next frontier: global expansion.

Revenue Showdown: 2018‑2020 Quicklook

2018 Q2: Alibaba earned $11.9 bn while Amazon raked in $52.8 bn – four times more. Fast forward to 2020, Alibaba’s revenue shot up 41 % to almost $17 bn. Amazon’s counterpart climbed 20 % to $63.4 bn.

After a strong 3rd and 4th quarter in 2019, both fell slightly in Q1 2020. Yet the second quarter was a smashing success for both giants.

Alibaba Hits the Bull’s‑Eye in 2021

Revenue jumped to $22.7 bn – up 34 % YoY.
Active consumers on China’s retail sites grew by 16 million to 742 million.
Mobile MAUs hit 874 million in June, a plus 28 million from Q1.
Adjusted EBITDA surged 30 % to $7.2 bn.
Net income topped $6.5 bn.

Amazon’s Pandemic‑Powered Upswing

In August, Amazon announced stellar Q2 results, powered by a pandemic boost:

Revenue leapt 40 % YoY to $88.9 bn.
Net income doubled to $5.2 bn.
EPS hit $10.30, beating $5.22 from Q2 2019.
North American sales grew 43 % to $55.4 bn.
International sales rose 38 % to $22.7 bn.

In short, Alibaba is cementing its reign in China, while Amazon keeps racing ahead worldwide – each with its own playbook and endless hustle.

Combined market cap of two tech giants soared by 81% YoY

Alibaba & Amazon: The Capital‑Boom Carnival

When the world switched to “stay‑home & shop‑online,” the two e‑commerce titans didn’t just thrive—they grew in ways that made their shareholders grin from ear to ear.

The Alibaba Story: From $570.9bn to $762.4bn

December 2019: Market cap at $570.9bn (Yahoo Finance).
March 2020: A tiny dip of 10% $579bn.
June 2020: Re‑edge to $581.2bn.
Q3 2020: A remarkable jump of $181.2bn thanks to a smashing Q2.
September 2020: Market cap soars to $762.4bn—a whopping 75% lift YoY.

Amazingly Unstoppable Amazon: The $1 Trillion Club Hero

January 2020: First half of the year clocks a $1.38trn mark.
December 2019: $920.2bn, then around $1.59trn by September.
2020: Officially the fourth tech company in the $1trn club (Apple, Microsoft, Alphabet included).
September 2020: After the quarterly results, Amazon’s stocks leapt $210bn, an 80% YoY boom.