Alibaba (NYSE:BABA) released its financial results for the first quarter ending March 31, 2024, showing earnings that did not meet analyst expectations. As a result, shares fell nearly 5% pre-market today.

The Chinese e-commerce leader reported an adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of RMB10.14 (US$1.40), slightly below the anticipated RMB10.27. Despite the earnings shortfall, Alibaba's revenue increased by 7% to RMB221.87 billion (US$30,729 million), which was just above the expected RMB220.32 billion.

CEO Eddie Wu explained the quarter’s performance with a focus on enhancing customer experience and expanding the company's commerce operations both in China and internationally.

The modest revenue growth, described by CFO Toby Xu as a sign of returning growth, contrasted with a significant 96% year-over-year decline in net income. This decrease was largely due to a net loss from investments in publicly traded companies, a stark reversal from the net gain reported in the same quarter the previous year.