Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba announced Tuesday a modest increase in annual revenue, as the firm pursues a major overhaul and regulatory curbs on the country’s tech sector are relaxed.
The Hangzhou-based company is one of the biggest players in China’s tech industry, with operations spanning retail, digital payment, artificial intelligence and entertainment.
Alibaba posted revenue of 941.2 billion yuan ($130.4 billion) in the fiscal year ending March 31, up 8 percent year-on-year, a statement by the firm showed.
Net income for the period stood at 71.3 billion yuan, up 9 percent year-on-year, the statement also showed.
Alibaba announced plans last year to undergo a significant restructuring that would see it split into six entities, each managed by its own CEO and board of directors.
“During fiscal year 2024, we repurchased US$12.5 billion of shares and our board of directors has approved a US$4.0 billion dividend for fiscal year 2024,” said Toby Xu, the group’s Chief Financial Officer.
China’s tech sector has suffered under a regulatory crackdown by Beijing that began in 2020, prompted in part by the government’s fears that too much power and capital had been amassed by a few firms.
Beijing has signalled recently that the period of intense regulatory scrutiny is winding down, as new headwinds threaten to drag on the world’s second-largest economy.
