Baidu (NASDAQ:BIDU) Hits New 1-Year High Following Analyst Upgrade

Baidu, Inc. (NASDAQ:BIDU) reached a new 52-week high on Tuesday after Zacks Research upgraded the stock from a hold rating to a strong-buy rating. The company traded as high as $154.80 and last traded at $154.69, with a volume of 1587309 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at $149.53.

Other research analysts have also recently issued reports about the stock. Citigroup reissued a “buy” rating on shares of Baidu in a research note on Tuesday, January 13th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised Baidu from a “neutral” rating to an “overweight” rating and raised their target price for the company from $110.00 to $188.00 in a report on Monday, November 24th. Dbs Bank raised Baidu from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and boosted their price target for the stock from $85.00 to $177.00 in a report on Thursday, September 25th. Wall Street Zen upgraded Baidu from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Sunday, January 4th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft raised Baidu from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $160.00 price objective on the stock in a research note on Thursday, November 6th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fourteen have assigned a Buy rating, five have assigned a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $152.17.

Baidu News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Baidu this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Ernie 5.0 AI model release — Baidu unveiled Ernie 5.0 (reported ~2.4 trillion parameters) and media coverage says it outperforms comparable Google/OpenAI models in key tests, driving optimism about product differentiation and revenue potential from AI services. Baidu (BIDU) Stock Surges on AI Model Launch That Rivals Tech Giants
• Positive Sentiment: Apollo Go robotaxi commercial launch in Abu Dhabi — Baidu began commercial robotaxi operations in Abu Dhabi, a tangible commercialization milestone that supports growth in autonomous‑mobility services and monetization outside China. Why Baidu (BIDU) Is Up 7.8% After Launching Driverless Robotaxis In Abu Dhabi
• Positive Sentiment: Bullish market signals — Zacks upgraded Baidu to a strong‑buy and the stock saw unusual options activity (a large spike in call buying), both indicating investor conviction and contributing to upside momentum. Bull of the Day: Baidu (BIDU)
• Neutral Sentiment: Upcoming earnings date — Baidu set Feb. 26 to report Q4 and full‑year 2025 results; this is a clear near‑term catalyst that could amplify moves in either direction depending on growth and margin metrics. Baidu to Report Fourth Quarter and Fiscal Year 2025 Financial Results on February 26, 2026
• Neutral Sentiment: Valuation & expansion analysis — Coverage is reassessing BIDU’s valuation in light of global AI expansion and the Abu Dhabi launch; analysts and investors will be weighing accelerated growth expectations versus current premium multiples. Assessing Baidu (BIDU) Valuation After Apollo Go’s Abu Dhabi Launch And Global AI Expansion
• Neutral Sentiment: Competitive landscape — Reports note other Chinese tech giants (Alibaba, ByteDance) are deploying agentic AI for real‑world transactions; this underscores rapid industry adoption but also intensifying competition for monetization. Alibaba’s AI Now Orders Your Food, Books Your Flights

Institutional Trading of Baidu

A number of hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in BIDU. Capital Advisors Inc. OK acquired a new stake in shares of Baidu during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $1,715,000. Fluent Financial LLC boosted its stake in Baidu by 16.2% during the second quarter. Fluent Financial LLC now owns 23,606 shares of the information services provider’s stock worth $2,024,000 after acquiring an additional 3,286 shares in the last quarter. ARK Investment Management LLC boosted its stake in Baidu by 129.4% during the second quarter. ARK Investment Management LLC now owns 294,447 shares of the information services provider’s stock worth $25,252,000 after acquiring an additional 166,088 shares in the last quarter. Voya Investment Management LLC acquired a new stake in Baidu in the third quarter worth $2,027,000. Finally, Greenwood Capital Associates LLC increased its stake in Baidu by 36.9% in the second quarter. Greenwood Capital Associates LLC now owns 38,976 shares of the information services provider’s stock valued at $3,343,000 after purchasing an additional 10,501 shares in the last quarter.

Baidu Trading Up 0.1%

The firm’s 50 day simple moving average is $130.02 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $116.27. The stock has a market capitalization of $56.14 billion, a P/E ratio of 53.99 and a beta of 0.30. The company has a quick ratio of 1.91, a current ratio of 1.91 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.23.

Baidu Company Profile

Baidu, Inc, founded in 2000 and headquartered in Beijing, is a Chinese multinational technology company best known for operating one of China’s leading internet search engines. The company built its business around online search and related advertising services, providing search, content aggregation and targeted ad placements to consumers and marketers across China. Baidu went public on the NASDAQ in 2005 and has since diversified beyond search into a broader technology and AI-focused portfolio.

Core products and services include the Baidu search platform and mobile app, Baidu Maps and Baidu Baike (an online encyclopedia), along with digital content initiatives.