Baidu (NASDAQ:BIDU) Sets New 1-Year High After Analyst Upgrade

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

BIDU has been the topic of a number of other research reports. UBS Group set a $215.00 target price on Baidu in a report on Monday, January 12th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised Baidu from a “neutral” rating to an “overweight” rating and lifted their price objective for the company from $110.00 to $188.00 in a research note on Monday, November 24th. Susquehanna reiterated a “neutral” rating and set a $110.00 target price on shares of Baidu in a report on Monday, November 24th. Weiss Ratings reissued a “hold (c)” rating on shares of Baidu in a research report on Monday, December 29th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group lifted their price target on shares of Baidu from $154.00 to $155.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, November 19th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fourteen have issued a Buy rating, five have assigned a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, Baidu presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $152.17.

Key Baidu News

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

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Baidu

A number of institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in BIDU. Empowered Funds LLC acquired a new stake in Baidu in the first quarter valued at $334,000. Parallel Advisors LLC increased its position in shares of Baidu by 17.0% in the 2nd quarter. Parallel Advisors LLC now owns 935 shares of the information services provider’s stock worth $80,000 after purchasing an additional 136 shares during the last quarter. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC raised its stake in shares of Baidu by 128.0% in the 2nd quarter. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC now owns 6,203 shares of the information services provider’s stock valued at $536,000 after purchasing an additional 3,482 shares in the last quarter. CX Institutional lifted its position in shares of Baidu by 34.1% during the second quarter. CX Institutional now owns 715 shares of the information services provider’s stock worth $61,000 after purchasing an additional 182 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Silver Oak Securities Incorporated grew its stake in Baidu by 174.8% in the second quarter. Silver Oak Securities Incorporated now owns 2,855 shares of the information services provider’s stock worth $245,000 after purchasing an additional 1,816 shares in the last quarter.

Baidu Stock Performance

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.23, a current ratio of 1.91 and a quick ratio of 1.91. 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 fifty day moving average of $130.02 and a two-hundred day moving average of $116.27.

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.