Baidu Target of Unusually High Options Trading (NASDAQ:BIDU)

Baidu, Inc. (NASDAQ:BIDU) was the recipient of unusually large options trading on Wednesday. Investors bought 75,529 call options on the company. This represents an increase of approximately 45% compared to the average volume of 51,967 call options.

Institutional Trading of Baidu

A number of large investors have recently made changes to their positions in BIDU. Keel Point LLC grew its position in Baidu by 1.7% in the 3rd quarter. Keel Point LLC now owns 5,144 shares of the information services provider’s stock valued at $678,000 after buying an additional 84 shares during the last quarter. Blue Trust Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Baidu by 2.0% in the 3rd quarter. Blue Trust Inc. now owns 4,378 shares of the information services provider’s stock worth $577,000 after acquiring an additional 85 shares during the period. Signaturefd LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Baidu by 8.4% in the fourth quarter. Signaturefd LLC now owns 1,276 shares of the information services provider’s stock valued at $167,000 after acquiring an additional 99 shares in the last quarter. State of Wyoming increased its stake in shares of Baidu by 13.2% during the third quarter. State of Wyoming now owns 857 shares of the information services provider’s stock worth $113,000 after acquiring an additional 100 shares during the period. Finally, Parallel Advisors LLC increased its stake in shares of Baidu by 11.6% during the third quarter. Parallel Advisors LLC now owns 1,043 shares of the information services provider’s stock worth $137,000 after acquiring an additional 108 shares during the period.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of brokerages have commented on BIDU. Dbs Bank raised shares of Baidu from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and lifted their target price for the stock from $85.00 to $177.00 in a research note on Thursday, September 25th. Macquarie upgraded shares of Baidu from a “neutral” rating to an “outperform” rating and raised their price target for the stock from $91.00 to $176.00 in a report on Friday, October 10th. Daiwa Capital Markets set a $160.00 price target on shares of Baidu and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday, October 14th. Barclays increased their price objective on Baidu from $81.00 to $100.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, November 19th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group raised their target price on Baidu from $159.00 to $181.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, January 2nd. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fourteen have given a Buy rating, five have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently 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

Baidu Trading Up 0.1%

Shares of NASDAQ BIDU opened at $162.52 on Friday. The company has a current ratio of 1.91, a quick ratio of 1.91 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.23. The stock has a market capitalization of $56.14 billion, a PE ratio of 53.99 and a beta of 0.30. Baidu has a twelve month low of $74.71 and a twelve month high of $165.30. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $130.02 and a 200-day simple 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.