China Renaissance Upgrades Baidu (NASDAQ:BIDU) to Buy

Baidu (NASDAQ:BIDU) was upgraded by equities researchers at China Renaissance from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report issued on Tuesday,MarketScreener reports. The firm presently has a $180.00 price target on the information services provider’s stock, up from their prior price target of $134.00. China Renaissance’s target price would indicate a potential upside of 30.48% from the company’s previous close.

A number of other equities research analysts have also issued reports on BIDU. Susquehanna reiterated a “neutral” rating and issued a $110.00 price target on shares of Baidu in a research note on Monday, November 24th. National Bankshares upgraded Baidu to an “outperform” rating in a research report on Monday, November 24th. Zacks Research raised Baidu from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Monday, January 19th. UBS Group set a $215.00 price target on Baidu in a research note on Monday, January 12th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group lifted their price objective 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 investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, sixteen have given a Buy rating, five have issued a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, Baidu has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $157.05.

Baidu Stock Performance

Shares of NASDAQ BIDU opened at $137.95 on Tuesday. The stock has a market cap of $47.65 billion, a PE ratio of 45.83 and a beta of 0.32. Baidu has a 1 year low of $74.71 and a 1 year high of $165.30. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $136.77 and a 200-day moving average price of $120.51. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.23, a current ratio of 1.91 and a quick ratio of 1.91.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Baidu

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Binnacle Investments Inc bought a new position in shares of Baidu in the 2nd quarter valued at about $29,000. Winthrop Capital Management LLC purchased a new stake in Baidu during the second quarter valued at approximately $39,000. Mizuho Securities Co. Ltd. bought a new stake in shares of Baidu in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $43,000. UMB Bank n.a. lifted its stake in shares of Baidu by 65.0% in the 3rd quarter. UMB Bank n.a. now owns 340 shares of the information services provider’s stock valued at $45,000 after purchasing an additional 134 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Ameritas Advisory Services LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Baidu by 12,400.0% in the 3rd quarter. Ameritas Advisory Services LLC now owns 375 shares of the information services provider’s stock worth $49,000 after purchasing an additional 372 shares during the period.

Key Headlines Impacting Baidu

Here are the key news stories impacting Baidu this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Baidu’s board approved a new US$5 billion share repurchase program effective through Dec. 31, 2028, and adopted a first-ever dividend policy aimed at boosting shareholder returns — a major catalyst for buying interest. Baidu Announces New Share Repurchase Program and Dividend Policy
• Positive Sentiment: News coverage and investor reaction pushed BIDU higher in after‑hours trading as markets digested the buyback/dividend surprise, which investors view as management prioritizing shareholder returns. Why did BIDU stock jump nearly 5% after-hours today?
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst upgrade: China Renaissance raised BIDU from “hold” to “buy” and lifted its price target to $180, providing additional support and signaling upside vs. current levels. China Renaissance upgrades Baidu to buy
• Neutral Sentiment: Coverage on Baidu’s autonomous‑driving and AI growth outlooks highlights longer‑term earnings potential but also keeps debate open around valuation and timing for monetization. These are strategic positives but not immediate liquidity drivers. Baidu’s Autonomous Driving Push Reshapes Growth Outlook
• Neutral Sentiment: Valuation discussion: analysts and writeups are weighing a strong one‑year rebound versus a still‑rich P/E, which could temper enthusiasm if growth slows. Is Baidu Still Attractive?
• Neutral Sentiment: Short-interest report in the feed shows no meaningful published short data; this item appears data‑noisy/irrelevant for near‑term price pressure. (Likely immaterial.)
• Negative Sentiment: Intraday weakness and premarket selling were linked to a decline in Hong Kong trading and investor concerns over possible tax‑policy changes in China, which can create near‑term volatility despite the buyback/dividend news. What’s Going On With Baidu Stock Wednesday?

About Baidu

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.