Baidu, Inc. (NASDAQ:BIDU) Receives Consensus Recommendation of “Moderate Buy” from Analysts

Shares of Baidu, Inc. (NASDAQ:BIDU) have received an average rating of “Moderate Buy” from the twenty-two research firms that are presently covering the firm, MarketBeat reports. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, five have assigned a hold rating, fifteen have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. The average 1-year price target among analysts that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $157.8889.

Several analysts have recently issued reports on BIDU shares. National Bank Financial upgraded Baidu to an “outperform” rating in a research note on Monday, November 24th. Nomura cut their price objective on Baidu from $196.00 to $186.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, March 6th. Barclays decreased their target price on Baidu from $147.00 to $128.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, March 5th. Bank of America increased their price target on Baidu from $100.00 to $151.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, November 19th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised shares of Baidu from a “neutral” rating to an “overweight” rating and lifted their price target for the company from $110.00 to $188.00 in a research report on Monday, November 24th.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of BIDU. Quadrant Capital Group LLC lifted its position in Baidu by 0.4% during the 4th quarter. Quadrant Capital Group LLC now owns 20,112 shares of the information services provider’s stock worth $2,628,000 after acquiring an additional 73 shares during the last quarter. Keel Point LLC grew its position in shares of Baidu by 1.7% in the third quarter. Keel Point LLC now owns 5,144 shares of the information services provider’s stock valued at $678,000 after purchasing an additional 84 shares during the last quarter. Blue Trust Inc. increased its stake in shares of Baidu by 2.0% in the third quarter. Blue Trust Inc. now owns 4,378 shares of the information services provider’s stock worth $577,000 after purchasing an additional 85 shares during the period. PDS Planning Inc increased its stake in shares of Baidu by 5.7% in the fourth quarter. PDS Planning Inc now owns 1,634 shares of the information services provider’s stock worth $213,000 after purchasing an additional 88 shares during the period. Finally, UMB Bank n.a. lifted its position in shares of Baidu by 25.9% during the 4th quarter. UMB Bank n.a. now owns 428 shares of the information services provider’s stock worth $56,000 after purchasing an additional 88 shares during the last quarter.

Baidu Trading Up 0.7%

Baidu stock opened at $124.07 on Tuesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.22, a current ratio of 1.76 and a quick ratio of 1.91. The company has a market capitalization of $42.86 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 78.03 and a beta of 0.32. Baidu has a one year low of $74.71 and a one year high of $165.30. The company’s fifty day moving average price is $140.63 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $128.59.

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.