Baidu Option Alert: Aug 15 $100 Calls at the Bid: 800 vs 1996 OI; Earnings 2/18 Before Open 

Baidu Option Alert: Aug 15 $100 Calls at the Bid: 800 @ $12.55 vs 1996 OI; Earnings 2/18 Before Open Ref=$97.49

Baidu Option Alert: Jan, 2026 $100 Puts at the Bid: 500 vs 823 OI; Earnings 2/18 Before Open 

Baidu Option Alert: Jan, 2026 $100 Puts at the Bid: 500 @ $16.5 vs 823 OI; Earnings 2/18 Before Open Ref=$95.87

Baidu (NASDAQ:BIDU) Bolsa

Baidu

Baidu is the largest internet search engine in China with over 50% share of the search engine market in 2024 per web analytics firm, Statcounter. The firm generated 72% of core revenue from online marketing services from its search engine in 2023. Outside its search engine, Baidu is a technology-driven company and its other major growth initiatives are artificial intelligence cloud, video streaming services, voice recognition technology, and autonomous driving.

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Alibaba lidera el auge tecnológico en China tras un pronóstico positivo, mientras se anticipan recortes de tasas del PBOC.

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Aquí tienes cinco acciones estadounidenses que podrían llamar la atención de los inversores este martes: MDT, BIDU, SOHU, OXY y FLR.

5 acciones en el foco este martes: MDT, BIDU, SOHU, OXY y FLR

Baidu, Inc. - American Depositary Shares, each representing 8 ordinary share

Baidu Inc

Tencent Holdings' (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TCEHY#OTC">TCEHY</a>) Yuanbao AI chatbot has surpassed DeepSeek as the most downloaded iPhone app in China.
What Happened: Tencent integrated its in-house Hunyuan AI technology with DeepSeek's R1 reasoning model, boosting the chatbot's appeal and helping it claim the No. 1 spot on China's iPhone app rankings this week, according <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-03-04/tencent-s-ai-bot-passes-deepseek-as-china-s-favorite-on-iphones">to</a> a report by Bloomberg.
DeepSeek had dominated downloads for over a month. Three of the top five free apps in China are now AI-powered chatbots, with ByteDance's Doubao also ranking among them.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/03/44070969/former-intel-ceo-craig-barrett-warns-that-splitting-the-company-would-be-a-costly-mistake-a-far-better-move-might-be-to-fire-the-intel-board-and-rehire-pat-gelsinger">&#8216;Fire The Intel Board,&#8217; Says Former CEO Craig Barrett As He Pushes Back On Breakup Plans, Urges Focus On Chipmaking Wins</a>
In January, DeepSeek shook the U.S. stock market. Nvidia Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) lost <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/emerging-markets/25/01/43260751/not-just-deepseek-alibaba-unveils-ai-model-to-rival-openais-operator">$600 billion in value</a> in a single day.
According to the Chinese startup, its chatbot can compete with OpenAI&#8217;s ChatGPT, which it developed at a fraction of the cost.
In <a href="https://in.benzinga.com/25/02/43970279/alibaba-and-deepseek-intensify-ai-showdown-challenging-openai-and-nvidias-market-dominance">response to DeepSeek's rise</a>, Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BABA#NYSE">BABA</a>) has begun benchmarking against it and announced a $53 billion AI investment.
Subscribe to the&nbsp;<a href="https://bztechtrends.beehiiv.com/subscribe" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Tech Trends newsletter</a>&nbsp;to get all the latest tech developments delivered to your inbox.
Why It&#8217;s Important: China's leading tech giants—Tencent, Alibaba, and Baidu Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BIDU#NASDAQ">BIDU</a>)—are in a fierce race to capture the growing AI market.&nbsp;
While monetization strategies remain unclear, companies are focused on mass adoption and open-source AI development.
With its 1.4 billion WeChat users, Tencent has an advantage in distributing AI-powered services, but Alibaba and Baidu are making larger AI investments.&nbsp;
Meanwhile, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang has spoken about the need for significantly more <a href="https://in.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/02/43995515/jensen-huang-says-deepseek-was-fantastic-next-gen-models-demand-100x-more-compute-as-nvidia-smashes-earnings-records">computational power</a> for next-generation AI models.
Check out more of Benzinga's Consumer Tech coverage by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/consumer-tech" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">following this link</a>.
Read Next:
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/25/02/44055314/mrbeast-lost-millions-on-amazons-beast-games-now-hes-looking-to-raise-hundreds-of-millions-to-take-h" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">MrBeast Lost Millions On Amazon&#8217;s ‘Beast Games&#8217;—Now He&#8217;s Looking To Raise Hundreds Of Millions To Take His Brand To The Next Level</a></li>
</ul>
Disclaimer:&nbsp;This content was partially produced with the help of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/benzinga-neuro" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Neuro</a>&nbsp;and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

DeepSeek Loses Top Spot As Tencent's Yuanbao AI Becomes The Top iPhone App In China Amid Intensifying AI Battle

Deep-pocketed investors have adopted a bearish approach towards Baidu (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BIDU#NASDAQ">BIDU</a>), and it's something market players shouldn't ignore. Our tracking of public options records at Benzinga unveiled this significant move today. The identity of these investors remains unknown, but such a substantial move in BIDU usually suggests something big is about to happen.
We gleaned this information from our observations today when Benzinga's options scanner highlighted 12 extraordinary options activities for Baidu. This level of activity is out of the ordinary.
The general mood among these heavyweight investors is divided, with 25% leaning bullish and 41% bearish. Among these notable options, 3 are puts, totaling $121,695, and 9 are calls, amounting to $577,871.
<h3>Predicted Price Range</h3>
Analyzing the Volume and Open Interest in these contracts, it seems that the big players have been eyeing a price window from $80.0 to $125.0 for Baidu during the past quarter. 
<h3>Volume &amp; Open Interest Development</h3>
Looking at the volume and open interest is a powerful move while trading options. This data can help you track the liquidity and interest for Baidu's options for a given strike price. Below, we can observe the evolution of the volume and open interest of calls and puts, respectively, for all of Baidu's whale trades within a strike price range from $80.0 to $125.0 in the last 30 days. 
<h3>Baidu Option Volume And Open Interest Over Last 30 Days</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2025/1741017697_0.png" alt="Options Call Chart" />
<h3>Biggest Options Spotted:</h3>

<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Symbol</th>
<th>PUT/CALL</th>
<th>Trade Type</th>
<th>Sentiment</th>
<th>Exp. Date</th>
<th>Ask</th>
<th>Bid</th>
<th>Price</th>
<th>Strike Price</th>
<th>Total Trade Price</th>
<th>Open Interest</th>
<th align="right">Volume</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>BIDU</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>01/16/26</td>
<td>$5.75</td>
<td>$5.55</td>
<td>$5.65</td>
<td>$125.00</td>
<td>$113.0K</td>
<td>2.4K</td>
<td align="right">200</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>BIDU</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>01/16/26</td>
<td>$16.6</td>
<td>$16.3</td>
<td>$16.59</td>
<td>$85.00</td>
<td>$99.5K</td>
<td>978</td>
<td align="right">60</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>BIDU</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>09/19/25</td>
<td>$13.35</td>
<td>$12.4</td>
<td>$12.85</td>
<td>$85.00</td>
<td>$64.2K</td>
<td>380</td>
<td align="right">50</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>BIDU</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>03/20/26</td>
<td>$12.55</td>
<td>$12.3</td>
<td>$12.45</td>
<td>$100.00</td>
<td>$62.2K</td>
<td>157</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>BIDU</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>09/19/25</td>
<td>$9.6</td>
<td>$9.1</td>
<td>$9.4</td>
<td>$85.00</td>
<td>$61.1K</td>
<td>1.0K</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

<h3>About Baidu</h3>
Baidu is the largest internet search engine in China with over 50% share of the search engine market in 2024 per web analytics firm, Statcounter. The firm generated 72% of core revenue from online marketing services from its search engine in 2023. Outside its search engine, Baidu is a technology-driven company and its other major growth initiatives are artificial intelligence cloud, video streaming services, voice recognition technology, and autonomous driving.
After a thorough review of the options trading surrounding Baidu, we move to examine the company in more detail. This includes an assessment of its current market status and performance.
<h3>Present Market Standing of Baidu</h3>
<ul>
<li>With a trading volume of 921,767, the price of BIDU is up by 0.3%, reaching $86.71.</li>
<li>Current RSI values indicate that the stock is is currently neutral between overbought and oversold.</li>
<li>Next earnings report is scheduled for 73 days from now.</li>
</ul>
<h3>What The Experts Say On Baidu</h3>
In the last month, 3 experts released ratings on this stock with an average target price of $110.0.
Unusual Options Activity Detected: Smart Money on the Move
Benzinga Edge's Unusual Options board spots potential market movers before they happen. See what positions big money is taking on your favorite stocks. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/benzinga-edge-checkout/?t=Be8be9arja3be22bz20&amp;adType=benzinga-insights&amp;ad=options-activity&amp;campaign=wallstreetadvantage">Click here for access</a>. 
&#x2A; An analyst from Barclays has decided to maintain their Equal-Weight rating on Baidu, which currently sits at a price target of $95. 
&#x2A; An analyst from Benchmark downgraded its action to Buy with a price target of $130. 
&#x2A; An analyst from Mizuho has decided to maintain their Outperform rating on Baidu, which currently sits at a price target of $105. 
Options trading presents higher risks and potential rewards. Astute traders manage these risks by continually educating themselves, adapting their strategies, monitoring multiple indicators, and keeping a close eye on market movements. Stay informed about the latest Baidu options trades with real-time alerts from <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pro/">Benzinga Pro</a>.

Options

Smart Money Is Betting Big In BIDU Options

Citigourp Global Markets 2% Protected Notes Linked To The Djia

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CORRECTION: Shares Of Chinese Stocks Are Lower

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Shares of Chinese stocks are trading lower after President Trump said tariffs on Chinese imports would double to 20%, further raising trade tension concerns.

On Thursday, Baidu Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BIDU#NASDAQ">BIDU</a>)&nbsp;and electric vehicle battery giant Contemporary Amperex Technology Co will jointly explore the development of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/autonomous-driving" rel="noreferrer noopener">&#8220;competitive&#8221; driverless vehicles</a> and innovative business models.
The companies will develop and apply CATL&#8217;s power batteries, battery swapping products and services, and skateboard chassis technology in driverless vehicles, Reuters reports.
Baidu&#8217;s fourth-quarter <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/02/43806974/baidus-robotaxi-service-hits-1-1-million-paid-rides-in-q4-expands-to-hong-kong-as-1st-operator-allowed-to-test-autonomous-vehicles" rel="noreferrer noopener">robotaxi service reached</a> 1.1 million paid rides in&nbsp;the quarter, up 36%.
Also Read: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/government/24/09/40977069/alibaba-teams-up-with-nvidia-to-supercharge-evs-for-chinese-automakers-report" rel="noreferrer noopener">Alibaba Teams Up With Nvidia to Supercharge EVs for Chinese Automakers: Report</a>
Robotaxi service implies a self-driving car that operates as a taxi.
Baidu&#8217;s Apollo Go is <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/10/41244101/teslas-party-could-be-crashed-by-baidu-as-chinese-rival-considers-global-robotaxi-expansion" rel="noreferrer noopener">discussing expanding its</a> robotaxi services to global markets with companies. EV giant Tesla Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) is also eying the same market.
WeRide Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/WRD#NASDAQ">WRD</a>) <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/movers/25/02/43918424/werides-gxr-robotaxi-launches-first-fully-driverless-commercial-service-in-beijing-details" rel="noreferrer noopener">recently won approval to</a> launch its GXR robotaxi in Beijing.
Last December, Uber Technologies, Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/UBER#NYSE">UBER</a>) and WeRide <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42363171/uber-and-weride-come-together-to-launch-robotaxi-service-in-abu-dhabi" rel="noreferrer noopener">launched robotaxi service</a> in Abu Dhabi.
According to CIC, the&nbsp;global autonomous driving market&nbsp;could grow at an 80% compound annual growth rate from $93 billion in 2025 to $1.745 trillion by 2030. For China, the market could grow at 85% CAGR, reaching $639 billion by 2030.
Price Action: BIDU stock is up 0.02% to $89.20 at last check Thursday.
Also Read:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43828018/baidus-ai-cloud-robotaxi-growth-and-accelerated-buybacks-position-it-for-a-strong-2025-analyst" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Baidu&#8217;s AI Cloud, Robotaxi Growth And Accelerated Buybacks Position It For Strong 2025: Analyst</a></li>
</ul>
Photo by Robert Way via Shutterstock

Emerging Markets

TSLA

UBER

China's Baidu And CATL Team Up To Build Next-Gen Driverless EVs, Integrating Advanced Battery And Chassis Tech

This whale alert can help traders discover the next big trading opportunities.
Whales are entities with large sums of money and we track their transactions here at Benzinga on our options activity scanner.
Traders often look for circumstances when the market estimation of an option diverges away from its normal worth. Abnormal amounts of trading activity could push option prices to hyperbolic or underperforming levels. 
Below are some instances of options activity happening in the Communication Services sector: 
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Symbol</th>
<th>PUT/CALL</th>
<th>Trade Type</th>
<th>Sentiment</th>
<th>Exp. Date</th>
<th>Strike Price</th>
<th>Total Trade Price</th>
<th>Open Interest</th>
<th>Volume</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>T</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>03/07/25</td>
<td>$25.00</td>
<td>$38.1K</td>
<td>1.2K</td>
<td>6.4K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>GOOGL</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>02/28/25</td>
<td>$175.00</td>
<td>$33.5K</td>
<td>356</td>
<td>4.9K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>RBLX</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>09/19/25</td>
<td>$60.00</td>
<td>$126.7K</td>
<td>3.9K</td>
<td>4.5K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>DIS</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>03/21/25</td>
<td>$115.00</td>
<td>$101.0K</td>
<td>15.6K</td>
<td>1.6K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>BIDU</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>03/21/25</td>
<td>$100.00</td>
<td>$35.7K</td>
<td>10.9K</td>
<td>1.1K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>ASTS</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>01/16/26</td>
<td>$50.00</td>
<td>$95.9K</td>
<td>7.6K</td>
<td>1.1K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>NFLX</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>02/28/25</td>
<td>$985.00</td>
<td>$34.8K</td>
<td>713</td>
<td>713</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>TMUS</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>04/17/25</td>
<td>$270.00</td>
<td>$85.5K</td>
<td>238</td>
<td>174</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>META</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>03/28/25</td>
<td>$655.00</td>
<td>$26.3K</td>
<td>11</td>
<td>134</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>TTD</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>01/16/26</td>
<td>$80.00</td>
<td>$62.5K</td>
<td>1.3K</td>
<td>94</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

<h2>Explanation</h2>
These bullet-by-bullet explanations have been constructed using the accompanying table. 
• Regarding T (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/T#NYSE">T</a>), we observe a put option sweep with bearish sentiment. It expires in 10 day(s) on March 7, 2025. Parties traded 6246 contract(s) at a $25.00 strike. This particular put needed to be split into 43 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $38.1K, with a price of $6.0 per contract. There were 1207 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 6451 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For GOOGL (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>), we notice a call option trade that happens to be neutral, expiring in 3 day(s) on February 28, 2025. This event was a transfer of 100 contract(s) at a $175.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $33.5K, with a price of $335.0 per contract. There were 356 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 4921 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For RBLX (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/RBLX#NYSE">RBLX</a>), we notice a call option sweep that happens to be bullish, expiring in 206 day(s) on September 19, 2025. This event was a transfer of 140 contract(s) at a $60.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 31 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $126.7K, with a price of $905.0 per contract. There were 3923 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 4573 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For DIS (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DIS#NYSE">DIS</a>), we notice a call option trade that happens to be bearish, expiring in 24 day(s) on March 21, 2025. This event was a transfer of 1000 contract(s) at a $115.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $101.0K, with a price of $101.0 per contract. There were 15664 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 1600 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For BIDU (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BIDU#NASDAQ">BIDU</a>), we notice a call option trade that happens to be bullish, expiring in 24 day(s) on March 21, 2025. This event was a transfer of 250 contract(s) at a $100.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $35.7K, with a price of $143.0 per contract. There were 10920 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 1163 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For ASTS (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ASTS#NASDAQ">ASTS</a>), we notice a call option sweep that happens to be bullish, expiring in 325 day(s) on January 16, 2026. This event was a transfer of 200 contract(s) at a $50.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 35 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $95.9K, with a price of $476.0 per contract. There were 7658 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 1138 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For NFLX (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NFLX#NASDAQ">NFLX</a>), we notice a put option sweep that happens to be bullish, expiring in 3 day(s) on February 28, 2025. This event was a transfer of 15 contract(s) at a $985.00 strike. This particular put needed to be split into 14 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $34.8K, with a price of $2325.0 per contract. There were 713 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 713 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding TMUS (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TMUS#NASDAQ">TMUS</a>), we observe a put option sweep with bearish sentiment. It expires in 51 day(s) on April 17, 2025. Parties traded 93 contract(s) at a $270.00 strike. This particular put needed to be split into 4 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $85.5K, with a price of $920.0 per contract. There were 238 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 174 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding META (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>), we observe a call option trade with bullish sentiment. It expires in 31 day(s) on March 28, 2025. Parties traded 10 contract(s) at a $655.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $26.3K, with a price of $2630.0 per contract. There were 11 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 134 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For TTD (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TTD#NASDAQ">TTD</a>), we notice a call option sweep that happens to be bullish, expiring in 325 day(s) on January 16, 2026. This event was a transfer of 50 contract(s) at a $80.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 4 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $62.5K, with a price of $1250.0 per contract. There were 1305 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 94 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
Options Alert Terminology 
 - Call Contracts: The right to buy shares as indicated in the contract. 
 - Put Contracts: The right to sell shares as indicated in the contract. 
 - Expiration Date: When the contract expires. One must act on the contract by this date if one wants to use it. 
 - Premium/Option Price: The price of the contract. 
For more information, visit our <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/blog/how-to-understand-option-alerts/">Guide to Understanding Options Alerts</a> or read <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/options">more news on unusual options activity</a>. 
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

ASTS

NFLX

RBLX

TMUS

10 Communication Services Stocks With Whale Alerts In Today's Session

Financial giants have made a conspicuous bullish move on Baidu. Our analysis of options history for Baidu (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BIDU#NASDAQ">BIDU</a>) revealed 17 unusual trades.
Delving into the details, we found 52% of traders were bullish, while 41% showed bearish tendencies. Out of all the trades we spotted, 3 were puts, with a value of $133,000, and 14 were calls, valued at $658,864.
<h3>What's The Price Target?</h3>
Analyzing the Volume and Open Interest in these contracts, it seems that the big players have been eyeing a price window from $65.0 to $120.0 for Baidu during the past quarter. 
<h3>Volume &amp; Open Interest Development</h3>
Examining the volume and open interest provides crucial insights into stock research. This information is key in gauging liquidity and interest levels for Baidu's options at certain strike prices. Below, we present a snapshot of the trends in volume and open interest for calls and puts across Baidu's significant trades, within a strike price range of $65.0 to $120.0, over the past month.
<h3>Baidu Option Volume And Open Interest Over Last 30 Days</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2025/1740501107_0.png" alt="Options Call Chart" />
<h3>Noteworthy Options Activity:</h3>

<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Symbol</th>
<th>PUT/CALL</th>
<th>Trade Type</th>
<th>Sentiment</th>
<th>Exp. Date</th>
<th>Ask</th>
<th>Bid</th>
<th>Price</th>
<th>Strike Price</th>
<th>Total Trade Price</th>
<th align="right">Open Interest</th>
<th align="right">Volume</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>BIDU</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>12/18/26</td>
<td>$20.9</td>
<td>$20.35</td>
<td>$20.9</td>
<td>$95.00</td>
<td>$154.6K</td>
<td align="right">96</td>
<td align="right">74</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>BIDU</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>01/15/27</td>
<td>$24.25</td>
<td>$23.55</td>
<td>$24.25</td>
<td>$100.00</td>
<td>$72.7K</td>
<td align="right">106</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>BIDU</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>03/21/25</td>
<td>$23.0</td>
<td>$22.65</td>
<td>$22.86</td>
<td>$65.00</td>
<td>$68.6K</td>
<td align="right">161</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>BIDU</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>01/15/27</td>
<td>$27.95</td>
<td>$27.8</td>
<td>$27.8</td>
<td>$80.00</td>
<td>$55.6K</td>
<td align="right">238</td>
<td align="right">40</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>BIDU</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>01/15/27</td>
<td>$23.35</td>
<td>$22.7</td>
<td>$22.7</td>
<td>$90.00</td>
<td>$52.2K</td>
<td align="right">792</td>
<td align="right">25</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

<h3>About Baidu</h3>
Baidu is the largest internet search engine in China with over 50% share of the search engine market in 2024 per web analytics firm, Statcounter. The firm generated 72% of core revenue from online marketing services from its search engine in 2023. Outside its search engine, Baidu is a technology-driven company and its other major growth initiatives are artificial intelligence cloud, video streaming services, voice recognition technology, and autonomous driving.
In light of the recent options history for Baidu, it's now appropriate to focus on the company itself. We aim to explore its current performance.
<h3>Present Market Standing of Baidu</h3>
<ul>
<li>Trading volume stands at 1,703,705, with BIDU's price up by 0.99%, positioned at $88.74.</li>
<li>RSI indicators show the stock to be is currently neutral between overbought and oversold.</li>
<li>Earnings announcement expected in 79 days.</li>
</ul>
<h3>What Analysts Are Saying About Baidu</h3>
Over the past month, 3 industry analysts have shared their insights on this stock, proposing an average target price of $110.0.
Turn $1000 into $1270 in just 20 days?
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&#x2A; Reflecting concerns, an analyst from Benchmark lowers its rating to Buy with a new price target of $130. 
&#x2A; Maintaining their stance, an analyst from Mizuho continues to hold a Outperform rating for Baidu, targeting a price of $105. 
&#x2A; Maintaining their stance, an analyst from Barclays continues to hold a Equal-Weight rating for Baidu, targeting a price of $95. 
Options trading presents higher risks and potential rewards. Astute traders manage these risks by continually educating themselves, adapting their strategies, monitoring multiple indicators, and keeping a close eye on market movements. Stay informed about the latest Baidu options trades with real-time alerts from <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pro/">Benzinga Pro</a>.

Market Whales and Their Recent Bets on BIDU Options

Baidu Acquires JOYY's YY Live Streaming Business For Aggregate Purchase Price Of ~$2.1B

Chinese shares, including Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BABA#NYSE">BABA</a>), Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Ltd. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSM#NYSE">TSM</a>) and Baidu, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BIDU#NASDAQ">BIDU</a>) are falling following Wall Street's worst session of the year, driven by renewed inflation fears and mixed economic data. The decline also comes after a strong rally last week, suggesting profit-taking may be <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/25/02/43892872/why-alibaba-shares-are-rising-2">contributing to the sell-off.</a>
What To Know: The broader weakness in U.S.-listed Chinese stocks reflects heightened caution after the Federal Reserve&#8217;s latest meeting minutes indicated policymakers remain wary of cutting interest rates without stronger evidence that inflation is under control. Rising geopolitical tensions and trade policy uncertainties, including former President Donald Trump&#8217;s announcement of a 25% tariff on imports like autos and semiconductors, have also created headwinds for multinational companies with global supply chain exposure.
Despite Friday&#8217;s gains on the back of stronger-than-expected earnings and an upbeat outlook, Alibaba's sharp decline today reflects investor concerns about market volatility and broader economic risks. The company recently reported fiscal third-quarter revenue growth of 8% to $38.38 billion, with adjusted earnings per ADS of $2.93 exceeding analysts' forecasts. Optimism surrounding Alibaba's increased investments in cloud and AI technologies had lifted shares, but today's decline indicates that macroeconomic uncertainties are outweighing company-specific developments.
Investors remain cautious as trade tensions, inflation risks, and the Federal Reserve&#8217;s stance on prolonged higher interest rates continue to drive market sentiment, pressuring Chinese equities despite recent positive earnings reports.
Price Action: Alibaba shares were down 9.97% at $129.40, Taiwan Semiconductor shares were down 2.78% at $192.71 and Baidu shares were down 3.94% at $87.68 at the time of writing, according to<a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard?new_user=False&amp;backend=google-oauth2"> Benzinga Pro.</a>
Read Next:
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Image Via Shutterstock.

Movers

Chinese Stocks Are Falling Today: What's Going On? (CORRECTED)

BILI

New Oriental Education & Technology Group

FUTU

GSX Techedu Inc. American Depositary Shares

GOTU

TCOM

Shares of US-listed Chinese stocks are trading lower after Wall Street had its worst session of the year on Friday, driven by inflation concern and mixed economic data. Also, weakness may be due to profit-taking after rallying last week.

Alibaba Group Holding Ltd.&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BABA#NYSE">BABA</a>) has announced an investment of 380 billion yuan&nbsp;(nearly $53 billion) for its cloud computing and AI infrastructure, making it the largest private computing project to date.
What Happened: on Monday, Alibaba announced its plans to invest an amount that surpasses its total AI infrastructure spending over the past decade, <a href="https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3299858/alibaba-commits-us53-billion-ai-infrastructure-largest-private-computing-project?module=top_story&amp;pgtype=homepage">reported</a> South China Morning Post. This investment is on par with half of the initial $100 billion earmarked for the Stargate AI plan by the U.S. Alibaba stated that this commitment underscores its &#8220;focus on AI-driven growth and its role as a leading global cloud provider&#8221;.
CEO&nbsp;Eddie Wu Yongming, in the conference call last week, revealed that the intends to make significant investments in AI and cloud computing infrastructure over the next three years. However, he did not mention the amount of investment during the call.
SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43905699/credit-spreads-flash-2007-warning-100-days-below-3-signals-potential-volatility-spike-economist-warns-of-investor-complacency">Economist Warns Junk Bond Spreads Are Flashing 2007 Crisis Warning Signs: &#8216;…Just Waiting To Catch Fire&#8217;</a>
Why It Matters: Alibaba&#8217;s latest earnings report revealed higher-than-anticipated profit and revenue for the December quarter, fueling investor enthusiasm. The Chinese tech giant&#8217;s AI endeavors garnered worldwide attention following reports that Apple (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>) had selected Alibaba as <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/25/02/43655603/apple-finds-its-ai-wingman-in-alibaba-can-it-power-an-iphone-comeback-in-china">one of its AI partners </a>in mainland China for the Apple Intelligence feature on iPhones. Alibaba also stated that its upgraded Qwen 2.5 Max edition was a strong alternative for DeepSeek&#8216;s R1 model.
In a research note on Monday, Morgan Stanley stated that Alibaba "appears poised to capture the AI cloud opportunity" with its latest investment strategy. The analyst also expects Alibaba Cloud revenue to double in the next three years, to reach 240 billion yuan (nearly $33.10 billion) in 2028.
Meanwhile, equity strategists at UBS said on Thursday that they have replaced PDD Holdings (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PDD#NASDAQ">PDD</a>) with Alibaba in a model portfolio due to its exposure to AI and quantitative factors.
Besides Alibaba, other Chinese companies have also been investing in AI in a big way. ByteDance, the Chinese parent company of TikTok, allocated over 150 billion yuan ($20.69 billion) in capital expenditure for this year, with a significant portion expected to focus on AI, according to a previous Reuters report. 
The ADR of Alibaba Group surged more than 87% over the past year. 
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Image via Shutterstock
Disclaimer:&nbsp;This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

Alibaba To Invest A Massive $53 Billion In AI Infrastructure, Taking On Trump's Stargate AI Plan

President Donald Trump issued written orders to the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) to curb Chinese investments in strategic sectors, marking a significant escalation in the administration&#8217;s economic measures against China.
What Happened: The White House memorandum, titled the &#8220;America First Investment Policy,&#8221; affirms the U.S.&#8217;s openness to foreign investment while directing CFIUS to impose restrictions on Chinese investments in key sectors such as technology, critical infrastructure, healthcare, agriculture, energy, and raw materials. It also proposes new regulations to prevent foreign adversaries like China from exploiting capital, technology, and intellectual resources.
Referring to the People&#8217;s Republic of China (PRC), the memorandum states, &#8220;The PRC does not allow United States companies to take over their critical infrastructure, and the United States should not allow the PRC to take over United States critical infrastructure.&#8221;
The Trump administration is also considering implementing new or stricter restrictions on outbound investments to Beijing in industries such as semiconductors, artificial intelligence, quantum technology, biotechnology, and aerospace. The directive seeks to protect US investors by auditing foreign companies listed on US exchanges and preventing companies from foreign adversaries from receiving pension plan contributions.
While the directive primarily targets China, it also aims to encourage investment from allied trading partners by establishing a &#8220;fast-track&#8221; process for facilitating projects.&nbsp;The memo also mentions that the U.S. will fast-track environmental reviews for investments exceeding $1 billion.
In response, the Chinese Ministry of Commerce, on Saturday, stated that this directive will significantly disrupt regular economic and trade collaboration between Chinese and U.S. businesses, reported China Daily. 
SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/movers/25/02/43902885/wolff-book-ivanka-trump-and-jared-kushner-refused-to-sign-statement-saying-trump-is-not-antisemitic">Wolff Book: Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner Refused to Sign Statement Saying Trump Is Not Antisemitic</a>
Why It Matters:&nbsp;This directive comes at a time when Chinese players like DeepSeek startup as well as listed companies like Alibaba (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BABA#NYSE">BABA</a>) and Baidu (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BIDU#NASDAQ">BIDU</a>), are <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/25/02/43770990/chinas-ai-boom-is-reshaping-the-global-economy-and-the-u-s-isnt-ready">ramping up their AI game</a> in a bid to compete with the U.S.
Notably, data from&nbsp;the American Enterprise Institute released in January showed that Chinese investment deals in the U.S. in the first half of 2024, stood at $860 million, marking a massive decline since 2017 at $46.86 billion. Danielle Goh, senior research analyst at Rhodium Group had previously told CNBC, that the decline is a result of U.S. regulations as well as Beijing&#8217;s tightened control over capital outflows in 2017. She doesn&#8217;t expect investments to recover to peak levels in the &#8216;foreseeable future&#8217;. 
Zhou Mi, a senior research fellow at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, told the Global Times that Washington&#8217;s latest move could severely hinder technological and trade cooperation between the two nations. He also warned that excessive restrictions could lead to an overdependence on limited domestic supply sources, reinforcing monopolies, increasing costs, and reducing efficiency—ultimately weakening the security of U.S. industry and technology.
Meanwhile, the Chinese Ministry of Commerce stated that China will closely monitor the actions of the U.S. and take appropriate measures to protect its legitimate rights and interests.
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Disclaimer:&nbsp;This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

Politics

Trump Orders Crackdown On Chinese Investments In Key Sectors Including Technology Citing 'National Security' Concern

Chinese stocks are trading higher amid tech sector optimism and recent stimulus hopes.

U.S. listed Chinese stocks led by e-commerce and gaming giants like Alibaba Group Holding (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BABA#NYSE">BABA</a>), Baidu Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BIDU#NASDAQ">BIDU</a>), PDD Holdings (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PDD#NASDAQ">PDD</a>), JD.Com Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/JD#NASDAQ">JD</a>) along with electric vehicle companies NIO Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NIO#NYSE">NIO</a>), Li Auto Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LI#NASDAQ">LI</a>), XPeng Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XPEV#NYSE">XPEV</a>) are trading higher on Friday.
Chinese tech barometer Alibaba reported its upbeat quarterly results, adding to the Chinese market rebound, which the property market selloff and economic slowdown have hit.
Also Read: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/emerging-markets/25/02/43815333/muddy-waters-carson-block-warns-against-chinese-stocks-despite-recent-market-surge-report" rel="noreferrer noopener">Muddy Waters&#8217; Carson Block Warns Against Chinese Stocks Despite Recent Market Surge: Report</a>
Alibaba reported <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/25/02/43846533/alibaba-q3-earnings-revenue-and-eps-beat-eyes-global-e-commerce-profitability-in-fy25-increase-investments-in-ai" rel="noreferrer noopener">fiscal third-quarter 2024</a> revenue growth of 8% to $38.38 billion, topping the analyst estimate of $38.19 billion. Adjusted earnings per ADS of $2.93 beat the&nbsp;consensus estimate of $2.66.&nbsp;Adjusted net income rose 7% Y/Y to $7 billion.
Alibaba expects its international e-commerce unit to turn profitable next fiscal year and plans to spend more on Cloud and AI over the next three years than in the past decade.
Also, Reuters cited a Friday post by Chinese AI startup DeepSeek&nbsp;stating that it plans to make its models&#8217; code publicly available.
DeepSeek&#8217;s affordable AI model promises and Beijing&#8217;s support for private firms have prompted Chinese companies, mainly in the tech sector, to raise funds overseas, Reuters cites bankers.
Two tech companies raised $500 million this week alone, with more gearing up to raise capital via offshore equity sales.
Chinese video streaming platform iQIYI&nbsp;Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IQ#NASDAQ">IQ</a>) raised $350 million on Thursday, and Hong Kong-listed auto chip maker Black Sesame&nbsp;raised $160 million.
Adding to the positive momentum, China&#8217;s President Xi Jinping met with <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/25/02/43846533/alibaba-q3-earnings-revenue-and-eps-beat-eyes-global-e-commerce-profitability-in-fy25-increase-investments-in-ai" rel="noreferrer noopener">tech business leaders</a>, including Jack Ma, the founder of e-commerce juggernaut Alibaba, and Liang Wenfeng, the founder of DeepSeek.
Li He of Davis Polk told Reuters about a solid pipeline of IPO candidates, particularly in tech, healthcare, and consumer sectors. Besides secondary market deals, IPOs by Chinese companies, particularly in Hong Kong, will likely pick up pace.
Appaloosa Management&#8217;s David Tepper <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/emerging-markets/25/02/43619521/deepseek-impact-billionaire-david-tepper-bets-big-on-china-increases-stakes-in-alibaba-jd-com-and-pdd" rel="noreferrer noopener">raised his bets</a> on China-related stocks, including Alibaba, Baidu, and PDD and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) last quarter.
Investors can gain exposure to Chinese equities through KraneShares Trust KraneShares CSI China Internet ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/KWEB#NYSE">KWEB</a>) and&nbsp;iShares China Large-Cap ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FXI#NYSE">FXI</a>).
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</ul>
Image via Shutterstock

Short Sellers

Topics

KWEB

US Listed China Stocks Rally: Alibaba's Performance, President Xi's Support, DeepSeek AI Boost Investor Confidence

China&#8217;s Oppo showcased its <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/smartphones" rel="noreferrer noopener">new flagship folding phone</a> with artificial intelligence-focused features Thursday, intensifying rivalry with premium smartphone companies like Apple Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>), Samsung&nbsp;Electronics (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SSNLF#OTC">SSNLF</a>) and Huawei.
The iPhone captured an <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/emerging-markets/25/01/42951487/apples-iphone-market-share-declines-in-china-huawei-and-xiaomi-gain-momentum-in-2024-counterpoint" rel="noreferrer noopener">18% global market share</a> in 2024, down from 19% in 2023, due to its smartphones&#8217; lack of AI features. Samsung&nbsp;led with a market share of 19% in 2024, down from 20% in 2023.
Oppo, akin to its rivals, remains committed to artificial intelligence-focused features on the device.
Also Read: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/25/02/43847808/lenovo-q3-earnings-20-revenue-jump-ai-pcs-and-smartphones-power-market-expansion" rel="noreferrer noopener">Lenovo Q3 Earnings: 20% Revenue Jump, AI PCs and Smartphones Power Market Expansion</a>
Oppo&#8217;s ultra-thin design, the Find N5 phone, with a 6.62-inch display and a half foldable, will retail for 2,499 Singapore dollars ($1,867.70), according to CNBC <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cnbc.com/2025/02/20/oppo-find-n5-folding-phone-specs-price-availability-.html" rel="noreferrer noopener">report</a>.
Find N5&#8217;s 5,600 milliampere-hour (mAh) battery, which is made of silicon-carbon material and is the size of a credit card. Oppo Find N5 has a triple-camera setup with a telephoto lens that can zoom in up to 30 times thanks to AI Telescope Zoom.
The phone also has a personal AI assistant that can interpret and summarize documents, generate summaries of phone calls, and translate video calls.
Oppo&#8217;s O+ Connect lets users connect their phones to a Mac computer. Oppo uses Alphabet Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>) (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>) Google as its AI partner in international markets.
Recently,&nbsp;Huawei launched the Mate XT, a &#8220;trifold&#8221; phone with three screens, for the international market. Samsung recently launched additional AI capabilities on its&nbsp;new flagship Galaxy S25 series.
Apple tapped Alibaba Group Holding (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BABA#NYSE">BABA</a>) to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43631776/apple-teams-up-with-alibaba-for-ai-innovation-in-china-submits-ai-features-for-regulatory-approval" rel="noreferrer noopener">integrate AI features</a> into iPhones in China as it fights to regain lost market share from
China-backed players like Oppo, Vivo, Xiaomi, and Huawei, whose smartphones with AI features were available at a considerable discount compared to Apple.
Apple also has a partnership with Baidu Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BIDU#NASDAQ">BIDU</a>). Recently, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/02/43820197/apple-unveils-iphone-16e-with-a18-chip-ai-features-599-price-tag" rel="noreferrer noopener">Apple showcased its</a> $599 iPhone 16e with OLED display, A18 chip, and custom modem.
Also Read:
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</ul>
Photo via Oppo

China's Oppo Heats Up Smartphone Landscape, Launches AI-Powered Foldable At Competitive Price

BEKE

Shares of US-listed Chinese companies are trading higher after China's central bank vowed to take measures to support its real estate and shore up the economy. Additionally, Alibaba reported better-than-expected Q3 financial results which may be buoying Chinese equities.

Benchmark analyst Fawne Jiang reiterated Baidu (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BIDU#NASDAQ">BIDU</a>) with a Buy rating and a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/BIDU/analyst-ratings" rel="noreferrer noopener">$130&nbsp;price target</a>.
Jiang was surprised by the pressure on Baidu&#8217;s stock yesterday despite a generally <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/25/02/43778265/baidu-q4-earnings-ai-cloud-grows-margin-slides-expects-ai-investments-to-bear-fruit-in-2025" rel="noreferrer noopener">in-line quarter</a> with an upsized beat in AI Cloud growth.
The analyst remains a firm believer in the accelerating adoption of generative AI in China in fiscal 2025, catalyzed by DeepSeek&#8217;s breakthroughs, and views full-stack service providers like Baidu as key beneficiaries of this trend, with cross-selling monetization opportunities against a highly competitive environment.
Also Read: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/25/02/43813469/analog-devices-beats-q1-estimates-raises-dividend-as-automotive-revenue-declines" rel="noreferrer noopener">Analog Devices Beats Q1 Estimates, Raises Dividend As Automotive Revenue Declines</a>
Baidu&#8217;s decision to open-source its <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/emerging-markets/25/02/43691826/not-just-deepseek-chinas-ai-landscape-heats-up-as-baidu-launches-free-ernie-bot" rel="noreferrer noopener">upcoming ERNIE 4.5 series</a> and offer ERNIE Bot for free access should further drive broader adoption. While Jiang acknowledged market concerns surrounding search, management has guided for a gradual recovery in ad growth, with a return to growth expected in the second half.
Additionally, the integration of generative AI in search presents new monetization opportunities, particularly in transaction-based verticals.
The analyst acknowledged the global challenge of search engines competing against new traffic gateways (Chatbot) yet noted that it&#8217;s still too early to discount Baidu&#8217;s efforts to transform its search business through AI.
Along with minimum asset value recognition <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/02/43806974/baidus-robotaxi-service-hits-1-1-million-paid-rides-in-q4-expands-to-hong-kong-as-1st-operator-allowed-to-test-autonomous-vehicles" rel="noreferrer noopener">in robotaxi and</a> the expected acceleration of share buybacks, he noted an attractive risk/reward profile for Baidu stock.
With the expected growth in generative AI adoption, the analyst raised his fiscal 2025 Cloud growth projection to 20% (versus 17% prior).
Jiang noted that search engines globally are facing ongoing debates about rising competition from Chatbot as new user gateways, yet indicated that Baidu&#8217;s decision to make its ERNIE Bot free should help to level the playing field.&nbsp;&nbsp;
On the monetization front, the analyst noted that the company will prioritize user experience but nevertheless sees viable monetization opportunities, especially in Agent.
AI Agent&#8217;s strength in mastering complex, non-standardized service portfolios is conducive to transaction-based verticals, which Baidu has largely exposed to.
In light of anticipated monetization in the second half, Jiang left his fiscal 2025 core ad growth projection unchanged at flat.
Baidu plans to focus on scaling its domestic robotaxi operations, exploring asset-light operating models, and expanding its international presence.
While Apollo Go operates at a comparable scale as Waymo in terms of quarterly rides completed, there&#8217;s minimal or no asset value reflected in the stock, which the analyst noted presents an attractive optionality for investors; admittedly, valuation catalysts remain to be materialized. Regarding capital allocation, Baidu is committed to advancing its AI capabilities and has pledged to accelerate its buyback program in fiscal 2025 to enhance shareholder returns.
Jiang projected fiscal 2025 revenue of $19.033 billion and EPS of $11.81. He expects fiscal 2026 revenue of $20.098 billion and EPS of $12.95.
Price Action: BIDU stock is down 2.30% at $88.09 at last check Wednesday.
Also Read:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43813234/fiverr-q4-earnings-beats-estimates-projects-strong-2025-growth-ai-innovation-expands" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Fiverr Beats Estimates In Q4, Projects AI-Powered Expansion And Rising Buyer Spend</a></li>
</ul>
Image by testing on Shutterstock

Price Target

Reiteration

Analyst Ratings

Baidu's AI Cloud, Robotaxi Growth And Accelerated Buybacks Position It For Strong 2025: Analyst

Benchmark analyst Fawne Jiang reiterates Baidu (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BIDU#NASDAQ">BIDU</a>) with a Buy and maintains $130 price target.

Benchmark Reiterates Buy on Baidu, Maintains $130 Price Target

US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick&#8216;s hedge fund Cantor Fitzgerald LP increased the firm&#8217;s exposure to Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) and Chinese technology companies during the fourth quarter of 2024, when Donald Trump was reelected as the President.
What Happened: Lutnick is the chairman and CEO of Cantor Fitzgerald, who was Trump&#8217;s pick to serve as the U.S. Secretary of Commerce. The fund added many Bitcoin-related stocks and exchange-traded funds to its portfolio in the fourth quarter amid the span of the U.S. elections, results for which were declared on Nov. 5.
Here are the key changes made to the fund&#8217;s portfolio during the quarter.
<ul>
<li>While Coinbase Global Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/COIN#NASDAQ">COIN</a>) was already a part of Fitzgerald&#8217;s portfolio during the third quarter, the stake was increased by 66% in the fourth quarter. However, the fund also added other stocks involved with BTC acquisition to its portfolio.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Michael Saylor&#8216;s Strategy Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSTR#NASDAQ">MSTR</a>), formerly MicroStrategy, and MARA Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MARA#NASDAQ">MARA</a>) were the new entrants in Fitzgerald&#8217;s portfolio. While the fund added a staggering 3,580,131 shares of MSTR worth $1.036 billion in the fourth quarter, about 170,362 of MARA were added.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Similarly, Fitzgerald was already exposed to BTC through one of its ETF holdings, iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IBIT#NASDAQ">IBIT</a>). It purchased an additional 1,127,368 shares or 221% of IBIT in the fourth quarter.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Other Bitcoin-related ETFs that the fund added to its portfolio included Grayscale Bitcoin Trust (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GBTC#NYSE">GBTC</a>), Fidelity Wise Origin Bitcoin Fund (BATS:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FBTC#BATS">FBTC</a>), and Bitwise Bitcoin ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BITB#NYSE">BITB</a>).</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Apart from BTC, the company also increased its existing position in iShares Ethereum Trust ETF (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ETHA#NASDAQ">ETHA</a>) by 35,750 shares or 140% to a value of $1.550 million.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Along with the cryptocurrency exposure, Cantor Fitzgerald was seen increasing stakes in China-based technology companies as it boosted its stake in Alibaba Group Holding Ltd ADR (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BABA#NYSE">BABA</a>) by 2504%, valued at $5.012 million, as of the fourth quarter.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Fitzgerald further hiked its holdings in Baidu Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BIDU#NASDAQ">BIDU</a>) and JD.Com Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/JD#NASDAQ">JD</a>) by 333% and 98%, respectively.</li>
</ul>
<figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"> 
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Company</td>
<td>Holdings (as of Sept. 30)</td>
<td>Holdings (as of Dec. 31)</td>
<td>Change (in %)</td>
<td>Value As Of Dec. 31</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Strategy Inc. </td>
<td>0</td>
<td>3,580,131</td>
<td>0%</td>
<td>$1.036 billion</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>MARA Holdings Inc. </td>
<td>0</td>
<td>170,362</td>
<td>0%</td>
<td>$2.856 million</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Coinbase Global Inc. </td>
<td>2,401</td>
<td>3,988</td>
<td>66%</td>
<td>$990,000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF </td>
<td>509,386</td>
<td>1,636,754</td>
<td>221%</td>
<td>$86.829 million</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>iShares Ethereum Trust ETF </td>
<td>25,555</td>
<td>61,305</td>
<td>140%</td>
<td>$1.550 million</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Grayscale Bitcoin Trust</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>7,150</td>
<td>0%</td>
<td>$529,000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Fidelity Wise Origin Bitcoin Fund </td>
<td>0</td>
<td>4,987</td>
<td>0%</td>
<td>$406,000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Bitwise Bitcoin ETF</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>4,336</td>
<td>0%</td>
<td>$220,000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Alibaba Group Holding Ltd ADR </td>
<td>2,270</td>
<td>59,119</td>
<td>2504%</td>
<td>$5.012 million</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Baidu Inc. </td>
<td>92,330</td>
<td>399,975</td>
<td>333%</td>
<td>$33.721 million</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>JD.Com Inc. </td>
<td>36,740</td>
<td>72,745</td>
<td>98%</td>
<td>$2.522 million</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Source: <a href="https://13f.info/13f/000092963825000760/compare/000092963824003880">13F.info</a></figcaption></figure>
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/market-summary/25/02/43806017/alibabas-q4-shakeup-many-asian-funds-exit-while-us-based-funds-like-ubs-oconnor-marathon-assetmark-cantor-fitzgerald-double-down">Alibaba Sees Asian Funds Exiting In Q4 Even As Their US Peers UBS O&#8217;Connor, Marathon, AssetMark, And Cantor Fitzgerald Double Down</a>
Why It Matters: According to its 13F filings with the SEC, the fund had 275 holdings valued at $5.020 billion as of the fourth quarter.
The Senate confirmed Howard Lutnick as Trump&#8217;s commerce secretary on Tuesday with a 51-45 vote, which fell along party lines. Lutnick had previously served as an adviser during Trump&#8217;s transition to his second term in the White House.
As Lutnick is part of the Trump 2.0 cabinet it is unclear if he will continue to serve as the CEO of the fund. Meanwhile, the fund has many co-CEOs including Pascal Bandelier, Sage Kelly, and Christian Wall.
Read Next:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43805475/big-bets-on-ai-powered-precision-medicine-major-funds-from-ark-and-jpmorgan-to-blackrock-and-citadel-add-tempus-ai-to-their-portfolio">Tempus AI Sees Surge In Institutional Holdings In Q4: Cathie Wood&#8217;s Ark Invest, JPMorgan, And BlackRock Load Up On TEM Stock</a></li>
</ul>
Photo courtesy: Cantor Fitzgerald

Coverage of Bitcoin, Etherum, Ripple and all the latest digital currencies.

Cryptocurrency

Market Summary

Hedge Funds

ETFs

$BTC

Bitwise Bitcoin ETF Common Shares of Beneficial Interest

BITB

COIN

ETHA

Fidelity Wise Origin Bitcoin Fund Fidelity Wise Origin Bitcoin Fund

FBTC

GBTC

IBIT

MARA

MSTR

US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick's Cantor Fitzgerald Increases Bitcoin Exposure Via ETFs, MSTR, MARA; Adds Chinese Firms Like BABA, Baidu, JD In Q4

The Future Fund Managing Partner Gary Black highlighted key metrics from Baidu Inc.&#8217;s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BIDU#NASDAQ">BIDU</a>) autonomous driving progress, noting that the company&#8217;s robotaxi service achieved 1.1 million paid rides in <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/25/02/43778265/baidu-q4-earnings-ai-cloud-grows-margin-slides-expects-ai-investments-to-bear-fruit-in-2025">the fourth quarter</a> of 2024, jumping 36% year-over-year, according to his post on X.
What Happened: Black emphasized three critical developments: the service&#8217;s transition to 100% fully driverless operations with no remote operators, a cumulative total of 9 million robotaxi rides, and Baidu&#8217;s groundbreaking entry into Hong Kong as the first ride-hailing operator permitted to test its autonomous platform there.
The Hong Kong expansion in November marks Baidu&#8217;s first venture into a right-hand drive, left-hand traffic market, demonstrating the platform&#8217;s adaptability to different driving environments.
During the earnings call, CEO Robin Li underscored the company&#8217;s decade-long investment in autonomous driving technology, noting that Apollo Go operates in &#8220;one of the most challenging environments&#8221; due to complex traffic conditions in China. 
The company deploys its sixth-generation autonomous vehicle, the RT6, specifically designed for robotaxi operations.
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"> 
<div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">From today's <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%24BIDU&amp;src=ctag&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">$BIDU</a> earnings call on autonomous driving: &#8211; # paid robotaxi rides 1.1M in 4Q +36% YoY &#8211; cumulative robotaxi rides now 9 million &#8211; 100% fully driverless (no remote operator) &#8211; In Nov, Baidu was granted a permit to test its robotaxi platform in Hong Kong &#8211; the first… <a href="https://t.co/45Mxskhvyy">pic.twitter.com/45Mxskhvyy</a>
&mdash; Gary Black (@garyblack00) <a href="https://twitter.com/garyblack00/status/1891984980143673389?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 18, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/02/43806398/grab-stock-is-up-52-over-the-past-year-but-investor-adam-khoo-warns-of-weak-economic-moat-and-growth-limits">Grab Stock Is Up 52% Over The Past Year, But Investor Adam Khoo Warns Of Weak &#8216;Economic Moat&#8217; And Growth Limits</a>
Why It Matters: Baidu plans to accelerate its growth through an asset-light approach, partnering with mobility service providers and local entities for efficient scaling. This expansion comes as the company competes with Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) and Alphabet Inc.&#8216;s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>) (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>) Waymo in the autonomous vehicle space.
The robotaxi milestone accompanied Baidu&#8217;s broader fourth-quarter results, where the company reported revenue of $4.68 billion, exceeding analyst estimates despite a 2% year-over-year decline. The company&#8217;s AI Cloud business showed particular strength, growing 26% during the quarter.
Read Next: 
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43802574/bitcoin-ethereum-dogecoin-slide-further-while-stocks-rally-analyst-spots-a-good-sign-for-eths-mid-term-and-long-term-price-outlooks">Bitcoin, Ethereum, Dogecoin Slide As Stocks Rally: Analyst Spots &#8216;Good Sign&#8217; For ETH&#8217;s Mid-Term And Long-Term Price Outlooks</a></li>
</ul>
Image Via Shutterstock
Disclaimer:&nbsp;This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

Baidu's Robotaxi Service Hits 1.1 Million Paid Rides In Q4, Expands To Hong Kong As 1st Operator Allowed To Test Autonomous Vehicles

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Date	Put/Call	Strike Price	Exp Date	DTE	Trade Vol	Day Vol	Vol / OI	OI	Trade Type	Sentiment
02:05 PMFeb 14, 2025	CALL	$100.00	Aug 15, 2025	163	883	800	44	1996	TRADE	BULLISH
12:17 PMFeb 13, 2025	PUT	$100.00	Jan 16, 2026	317	512	500	62	823	TRADE	BULLISH