Baidu Price Target Raised To $140 As Stock (BIDU) Drops

Baidu Inc. (NASDAQ:BIDU), the Chinese internet search giant is navigating the complexities of an artificial intelligence-driven transformation while grappling with near-term revenue headwinds.

Citi analyst Alicia Yap reaffirmed a Buy rating on Baidu, raising the firm's price target from $138 to $140. Yap's bullish stance comes with a caveat: the ongoing shift in search queries towards AI-powered solutions is expected to negatively impact Baidu's Q2 2025 revenue.

However, the analyst believes that the current valuation presents an attractive entry point for investors willing to weather the storm.

Baidu's stock closed yesterday down 7.48%, as the $89 level once again failed to hold.

The key question on investors' minds is whether Baidu's aggressive foray into AI, exemplified by its ERNIE models and autonomous driving initiatives, will ultimately compensate for the potential decline in traditional search revenue. Baidu unveiled ERNIE 4.5 Turbo in April, featuring significant price reductions to broaden accessibility for developers and businesses. This model processes and generates content across various formats, including text, images, audio, and video. This move is crucial as Baidu seeks to compete with global AI leaders and establish itself as a dominant player in the rapidly evolving AI landscape.

Looking ahead to the upcoming Q2 2025 earnings release, analysts anticipate a challenging quarter. Consensus estimates point to an EPS of $2.05, a 29% year-over-year decline, and revenue of $4.61 billion, down approximately 1.4% from the previous year. For the full year, estimates are for $9.28 EPS and $18.73 billion in revenue. These figures highlight the expected near-term pain associated with Baidu's AI transition.

Beyond AI, Baidu's strategic expansion into autonomous driving through its Apollo Go Robotaxi platform represents another potential growth driver. The company's efforts to scale this platform both domestically and internationally position it as a leader in the autonomous driving space.