Baidu Inc. (BIDU) Advances But Underperforms Market: Key Facts

Baidu Inc. (BIDU) closed the latest trading day at $88.81, indicating a +0.2% change from the previous session's end. This change lagged the S&P 500's 0.36% gain on the day. Elsewhere, the Dow lost 0.28%, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq added 0.51%.The web search company's stock has climbed by 8.96% in the past month, exceeding the Computer and Technology sector's of 0% and the S&P 500's gain of 2.11%.The investment community will be paying close attention to the earnings performance of Baidu Inc. in its upcoming release. The company is slated to reveal its earnings on February 18, 2025. The company's earnings per share (EPS) are projected to be $1.78, reflecting a 42.21% decrease from the same quarter last year. In the meantime, our current consensus estimate forecasts the revenue to be $4.56 billion, indicating a 7.31% decline compared to the corresponding quarter of the prior year.Any recent changes to analyst estimates for Baidu Inc. should also be noted by investors. These recent revisions tend to reflect the evolving nature of short-term business trends. As a result, upbeat changes in estimates indicate analysts' favorable outlook on the company's business health and profitability.Our research shows that these estimate changes are directly correlated with near-term stock prices. Investors can capitalize on this by using the Zacks Rank. This model considers these estimate changes and provides a simple, actionable rating system.The Zacks Rank system, running from #1 (Strong Buy) to #5 (Strong Sell), holds an admirable track record of superior performance, independently audited, with #1 stocks contributing an average annual return of +25% since 1988. Over the past month, the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate has shifted 1.74% downward. Baidu Inc. currently has a Zacks Rank of #4 (Sell).In terms of valuation, Baidu Inc. is presently being traded at a Forward P/E ratio of 9.6. This signifies a discount in comparison to the average Forward P/E of 23.04 for its industry.We can additionally observe that BIDU currently boasts a PEG ratio of 1.62. The PEG ratio bears resemblance to the frequently used P/E ratio, but this parameter also includes the company's expected earnings growth trajectory. The Internet - Services industry currently had an average PEG ratio of 1.76 as of yesterday's close.The Internet - Services industry is part of the Computer and Technology sector. This industry, currently bearing a Zacks Industry Rank of 78, finds itself in the top 32% echelons of all 250+ industries.The Zacks Industry Rank assesses the strength of our separate industry groups by calculating the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks contained within the groups. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1.To follow BIDU in the coming trading sessions, be sure to utilize Zacks.com.7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 DaysJust released: Experts distill 7 elite stocks from the current list of 220 Zacks Rank #1 Strong Buys. They deem these tickers "Most Likely for Early Price Pops."Since 1988, the full list has beaten the market more than 2X over with an average gain of +24.3% per year. So be sure to give these hand picked 7 your immediate attention. See them now >>Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Baidu, Inc. (BIDU): Free Stock Analysis ReportTo read this article on Zacks.com click here.Zacks Investment ResearchWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks