JPMorgan Upgrades Baidu on AI and Cloud Growth Prospects
JPMorgan has elevated Baidu to overweight, setting a $188 price target for its U.S.-listed shares—a 69% upside from previous levels. Analyst Alex Yao cites the company's accelerating pivot toward cloud services and AI infrastructure as the Core driver, with markets yet to price in the transition.
Baidu's cloud revenue is projected to surge from 23% in 2025 to 61% in 2026, fueled by demand for its Kunlun AI chips. "Domestic appetite for AI compute in China remains insatiable," Yao notes, highlighting hyperscalers' shift to local providers. GPU compute revenue is expected to maintain triple-digit growth as enterprises rush to train proprietary models on homegrown hardware.
The bank warns of potential cannibalization in legacy ad businesses as AI-native marketing services—forecast to grow 55% annually by 2026—reshape revenue streams. Baidu's strategic positioning mirrors broader trends in Asian tech, where AI infrastructure investments are eclipsing traditional digital services.