Baidu is set to release its third-quarter results on Tuesday, with analysts closely monitoring revenue growth in its artificial intelligence cloud business. The company's overall revenue is expected to decline year-over-year, with advertising revenue showing a downturn.
Third Quarter Projections: - Revenue forecast at 30.87 billion yuan; - Baidu Core revenue estimated at 24.3 billion yuan; - iQiyi revenue projected at 6.75 billion yuan; - Adjusted earnings per ADS anticipated at 7.72 yuan; - Adjusted operating profit expected at 2.12 billion yuan; - Adjusted EBITDA predicted at 4.16 billion yuan; - Monthly active users estimated at 723.23 million; - Baidu Core adjusted operating profit forecast at 2.1 billion yuan.
Fourth Quarter Outlook: - Revenue projected at 33.13 billion yuan.
Analyst Commentary: Bloomberg Intelligence: "Baidu's outlook remains challenging, with the company poised to report another weak quarter that may further erode confidence in its growth prospects."
Citi (Buy rating, target price $166): The firm expects Baidu's cloud business to demonstrate "steady performance," but notes that "advertising revenue will continue to face headwinds as Baidu transitions search results to AI-generated content."