Decoding Baidu's Options Activity: What's the Big Picture?
Investors with a lot of money to spend have taken a bearish stance on Baidu (NASDAQ:BIDU).
And retail traders should know.
We noticed this today when the trades showed up on publicly available options history that we track here at Benzinga.
Whether these are institutions or just wealthy individuals, we don't know. But when something this big happens with BIDU, it often means somebody knows something is about to happen.
So how do we know what these investors just did?
Today, Benzinga's options scanner spotted 30 uncommon options trades for Baidu.
This isn't normal.
The overall sentiment of these big-money traders is split between 26% bullish and 56%, bearish.
Out of all of the special options we uncovered, 9 are puts, for a total amount of $514,438, and 21 are calls, for a total amount of $1,605,850.
What's The Price Target?
Analyzing the Volume and Open Interest in these contracts, it seems that the big players have been eyeing a price window from $45.0 to $120.0 for Baidu during the past quarter.
Insights into Volume & Open Interest
Assessing the volume and open interest is a strategic step in options trading. These metrics shed light on the liquidity and investor interest in Baidu's options at specified strike prices. The forthcoming data visualizes the fluctuation in volume and open interest for both calls and puts, linked to Baidu's substantial trades, within a strike price spectrum from $45.0 to $120.0 over the preceding 30 days.
Baidu Option Volume And Open Interest Over Last 30 Days
Biggest Options Spotted:
| Symbol | PUT/CALL | Trade Type | Sentiment | Exp. Date | Ask | Bid | Price | Strike Price | Total Trade Price | Open Interest | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BIDU | CALL | TRADE | BULLISH | 09/19/25 | $3.65 | $3.55 | $3.65 | $100.00 | $346.7K | 9.7K | 3.1K |
| BIDU | CALL | TRADE | BULLISH | 09/19/25 | $3.55 | $3.4 | $3.5 | $100.00 | $227.5K | 9.7K | 1.0K |
| BIDU | CALL | TRADE | BULLISH | 12/19/25 | $4.9 | $4.75 | $4.9 | $110.00 | $209.2K | 1.6K | 430 |
| BIDU | CALL | TRADE | BEARISH | 07/25/25 | $3.3 | $3.1 | $3.1 | $90.00 | $155.0K | 4.0K | 1.0K |
| BIDU | PUT | TRADE | NEUTRAL | 12/19/25 | $9.8 | $9.65 | $9.73 | $95.00 | $97.3K | 185 | 100 |
About 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.
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.
Where Is Baidu Standing Right Now?
- With a volume of 3,491,778, the price of BIDU is up 0.03% at $92.48.
- RSI indicators hint that the underlying stock may be approaching overbought.
- Next earnings are expected to be released in 28 days.
What Analysts Are Saying About Baidu
Over the past month, 3 industry analysts have shared their insights on this stock, proposing an average target price of $110.33.
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. Click here for access.
* An analyst from Jefferies persists with their Buy rating on Baidu, maintaining a target price of $110.
* Consistent in their evaluation, an analyst from Citigroup keeps a Buy rating on Baidu with a target price of $140.
* An analyst from Barclays has decided to maintain their Equal-Weight rating on Baidu, which currently sits at a price target of $81.
Trading options involves greater risks but also offers the potential for higher profits. Savvy traders mitigate these risks through ongoing education, strategic trade adjustments, utilizing various indicators, and staying attuned to market dynamics. Keep up with the latest options trades for Baidu with Benzinga Pro for real-time alerts.
