Loop Capital Markets willBaiduThe rating was upgraded from hold to buy due to its autonomous vehicle business and its relatively positive valuation after a recent decline.
Last week, Baidu's US-listed shares fell 19%, and analyst Rob Sanderson wrote that this was "an excellent opportunity to accumulate the stock."
Loop is optimistic about Baidu's Apollo business, stating that it is "far ahead in the commercialization of autonomous vehicles in China by many indicators."
The company wrote that the overall economic recovery will also support its search advertising business.
The price target has been raised from $210 to $290.
In addition, ARK Investment Management purchased a total of approximately 480,000 Baidu shares through three different ETFs.
