Baidu unveils first-ever dividend and US$5 billion buy-back amid AI race



Search-engine leader Baidu introduced its first-ever dividend policy and unveiled a three-year share buy-back programme of US$5 billion on Thursday, briefly sending its shares sharply higher, as the Chinese artificial intelligence heavyweight sought to shore up investor confidence amid intensifying competition.

The company said in a stock exchange filing that its board had approved a share repurchase programme running through the end of 2028.

Baidu also declared its first-ever dividend payment this year, which may include regular or special distributions.

Its shares rose 1 per cent to HK$138.50 as of noon trading break, after earlier jumping as much as 2.4 per cent following the announcement.

The buy-back programme and dividend plan were in line with expectations, said analysts led by Alicia Yap at Citigroup in a note, adding that a more consistent and transparent approach to shareholder returns was likely aimed at improving investor confidence and would be “viewed positively by the market”.

They expect Baidu to formally declare the dividend either when it reports its fourth-quarter 2025 earnings or alongside its first-quarter 2026 results in May.

  • Related Posts

    Can Pop Mart turn viral hits into lasting icons? Molly and Labubu offer the answer

    Around a decade ago, aboard a train winding through China’s landscape, Wang Ning, the founder and chairman of Beijing-founded international art toy brand Pop Mart, shared with designer Kenny Wong…

    Continue reading
    China housing market shows no clear turning point as price declines continue

    Mainland China’s new and existing home prices posted a smaller month-on-month decline in January, but the annual drop widened, indicating a housing market that has yet to find a clear…

    Continue reading

    Leave a Reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *