HK Stock Market Move | BIDU-SW(09888) rises more than 3%, plans to repurchase up to 5 billion US dollars, and is expected to pay dividends for the first time in 2026.

BIDU-SW (09888) rose more than 3%, as of the time of writing, up 2.77%, at HK$141, with a turnover of HK$24.49 billion. On the news front, on the morning of February 5, Baidu Group announced that the company has authorized a new stock repurchase plan aimed at further enhancing shareholder returns, with a maximum repurchase amount of $5 billion USD, valid until December 31, 2028. In addition, to further enhance shareholder returns, the board has approved the adoption of a dividend policy for the company's common stock, which may include regular and/or special dividends. The board expects to announce the first dividend distribution in 2026. Citigroup expects Baidu to announce dividend distribution at the upcoming release of the fourth quarter 2025 earnings or the first quarter 2026 earnings in May. After the recent weakness in the market, Baidu's stock price appears more attractive, especially against the backdrop of the proposed spin-off of Kunlun Xint. JPMorgan Chase points out that Baidu's AI transformation is becoming clearer, with improvements in user acceptance of AI capabilities, the integration of AI products with existing mobile internet services, and operational efficiency.