Compare Nebius Group N.V. (NBIS) vs Baidu, Inc. (BIDU) Stock

Baidu, Inc. (BIDU) offers the better valuation at 13.8x trailing P/E (2.3x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Nebius Group N.V. (NBIS) a "Buy" — based on 4 analyst ratings — the highest consensus in this comparison. The "better buy" depends entirely on your goals: growth investors should weight revenue trajectory, value investors should weight P/E and PEG, and income investors should weight dividend yield and streak.

On trailing P/E, Baidu, Inc. (BIDU) is the cheapest at 13.8x versus Nebius Group N.V. at 964.7x.

Over the past 5 years, Nebius Group N.V. (NBIS) delivered a total return of +430.6%, compared to -53.2% for Baidu, Inc. (BIDU). A $10,000 investment in NBIS five years ago would be worth approximately $53K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: NBIS returned +430.6% versus BIDU's -23.7%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.

By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Baidu, Inc. (BIDU) is the lower-risk stock at 0.88β versus Nebius Group N.V.'s 2.48β — meaning NBIS is approximately 183% more volatile than BIDU relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Baidu, Inc. (BIDU) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 28% versus 106% for Nebius Group N.V. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

Nebius Group N.V. (NBIS) is the more profitable company, earning 19.2% net margin versus 17.8% for Baidu, Inc. — meaning it keeps 19.2% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: BIDU leads at 16.0% versus -112.5% for NBIS. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — NBIS leads at 68.6%, reflecting greater pricing power or product mix advantage. Stronger margins indicate durable pricing power, lower cost of revenue, or higher mix of software/services. They are one of the clearest signs of business quality.

Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for NBIS: 33.1% to $141.20.

None of the stocks in this comparison currently pay a material dividend. All are effectively zero-yield and should be held for capital appreciation rather than income.

For long-horizon retirement investors, Baidu, Inc. (BIDU) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.88)). Nebius Group N.V. (NBIS) carries a higher beta of 2.48 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (BIDU: -23.7%, NBIS: +430.6%), confirming both are viable long-term holds — but the lower-volatility option typically results in less emotional selling during corrections. Retirement portfolios generally favour predictability over maximum returns. Consult a financial advisor before making allocation decisions.

Both stocks operate in the Communication Services sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both. In terms of investment character: NBIS is a mid-cap quality compounder stock; BIDU is a mid-cap deep-value stock. These fundamental differences mean investors should not choose between them on a single metric — the "better stock" depends entirely on which of these characteristics aligns with your investment strategy.