Compare Opera Limited (OPRA) 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 Opera Limited (OPRA) a "Buy" — based on 7 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 Opera Limited at 13.9x. On forward P/E, Baidu, Inc. is actually cheaper at 2.3x. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: Baidu, Inc. wins at 0.04x versus Opera Limited's 0.91x — a PEG below 1.0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, Opera Limited (OPRA) delivered a total return of +32.8%, compared to -53.2% for Baidu, Inc. (BIDU). A $10,000 investment in OPRA five years ago would be worth approximately $13K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: OPRA returned +22.1% 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 Opera Limited's 1.54β — meaning OPRA is approximately 76% more volatile than BIDU relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Opera Limited (OPRA) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 1% versus 28% for Baidu, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

Baidu, Inc. (BIDU) is the more profitable company, earning 17.8% net margin versus 16.8% for Opera Limited — meaning it keeps 17.8% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: OPRA leads at 19.2% versus 16.0% for BIDU. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — OPRA leads at 72.4%, 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.

The PEG ratio (forward P/E divided by expected earnings growth rate) is the most precise measure of undervaluation relative to growth potential. By this metric, Baidu, Inc. (BIDU) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0.04x versus Opera Limited's 0.91x. A PEG below 1.0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, Baidu, Inc. (BIDU) trades at 2.3x forward P/E versus 11.3x for Opera Limited — 9.0x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for OPRA: 72.1% to $21.50.

In this comparison, OPRA (3.3% yield) pays a dividend. BIDU does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for 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)). Opera Limited (OPRA) carries a higher beta of 1.54 — 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%, OPRA: +22.1%), 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. OPRA pays a dividend while BIDU does not, making them suitable for different income and tax situations. 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.