iQIYI, Inc. Sponsored ADR (NASDAQ:IQ) Given Consensus Recommendation of "Hold" by Analysts

Key Points

• Analysts give iQIYI a consensus "Hold" rating from four covering firms (1 sell, 1 hold, 2 buy), with an average 1‑year price target of $2.5467.
• Institutional investors own about 52.69% of the stock, with recent activity including stake increases by Parallel Advisors (+20.8%), SBI Securities (+199.7%), SG Americas (+33.0%) and a new ~$1.2M position by Catalyst Funds.
• Shares opened at $1.26 (near the 1‑year low of $1.25 vs. high of $2.84), the company has a market cap of $1.21B, a negative P/E (-42), debt/equity of 0.76 and weak liquidity ratios (current 0.47, quick 0.44).

iQIYI, Inc. Sponsored ADR (NASDAQ:IQ - Get Free Report) has been given a consensus recommendation of "Hold" by the four analysts that are currently covering the stock, MarketBeat.com reports. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell recommendation, one has given a hold recommendation and two have given a buy recommendation to the company. The average 1 year target price among brokers that have covered the stock in the last year is $2.5467.

Several analysts have weighed in on the stock. Zacks Research raised shares of iQIYI from a "strong sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Thursday, March 12th. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a "sell (d)" rating on shares of iQIYI in a research note on Monday, December 29th. Jefferies Financial Group reiterated a "buy" rating and issued a $2.22 price objective on shares of iQIYI in a research report on Thursday, February 26th. Finally, Morgan Stanley set a $2.10 price objective on iQIYI in a research note on Wednesday, November 19th.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On iQIYI

Several institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Parallel Advisors LLC grew its holdings in iQIYI by 20.8% in the 4th quarter. Parallel Advisors LLC now owns 29,472 shares of the company's stock worth $57,000 after acquiring an additional 5,077 shares during the last quarter. SBI Securities Co. Ltd. raised its stake in shares of iQIYI by 199.7% during the second quarter. SBI Securities Co. Ltd. now owns 45,021 shares of the company's stock valued at $80,000 after acquiring an additional 29,999 shares during the last quarter. Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio boosted its holdings in shares of iQIYI by 1.6% during the third quarter. Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio now owns 432,300 shares of the company's stock worth $1,107,000 after purchasing an additional 6,900 shares during the period. Catalyst Funds Management Pty Ltd purchased a new stake in shares of iQIYI during the fourth quarter worth about $1,205,000. Finally, SG Americas Securities LLC grew its stake in shares of iQIYI by 33.0% in the second quarter. SG Americas Securities LLC now owns 1,571,432 shares of the company's stock worth $2,781,000 after purchasing an additional 390,088 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 52.69% of the company's stock.

iQIYI Stock Down 2.3%

Shares of IQ opened at $1.26 on Wednesday. iQIYI has a 1 year low of $1.25 and a 1 year high of $2.84. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.76, a current ratio of 0.47 and a quick ratio of 0.44. The stock has a 50 day simple moving average of $1.81 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $2.10. The firm has a market cap of $1.21 billion, a P/E ratio of -42.00 and a beta of 0.10.

iQIYI Company Profile

iQIYI, Inc is a leading online entertainment service provider headquartered in Beijing, China, offering a comprehensive portfolio of streaming video content across multiple genres. The company operates a subscription-based video-on-demand (SVOD) platform, complemented by advertising-supported content (AVOD) and pay-per-view offerings. Its digital library encompasses original series, feature films, variety shows, animation and documentaries, catering to diverse demographic segments and viewer preferences.

Originally launched by Baidu in 2010 as an online video site, iQIYI was formally rebranded in early 2012 and has since expanded its footprint beyond China's domestic market.

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