Baidu.com, Inc. (ADR) (BIDU) Bites Back at Qihoo 360 Technology Co Ltd (QIHU)

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Qihoo 360 Technology Co Ltd (NYSE:QIHU) invaded Baidu.com, Inc. (ADR) (NASDAQ:BIDU)‘s home turf of Chinese search, and now Baidu is relishing the chance to be the away team.

China’s leading search engine issued a press release yesterday, proclaiming that its antivirus software suite has received certification from West Coast Labs.

Baidu.com, Inc. (ADR) (NASDAQ:BIDU)

Baidu.com, Inc. (ADR) (NASDAQ:BIDU) Antivirus was introduced four months ago as a way free way for users on Windows desktops, laptops, and tablets to protect files and browsers from viruses and other online maladies.

There’s no denying why Baidu.com, Inc. (ADR) (NASDAQ:BIDU) entered the antivirus market. This is where Qihoo 360 Technology Co Ltd (NYSE:QIHU) has earned its reputation. Given the popularity of its free antivirus solutions and its popular browser, Qihoo 360 decided the time was right to roll out a search engine last summer.

The new search engine has proven popular, and the market’s been pounding Baidu ever since. If Baidu.com, Inc. (ADR) (NASDAQ:BIDU) can find a way to beat Qihoo 360 Technology Co Ltd (NYSE:QIHU) at its own Internet security game, the logic follows that it would be able to win its way back as a Wall Street and search darling.

There’s good news on the search front.

T.H. Capital reports that recent gains at Qihoo 360 Technology Co Ltd (NYSE:QIHU) in search have come largely from non-Baidu providers. The report — as retold by Barron’s — shows that Baidu.com, Inc. (ADR) (NASDAQ:BIDU)’s market share in terms of page views has only declined from 70.1% to 70% over the past two months. Qihoo 360 is still gaining. Its share of China’s lucrative searches has grown from 13.8% to 14.7% in that time. However, it continues to be a case of consumers that weren’t on Baidu switching to Qihoo 360.

Baidu’s market share was 71.5% at the start of the year, but if it’s starting to stabilize here, that’s almost as welcome news as it would be if Qihoo 360 Technology Co Ltd (NYSE:QIHU) begins losing market share.

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