BIDU shares soared Wednesday after the company reported first-quarter net earnings of 35.2 million yuan ($4.4 million), or 1.02 yuan a share (13 cents), vs. 2.5 million yuan in the year-earlier period. Excluding certain items, the profit came in at 16 cents a share. Revenue nearly tripled to 135.6 million yuan ($16.9 million) from 45.7 million yuan. Analysts polled by Thomson First Call had forecast earnings of 12 cents a share on revenue of $15 million.