Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META – Get Free Report)‘s stock had its “buy” rating reiterated by investment analysts at TD Cowen in a report released on Thursday, Benzinga reports. They presently have a $865.00 target price on the social networking company’s stock. TD Cowen’s target price would indicate a potential upside of 19.76% from the stock’s current price.
A number of other analysts also recently issued reports on META. Scotiabank reaffirmed a “sector perform” rating and issued a $600.00 price objective (down from $700.00) on shares of Meta Platforms in a research note on Thursday, July 30th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their price objective on Meta Platforms from $820.00 to $920.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Thursday, September 24th. Canaccord Genuity Group lifted their price objective on Meta Platforms from $930.00 to $950.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, September 25th. HSBC reduced their price objective on Meta Platforms from $905.00 to $830.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, July 30th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group reaffirmed a “buy” rating and issued a $725.00 price objective (down from $815.00) on shares of Meta Platforms in a research note on Thursday, August 27th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, forty-four have given a Buy rating and ten have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, Meta Platforms currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $791.86.
Check Out Our Latest Analysis on META
Meta Platforms Price Performance
Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META – Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, July 29th. The social networking company reported $6.18 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $7.19 by ($1.01). Meta Platforms had a net margin of 29.83% and a return on equity of 33.18%. The business had revenue of $60.80 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $60.22 billion. During the same period last year, the business posted $7.14 EPS. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 28.0% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, research analysts anticipate that Meta Platforms will post 27.94 EPS for the current year.
Insider Activity
In related news, CAO Aaron Anderson sold 3,240 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, September 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $618.06, for a total transaction of $2,002,514.40. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief accounting officer owned 6,271 shares in the company, valued at $3,875,854.26. The trade was a 34.07% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, CEO Mark Zuckerberg sold 27,474 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, September 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $777.44, for a total value of $21,359,386.56. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. In the last quarter, insiders have sold 148,222 shares of company stock worth $101,033,627. Company insiders own 13.53% of the company’s stock.
Institutional Inflows and Outflows
Large investors have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Auto Owners Insurance Co grew its holdings in Meta Platforms by 76,587.7% during the fourth quarter. Auto Owners Insurance Co now owns 105,292,277 shares of the social networking company’s stock worth $69,502,379,000 after acquiring an additional 105,154,977 shares during the period. Corient Private Wealth LP lifted its position in shares of Meta Platforms by 723.1% in the second quarter. Corient Private Wealth LP now owns 8,801,764 shares of the social networking company’s stock valued at $4,957,946,000 after acquiring an additional 7,732,446 shares in the last quarter. Jupiter Topco LLC purchased a new position in shares of Meta Platforms in the second quarter valued at approximately $2,948,486,000. Corient Private Wealth LLC lifted its position in shares of Meta Platforms by 488.1% in the fourth quarter. Corient Private Wealth LLC now owns 5,466,595 shares of the social networking company’s stock valued at $3,608,445,000 after acquiring an additional 4,537,076 shares in the last quarter. Finally, State Street Corp lifted its position in shares of Meta Platforms by 4.0% in the second quarter. State Street Corp now owns 92,033,963 shares of the social networking company’s stock valued at $51,841,811,000 after acquiring an additional 3,510,123 shares in the last quarter. 79.91% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.
Meta Platforms News Summary
Here are the key news stories impacting Meta Platforms this week:
- Positive Sentiment: Muse expansion strengthens Meta’s AI narrative. Meta launched a dedicated iPad app for Muse shortly after its mobile debut, while the assistant has reached the top of app-store download charts. The company and Sierra also announced an open protocol, backed by businesses including Shopify, Stripe and Walmart, to let AI agents interact with merchants—potentially creating new commerce and advertising opportunities. Meta’s Muse launches on iPad Meta and Sierra launch protocol
- Positive Sentiment: Analyst optimism remains elevated. Wells Fargo raised its price target to $1,000 from $796 and maintained an Overweight rating, citing enthusiasm for the Muse product cycle. A potential future public-cloud business has also been proposed as another way Meta could monetize its AI infrastructure. Wells Fargo raises Meta price target
- Neutral Sentiment: AI glasses offer long-term upside but execution is uncertain. Meta currently leads the smart-glasses category, and AI could make the devices a major consumer platform. However, the opportunity requires sustained adoption and a viable business model. AI Smart Glasses Will Be Huge
- Negative Sentiment: Florida’s legal action is the clearest near-term pressure. The state’s attorney general is seeking restrictions that could bar users under 14 and limit or disable engagement features such as infinite scroll for teens. Such changes could reduce user engagement, advertising inventory and the effectiveness of Meta’s core platforms. Florida AG seeks to ban users under 14
- Negative Sentiment: Investors are increasingly focused on AI spending and cash flow. Reports say Meta is burning cash at a historically high rate to build AI infrastructure, raising concerns about when those investments will generate returns. Meta also faces a potentially significant New Mexico penalty related to youth-safety litigation. AI infrastructure and cash flow
- Negative Sentiment: COO Javier Olivan sold shares. The sales were conducted under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 plan, limiting their significance, but the transactions may still add modestly to investor caution after Meta’s strong run. Meta insider transaction filing
Meta Platforms Company Profile
Meta Platforms, Inc is a technology company that develops social networking, messaging, virtual and augmented reality, and artificial intelligence products. The company operates a global family of apps that includes Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, WhatsApp and Threads, enabling users to connect, communicate, share content and discover communities.
Meta generates most of its business through digital advertising displayed across its platforms. Its products serve individuals, creators, businesses and organizations in markets around the world, while its advertising tools help businesses reach audiences based on factors such as interests, activity and demographics.
Through its Reality Labs division, Meta develops virtual and augmented reality hardware, software and services, including the Meta Quest line of headsets and related experiences.
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