Sanders Capital LLC cut its position in shares of Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META – Free Report) by 0.2% during the third quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The institutional investor owned 10,798,688 shares of the social networking company’s stock after selling 24,382 shares during the quarter. Meta Platforms comprises 7.7% of Sanders Capital LLC’s holdings, making the stock its 4th biggest position. Sanders Capital LLC’s holdings in Meta Platforms were worth $7,830,993,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.
Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. State Street Corp grew its holdings in shares of Meta Platforms by 4.0% during the 2nd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 92,033,963 shares of the social networking company’s stock worth $51,841,811,000 after purchasing an additional 3,510,123 shares in the last quarter. Bank of America Corp DE raised its stake in shares of Meta Platforms by 14.6% in the first quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 21,038,035 shares of the social networking company’s stock valued at $12,036,491,000 after purchasing an additional 2,673,494 shares in the last quarter. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC raised its stake in shares of Meta Platforms by 1.3% in the second quarter. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC now owns 12,836,063 shares of the social networking company’s stock valued at $7,230,426,000 after purchasing an additional 162,909 shares in the last quarter. Amundi raised its stake in shares of Meta Platforms by 18.1% in the first quarter. Amundi now owns 11,858,972 shares of the social networking company’s stock valued at $6,784,873,000 after purchasing an additional 1,815,017 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Dimensional Fund Advisors LP lifted its position in Meta Platforms by 4.0% in the first quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 10,429,812 shares of the social networking company’s stock worth $5,964,745,000 after purchasing an additional 404,948 shares during the period. 79.91% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.
Insiders Place Their Bets
In other news, COO Javier Olivan sold 946 shares of Meta Platforms stock in a transaction on Monday, November 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $614.15, for a total transaction of $580,985.90. Following the transaction, the chief operating officer directly owned 4,094 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $2,514,330.10. This trade represents a 18.77% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Insiders have sold 149,398 shares of company stock valued at $102,134,435 in the last quarter. Company insiders own 13.42% of the company’s stock.
Meta Platforms News Roundup
Here are the key news stories impacting Meta Platforms this week:
- Positive Sentiment: Meta’s Muse AI assistant is expanding to Apple Watch and Android Wear OS, giving users another way to access its AI services and potentially broadening adoption. Article: Meta’s AI agent Muse lands on Apple Watch and Android Wear OS
- Positive Sentiment: JPMorgan named Meta one of its preferred internet stocks, citing AI-driven advertising and future monetization opportunities. The endorsement may help investor confidence after recent pressure on the shares. Article: JPMorgan Just Added Meta Platforms to Its Analyst Focus List
- Positive Sentiment: ETF purchases exceeded sales on Friday, with 63 funds buying Meta shares and a reported net inflow of $211.9 million—an indication of institutional demand. Article: ETFs Bought $211.9 Million of Meta Platforms
- Neutral Sentiment: Short-interest figures conflict: one report says short positions rose 165.6% to 75.5 million shares as of October 30, while a later entry reports zero shares as of November 10. The inconsistency makes the latest data unreliable as a directional signal.
- Negative Sentiment: Investors continue to weigh the cost and payoff of Meta’s AI investment. Recent coverage cites negative free cash flow and a large legal charge that weighed on reported earnings, despite strong advertising growth. Article: Meta Platforms Stock: Is it a Steal of a Deal at $650?
- Negative Sentiment: Meta is expanding AI-based age checks for Instagram teens as lawsuits over harm to young users continue. The move may address safety concerns, but the litigation and regulatory exposure remain risks. Article: Meta expands Instagram’s AI age-guessing tech globally
Analyst Ratings Changes
Several equities research analysts have issued reports on META shares. TD Cowen lowered their price target on shares of Meta Platforms from $865.00 to $850.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, October 22nd. Guggenheim reissued a “buy” rating and issued a $850.00 target price on shares of Meta Platforms in a research note on Thursday, October 22nd. Citigroup increased their price target on shares of Meta Platforms from $895.00 to $905.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, October 22nd. Monness Crespi & Hardt reissued a “buy” rating and issued a $875.00 price target on shares of Meta Platforms in a research report on Thursday, October 22nd. Finally, Daiwa Securities Group cut their price target on shares of Meta Platforms from $790.00 to $687.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, August 4th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, forty-seven have given a Buy rating and seven have given a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $833.12.
Check Out Our Latest Research Report on Meta Platforms
Meta Platforms Price Performance
Shares of META stock opened at $641.39 on Wednesday. Meta Platforms, Inc. has a 52-week low of $520.26 and a 52-week high of $779.82. The stock has a market cap of $1.64 trillion, a PE ratio of 21.87, a PEG ratio of 1.11 and a beta of 1.28. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.30, a quick ratio of 1.90 and a current ratio of 1.90. The firm’s 50 day moving average price is $677.61 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $632.27.
Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META – Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, October 22nd. The social networking company reported $7.40 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $6.54 by $0.86. The business had revenue of $64.60 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $63.34 billion. Meta Platforms had a return on equity of 30.73% and a net margin of 31.15%. The firm’s revenue was up 26.1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the company earned $7.25 EPS. As a group, analysts forecast that Meta Platforms, Inc. will post 29.01 EPS for the current year.
Meta Platforms Announces Dividend
The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, September 28th. Shareholders of record on Monday, September 21st were issued a $0.5250 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Monday, September 21st. This represents a $2.10 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.3%. Meta Platforms’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 7.16%.
Meta Platforms Company Profile
Meta Platforms, Inc. is a global technology company that develops social networking, messaging, and digital communication products. Its services include Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Messenger, and Threads, which connect people and help businesses reach audiences around the world. The company also develops virtual and augmented reality products and technologies through its Reality Labs division, including Quest headsets and related software and services. Advertising is a central part of Meta’s business, with its platforms providing tools for businesses to promote products and services.
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