Meta Platforms (META) Projected to Post Earnings on Wednesday

Posted by Brenda Bartman on Oct 20th, 2026

Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META – Get Free Report) is projected to post its Q3 2026 results after the market closes on Wednesday, October 21st. Analysts expect Meta Platforms to post earnings of $6.53 per share and revenue of $63.34 billion for the quarter. Individuals are encouraged to explore the company’s upcoming Q3 2026 earnings summary page for the latest details on the call scheduled for Wednesday, October 21, 2026 at 4:30 PM ET.

Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META – Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, July 29th. The social networking company reported $6.18 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $7.19 by ($1.01). The business had revenue of $60.80 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $60.22 billion. Meta Platforms had a return on equity of 33.18% and a net margin of 29.83%. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 28.0% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $7.14 EPS. On average, analysts expect Meta Platforms to post $28.81 EPS for the current fiscal year and $34.77 EPS for the next fiscal year.

Meta Platforms Trading Down 0.5%

Shares of META stock opened at $705.44 on Tuesday. The company has a market cap of $1.80 trillion, a P/E ratio of 26.57, a PEG ratio of 1.20 and a beta of 1.19. The stock has a 50 day simple moving average of $657.99 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $627.42. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.32, a quick ratio of 2.23 and a current ratio of 2.23. Meta Platforms has a fifty-two week low of $520.26 and a fifty-two week high of $779.82.

Meta Platforms Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, September 28th. Shareholders of record on Monday, September 21st were issued a dividend of $0.5250 per share. This represents a $2.10 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.3%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, September 21st. Meta Platforms’s dividend payout ratio is presently 7.91%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several analysts have recently commented on META shares. HSBC reduced their price objective on shares of Meta Platforms from $905.00 to $830.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, July 30th. Susquehanna dropped their target price on shares of Meta Platforms from $900.00 to $650.00 and set a “positive” rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, July 30th. Scotiabank reiterated a “sector perform” rating and set a $600.00 target price (down from $700.00) on shares of Meta Platforms in a research report on Thursday, July 30th. Loop Capital increased their target price on shares of Meta Platforms from $740.00 to $955.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, September 24th. Finally, TD Cowen reissued a “buy” rating and set a $865.00 target price on shares of Meta Platforms in a research note on Thursday, October 8th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, forty-seven have issued a Buy rating and eight have given a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $811.24.

Get Our Latest Stock Report on Meta Platforms

Key Stories Impacting Meta Platforms

Here are the key news stories impacting Meta Platforms this week:

Positive Sentiment: Meta’s advertising business is viewed as benefiting from improved ad performance, distribution scale and the company’s ability to monetize its large user base. Strong ad growth could support the bullish case if management also demonstrates disciplined spending. Accelerating Ad Business and Distribution Scale Create Compelling Value at Meta Platforms
Positive Sentiment: Meta’s earnings report is being treated as an important test of investor confidence in the AI trade after a sell-off in semiconductor and other AI-related stocks. Evidence that AI investments are driving advertising, engagement or new products could improve sentiment across the sector. Week Ahead: Meta, Tesla Earnings to Test AI Trade
Neutral Sentiment: Meta is considered relatively attractively valued versus some social-media peers, including Reddit, but the stock’s premium valuation leaves limited room for an earnings miss. Are You Overpaying for Reddit Stock Versus Its Rivals?
Neutral Sentiment: Meta’s planned large AI data center in Louisiana could support long-term computing capacity and local hiring, although the project also underscores the company’s substantial capital-expenditure requirements. Louisiana Residents Are Training for Jobs at Meta’s Largest-Ever AI Data Center
Negative Sentiment: Analysts are highlighting elevated capital expenditures, potential margin pressure and a demanding valuation as key risks ahead of earnings. Any indication that AI spending is accelerating faster than monetization could weigh on the shares. Should You Buy, Sell, or Hold META Stock Before Q3 Earnings Release?
Negative Sentiment: Meta apologized after suspending the “No Kings” Instagram account, creating a limited reputational and content-moderation overhang. Separately, scrutiny of always-listening AI wearables raises longer-term privacy and legal risks for Meta’s device strategy. Meta Apologizes After Suspending “No Kings” Instagram Account

Insider Buying and Selling at Meta Platforms

In other Meta Platforms news, insider Christopher K. Cox sold 40,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, September 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $712.76, for a total value of $28,510,400.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider owned 184,516 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $131,515,624.16. This trade represents a 17.82% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, CFO Susan J. Li sold 9,196 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, August 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $550.61, for a total value of $5,063,409.56. Following the sale, the chief financial officer owned 13,186 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $7,260,343.46. This represents a 41.09% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Insiders sold 148,331 shares of company stock worth $101,233,569 in the last quarter. Company insiders own 13.53% of the company’s stock.

Meta Platforms Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Meta Platforms, Inc is a technology company that develops social networking, messaging, virtual and augmented reality, and artificial intelligence products. The company’s principal platforms include Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, WhatsApp, and Threads, which enable users to connect, communicate, share content, and discover products and services.

Meta also operates Reality Labs, its division focused on virtual, augmented, and mixed reality technologies. Reality Labs develops products such as Meta Quest virtual reality headsets and related software and experiences, along with research and hardware intended to support immersive computing.