Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META – Get Free Report) shares were down 2.3% during mid-day trading on Wednesday . The stock traded as low as $570.60 and last traded at $570.98. Approximately 15,427,432 shares traded hands during trading, a decline of 5% from the average daily volume of 16,236,786 shares. The stock had previously closed at $584.59.
More Meta Platforms News
Here are the key news stories impacting Meta Platforms this week:
- Positive Sentiment: Meta is deepening its AI infrastructure push in India by partnering with Reliance Industries on a 168 MW AI-enabled data center, a sign it is still investing aggressively to support long-term AI growth and capacity needs. Meta ties up with Ambani’s Reliance for AI data center in India
- Positive Sentiment: Several market write-ups and analyst notes remained bullish, highlighting Meta’s scale, strong cash generation, and a possible new subscription revenue stream that could add roughly $20 billion in business over time. Meta is building a new $20B business, Truist says
- Positive Sentiment: Meta continues to get support from bulls arguing the stock looks inexpensive relative to its growth, which may help stabilize sentiment after recent weakness. Wall Street Is Missing the Bigger Picture: Why This Historically Cheap Advertising Juggernaut Is a No-Brainer Buy Right Now
- Neutral Sentiment: Meta also announced workforce and training initiatives tied to its AI data-center buildout, reinforcing its infrastructure spending but not providing an immediate earnings catalyst. Meta funds skilled trades jobs program for AI data center buildout
- Neutral Sentiment: Meta remains a heavily discussed stock, but some of the recent coverage is more about valuation and investor positioning than a fresh fundamental change. Here is What to Know Beyond Why Meta Platforms, Inc. (META) is a Trending Stock
- Negative Sentiment: EU regulators ordered Meta to restore rival AI chatbot access on WhatsApp during an antitrust review, which raises the risk of limits on how Meta controls its messaging ecosystem and AI distribution. EU regulators order Meta to allow rival AI chatbots free access to WhatsApp
- Negative Sentiment: Meta and Instagram security issues are also in focus after reports that an AI bug enabled hackers to take over tens of thousands of Instagram accounts, adding another reputational and regulatory overhang. Meta A.I. Bug Allowed Hackers to Take Over Instagram Accounts
- Negative Sentiment: The company is also facing legal uncertainty after a court denied a new trial in a landmark youth social-media addiction case, keeping litigation risk on the table. Meta and Google denied new trial after landmark verdict in youth social media addiction case
Analyst Ratings Changes
Several equities analysts recently issued reports on META shares. Stifel Nicolaus lowered their price target on Meta Platforms from $805.00 to $780.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, May 1st. Wolfe Research lowered their price target on Meta Platforms from $850.00 to $800.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, April 10th. Raymond James Financial upgraded Meta Platforms from an “underperform” rating to an “outperform” rating in a research note on Tuesday, June 2nd. KeyCorp reiterated an “overweight” rating and issued a $760.00 price objective on shares of Meta Platforms in a research note on Thursday, April 30th. Finally, Citizens Jmp reiterated a “market outperform” rating and issued a $900.00 price objective on shares of Meta Platforms in a research note on Tuesday, April 21st. Three analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirty-five have issued a Buy rating, nine have assigned a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $840.60.
Meta Platforms Stock Performance
The company has a market capitalization of $1.44 trillion, a P/E ratio of 20.76, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.04 and a beta of 1.23. The firm has a 50 day moving average price of $620.77 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $636.68. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.24, a quick ratio of 2.35 and a current ratio of 2.35.
Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META – Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, April 29th. The social networking company reported $10.44 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $6.67 by $3.77. The business had revenue of $56.31 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $55.56 billion. Meta Platforms had a return on equity of 36.93% and a net margin of 32.84%.Meta Platforms’s revenue for the quarter was up 33.1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $6.43 EPS. On average, research analysts expect that Meta Platforms, Inc. will post 29.35 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
Meta Platforms Dividend Announcement
The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, June 25th. Investors of record on Monday, June 15th will be given a dividend of $0.525 per share. The ex-dividend date is Monday, June 15th. This represents a $2.10 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.4%. Meta Platforms’s dividend payout ratio is 7.63%.
Insider Buying and Selling at Meta Platforms
In related news, CTO Andrew Bosworth sold 7,847 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, May 18th. The stock was sold at an average price of $607.83, for a total transaction of $4,769,642.01. Following the sale, the chief technology officer directly owned 414 shares in the company, valued at $251,641.62. This represents a 94.99% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. The sale was made to cover tax withholding obligations related to the vesting of equity awards. Also, Director Robert M. Kimmitt sold 504 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, June 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $629.29, for a total value of $317,162.16. Following the sale, the director owned 3,943 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,481,290.47. This trade represents a 11.33% decrease in their ownership of the stock. 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. Insiders sold 41,305 shares of company stock worth $25,567,928 over the last 90 days. Company insiders own 13.53% of the company’s stock.
Institutional Inflows and Outflows
Several large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Curry Webb Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in Meta Platforms during the 1st quarter worth $265,000. FAS Wealth Partners Inc. lifted its holdings in Meta Platforms by 5.2% during the 1st quarter. FAS Wealth Partners Inc. now owns 19,965 shares of the social networking company’s stock worth $11,423,000 after buying an additional 986 shares in the last quarter. Robinswood Financial LLC acquired a new position in Meta Platforms during the 1st quarter worth $199,000. First National Bank of Mount Dora Trust Investment Services lifted its holdings in Meta Platforms by 36.2% during the 1st quarter. First National Bank of Mount Dora Trust Investment Services now owns 16,347 shares of the social networking company’s stock worth $9,353,000 after buying an additional 4,345 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Pine Valley Investments Ltd Liability Co lifted its holdings in Meta Platforms by 7.4% during the 1st quarter. Pine Valley Investments Ltd Liability Co now owns 36,139 shares of the social networking company’s stock worth $20,676,000 after buying an additional 2,483 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 79.91% of the company’s stock.
About Meta Platforms
Meta Platforms, Inc (NASDAQ: META), formerly Facebook, Inc, is a global technology company best known for building social networking services and immersive computing platforms. Founded in 2004 and headquartered in Menlo Park, California, the company operates a family of consumer-facing products and services that connect users, creators and businesses. In October 2021 the company rebranded as Meta to reflect an expanded strategic focus on augmented and virtual reality technologies alongside its social media businesses.
Meta’s core consumer products include Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and Messenger, which enable social networking, messaging, content sharing and community building across mobile and desktop devices.
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