Meta Platforms, Inc. $META Stock: Modera Wealth Management LLC Increases Position

Modera Wealth Management LLC raised its stake in shares of Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META) by 20.4% in the 3rd quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The firm owned 13,101 shares of the social networking company’s stock after acquiring an additional 2,219 shares during the period. Modera Wealth Management LLC’s holdings in Meta Platforms were worth $9,500,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other large investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Advantage Trust Co purchased a new stake in shares of Meta Platforms during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $28,000. Philadelphia Investment Partners LLC bought a new position in Meta Platforms during the second quarter valued at $32,000. Horizons Wealth Management bought a new position in Meta Platforms during the third quarter valued at $33,000. Axiom Investment Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of Meta Platforms in the 1st quarter worth $36,000. Finally, Schuylkill Financial LLC purchased a new position in shares of Meta Platforms in the 2nd quarter worth $36,000. 79.91% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Insider Transactions at Meta Platforms

In related news, CTO Andrew Bosworth sold 7,848 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, August 18th. The stock was sold at an average price of $558.00, for a total transaction of $4,379,184.00. Following the transaction, the chief technology officer owned 828 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $462,024. This represents a 90.46% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, insider Christopher Cox sold 40,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated 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 transaction, the insider owned 184,516 shares in the company, valued at approximately $131,515,624.16. This represents a 17.82% decrease in their position. 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 have sold a total of 151,090 shares of company stock worth $103,150,807 over the last three months. 13.53% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Meta Platforms Price Performance

Meta Platforms stock opened at $605.08 on Friday. The stock has a market capitalization of $1.55 trillion, a P/E ratio of 20.63, a P/E/G ratio of 1.09 and a beta of 1.28. The company’s fifty day moving average price is $674.18 and its 200 day moving average price is $632.13. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.30, a quick ratio of 1.90 and a current ratio of 1.90. Meta Platforms, Inc. has a 1 year low of $520.26 and a 1 year high of $779.82.

Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, October 22nd. The social networking company reported $7.40 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $6.54 by $0.86. The company 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 for the quarter was up 26.1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $7.25 earnings per share. As a group, equities research analysts anticipate that Meta Platforms, Inc. will post 29.01 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Meta Platforms Dividend Announcement

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, September 28th. Investors of record on Monday, September 21st were given a $0.5250 dividend. This represents a $2.10 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.3%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, September 21st. Meta Platforms’s payout ratio is 7.16%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

META has been the topic of several analyst reports. Wells Fargo & Company reduced their price objective on Meta Platforms from $1,000.00 to $995.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, October 22nd. DZ Bank reaffirmed a “buy” rating on shares of Meta Platforms in a research note on Thursday, July 30th. New Street Research dropped their target price on Meta Platforms from $730.00 to $700.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Friday, July 31st. BMO Capital Markets boosted their target price on Meta Platforms from $580.00 to $685.00 and gave the company a “market perform” rating in a research report on Thursday, October 22nd. Finally, Wolfe Research reiterated an “outperform” rating and set a $700.00 price objective on shares of Meta Platforms in a research report on Thursday, July 30th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, forty-seven have issued a Buy rating and seven have given a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $833.12.

Trending Headlines about Meta Platforms

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

• Positive Sentiment: Meta made its Muse Voice AI available to U.S. users, including voice and video conversations with its consumer AI agent. Wider access could help the company build engagement with its AI products. Meta says US users can now video chat with their Muse AI avatar
• Positive Sentiment: Meta acquired Conductor, a startup that uses multiple AI agents to help build software projects, adding technology and talent to its AI development efforts. Meta acquires AI coding startup Conductor
• Neutral Sentiment: Meta completed a $15 billion senior-notes offering. Strong investor demand supports its ability to raise funds, but the borrowing adds to scrutiny of the cost of financing its AI expansion. Meta Platforms Completes $15 Billion Senior Notes Offering
• Negative Sentiment: Meta, Google and TikTok sued California’s attorney general to block a law restricting features considered addictive for users under 16. The legal challenge highlights continuing regulatory and litigation exposure around youth safety. Meta, Google, and TikTok sue California AG over teen social media law
• Negative Sentiment: Meta’s president warned that political and community opposition over data-center power and water use could make new facilities harder to build. That could complicate the infrastructure buildout needed to support AI growth. Meta warns election backlash against data centers could make AI expansion harder
• Negative Sentiment: Coverage of Meta’s debut euro bond sale pointed to borrowing costs above Alphabet’s, adding to investor concern about the expense of funding the company’s large AI spending plans. Meta Paid 1.4 Times What Alphabet Did to Borrow in Euros
• Negative Sentiment: Delhi Police filed a case concerning child sexual abuse material on Meta’s platforms after intervention by India’s child-rights authorities, creating potential reputational and legal risk. Child Abuse Material On Meta Platforms Flagged, Delhi Police Files FIR After NHRC Intervention

Meta Platforms Profile

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.