Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META) Stock Rated “Moderate Buy” by Sell-Side Analysts

Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META) has received a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” from the fifty-seven analysts that are presently covering the company, MarketBeat reports. Seven research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, forty-seven have issued a buy rating and three have issued a strong buy rating on the company. The average 1 year price target among analysts that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $833.12.

Several research firms recently issued reports on META. Benchmark reiterated a “hold” rating on shares of Meta Platforms in a report on Thursday, August 27th. UBS Group reaffirmed an “outperform” rating and issued a $920.00 price objective on shares of Meta Platforms in a research note on Thursday, October 22nd. Arete Research upped their target price on shares of Meta Platforms from $735.00 to $806.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, September 16th. Sanford C. Bernstein reaffirmed an “outperform” rating and set a $800.00 price objective (down from $850.00) on shares of Meta Platforms in a research note on Thursday, July 30th. Finally, Scotiabank increased their target price on Meta Platforms from $600.00 to $650.00 and gave the company a “sector perform” rating in a research note on Thursday, October 22nd.

Meta Platforms Stock Down 4.0%

Shares of NASDAQ:META opened at $605.08 on Friday. Meta Platforms has a 12 month low of $520.26 and a 12 month high of $779.82. The company’s 50-day moving average price is $674.18 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $632.13. The company has a quick ratio of 1.90, a current ratio of 1.90 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.30. The firm has a market cap 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.

Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META) last announced its earnings results 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 during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $63.34 billion. Meta Platforms had a net margin of 31.15% and a return on equity of 30.73%. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $7.25 earnings per share. The company’s revenue was up 26.1% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, research analysts forecast that Meta Platforms will post 29.01 EPS for the current fiscal 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%.

Key Stories Impacting 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

Insider Activity at Meta Platforms

In related news, CFO Susan Li sold 9,196 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction 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 completion of the sale, the chief financial officer owned 13,186 shares in the company, valued at $7,260,343.46. This represents a 41.09% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, CAO Aaron Anderson sold 3,240 shares of Meta Platforms stock in a transaction dated Thursday, September 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $618.06, for a total value of $2,002,514.40. Following the transaction, the chief accounting officer owned 6,271 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,875,854.26. This represents a 34.07% 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. Over the last quarter, insiders sold 151,090 shares of company stock valued at $103,150,807. 13.53% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Trading of Meta Platforms

A number of institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. Advantage Trust Co acquired a new stake in Meta Platforms in the second quarter valued at approximately $28,000. Philadelphia Investment Partners LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Meta Platforms during the second quarter worth approximately $32,000. Horizons Wealth Management acquired a new stake in Meta Platforms in the third quarter valued at $33,000. Axiom Investment Management LLC bought a new position in Meta Platforms during the 1st quarter valued at $36,000. Finally, Schuylkill Financial LLC bought a new stake in shares of Meta Platforms in the 2nd quarter worth about $36,000. 79.91% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

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’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.