Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META) Stock Price Down 4% on Insider Selling

Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META)’s stock price dropped 4% on Thursday following insider selling activity. The company traded as low as $583.80 and last traded at $605.08. Approximately 27,948,845 shares changed hands during trading, an increase of 54% from the average daily volume of 18,156,109 shares. The stock had previously closed at $630.00.

Specifically, COO Javier Olivan sold 629 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Monday, November 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $614.15, for a total transaction of $386,300.35. Following the sale, the chief operating officer owned 833 shares in the company, valued at $511,586.95. This trade represents a 43.02% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, 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 value of $580,985.90. Following the completion of the sale, the chief operating officer directly owned 4,094 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,514,330.10. This represents a 18.77% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several research firms recently commented on META. Mizuho upped their target price on Meta Platforms from $750.00 to $950.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Thursday, October 22nd. HSBC decreased their price target on Meta Platforms from $905.00 to $830.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, July 30th. Jefferies Financial Group lifted their price target on Meta Platforms from $710.00 to $875.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Tuesday, September 22nd. Yorkville Ives began coverage on shares of Meta Platforms in a research note on Tuesday, October 6th. They set an “outperform” rating and a $900.00 price objective for the company. Finally, Citizens Jmp reaffirmed a “market outperform” rating and set a $885.00 price objective on shares of Meta Platforms in a research note on Thursday, October 22nd. Three analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, forty-seven have issued a Buy rating and seven have assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $833.12.

Trending Headlines about Meta Platforms

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

• Positive Sentiment: Meta expanded access to Muse Voice, allowing U.S. users to call and video chat with its AI assistant. Wider consumer adoption could support Meta’s AI ambitions, though the financial impact is not yet clear. Article: Meta says US users can now video chat with their Muse AI avatar
• Positive Sentiment: Meta acquired Conductor, an AI coding startup that uses multiple agents to work on software projects in parallel. The deal could strengthen its AI tools and engineering capabilities, although terms were not reported. Article: Meta acquires AI coding startup Conductor
• Neutral Sentiment: Meta and other tech companies sued to block a California law restricting social-media algorithms for young users. A successful challenge could preserve how Meta personalizes content, but the litigation adds regulatory uncertainty. Article: Google, Meta, TikTok sue to block California youth social media law
• Negative Sentiment: Meta’s AI buildout faces possible delays: the company’s president warned that election-related opposition could make new data centers harder to build. Concerns about facilities’ power and water use could also invite tighter rules, raising execution and infrastructure risks. Article: Meta warns election backlash against data centers could make AI expansion harder
• Negative Sentiment: Reports on Meta’s euro bond sale point to higher borrowing costs than Alphabet faced, reinforcing investor concerns about how the company will fund its AI spending. Meta has also raised substantial debt in the U.S. for its expansion, adding to the focus on capital intensity and returns. Article: 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 platforms following intervention by Indian authorities. The matter could add legal, reputational and compliance pressure. Article: Child Abuse Material On Meta Platforms Flagged, Delhi Police Files FIR

Meta Platforms Stock Down 4.0%

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 has a market cap of $1.55 trillion, a PE ratio of 20.63, a PEG ratio of 1.08 and a beta of 1.28. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $673.61 and a 200-day moving average price of $632.21.

Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, October 22nd. The social networking company reported $7.40 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $6.54 by $0.86. Meta Platforms had a net margin of 31.15% and a return on equity of 30.73%. The firm had revenue of $64.60 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $63.34 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $7.25 earnings per share. Meta Platforms’s revenue for the quarter was up 26.1% compared to the same quarter last year. Research analysts expect that Meta Platforms, Inc. will post 29.01 EPS for the current year.

Meta Platforms Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, September 28th. Shareholders of record on Monday, September 21st were paid a dividend of $0.5250 per share. 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 currently 7.16%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Meta Platforms

Large investors have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Horizons Wealth Management acquired a new stake in Meta Platforms during the 3rd quarter valued at $33,000. Advantage Trust Co purchased a new stake in Meta Platforms during the 2nd quarter worth $28,000. Prudent Man Investment Management Inc. lifted its holdings in Meta Platforms by 116.7% in the 3rd quarter. Prudent Man Investment Management Inc. now owns 52 shares of the social networking company’s stock worth $38,000 after buying an additional 28 shares in the last quarter. Philadelphia Investment Partners LLC acquired a new position in Meta Platforms in the 2nd quarter worth $32,000. Finally, Axiom Investment Management LLC purchased a new position in Meta Platforms in the 1st quarter valued at about $36,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 79.91% of the company’s stock.

About Meta Platforms

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.