Nicola Wealth Management LTD. Buys 1,500 Shares of Meta Platforms, Inc. $META

Nicola Wealth Management LTD. lifted its stake in shares of Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META) by 3.8% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 41,000 shares of the social networking company’s stock after purchasing an additional 1,500 shares during the quarter. Meta Platforms accounts for about 2.7% of Nicola Wealth Management LTD.’s portfolio, making the stock its 9th largest position. Nicola Wealth Management LTD.’s holdings in Meta Platforms were worth $30,110,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in META. Bare Financial Services Inc acquired a new stake in shares of Meta Platforms during the second quarter valued at about $30,000. Briaud Financial Planning Inc bought a new position in Meta Platforms in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $42,000. Knuff & Co LLC bought a new position in Meta Platforms in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $44,000. WFA Asset Management Corp boosted its position in Meta Platforms by 42.6% during the 2nd quarter. WFA Asset Management Corp now owns 67 shares of the social networking company’s stock worth $49,000 after buying an additional 20 shares during the period. Finally, Spurstone Advisory Services LLC bought a new stake in Meta Platforms during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $59,000. Institutional investors own 79.91% of the company’s stock.

Meta Platforms Price Performance

Meta Platforms stock opened at $668.99 on Thursday. The stock has a market capitalization of $1.69 trillion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 28.47, a PEG ratio of 1.18 and a beta of 1.28. Meta Platforms, Inc. has a 52-week low of $479.80 and a 52-week high of $796.25. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.27, a quick ratio of 2.60 and a current ratio of 2.60. The stock’s 50 day moving average price is $655.74 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $695.72.

Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, January 28th. The social networking company reported $8.88 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $8.16 by $0.72. The company had revenue of $59.89 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $58.33 billion. Meta Platforms had a net margin of 30.08% and a return on equity of 38.61%. Meta Platforms’s quarterly revenue was up 23.8% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company earned $8.02 EPS. On average, equities analysts predict that Meta Platforms, Inc. will post 26.7 earnings per share for the current year.

Meta Platforms Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, December 23rd. Stockholders of record on Monday, December 15th were paid a $0.525 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Monday, December 15th. This represents a $2.10 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.3%. Meta Platforms’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 8.94%.

Trending Headlines about Meta Platforms

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

• Positive Sentiment: Meta reported strong Q4 results and gave a very aggressive ~30% Q1 revenue guide, which has led analysts to lift price targets and underpins the bullish case. Meta Platforms Posted Its Fastest Growth Guide in Years—Now What?
• Positive Sentiment: Several broker actions reinforce buy-side sentiment: Cantor Fitzgerald raised its price target (to $860) and Barclays reiterated an Overweight rating; Argus reiterated a Buy — supportive for medium-term upside. Cantor Fitzgerald Hikes Price Target on Meta Platforms, Inc. (META) to $860, Maintains Overweight Rating Barclays Keeps an Overweight rating on Meta Platforms, Inc. (META) Argus Reiterates “Buy” Rating for Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META)
• Positive Sentiment: Institutional demand: Davis Selected Advisers has boosted its Meta stake, a sign of conviction from a value-oriented manager. Davis Selected Advisers boosts Meta Platforms stake
• Positive Sentiment: Coverage arguing Meta is monetizing AI better than peers adds to the bull narrative that ad/AI revenue upside can continue. Meta Beats Microsoft At AI Monetization – Here’s Why
• Neutral Sentiment: Meta expanded a clean‑energy PPA with Zelestra for the 176 MWdc Skull Creek solar plant in Texas — supports 100% renewable matching but is a long-dated, non-revenue ESG move. Zelestra Expands Relationship with Meta in the US, with a New Power Purchase Agreement for the 176 MWdc Skull Creek Solar Plant in Texas
• Neutral Sentiment: Long-term infrastructure context: commentary on AI’s power needs and Meta’s agreements (e.g., with Oklo/SMR developers) highlight heavy, multi-year capital intensity for AI infrastructure — strategic but costly. The Atomic Pivot: AI’s $50 Billion Power Move
• Negative Sentiment: Regulatory risk: India’s top court questioned WhatsApp’s data‑sharing with Meta entities and warned of reimposing restrictions — a potential headwind for user trust and growth in a key market. India’s top court questions WhatsApp policy of sharing user data with Meta entities
• Negative Sentiment: Insider selling: COO Javier Olivan disclosed a sale of 517 shares (~$369k), a small reduction in holdings; typically viewed as minor but can feed short‑term profit‑taking narratives. SEC Filing – Javier Olivan sale
• Negative Sentiment: Cost/capex worries: commentary that AI capex and Meta’s rising 2026 spending could dent margins has investors taking profits after the big rally. AI Capex Clouds Tech Horizon, Even as Meta and Tesla Shine Meta: Still A ‘Buy,’ But Nearing The End Of Its Run As Expenses Mount

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several equities analysts have recently issued reports on the stock. Barclays reaffirmed an “overweight” rating and set a $800.00 price target (up previously from $770.00) on shares of Meta Platforms in a research note on Thursday, January 29th. The Goldman Sachs Group reaffirmed a “buy” rating on shares of Meta Platforms in a report on Tuesday, October 14th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft upped their price target on Meta Platforms from $880.00 to $920.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, January 29th. Monness Crespi & Hardt raised their price objective on Meta Platforms from $808.00 to $890.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, January 29th. Finally, Piper Sandler upped their target price on Meta Platforms from $840.00 to $880.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Thursday, January 29th. Five investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, forty-one have given a Buy rating and seven have issued a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $848.50.

Insider Activity at Meta Platforms

In other news, insider Jennifer Newstead sold 519 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, December 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $658.69, for a total transaction of $341,860.11. Following the completion of the sale, the insider owned 28,658 shares in the company, valued at $18,876,738.02. The trade was a 1.78% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, COO Javier Olivan sold 517 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, February 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $714.60, for a total value of $369,448.20. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief operating officer owned 9,615 shares in the company, valued at approximately $6,870,879. This represents a 5.10% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders sold 39,594 shares of company stock valued at $24,325,407 in the last three months. Corporate insiders own 13.61% 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.