Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META) Trading 2.2% Higher – Still a Buy?

Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META) shares were up 2.2% during trading on Monday . The company traded as high as $634.75 and last traded at $627.45. Approximately 14,722,530 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 3% from the average daily volume of 15,136,299 shares. The stock had previously closed at $613.71.

Meta Platforms News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: Large Nebius AI agreement: Meta announced a multi‑year AI infrastructure pact (initial $12B dedicated capacity, up to $27B total) — a clear commitment to scale AI products that can drive future ad and platform monetization. Meta signs deal worth up to $27 billion with Nebius for AI infrastructure
• Positive Sentiment: Market reaction to cost-cutting signals: Reuters reports and subsequent headlines saying Meta is preparing up to 20% workforce reductions have been interpreted as potential near‑term savings that improve free cash flow as CapEx climbs. That drove early strength in the stock. Meta shares jump after Reuters report on plans for layoffs of 20% or more
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst support: JPMorgan reiterated an Overweight rating and an $825 price target amid the headlines, which likely helped buying interest on the dip. Analysts set Meta stock price target
• Positive Sentiment: Potential cost savings quantified: J.P. Morgan estimates a 20% cut could save Meta roughly $5–6B annually, providing a concrete savings anchor for investors weighing high CapEx. Meta Could Save Over $6 Billion if It Cuts 20% of Jobs. It May Not Make Much of a Dent, Says J.P.
• Neutral Sentiment: Relative competitive view: Some analyst pieces contrast Meta with faster-growing ad players (e.g., Reddit), highlighting both Meta’s scale and the macro/regulatory risks that cap upside vs. peers. RDDT vs. META: Which Digital Advertising Stock Has an Edge Right Now?
• Neutral Sentiment: Investor takes vary: Several op-eds and bulls view the pullback as buyable given strong ad trends and long-term AI upside, while others flag execution risk; this keeps sentiment mixed. Delays, Compute Deals, And Sky-High CapEx: Why I’m Still Bullish On Meta
• Negative Sentiment: Huge AI CapEx and execution risk: Reports cite planned AI-related CapEx as high as ~$135B this year and delayed compute/model rollouts — a reminder that scale-up costs and product delays could pressure margins and free cash flow. Meta signs deal worth up to $27 billion with Nebius for AI infrastructure
• Negative Sentiment: Operational/headline risk from layoffs and advertiser friction: Layoff plans create execution and reputational risks, and new advertiser payment-policy complaints could weigh on advertiser confidence if they spread. Why some Facebook and Instagram advertisers are freaking out about a new payment policy

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of equities research analysts recently weighed in on the company. BMO Capital Markets boosted their price objective on Meta Platforms from $710.00 to $730.00 and gave the stock a “market perform” rating in a research report on Thursday, January 29th. Jefferies Financial Group increased their target price on Meta Platforms from $910.00 to $1,000.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, January 29th. Canaccord Genuity Group boosted their price target on Meta Platforms from $900.00 to $930.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, January 29th. Wolfe Research reiterated an “outperform” rating and issued a $850.00 price objective (up from $800.00) on shares of Meta Platforms in a report on Thursday, January 29th. Finally, Monness Crespi & Hardt lifted their target price on shares of Meta Platforms from $808.00 to $890.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, January 29th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirty-nine have issued a Buy rating and seven have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $844.44.

Meta Platforms Price Performance

The company has a fifty day moving average of $653.25 and a 200 day moving average of $676.88. The firm has a market capitalization of $1.59 trillion, a P/E ratio of 26.70, a PEG ratio of 0.95 and a beta of 1.30. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.27, a current ratio of 2.60 and a quick ratio of 2.60.

Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, January 28th. The social networking company reported $8.88 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $8.16 by $0.72. The firm had revenue of $59.89 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $58.33 billion. Meta Platforms had a net margin of 30.08% and a return on equity of 38.61%. The company’s revenue was up 23.8% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $8.02 EPS. Sell-side 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 will be paid on Thursday, March 26th. Investors of record on Monday, March 16th will be paid a dividend of $0.525 per share. This represents a $2.10 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.3%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, March 16th. Meta Platforms’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 8.94%.

Insider Activity at Meta Platforms

In other news, CFO Susan J. Li sold 56,571 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, February 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of $644.70, for a total value of $36,471,323.70. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, CTO Andrew Bosworth sold 8,089 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, February 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $631.24, for a total value of $5,106,100.36. Following the sale, the chief technology officer owned 2,841 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,793,352.84. The trade was a 74.01% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders have sold a total of 160,349 shares of company stock worth $102,743,026 over the last quarter. Company insiders own 13.61% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Meta Platforms

Institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Trust Co of the South lifted its position in shares of Meta Platforms by 0.8% during the 3rd quarter. Trust Co of the South now owns 1,850 shares of the social networking company’s stock valued at $1,359,000 after acquiring an additional 14 shares during the period. Sentinel Pension Advisors LLC grew its holdings in Meta Platforms by 1.6% in the third quarter. Sentinel Pension Advisors LLC now owns 915 shares of the social networking company’s stock worth $672,000 after purchasing an additional 14 shares during the period. Alpine Bank Wealth Management increased its stake in Meta Platforms by 0.3% in the third quarter. Alpine Bank Wealth Management now owns 4,301 shares of the social networking company’s stock valued at $3,159,000 after purchasing an additional 14 shares in the last quarter. Valued Wealth Advisors LLC increased its stake in Meta Platforms by 3.2% in the third quarter. Valued Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 454 shares of the social networking company’s stock valued at $334,000 after purchasing an additional 14 shares in the last quarter. Finally, First National Bank Sioux Falls raised its holdings in shares of Meta Platforms by 0.7% during the fourth quarter. First National Bank Sioux Falls now owns 2,001 shares of the social networking company’s stock valued at $1,321,000 after purchasing an additional 14 shares during the period. 79.91% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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.