Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META – Free Report) – Stock analysts at Erste Group Bank lifted their FY2027 earnings per share estimates for Meta Platforms in a research note issued to investors on Tuesday, March 24th. Erste Group Bank analyst H. Engel now expects that the social networking company will earn $34.33 per share for the year, up from their prior forecast of $34.20. Erste Group Bank currently has a “Buy” rating on the stock. The consensus estimate for Meta Platforms’ current full-year earnings is $26.70 per share.
Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META – Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, January 28th. The social networking company reported $8.88 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $8.16 by $0.72. Meta Platforms had a return on equity of 38.61% and a net margin of 30.08%.The company had revenue of $59.89 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $58.33 billion. During the same period last year, the business earned $8.02 earnings per share. Meta Platforms’s quarterly revenue was up 23.8% on a year-over-year basis.
Get Our Latest Stock Analysis on Meta Platforms
Meta Platforms Price Performance
Shares of NASDAQ META opened at $594.89 on Thursday. The stock has a market capitalization of $1.50 trillion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 25.31, a PEG ratio of 0.92 and a beta of 1.30. Meta Platforms has a 12 month low of $479.80 and a 12 month high of $796.25. The firm’s 50 day simple moving average is $647.29 and its 200-day simple moving average is $669.74. 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 Dividend Announcement
The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, March 26th. Stockholders of record on Monday, March 16th will be issued a dividend of $0.525 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, March 16th. This represents a $2.10 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.4%. Meta Platforms’s dividend payout ratio is presently 8.94%.
Insider Activity
In other news, Director Robert M. Kimmitt sold 580 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, March 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $632.02, for a total transaction of $366,571.60. Following the transaction, the director directly owned 4,427 shares in the company, valued at $2,797,952.54. The trade was a 11.58% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, CFO Susan J. Li sold 56,571 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, February 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of $644.70, for a total value of $36,471,323.70. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders sold 162,484 shares of company stock worth $104,015,906 over the last three months. Insiders own 13.61% of the company’s stock.
Institutional Trading of Meta Platforms
Large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Trust Co of the South grew its holdings in shares of Meta Platforms by 0.8% in the third quarter. Trust Co of the South now owns 1,850 shares of the social networking company’s stock valued at $1,359,000 after purchasing an additional 14 shares during the period. Sentinel Pension Advisors LLC increased its position in Meta Platforms by 1.6% during 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 last quarter. Alpine Bank Wealth Management raised its stake in Meta Platforms by 0.3% during the third quarter. Alpine Bank Wealth Management now owns 4,301 shares of the social networking company’s stock worth $3,159,000 after purchasing an additional 14 shares during the period. Valued Wealth Advisors LLC raised its stake in Meta Platforms by 3.2% during the third quarter. Valued Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 454 shares of the social networking company’s stock worth $334,000 after purchasing an additional 14 shares during the period. Finally, First National Bank Sioux Falls boosted its holdings in Meta Platforms by 0.7% in the 4th 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 last quarter. 79.91% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.
Key Headlines Impacting Meta Platforms
Here are the key news stories impacting Meta Platforms this week:
- Positive Sentiment: Meta signed on as the launch customer/co-developer for Arm’s new AGI CPU, which de-risks Arm’s data-center push and signals Meta is securing bespoke AI infrastructure to lower long‑term AI costs and improve performance. Arm launches first own-brand chip with Meta as launch customer
- Positive Sentiment: Meta is rolling out AI initiatives for commerce and small businesses (Meta Small Business, AI shopping tools), and is integrating AI across workflows — developments investors view as revenue‑accretive and margin‑supporting over time. Meta launches new initiative to support entrepreneurship, drive AI adoption
- Neutral Sentiment: Meta granted performance‑tied stock awards and options to senior executives to retain talent during the AI race; markets see this as a retention positive but with aggressive targets (and potential dilution) embedded. Meta grants senior executives stock awards to retain talent
- Neutral Sentiment: Reports that Meta will cut several hundred roles (and unconfirmed reports of up to 20% headcount reductions) are being parsed as either necessary cost discipline amid huge AI CapEx or a sign of execution risk; investors are treating this as a mixed signal. Meta to lay off hundreds of employees
- Negative Sentiment: A New Mexico jury ordered Meta to pay $375 million after finding the company violated state consumer‑protection laws by enabling sexual exploitation of minors — a headline legal loss that increases litigation and reputational risk. Meta found liable in child exploitation case, ordered to pay $375 million
- Negative Sentiment: In a separate Los Angeles bellwether, jurors found Meta negligent in a youth social‑media addiction case and assessed punitive/compensatory damages (including a $2.1M punitive share for Meta), underscoring broader industry legal exposure that could prompt future damages or regulation. Jury Orders $3 Million in Punitive Damages Against Meta and YouTube
- Negative Sentiment: China has restricted founders of Manus amid a regulatory review of Meta’s acquisition, potentially delaying integration of AI talent and adding geopolitical execution risk. China bars Manus co-founders from leaving country as it reviews sale to Meta
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.
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