Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META) Insider Christopher Cox Sells 20,000 Shares

Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META) insider Christopher Cox sold 20,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, September 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $675.23, for a total value of $13,504,600.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider owned 224,516 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $151,599,938.68. This represents a 8.18% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan.

Meta Platforms Stock Performance

Shares of META opened at $682.31 on Friday. The company has a current ratio of 2.23, a quick ratio of 2.23 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.32. The firm has a market cap of $1.74 trillion, a PE ratio of 25.70, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.17 and a beta of 1.25. The company’s 50 day simple moving average is $606.40 and its 200-day simple moving average is $609.40. Meta Platforms, Inc. has a 12-month low of $520.26 and a 12-month high of $790.80.

Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, July 29th. The social networking company reported $6.18 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $7.19 by ($1.01). The business had revenue of $60.80 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $60.22 billion. Meta Platforms had a net margin of 29.83% and a return on equity of 33.18%. The business’s revenue was up 28.0% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $7.14 earnings per share. As a group, equities analysts predict that Meta Platforms, Inc. will post 27.93 EPS for the current year.

Meta Platforms Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, September 28th. Shareholders of record on Monday, September 21st will be paid a $0.525 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Monday, September 21st. This represents a $2.10 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.3%. Meta Platforms’s payout ratio is currently 7.91%.

Key Meta Platforms News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Bank of America maintained a Buy view, estimating Meta could save approximately $8.5 billion in 2027 by shifting AI workloads to its in-house MTIA chips. Meta reportedly plans to deploy newer chips in 2027, potentially reducing dependence on Nvidia and improving AI margins. Meta Can Save $8.5 Billion in 2027 by Using Its Own MTIA Chips
• Positive Sentiment: Meta’s Muse AI agent and the new Meta One subscription are strengthening the investment case that the company can diversify beyond advertising. Meta One combines higher AI usage limits and features across Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, creating a potential recurring-revenue stream. Meta Platforms: Get In Before September 23
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst optimism remains a near-term catalyst. Citi identified Meta Connect on September 23 as a possible trigger for additional product announcements and investor enthusiasm, while Rosenblatt reiterated a Buy rating with an $886 price target. Meta Event Next Week Could Spark Stock Gains, Says Citi
• Neutral Sentiment: Meta is expanding Muse’s capabilities, including phone calls, as it competes with emerging AI-agent providers. The move could improve user engagement and monetization, but competition and the execution required to turn usage into paid revenue remain significant. Rival AI Agents and Meta’s Muse Add Calling
• Negative Sentiment: A German court ruled Meta liable for fraudulent third-party advertisements on Facebook and Instagram, ordering the company to remove such content and pay damages. The decision could increase legal costs and raise concerns about platform-monitoring obligations. German Court Rules Meta Liable for Fake Ads
• Negative Sentiment: Consumer advocate Clark Howard said Meta declined to remove a deepfake advertisement using his likeness. The episode adds reputational and regulatory risk as Meta attempts to control AI-generated scams and fraudulent advertising. Facebook Told Clark Howard a Deepfake Ad Meets Its Standards
• Negative Sentiment: Chief Product Officer Christopher Cox sold 20,000 Meta shares worth about $13.5 million. The transaction was made under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 plan, which reduces its signaling value, but insider selling can still weigh modestly on sentiment. SEC Insider Trading Filing

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several research firms have commented on META. Evercore reaffirmed an “outperform” rating on shares of Meta Platforms in a research note on Thursday, July 30th. Wedbush lifted their target price on Meta Platforms from $595.00 to $650.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Friday, September 11th. Wolfe Research restated an “outperform” rating and set a $700.00 price target on shares of Meta Platforms in a research note on Thursday, July 30th. Sanford C. Bernstein restated an “outperform” rating and set a $800.00 price target on shares of Meta Platforms in a research note on Thursday, July 30th. Finally, Needham & Company LLC reaffirmed a “hold” rating on shares of Meta Platforms in a report on Thursday, August 27th. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirty-four have issued a Buy rating and nine have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $788.88.

Institutional Trading of Meta Platforms

Several hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the business. Wellington Altus USA Inc. grew its holdings in Meta Platforms by 8.0% during the second quarter. Wellington Altus USA Inc. now owns 1,069 shares of the social networking company’s stock worth $612,000 after acquiring an additional 79 shares during the period. Bullseye Investment Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Meta Platforms during the 2nd quarter worth $335,000. Smith Chas P & Associates PA Cpas boosted its position in shares of Meta Platforms by 1.5% during the 2nd quarter. Smith Chas P & Associates PA Cpas now owns 3,086 shares of the social networking company’s stock worth $1,738,000 after purchasing an additional 45 shares in the last quarter. Talon Private Wealth LLC grew its stake in shares of Meta Platforms by 136.7% during the 2nd quarter. Talon Private Wealth LLC now owns 4,008 shares of the social networking company’s stock worth $2,258,000 after purchasing an additional 2,315 shares during the period. Finally, Marathon Wealth Advisors LLC grew its stake in shares of Meta Platforms by 4.3% during the 2nd quarter. Marathon Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 7,016 shares of the social networking company’s stock worth $3,952,000 after purchasing an additional 287 shares during the period. 79.91% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About Meta Platforms

Meta Platforms, Inc develops technologies that help people connect, communicate and build communities online. The company’s principal products include Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, WhatsApp and Threads, which enable social networking, messaging, content sharing and digital communication.

Meta generates most of its business through advertising displayed across its family of apps. It also develops artificial intelligence technologies, business messaging tools and hardware and software through its Reality Labs division, including Quest virtual- and mixed-reality devices and related experiences.

The company was founded as Facebook in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg and was renamed Meta Platforms in 2021 to reflect its broader focus on building the metaverse.