Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META) Stock Price Expected to Rise, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft Analyst Says

Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META) had its price target upped by stock analysts at Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft from $750.00 to $820.00 in a report issued on Friday, MarketBeat reports. The brokerage currently has a “buy” rating on the social networking company’s stock. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft’s price target indicates a potential upside of 8.08% from the stock’s previous close.

Other equities research analysts have also recently issued research reports about the stock. HSBC dropped their price objective on shares of 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 increased their price target on shares of Meta Platforms from $710.00 to $875.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Tuesday. Truist Financial dropped their price target on shares of Meta Platforms from $770.00 to $763.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, August 27th. Monness Crespi & Hardt lowered their target price on shares of Meta Platforms from $890.00 to $730.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, July 30th. Finally, DZ Bank restated a “buy” rating on shares of Meta Platforms in a research report on Thursday, July 30th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, forty-four have assigned a Buy rating and ten have issued a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $785.90.

Meta Platforms Stock Down 2.4%

NASDAQ:META traded down $18.92 during mid-day trading on Friday, hitting $758.67. 4,290,624 shares of the company’s stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 17,365,387. The company has a fifty day moving average of $613.05 and a 200 day moving average of $612.10. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.32, a quick ratio of 2.23 and a current ratio of 2.23. Meta Platforms has a twelve month low of $520.26 and a twelve month high of $779.82. The company has a market capitalization of $1.93 trillion, a P/E ratio of 28.51, a P/E/G ratio of 1.28 and a beta of 1.25.

Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, July 29th. The social networking company reported $6.18 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $7.19 by ($1.01). The company had revenue of $60.80 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $60.22 billion. Meta Platforms had a return on equity of 33.18% and a net margin of 29.83%.The company’s quarterly revenue was up 28.0% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $7.14 earnings per share. On average, analysts forecast that Meta Platforms will post 27.93 EPS for the current year.

Insider Transactions at Meta Platforms

In related news, CAO Aaron Anderson sold 3,240 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, September 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $618.06, for a total value of $2,002,514.40. Following the completion of the sale, the chief accounting officer owned 6,271 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $3,875,854.26. This represents a 34.07% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, insider Christopher K. Cox sold 40,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, September 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $712.76, for a total transaction of $28,510,400.00. Following the sale, the insider owned 184,516 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $131,515,624.16. The trade was a 17.82% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Insiders sold 123,333 shares of company stock valued at $80,795,845 over the last 90 days. 13.53% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Trading of Meta Platforms

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. RHL Group LLC purchased a new position in shares of Meta Platforms during the 4th quarter worth $28,000. Advantage Trust Co purchased a new stake in Meta Platforms in the 2nd quarter valued at about $28,000. Niles Investment Management LLC acquired a new position in Meta Platforms in the fourth quarter valued at about $29,000. Philadelphia Investment Partners LLC acquired a new position in Meta Platforms in the second quarter valued at about $32,000. Finally, Axiom Investment Management LLC purchased a new position in Meta Platforms during the first quarter worth about $36,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 79.91% of the company’s stock.

Key Stories Impacting Meta Platforms

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

• Positive Sentiment: Analysts raised price targets across the board. CICC lifted its target to $776 and maintained an Outperform rating; Deutsche Bank raised its target to $820 with a Buy rating; and Canaccord Genuity increased its target to $950 while retaining Buy. The revisions reinforce expectations for further upside from AI-related growth. Deutsche Bank Raises Price Target on Meta Platforms
• Positive Sentiment: Muse is strengthening Meta’s consumer AI narrative. Early adoption has reportedly outpaced ChatGPT’s comparable launch, while investors see potential revenue from subscriptions, advertising, commerce referrals and business services. The product’s momentum is helping justify Meta’s significant AI infrastructure spending. Meta’s AI Spending Suddenly Makes Sense
• Positive Sentiment: Meta expanded Muse’s distribution through hardware. The company announced Muse integration with Ray-Ban AI glasses, a camera-free audio-glasses line, the Muse Charm handheld device and $1,299 VR glasses. These products could create new user touchpoints and eventually support non-advertising revenue. Meta’s Muse Charm Device Strategy
• Neutral Sentiment: Meta is approaching a major valuation milestone. Shares have surged about 36% in September and the company’s market capitalization is near $2 trillion. Momentum remains strong, but the sharp advance leaves the stock more sensitive to profit-taking or disappointing AI adoption data. Meta Stock Surges on Muse AI Boom
• Negative Sentiment: Amazon’s decision to block Muse creates a commerce risk. Amazon reportedly restricted Muse from accessing its marketplace, highlighting potential conflicts as AI agents seek to control online shopping traffic. Meta’s partnerships with Shopify and others may mitigate the setback, but platform access remains uncertain. Amazon and Meta Muse Dispute
• Negative Sentiment: Spending and insider selling remain cautionary signals. Analysts have raised concerns that surging capital expenditures could pressure free cash flow, while insider Christopher Cox sold 40,000 shares under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 plan. Privacy concerns surrounding AI glasses and ongoing legal scrutiny also pose longer-term risks.

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.