Meta Platforms, Inc. $META Stock: Traynor Capital Management Inc. Cuts Stake

Traynor Capital Management Inc. lowered its holdings in Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META) by 60.3% during the third quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The firm owned 5,638 shares of the social networking company’s stock after selling 8,549 shares during the period. Traynor Capital Management Inc.’s holdings in Meta Platforms were worth $4,089,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other large investors also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Bill Few Associates Inc. lifted its position in Meta Platforms by 1.3% during the 3rd quarter. Bill Few Associates Inc. now owns 1,206 shares of the social networking company’s stock worth $874,000 after buying an additional 15 shares in the last quarter. Value Partners Investments Inc. increased its position in Meta Platforms by 1.8% in the 3rd quarter. Value Partners Investments Inc. now owns 866 shares of the social networking company’s stock valued at $630,000 after acquiring an additional 15 shares in the last quarter. CWS Financial Advisors LLC increased its position in Meta Platforms by 1.7% in the 1st quarter. CWS Financial Advisors LLC now owns 985 shares of the social networking company’s stock valued at $564,000 after acquiring an additional 16 shares in the last quarter. Tenzing Financial LLC raised its stake in shares of Meta Platforms by 1.3% in the second quarter. Tenzing Financial LLC now owns 1,210 shares of the social networking company’s stock worth $726,000 after acquiring an additional 16 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Uptown Financial Advisors LLC raised its stake in shares of Meta Platforms by 1.3% in the second quarter. Uptown Financial Advisors LLC now owns 1,273 shares of the social networking company’s stock worth $717,000 after acquiring an additional 16 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 79.91% of the company’s stock.

Insider Activity at Meta Platforms

In other news, COO Javier Olivan sold 946 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, November 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $614.15, for a total value of $580,985.90. Following the transaction, the chief operating officer owned 4,094 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $2,514,330.10. This represents a 18.77% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. In the last three months, insiders have sold 151,090 shares of company stock worth $103,150,807. Insiders own 13.53% of the company’s stock.

Meta Platforms News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: Meta launched Spaces, a collaboration feature for its Muse AI agents, following the rollout of Muse Voice. The new offerings may help strengthen user engagement and expand Meta’s consumer AI ecosystem. Meta introduces Spaces
• Positive Sentiment: Recent earnings commentary points to AI supporting Meta’s advertising operations, reinforcing the potential for the company’s AI investments to generate revenue. Takeaways from recent earnings
• Neutral Sentiment: Meta paused planned updates to its terms and is keeping existing rules in place. The move avoids an immediate policy change, though the underlying issues remain unresolved. Meta pauses planned terms updates
• Neutral Sentiment: Plans for new nonvoting Class C shares have been described as effectively creating a 2-for-1 split. A split changes the number of shares, but does not by itself change the company’s underlying value; the structure preserves Mark Zuckerberg’s voting control. Is Meta Platforms next for a stock split?
• Negative Sentiment: Meta and other platforms sued to block California restrictions on social-media features for users under 16. The case adds regulatory uncertainty and potential legal costs. Platforms sue over California teen social-media law
• Negative Sentiment: Meta warned that political backlash and possible limits on data-center construction could complicate its AI expansion. Its $15 billion senior-notes offering also highlights the scale of financing required for investment. Data-center expansion concerns
• Negative Sentiment: Reported ETF net selling and insider share sales may add short-term pressure, although the disclosed insider transaction was made under a pre-arranged trading plan. ETFs are net sellers of Meta Platforms

Meta Platforms Trading Up 0.8%

Shares of NASDAQ:META traded up $5.07 during trading on Friday, hitting $610.15. 15,673,971 shares of the company’s stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 23,359,418. Meta Platforms, Inc. has a 1-year low of $520.26 and a 1-year high of $779.82. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $674.97 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $632.16. The company has a current ratio of 1.90, a quick ratio of 1.90 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.30. The firm has a market cap of $1.56 trillion, a P/E ratio of 20.80, a PEG ratio of 1.05 and a beta of 1.28.

Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, October 22nd. The social networking company reported $7.40 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $6.54 by $0.86. Meta Platforms had a net margin of 31.15% and a return on equity of 30.73%. The business had revenue of $64.60 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $63.34 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $7.25 earnings per share. Meta Platforms’s revenue was up 26.1% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities analysts predict that Meta Platforms, Inc. will post 29.01 earnings per share for the current year.

Meta Platforms Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, September 28th. Shareholders of record on Monday, September 21st were given a dividend of $0.5250 per share. The ex-dividend date was Monday, September 21st. This represents a $2.10 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.3%. Meta Platforms’s payout ratio is presently 7.16%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

META has been the topic of several research analyst reports. Loop Capital increased their price target on shares of Meta Platforms from $740.00 to $955.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, September 24th. Cantor Fitzgerald raised their price target on shares of Meta Platforms from $840.00 to $860.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Thursday, October 22nd. Mizuho upped their price objective on Meta Platforms from $750.00 to $950.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Thursday, October 22nd. Evercore reaffirmed an “outperform” rating on shares of Meta Platforms in a report on Thursday, October 22nd. Finally, Raymond James Financial increased their price objective on Meta Platforms from $650.00 to $860.00 and gave the company a “strong-buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, September 24th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, forty-seven have issued a Buy rating and seven have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $833.12.

Meta Platforms Profile

Meta Platforms, Inc is a global technology company that develops social networking, messaging, and digital communication products. Its services include Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Messenger, and Threads, which connect people and help businesses reach audiences around the world.

The company also develops virtual and augmented reality products and technologies through its Reality Labs division, including Quest headsets and related software and services. Advertising is a central part of Meta’s business, with its platforms providing tools for businesses to promote products and services.

Founded in 2004 as Facebook by Mark Zuckerberg and fellow students, the company changed its name to Meta Platforms in 2021 to reflect its broader focus on building social technologies and immersive digital experiences.