Meta Platforms, Inc. $META Holdings Lifted by Kestra Advisory Services LLC

Kestra Advisory Services LLC grew its stake in Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META) by 11.5% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 272,204 shares of the social networking company’s stock after acquiring an additional 28,120 shares during the quarter. Meta Platforms accounts for 0.6% of Kestra Advisory Services LLC’s portfolio, making the stock its 24th biggest holding. Kestra Advisory Services LLC’s holdings in Meta Platforms were worth $197,397,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

A number of other institutional investors have also recently modified their holdings of META. State Street Corp grew its position in Meta Platforms by 4.0% during the 2nd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 92,033,963 shares of the social networking company’s stock valued at $51,841,811,000 after purchasing an additional 3,510,123 shares during the last quarter. Bank of America Corp DE increased its stake in Meta Platforms by 14.6% during the 1st quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 21,038,035 shares of the social networking company’s stock valued at $12,036,491,000 after purchasing an additional 2,673,494 shares in the last quarter. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC increased its stake in Meta Platforms by 1.3% during the 2nd quarter. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC now owns 12,836,063 shares of the social networking company’s stock valued at $7,230,426,000 after purchasing an additional 162,909 shares in the last quarter. Amundi raised its holdings in Meta Platforms by 18.1% in the first quarter. Amundi now owns 11,858,972 shares of the social networking company’s stock worth $6,784,873,000 after buying an additional 1,815,017 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Dimensional Fund Advisors LP raised its holdings in Meta Platforms by 4.0% in the first quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 10,429,812 shares of the social networking company’s stock worth $5,964,745,000 after buying an additional 404,948 shares during the last quarter. 79.91% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Meta Platforms Price Performance

META opened at $641.39 on Wednesday. The company’s 50-day simple moving average is $677.61 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $632.27. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.30, a quick ratio of 1.90 and a current ratio of 1.90. The stock has a market capitalization of $1.64 trillion, a P/E ratio of 21.87, a P/E/G ratio of 1.11 and a beta of 1.28. Meta Platforms, Inc. has a 52-week low of $520.26 and a 52-week high of $779.82.

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

Meta Platforms Dividend Announcement

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, September 28th. Investors of record on Monday, September 21st were issued a $0.5250 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Monday, September 21st. This represents a $2.10 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.3%. Meta Platforms’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 7.16%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Meta Platforms news, COO Javier Olivan sold 946 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Monday, November 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $614.15, for a total transaction of $580,985.90. Following the completion of the sale, the chief operating officer directly owned 4,094 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,514,330.10. The trade was a 18.77% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Over the last ninety days, insiders have sold 149,398 shares of company stock valued at $102,134,435. Insiders own 13.42% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

META has been the topic of several analyst reports. Pivotal Research upped their target price on shares of Meta Platforms from $930.00 to $960.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, October 22nd. Wolfe Research reiterated an “outperform” rating and set a $700.00 price target on shares of Meta Platforms in a report on Thursday, July 30th. Citigroup raised their price target on shares of Meta Platforms from $895.00 to $905.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, October 22nd. KeyCorp boosted their price objective on shares of Meta Platforms from $900.00 to $905.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Thursday, October 22nd. Finally, Citic Securities decreased their price objective on shares of Meta Platforms from $770.00 to $718.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Monday, August 3rd. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, forty-seven have assigned a Buy rating and seven have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, Meta Platforms has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $833.12.

Key Meta Platforms News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Meta’s Muse AI assistant is expanding to Apple Watch and Android Wear OS, giving users another way to access its AI services and potentially broadening adoption. Article: Meta’s AI agent Muse lands on Apple Watch and Android Wear OS
• Positive Sentiment: JPMorgan named Meta one of its preferred internet stocks, citing AI-driven advertising and future monetization opportunities. The endorsement may help investor confidence after recent pressure on the shares. Article: JPMorgan Just Added Meta Platforms to Its Analyst Focus List
• Positive Sentiment: ETF purchases exceeded sales on Friday, with 63 funds buying Meta shares and a reported net inflow of $211.9 million—an indication of institutional demand. Article: ETFs Bought $211.9 Million of Meta Platforms
• Neutral Sentiment: Short-interest figures conflict: one report says short positions rose 165.6% to 75.5 million shares as of October 30, while a later entry reports zero shares as of November 10. The inconsistency makes the latest data unreliable as a directional signal.
• Negative Sentiment: Investors continue to weigh the cost and payoff of Meta’s AI investment. Recent coverage cites negative free cash flow and a large legal charge that weighed on reported earnings, despite strong advertising growth. Article: Meta Platforms Stock: Is it a Steal of a Deal at $650?
• Negative Sentiment: Meta is expanding AI-based age checks for Instagram teens as lawsuits over harm to young users continue. The move may address safety concerns, but the litigation and regulatory exposure remain risks. Article: Meta expands Instagram’s AI age-guessing tech globally

Meta Platforms Company 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.