29,067 Meta Platforms, Inc. $META Shares Sold by Boston Trust Walden Corp

Key Points

• Boston Trust Walden cut its Meta stake by 30.6%, selling 29,067 shares in the third quarter; it retained 66,045 shares valued at about $47.9 million.
• Meta reported quarterly EPS of $7.40, above the $6.54 consensus, and revenue of $64.6 billion, up 26.1% year over year. Revenue and earnings also exceeded analyst estimates.
• Wall Street analysts hold a consensus “Moderate Buy” rating, with an average price target of $833.12; meanwhile, concerns persist over the cost of Meta’s AI investments and their impact on cash flow.

Boston Trust Walden Corp reduced its stake in shares of Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META - Free Report) by 30.6% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 66,045 shares of the social networking company's stock after selling 29,067 shares during the quarter. Boston Trust Walden Corp's holdings in Meta Platforms were worth $47,895,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other large investors have also modified their holdings of the company. Bill Few Associates Inc. boosted its position in Meta Platforms by 1.3% during the third quarter. Bill Few Associates Inc. now owns 1,206 shares of the social networking company's stock worth $874,000 after purchasing an additional 15 shares in the last quarter. Value Partners Investments Inc. lifted its holdings 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 purchasing an additional 15 shares in the last quarter. Tenzing Financial LLC lifted its holdings in Meta Platforms by 1.3% in the 2nd quarter. Tenzing Financial LLC now owns 1,210 shares of the social networking company's stock valued at $726,000 after purchasing an additional 16 shares in the last quarter. Uptown Financial Advisors LLC boosted its stake in Meta Platforms by 1.3% during the 2nd quarter. Uptown Financial Advisors LLC now owns 1,273 shares of the social networking company's stock worth $717,000 after purchasing an additional 16 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Sheets Smith Wealth Management boosted its stake in Meta Platforms by 2.8% during the 2nd quarter. Sheets Smith Wealth Management now owns 594 shares of the social networking company's stock worth $334,000 after purchasing an additional 16 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 79.91% of the company's stock.

Meta Platforms News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: JPMorgan added Meta to its Analyst Focus List as a preferred internet stock, citing the strength of AI-powered advertising and potential new monetization opportunities. The endorsement helped lift shares. Article: Meta stock surges over 5% today: here's why
• Positive Sentiment: Meta released Muse Ember, a lightweight, cost-efficient AI model built for agent tasks such as coding and document processing. Investors may see it as a step toward expanding AI capabilities efficiently. Article: Meta releases Muse Ember
• Neutral Sentiment: Meta is expanding AI age-estimation technology globally on Instagram to identify teen users and apply Teen Account protections. The rollout could help address safety concerns, but comes amid multiple lawsuits alleging harm to teens. Article: Meta expands Instagram's AI age-guessing tech globally
• Negative Sentiment: Investor concerns remain about the scale of Meta’s AI investment: a recent analysis noted that free cash flow turned negative last quarter. Heavy spending could weigh on returns if AI monetization does not keep pace. Article: Meta Platforms Stock: Is it a Steal of a Deal at $650?

Meta Platforms Trading Up 5.1%

Shares of META stock opened at $641.37 on Tuesday. 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 price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.09 and a beta of 1.28. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $676.23 and a 200 day moving average price of $632.30. Meta Platforms, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $520.26 and a fifty-two week high of $779.82.

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

Meta Platforms Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, September 28th. Stockholders of record on Monday, September 21st were given a dividend of $0.5250 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, September 21st. This represents a $2.10 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.3%. Meta Platforms's dividend payout ratio is currently 7.16%.

Insider Buying and Selling 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 sale, the chief operating officer directly owned 4,094 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,514,330.10. This trade represents a 18.77% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Insiders sold a total of 149,398 shares of company stock worth $102,134,435 over the last 90 days. 13.42% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities research analysts have recently commented on the stock. Phillip Securities upgraded shares of Meta Platforms from a "buy" rating to a "strong-buy" rating and reduced their target price for the company from $795.00 to $750.00 in a research report on Monday, August 3rd. DZ Bank reaffirmed a "buy" rating on shares of Meta Platforms in a research note on Thursday, July 30th. Wolfe Research reiterated an "outperform" rating and issued a $700.00 price objective on shares of Meta Platforms in a report on Thursday, July 30th. Loop Capital increased their price objective on shares of Meta Platforms from $740.00 to $955.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a report on Thursday, September 24th. Finally, Evercore reissued an "outperform" rating on shares of Meta Platforms in a research note on Thursday, October 22nd. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, forty-seven have given a Buy rating and seven have issued a Hold rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $833.12.

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.

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.

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