40,878 Meta Platforms, Inc. $META Shares Bought by Ferguson Wellman Capital Management Inc.

Key Points

• Ferguson Wellman Capital Management increased its Meta position by 69.5% in the third quarter, purchasing 40,878 shares and bringing its holdings to 99,735 shares valued at approximately $72.3 million.
• Institutional ownership remains high at 79.91%, with several other investment firms also adding to their Meta positions during the second quarter.
• Meta insiders sold 146,647 shares worth nearly $99.9 million over the past three months, while analysts maintained a generally positive outlook with a “Moderate Buy” consensus rating and an average price target of $787.86.

Ferguson Wellman Capital Management Inc. boosted its position in Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META - Free Report) by 69.5% during the third quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The firm owned 99,735 shares of the social networking company's stock after acquiring an additional 40,878 shares during the period. Meta Platforms accounts for approximately 0.9% of Ferguson Wellman Capital Management Inc.'s portfolio, making the stock its 29th largest holding. Ferguson Wellman Capital Management Inc.'s holdings in Meta Platforms were worth $72,326,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of META. Fairtree Asset Management Pty Ltd lifted its holdings in shares of Meta Platforms by 18.6% in the 2nd quarter. Fairtree Asset Management Pty Ltd now owns 18,777 shares of the social networking company's stock worth $10,577,000 after acquiring an additional 2,939 shares during the last quarter. Madison Wealth Partners Inc lifted its stake in Meta Platforms by 33.6% in the second quarter. Madison Wealth Partners Inc now owns 3,031 shares of the social networking company's stock worth $1,707,000 after purchasing an additional 763 shares during the last quarter. William John Sempolinski purchased a new stake in Meta Platforms during the second quarter valued at about $3,107,000. Sone Capital Management LLC grew its stake in shares of Meta Platforms by 38.2% during the second quarter. Sone Capital Management LLC now owns 16,059 shares of the social networking company's stock valued at $9,046,000 after buying an additional 4,440 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Lakewood Capital Management LP increased its holdings in shares of Meta Platforms by 63.7% in the second quarter. Lakewood Capital Management LP now owns 115,985 shares of the social networking company's stock worth $65,333,000 after buying an additional 45,130 shares during the period. 79.91% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Insider Buying and Selling at Meta Platforms

In other Meta Platforms news, CEO Mark Zuckerberg sold 27,474 shares of the company's stock in a transaction dated Thursday, September 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $777.44, for a total value of $21,359,386.56. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, CAO Aaron Anderson sold 3,240 shares of Meta Platforms stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, September 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $618.06, for a total transaction of $2,002,514.40. Following the transaction, the chief accounting officer owned 6,271 shares of the company's stock, valued at $3,875,854.26. The trade was a 34.07% 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. In the last three months, insiders have sold 146,647 shares of company stock valued at $99,886,901. Company insiders own 13.53% of the company's stock.

More Meta Platforms News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Meta’s advertising business delivered its strongest monthly stock performance in three years. Analysts see additional upside if ad growth, pricing and AI-driven monetization continue to support a higher 2027 valuation. Meta Stock Could Have Another Big Run Ahead
• Positive Sentiment: A bullish analysis awarded Meta a Buy rating, arguing that its large user base and advertising cash flow can fund AI investments. Revenue growth of 28% year over year has outpaced user growth, indicating better monetization through higher ad prices and engagement. Meta Platforms: The AI Spending Looks Crazy; The Economics Don’t
• Positive Sentiment: Commentary on Meta’s Muse AI launch suggests the technology could become a major catalyst for commerce and advertising, with one forecast envisioning a path toward $1,000 per share. The outlook is speculative but adds to the positive AI narrative. Meta Muse: Sparking the AI Revolution
• Neutral Sentiment: Meta executives are scheduled to testify before New York City officials about AI risks and possible legislation. The hearing could increase regulatory scrutiny, though no immediate financial impact was announced. AI Executives Set to Testify at NYC Council Hearing
• Negative Sentiment: Meta, TikTok and X are challenging Ofcom’s demands for information under the United Kingdom’s online-safety regime. The dispute highlights potential compliance costs and regulatory exposure. Meta, TikTok and X Challenge UK Watchdog
• Negative Sentiment: Meta’s planned AI infrastructure spending—estimated at $130 billion to $145 billion by 2026—raises execution and return-on-investment risks. Investors need evidence that AI monetization will justify the unusually large capital commitments. Meta AI Spending Analysis
• Negative Sentiment: Several lawsuits could create substantial liabilities and reduce Meta’s ability to spend on chips and data centers, presenting a direct risk to its AI strategy. Meta AI Plans Could Be Crippled by Lawsuits
• Negative Sentiment: Investor Steve Weiss said he reduced his Meta position as the 10-year Treasury yield approached 5.26%. Higher yields can pressure valuations for high-growth technology stocks and make Meta’s future cash flows less attractive. Analyst Sells Cisco and Trims Meta

Meta Platforms Trading Up 2.1%

META stock traded up $15.57 during trading on Monday, reaching $743.65. The company had a trading volume of 7,719,451 shares, compared to its average volume of 17,491,527. Meta Platforms, Inc. has a 52 week low of $520.26 and a 52 week high of $779.82. The company has a market cap of $1.89 trillion, a P/E ratio of 28.01, a PEG ratio of 1.27 and a beta of 1.19. The business has a 50 day moving average of $625.52 and a 200 day moving average of $615.98. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.32, a current ratio of 2.23 and a quick ratio of 2.23.

Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, July 29th. The social networking company reported $6.18 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $7.19 by ($1.01). Meta Platforms had a net margin of 29.83% and a return on equity of 33.18%. The firm had revenue of $60.80 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $60.22 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $7.14 earnings per share. The business's revenue was up 28.0% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, sell-side analysts forecast that Meta Platforms, Inc. will post 27.94 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Meta Platforms Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, September 28th. Shareholders 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 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.3%. Meta Platforms's dividend payout ratio is 7.91%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several brokerages recently weighed in on META. China Renaissance dropped their target price on Meta Platforms from $825.00 to $700.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a report on Friday, July 31st. DA Davidson dropped their price objective on Meta Platforms from $850.00 to $700.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, July 30th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their target price on shares of Meta Platforms from $820.00 to $920.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a report on Thursday, September 24th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft upped their price target on shares of Meta Platforms from $750.00 to $820.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a report on Friday, September 25th. Finally, Raymond James Financial increased their price target on shares of 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-four have issued a Buy rating and ten have assigned a Hold rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $787.86.

About Meta Platforms

Meta Platforms, Inc is a technology company that develops social networking, messaging, virtual and augmented reality, and artificial intelligence products. The company operates a global family of apps that includes Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, WhatsApp and Threads, enabling users to connect, communicate, share content and discover communities.

Meta generates most of its business through digital advertising displayed across its platforms. Its products serve individuals, creators, businesses and organizations in markets around the world, while its advertising tools help businesses reach audiences based on factors such as interests, activity and demographics.

Through its Reality Labs division, Meta develops virtual and augmented reality hardware, software and services, including the Meta Quest line of headsets and related experiences.

Want to see what other hedge funds are holding META? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META - Free Report).

This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to contact@marketbeat.com.