988 Meta Platforms, Inc. $META Shares Sold by Busey Bank

Key Points

• Busey Bank trimmed its Meta Platforms stake by 0.8%, selling 988 shares and retaining 130,358 shares worth approximately $94.5 million. Institutional investors and hedge funds collectively own 79.91% of Meta’s stock.
• Analysts remain broadly positive, with Meta receiving a “Moderate Buy” consensus rating and an average price target of $833.12. Recent upgrades and target increases include Morgan Stanley’s $820 target and Goldman Sachs’ $885 target.
• Meta reported strong quarterly results, with revenue up 26.1% year over year and earnings of $7.40 per share versus the $6.54 consensus estimate. However, substantial AI-related capital spending, potential debt financing, and regulatory concerns are creating pressure on the stock.

Busey Bank cut its holdings in shares of Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META - Free Report) by 0.8% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 130,358 shares of the social networking company's stock after selling 988 shares during the period. Meta Platforms comprises approximately 2.3% of Busey Bank's holdings, making the stock its 8th largest holding. Busey Bank's holdings in Meta Platforms were worth $94,533,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Corient Private Wealth LP increased its stake in shares of Meta Platforms by 723.1% in the second quarter. Corient Private Wealth LP now owns 8,801,764 shares of the social networking company's stock valued at $4,957,946,000 after buying an additional 7,732,446 shares in the last quarter. Jupiter Topco LLC bought a new position in shares of Meta Platforms in the second quarter valued at about $2,948,486,000. State Street Corp raised its holdings in shares of Meta Platforms by 4.0% in the second quarter. State Street Corp now owns 92,033,963 shares of the social networking company's stock valued at $51,841,811,000 after buying an additional 3,510,123 shares during the last quarter. Bank of America Corp DE lifted its position 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 worth $12,036,491,000 after buying an additional 2,673,494 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Amundi lifted its position in Meta Platforms by 18.1% during the 1st 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 in the last quarter. 79.91% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of brokerages have commented on META. Morgan Stanley increased their price objective on shares of Meta Platforms from $775.00 to $820.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a report on Monday, October 19th. Weiss Ratings raised shares of Meta Platforms from a "hold (c+)" rating to a "buy (b-)" rating in a research note on Thursday, October 8th. The Goldman Sachs Group reiterated a "buy" rating and set a $885.00 target price on shares of Meta Platforms in a research report on Thursday, October 22nd. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft increased their price target on shares of Meta Platforms from $750.00 to $820.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Friday, September 25th. Finally, President Capital upgraded shares of Meta Platforms from a "neutral" rating to a "buy" rating and boosted their price objective for the stock from $660.00 to $897.00 in a research report on Thursday, September 24th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, forty-seven have assigned a Buy rating and seven have given a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, Meta Platforms currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $833.12.

Meta Platforms Trading Down 1.3%

NASDAQ:META opened at $606.73 on Tuesday. The firm has a market capitalization of $1.55 trillion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 20.69, a PEG ratio of 1.06 and a beta of 1.19. The business's 50-day moving average price is $671.17 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $632.13. The company has a current ratio of 1.90, a quick ratio of 1.90 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.30. Meta Platforms, Inc. has a 1-year low of $520.26 and a 1-year high of $779.82.

Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, October 22nd. The social networking company reported $7.40 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $6.54 by $0.86. The business 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%. Meta Platforms's quarterly revenue was up 26.1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $7.25 EPS. On average, equities analysts expect that Meta Platforms, Inc. will post 29.01 earnings per share for the current year.

Meta Platforms Announces Dividend

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

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, insider Christopher K. Cox sold 40,000 shares of the 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 completion of the transaction, the insider directly owned 184,516 shares in the company, valued at approximately $131,515,624.16. This trade represents a 17.82% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, CTO Andrew Bosworth sold 7,848 shares of Meta Platforms stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, August 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $558.00, for a total transaction of $4,379,184.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief technology officer owned 828 shares in the company, valued at $462,024. This trade represents a 90.46% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Over the last three months, insiders have sold 149,515 shares of company stock valued at $102,183,520. 13.53% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Key Meta Platforms News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Meta’s advertising business remains a key support. Revenue increased 26% in the latest quarter, and AI-driven improvements to ad targeting and engagement are helping Meta benefit even as AI agents pressure traditional search. Why AI is boosting Meta's ad business while hurting Google search
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts continue to view Meta favorably, with the stock receiving a “Moderate Buy” consensus rating. The company’s long-term upside depends on whether its AI investments generate sufficient advertising and new-business growth. Meta Platforms Stock Now Rated Moderate Buy
• Neutral Sentiment: Meta postponed new business-account terms after criticism that they could enable extensive scraping of news and other websites. The delay reduces immediate backlash but highlights ongoing concerns about AI data practices and potential regulation. Meta delays new business terms after outcry
• Negative Sentiment: Investors are increasingly focused on the scale and funding of Meta’s AI buildout. The company is reportedly considering at least $20 billion in bond offerings, while a separate 6.5% preferred-share issuance raises concerns about expensive capital, dilution-like effects, and balance-sheet pressure. Meta eyes at least $20 billion from potential bond offerings Meta 6.5% preferreds issuance
• Negative Sentiment: Large capital expenditures—projected at $135 billion to $145 billion for 2026—are raising questions about free cash flow, returns on AI investment, and possible shareholder dilution. Market pressure on major AI spenders has added to the stock’s weakness. Meta and Alphabet face market pressure over capital expenditures
• Negative Sentiment: Settlements involving alleged social-media addiction and harm to young users may limit litigation costs in the near term, but plaintiffs’ attorneys are still demanding product and safety changes, preserving regulatory and reputational risk. Attorney calls for meaningful changes after Meta and Snap settlements

Meta Platforms Company Profile

Meta Platforms, Inc is a technology company that develops social networking, messaging, virtual and augmented reality, and artificial intelligence products. The company's principal platforms include Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, WhatsApp, and Threads, which enable users to connect, communicate, share content, and discover products and services.

Meta also operates Reality Labs, its division focused on virtual, augmented, and mixed reality technologies. Reality Labs develops products such as Meta Quest virtual reality headsets and related software and experiences, along with research and hardware intended to support immersive computing.

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