Fairtree Asset Management Pty Ltd Acquires 2,939 Shares of Meta Platforms, Inc. $META

Key Points

• Fairtree Asset Management increased its Meta Platforms stake by 18.6% in the second quarter, acquiring 2,939 shares for a total holding of 18,777 shares valued at approximately $10.6 million. Institutional investors collectively own 79.91% of Meta’s stock.
• Meta reported quarterly revenue of $60.8 billion, up 28% year over year, but earnings of $6.18 per share missed analysts’ $7.19 estimate. Analysts maintain a “Moderate Buy” consensus rating with an average price target of $788.88.
• Meta declared a quarterly dividend of $0.525 per share, representing a 0.3% annualized yield, while insiders have sold roughly 60,183 shares worth $36.7 million over the past 90 days.

Fairtree Asset Management Pty Ltd increased its holdings in Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META - Free Report) by 18.6% in the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The firm owned 18,777 shares of the social networking company's stock after acquiring an additional 2,939 shares during the period. Meta Platforms makes up about 4.1% of Fairtree Asset Management Pty Ltd's holdings, making the stock its 6th largest holding. Fairtree Asset Management Pty Ltd's holdings in Meta Platforms were worth $10,577,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Auto Owners Insurance Co grew its holdings in shares of Meta Platforms by 76,587.7% during the 4th quarter. Auto Owners Insurance Co now owns 105,292,277 shares of the social networking company's stock worth $69,502,379,000 after purchasing an additional 105,154,977 shares during the period. Geode Capital Management LLC raised its holdings in Meta Platforms by 1.7% in the 4th quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 52,806,712 shares of the social networking company's stock valued at $34,734,628,000 after buying an additional 878,396 shares during the period. Norges Bank purchased a new stake in Meta Platforms in the 4th quarter valued at about $22,152,075,000. Bank of America Corp DE lifted its position in Meta Platforms by 14.6% in the first 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 buying an additional 2,673,494 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Invesco Ltd. lifted its position in Meta Platforms by 6.1% in the fourth quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 18,200,469 shares of the social networking company's stock valued at $12,013,948,000 after buying an additional 1,046,715 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 79.91% of the company's stock.

Meta Platforms Stock Up 2.7%

Shares of NASDAQ:META opened at $665.60 on Tuesday. The firm has a market capitalization of $1.70 trillion, a PE ratio of 25.07, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.12 and a beta of 1.25. Meta Platforms, Inc. has a 1 year low of $520.26 and a 1 year high of $790.80. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.32, a current ratio of 2.23 and a quick ratio of 2.23. The firm's 50-day moving average is $602.89 and its two-hundred day moving average is $608.92.

Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, July 29th. The social networking company reported $6.18 EPS 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 business had revenue of $60.80 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $60.22 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $7.14 EPS. The company's revenue for the quarter was up 28.0% compared to the same quarter last year. Analysts predict that Meta Platforms, Inc. will post 28.17 EPS for the current year.

Meta Platforms Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, September 28th. Stockholders of record on Monday, September 21st will be given a dividend of $0.525 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is 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 7.91%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Meta Platforms

In related news, insider Christopher Cox sold 20,000 shares of Meta Platforms stock in a transaction on Wednesday, September 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $650.28, for a total value of $13,005,600.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider directly owned 244,516 shares in the company, valued at approximately $159,003,864.48. This trade represents a 7.56% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, CAO Aaron Anderson sold 3,240 shares of the business's stock in a transaction on Thursday, September 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $618.06, for a total value of $2,002,514.40. Following the transaction, the chief accounting officer directly 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 SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. In the last ninety days, insiders have sold 60,183 shares of company stock valued at $36,673,495. Insiders own 13.53% of the company's stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

META has been the subject of a number of recent analyst reports. Cantor Fitzgerald reiterated a "neutral" rating on shares of Meta Platforms in a research report on Friday. UBS Group decreased their price objective on shares of Meta Platforms from $766.00 to $715.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, July 30th. Phillip Securities raised shares of Meta Platforms to a "strong-buy" rating in a research report on Monday, August 3rd. Barclays dropped their target price on shares of Meta Platforms from $830.00 to $780.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a report on Thursday, July 30th. Finally, Truist Financial cut their target price on Meta Platforms from $770.00 to $763.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, August 27th. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirty-four have given a Buy rating and nine have given a Hold rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Meta Platforms currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $788.88.

More Meta Platforms News

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

• Positive Sentiment: AI strategy is boosting investor confidence. Goldman Sachs reiterated its bullish view, citing the rollout of Meta’s Muse AI agent and a recent legal settlement as potential catalysts. Analysts also argue that Meta’s valuation remains attractive relative to its growth, with one estimate assigning an $817 price target. Why is Meta stock gaining in premarket today
• Positive Sentiment: Advertising momentum supports earnings expectations. A bullish analysis highlighted second-quarter ad impressions growth of 14% and a 12% increase in average ad prices. Meta’s forward PEG ratio was also described as below both the sector median and its five-year average, suggesting investors may still view the stock as reasonably valued despite its recent rally. Meta Platforms: AI Spending Is Starting To Pay Off
• Positive Sentiment: Meta is benefiting from a shift in AI sentiment. Shares of Meta and Alphabet gained while AI-chip stocks weakened after several AI executives called for a slower approach to developing frontier models. Investors may be favoring Meta because its large user base and advertising business provide diversified ways to monetize AI. Why Google and Meta Stocks Are the Big Winners From the Latest AI Concerns
• Neutral Sentiment: AI investment is creating both opportunity and financial risk. AI-related debt issuance has surged, and Meta is viewed as better positioned than highly leveraged infrastructure providers because of its stronger cash generation. Nevertheless, the scale of data-center spending could pressure free cash flow and increase execution risk. AI-Related Debt Sales Are Near $500 Billion
• Negative Sentiment: Meta faces a proposed class-action lawsuit over smart-glasses privacy. Parents and children in California and Illinois allege that the company’s unreleased “NameTag” facial-recognition feature improperly used Facebook and Instagram data. The case could create legal costs, regulatory scrutiny and reputational damage if the allegations gain traction. Meta Faces Lawsuit Over Smart Glasses Facial Recognition
• Negative Sentiment: Content-moderation and insider-selling headlines add caution. Meta’s Oversight Board urged it not to replace professional fact-checking with Community Notes, while a reported insider stock sale worth about $13 million may weigh modestly on sentiment. These developments raise governance and reputational concerns, although neither necessarily changes Meta’s underlying operating outlook. Oversight Board asks Meta not to replace fact-checking with Community Notes

About Meta Platforms

Meta Platforms, Inc develops technologies that help people connect, communicate and build communities online. The company's principal products include Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, WhatsApp and Threads, which enable social networking, messaging, content sharing and digital communication.

Meta generates most of its business through advertising displayed across its family of apps. It also develops artificial intelligence technologies, business messaging tools and hardware and software through its Reality Labs division, including Quest virtual- and mixed-reality devices and related experiences.

The company was founded as Facebook in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg and was renamed Meta Platforms in 2021 to reflect its broader focus on building the metaverse.

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