Meta Platforms, Inc. $META Holdings Cut by Maxi Investments CY Ltd

Key Points

• Maxi Investments CY Ltd reduced its Meta position by 38.4% in the second quarter, selling 28,371 shares and retaining 45,579 shares worth approximately $25.7 million. Meta remains 5.2% of the firm’s portfolio, while institutional investors collectively own 79.91% of the stock.
• Meta reported $6.18 in quarterly EPS, missing the $7.19 consensus estimate, but revenue rose 28% year over year to $60.8 billion. The company also announced a quarterly dividend of $0.525 per share, equivalent to a 0.3% annual yield.
• Wall Street sentiment remains broadly positive, with the stock carrying a “Moderate Buy” consensus rating and an average price target of $788.88 versus its reported opening price of $682.31. Analysts cite AI initiatives and potential new products as catalysts, while legal disputes over fraudulent advertisements and continued insider selling present risks.

Maxi Investments CY Ltd trimmed its position in Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META - Free Report) by 38.4% in the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 45,579 shares of the social networking company's stock after selling 28,371 shares during the period. Meta Platforms accounts for 5.2% of Maxi Investments CY Ltd's investment portfolio, making the stock its 5th biggest position. Maxi Investments CY Ltd's holdings in Meta Platforms were worth $25,674,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other hedge funds have also recently made changes to their positions in META. Objective Capital Management LLC boosted its stake in Meta Platforms by 2.8% during the fourth quarter. Objective Capital Management LLC now owns 553 shares of the social networking company's stock valued at $365,000 after buying an additional 15 shares during the period. Watchman Group Inc. increased its stake in Meta Platforms by 0.3% in the 1st quarter. Watchman Group Inc. now owns 5,091 shares of the social networking company's stock worth $2,913,000 after acquiring an additional 15 shares during the last quarter. Penney Financial LLC increased its stake in Meta Platforms by 3.9% in the 1st quarter. Penney Financial LLC now owns 399 shares of the social networking company's stock worth $228,000 after acquiring an additional 15 shares during the last quarter. Barnes Pettey Financial Advisors LLC increased its stake in Meta Platforms by 1.0% in the 1st quarter. Barnes Pettey Financial Advisors LLC now owns 1,519 shares of the social networking company's stock worth $869,000 after acquiring an additional 15 shares during the last quarter. Finally, CWS Financial Advisors LLC raised its holdings in shares of Meta Platforms by 1.7% in the 1st quarter. CWS Financial Advisors LLC now owns 985 shares of the social networking company's stock valued at $564,000 after acquiring an additional 16 shares in the last quarter. 79.91% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Meta Platforms Stock Performance

Shares of NASDAQ META opened at $682.31 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of $1.74 trillion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 25.70, a P/E/G ratio of 1.17 and a beta of 1.25. The company has a current ratio of 2.23, a quick ratio of 2.23 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.32. Meta Platforms, Inc. has a 1-year low of $520.26 and a 1-year high of $790.80. The stock's 50-day moving average is $606.40 and its 200 day moving average is $609.40.

Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META - Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, July 29th. The social networking company reported $6.18 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $7.19 by ($1.01). The firm had revenue of $60.80 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $60.22 billion. Meta Platforms had a return on equity of 33.18% and a net margin of 29.83%.The business's quarterly revenue was up 28.0% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $7.14 EPS. On average, sell-side analysts anticipate that Meta Platforms, Inc. will post 27.93 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Meta Platforms Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, September 28th. Stockholders of record on Monday, September 21st will be issued a $0.525 dividend. This represents a $2.10 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.3%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, September 21st. Meta Platforms's payout ratio is presently 7.91%.

Insider Transactions at Meta Platforms

In related news, COO Javier Olivan sold 946 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, September 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $657.73, for a total transaction of $622,212.58. Following the completion of the sale, the chief operating officer directly owned 10,716 shares in the company, valued at $7,048,234.68. This represents a 8.11% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, insider Curtis J. Mahoney sold 1,559 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, August 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $558.00, for a total value of $869,922.00. Following the sale, the insider directly owned 1,957 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $1,092,006. This trade represents a 44.34% decrease in their position. 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. In the last quarter, insiders sold 81,758 shares of company stock worth $51,214,020. Corporate insiders own 13.53% of the company's stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

META has been the subject of a number of research analyst reports. Rosenblatt Securities reiterated a "buy" rating and set a $886.00 price target on shares of Meta Platforms in a research report on Wednesday. TD Cowen lowered their target price on shares of Meta Platforms from $800.00 to $750.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, July 30th. Wolfe Research reiterated an "outperform" rating and set a $700.00 target price on shares of Meta Platforms in a research report on Thursday, July 30th. Cantor Fitzgerald reissued a "neutral" rating on shares of Meta Platforms in a research note on Friday, September 11th. Finally, Piper Sandler reissued an "overweight" rating and issued a $785.00 price target (down from $800.00) on shares of Meta Platforms in a report on Thursday, July 30th. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirty-four have given a Buy rating and nine have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $788.88.

Key Stories Impacting Meta Platforms

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

• Positive Sentiment: Bank of America maintained a Buy view, estimating Meta could save approximately $8.5 billion in 2027 by shifting AI workloads to its in-house MTIA chips. Meta reportedly plans to deploy newer chips in 2027, potentially reducing dependence on Nvidia and improving AI margins. Meta Can Save $8.5 Billion in 2027 by Using Its Own MTIA Chips
• Positive Sentiment: Meta’s Muse AI agent and the new Meta One subscription are strengthening the investment case that the company can diversify beyond advertising. Meta One combines higher AI usage limits and features across Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, creating a potential recurring-revenue stream. Meta Platforms: Get In Before September 23
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst optimism remains a near-term catalyst. Citi identified Meta Connect on September 23 as a possible trigger for additional product announcements and investor enthusiasm, while Rosenblatt reiterated a Buy rating with an $886 price target. Meta Event Next Week Could Spark Stock Gains, Says Citi
• Neutral Sentiment: Meta is expanding Muse’s capabilities, including phone calls, as it competes with emerging AI-agent providers. The move could improve user engagement and monetization, but competition and the execution required to turn usage into paid revenue remain significant. Rival AI Agents and Meta’s Muse Add Calling
• Negative Sentiment: A German court ruled Meta liable for fraudulent third-party advertisements on Facebook and Instagram, ordering the company to remove such content and pay damages. The decision could increase legal costs and raise concerns about platform-monitoring obligations. German Court Rules Meta Liable for Fake Ads
• Negative Sentiment: Consumer advocate Clark Howard said Meta declined to remove a deepfake advertisement using his likeness. The episode adds reputational and regulatory risk as Meta attempts to control AI-generated scams and fraudulent advertising. Facebook Told Clark Howard a Deepfake Ad Meets Its Standards
• Negative Sentiment: Chief Product Officer Christopher Cox sold 20,000 Meta shares worth about $13.5 million. The transaction was made under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 plan, which reduces its signaling value, but insider selling can still weigh modestly on sentiment. SEC Insider Trading Filing

Meta Platforms Company Profile

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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