Meta Platforms, Inc. $META Holdings Decreased by Commonwealth Equity Services LLC

Key Points

• Commonwealth Equity Services cut its Meta stake by 4.3% in the third quarter, selling 21,905 shares and ending with 491,058 shares valued at about $356.1 million.
• Institutional investors own 79.91% of Meta; several major firms, including State Street and Bank of America, increased their holdings.
• Meta reported quarterly EPS of $7.40, beating the $6.54 consensus, while revenue rose 26.1% year over year to $64.6 billion. Analysts’ consensus rating is “Moderate Buy,” with an average price target of $833.12.

Commonwealth Equity Services LLC lowered its stake in Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META - Free Report) by 4.3% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 491,058 shares of the social networking company's stock after selling 21,905 shares during the quarter. Commonwealth Equity Services LLC's holdings in Meta Platforms were worth $356,105,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

A number of other hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. State Street Corp boosted its position in shares of Meta Platforms by 4.0% during the 2nd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 92,033,963 shares of the social networking company's stock valued at $51,841,811,000 after acquiring an additional 3,510,123 shares during the last quarter. Bank of America Corp DE grew its holdings in shares of Meta Platforms by 14.6% during the first 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 purchasing an additional 2,673,494 shares in the last quarter. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC increased its position in shares of Meta Platforms by 1.3% in the second quarter. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC now owns 12,836,063 shares of the social networking company's stock worth $7,230,426,000 after purchasing an additional 162,909 shares during the last quarter. Amundi increased its position in shares of Meta Platforms by 18.1% in the first quarter. Amundi now owns 11,858,972 shares of the social networking company's stock worth $6,784,873,000 after purchasing an additional 1,815,017 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Dimensional Fund Advisors LP increased its position in shares of Meta Platforms by 4.0% in the first quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 10,429,812 shares of the social networking company's stock worth $5,964,745,000 after purchasing an additional 404,948 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 79.91% of the company's stock.

Meta Platforms Stock Performance

Meta Platforms stock opened at $641.37 on Tuesday. Meta Platforms, Inc. has a twelve month low of $520.26 and a twelve month high of $779.82. The company has a quick ratio of 1.90, a current ratio of 1.90 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.30. The company has a market capitalization of $1.64 trillion, a P/E ratio of 21.87, a PEG ratio of 1.09 and a beta of 1.28. The stock's 50 day moving average is $676.23 and its 200 day moving average is $632.30.

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

Meta Platforms Dividend Announcement

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, September 28th. Stockholders of record on Monday, September 21st were paid a $0.5250 dividend. This represents a $2.10 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.3%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, September 21st. Meta Platforms's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 7.16%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, CEO Mark Zuckerberg sold 27,474 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction on Thursday, September 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $777.44, for a total transaction of $21,359,386.56. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available 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 dated Thursday, September 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $618.06, for a total value of $2,002,514.40. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief accounting officer owned 6,271 shares in the company, valued at $3,875,854.26. The trade was a 34.07% 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. In the last three months, insiders sold 149,398 shares of company stock valued at $102,134,435. 13.42% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Key Meta Platforms News

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?

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

META has been the topic of several recent research reports. Bank of America increased their price objective on Meta Platforms from $810.00 to $845.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research report on Thursday, October 22nd. Raymond James Financial boosted their target price on Meta Platforms from $650.00 to $860.00 and gave the stock a "strong-buy" rating in a research report on Thursday, September 24th. KeyCorp upped their target price on Meta Platforms from $900.00 to $905.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a research note on Thursday, October 22nd. Needham & Company LLC reiterated a "hold" rating on shares of Meta Platforms in a research report on Thursday, August 27th. Finally, Piper Sandler decreased their price target on shares of Meta Platforms from $875.00 to $850.00 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, October 22nd. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, forty-seven have issued a Buy rating and seven have issued a Hold rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $833.12.

Meta Platforms 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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