Meta Platforms, Inc. $META Shares Acquired by GoalVest Advisory LLC

Key Points

• GoalVest Advisory increased its Meta position by 1,355.3% in the third quarter, adding 56,502 shares for a total holding of 60,671 shares valued at approximately $44 million. Institutional investors and hedge funds collectively own 79.91% of Meta’s stock.
• Analyst sentiment remains positive, with Meta receiving a consensus “Moderate Buy” rating and an average price target of $787.86. The stock recently traded at $730.88, while quarterly revenue rose 28% year over year to $60.8 billion despite an earnings-per-share miss.
• Insiders sold shares under pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 plans, including 40,000 shares sold by Christopher K. Cox and 27,474 shares sold by CEO Mark Zuckerberg. Meta also paid a quarterly dividend of $0.525 per share, equivalent to a 0.3% annualized yield.

GoalVest Advisory LLC raised its position in shares of Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META - Free Report) by 1,355.3% in the third quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 60,671 shares of the social networking company's stock after acquiring an additional 56,502 shares during the period. Meta Platforms makes up 2.3% of GoalVest Advisory LLC's portfolio, making the stock its 8th biggest holding. GoalVest Advisory LLC's holdings in Meta Platforms were worth $43,997,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Global Wealth Strategies & Associates boosted its stake in Meta Platforms by 28.7% in the 3rd quarter. Global Wealth Strategies & Associates now owns 862 shares of the social networking company's stock valued at $625,000 after buying an additional 192 shares in the last quarter. Versant Capital Management Inc raised its stake in Meta Platforms by 2.0% during the third quarter. Versant Capital Management Inc now owns 9,238 shares of the social networking company's stock worth $6,699,000 after acquiring an additional 178 shares in the last quarter. Burkett Financial Services LLC raised its stake in Meta Platforms by 62.9% during the third quarter. Burkett Financial Services LLC now owns 536 shares of the social networking company's stock worth $389,000 after acquiring an additional 207 shares in the last quarter. Stonebridge Financial Group LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Meta Platforms by 1.3% during the third quarter. Stonebridge Financial Group LLC now owns 12,648 shares of the social networking company's stock valued at $9,172,000 after acquiring an additional 161 shares during the period. Finally, Parrish Capital LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Meta Platforms by 8.1% during the third quarter. Parrish Capital LLC now owns 2,976 shares of the social networking company's stock valued at $2,158,000 after acquiring an additional 222 shares during the period. 79.91% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of equities analysts have commented on META shares. Wedbush boosted their price target on shares of Meta Platforms from $595.00 to $650.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a research report on Friday, September 11th. Benchmark reaffirmed a "hold" rating on shares of Meta Platforms in a report on Thursday, August 27th. TD Cowen lifted their target price on shares of Meta Platforms from $750.00 to $865.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Friday, September 25th. China Renaissance reduced their target price on Meta Platforms from $825.00 to $700.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a report on Friday, July 31st. Finally, Monness Crespi & Hardt increased their price target on Meta Platforms from $730.00 to $830.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research report on Monday. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, forty-four have given a Buy rating and ten have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Meta Platforms has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $787.86.

Insiders Place Their Bets

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, CEO Mark Zuckerberg sold 27,474 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, September 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $777.44, for a total transaction of $21,359,386.56. 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 151,882 shares of company stock worth $103,032,319. Company insiders own 13.53% of the company's stock.

Meta Platforms News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: Muse adoption is strengthening Meta’s AI narrative. Meta’s free AI agent reportedly surpassed 5 million downloads, while the company is expanding Muse for small businesses with tools tied to advertising, sales and operations. The company is also pursuing e-commerce integrations, including cooperation with Walmart. Zuckerberg's Free AI Agent Hit 5 Million Downloads
• Positive Sentiment: Investors see a path from AI investment to revenue growth. Analysts and commentators say Meta may benefit as the market shifts from rewarding AI infrastructure spending to companies already using AI to improve advertising efficiency. Meta’s advertising business is described as performing strongly, and the company’s September rally reflects optimism about AI-driven growth. Meta Could Be the AI Trade's Come-From-Behind Winner
• Positive Sentiment: Meta is securing additional AI capacity. Nebius reportedly signed a $27 billion AI-capacity agreement with Meta, signaling continued demand for computing resources and Meta’s willingness to support its AI ambitions. The commitment could help Muse and other AI products scale, although it also increases spending requirements. Nebius Group Signs $27B AI Capacity Deal With Meta Platforms
• Neutral Sentiment: Competition and execution are becoming the next test. OpenAI launched Dots, an “always-on” AI agent that directly competes with Muse. Analysts say sustained upside now depends on Muse’s ability to monetize users while avoiding privacy problems. Meta has disputed a claim that Muse accessed private messages without permission. Meta Platforms: Things May Get Ugly
• Negative Sentiment: New Mexico is seeking as much as $40 billion in privacy penalties. Following a jury finding that Meta misled Facebook users about data privacy, the state asked a judge to impose $35 billion to $40 billion in penalties. The final amount is unresolved, but the potential liability represents a significant overhang. New Mexico Wants Meta to Pay Up to $40 Billion
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation and AI spending leave little room for disappointment. Meta shares rose sharply in September, but investors still need evidence that Muse will generate attractive returns. A broader concern is that surging AI infrastructure supply could pressure computing prices, raising questions about the returns on Meta’s large capital commitments. One Number Could Tell Us Where Meta Stock Goes Next

Meta Platforms Trading Up 0.7%

NASDAQ:META traded up $4.95 on Friday, hitting $730.88. 6,135,019 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 17,507,283. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.32, a quick ratio of 2.23 and a current ratio of 2.23. Meta Platforms, Inc. has a 52 week low of $520.26 and a 52 week high of $779.82. The stock has a market capitalization of $1.86 trillion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 27.49, a P/E/G ratio of 1.26 and a beta of 1.19. The company's 50-day moving average price is $622.86 and its 200 day moving average price is $615.28.

Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly 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). Meta Platforms had a net margin of 29.83% and a return on equity of 33.18%. The company had revenue of $60.80 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $60.22 billion. During the same period last year, the company earned $7.14 EPS. The business's revenue for the quarter was up 28.0% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities research analysts forecast that Meta Platforms, Inc. will post 27.94 earnings per share for the current year.

Meta Platforms Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, September 28th. Investors of record on Monday, September 21st were paid a dividend of $0.5250 per share. This represents a $2.10 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.3%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, September 21st. Meta Platforms's dividend payout ratio is presently 7.91%.

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 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.

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