Meta Platforms, Inc. $META Shares Sold by Haverford Financial Services Inc.

Haverford Financial Services Inc. decreased its stake in shares of Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META - Free Report) by 8.1% in the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 10,747 shares of the social networking company's stock after selling 943 shares during the period. Meta Platforms accounts for 1.8% of Haverford Financial Services Inc.'s investment portfolio, making the stock its 23rd biggest position. Haverford Financial Services Inc.'s holdings in Meta Platforms were worth $6,054,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

A number of other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in META. Fairtree Asset Management Pty Ltd lifted its stake in shares of Meta Platforms by 18.6% during the 2nd quarter. Fairtree Asset Management Pty Ltd now owns 18,777 shares of the social networking company's stock worth $10,577,000 after purchasing an additional 2,939 shares during the period. Madison Wealth Partners Inc grew its position in shares of Meta Platforms by 33.6% in the second quarter. Madison Wealth Partners Inc now owns 3,031 shares of the social networking company's stock valued at $1,707,000 after purchasing an additional 763 shares during the period. Abbot Financial Management Inc. grew its position in shares of Meta Platforms by 53.5% in the second quarter. Abbot Financial Management Inc. now owns 2,845 shares of the social networking company's stock valued at $1,603,000 after purchasing an additional 991 shares during the period. Ashton Thomas Securities LLC increased its stake in Meta Platforms by 17.4% in the first quarter. Ashton Thomas Securities LLC now owns 18,000 shares of the social networking company's stock valued at $10,299,000 after purchasing an additional 2,670 shares during the last quarter. Finally, WMS Group LLC acquired a new position in Meta Platforms in the fourth quarter valued at $876,000. 79.91% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Insider Activity at Meta Platforms

In related news, CAO Aaron Anderson sold 3,240 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction dated Thursday, September 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $618.06, for a total transaction of $2,002,514.40. Following the sale, the chief accounting officer directly owned 6,271 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,875,854.26. This trade represents a 34.07% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, CTO Andrew Bosworth sold 7,848 shares of the business's stock in a transaction on Tuesday, August 18th. The stock was sold at an average price of $558.00, for a total transaction of $4,379,184.00. Following the transaction, the chief technology officer directly owned 828 shares in the company, valued at approximately $462,024. The trade was a 90.46% 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. Insiders have sold a total of 81,758 shares of company stock valued at $51,214,020 over the last 90 days. Corporate insiders own 13.53% of the company's stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

META has been the topic of a number of research analyst reports. DA Davidson decreased their price target on Meta Platforms from $850.00 to $700.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, July 30th. Truist Financial dropped their price objective on shares of Meta Platforms from $770.00 to $763.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, August 27th. BNP Paribas Exane initiated coverage on shares of Meta Platforms in a research note on Tuesday, June 2nd. They set an "outperform" rating for the company. Wolfe Research reiterated an "outperform" rating and set a $700.00 price objective on shares of Meta Platforms in a report on Thursday, July 30th. Finally, Sanford C. Bernstein reissued an "outperform" rating and issued a $800.00 target price on shares of Meta Platforms in a research report on Thursday, July 30th. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirty-four have issued a Buy rating and nine have given a Hold rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $788.88.

Meta Platforms Stock Performance

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

Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results 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). The business had revenue of $60.80 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $60.22 billion. Meta Platforms had a net margin of 29.83% and a return on equity of 33.18%. The company's quarterly revenue was up 28.0% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted $7.14 EPS. Equities analysts predict that Meta Platforms, Inc. will post 27.93 EPS for the current year.

Meta Platforms Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, September 28th. Shareholders of record on Monday, September 21st will be paid a dividend of $0.525 per share. 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 currently 7.91%.

Key Meta Platforms News

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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