Meta Platforms, Inc. $META Shares Sold by Iowa State Bank

Key Points

• Iowa State Bank reduced its Meta Platforms stake by 14.7% in the third quarter, selling 2,135 shares and retaining 12,361 shares valued at approximately $8.96 million. Institutional investors and hedge funds collectively own 79.91% of META.
• Meta insiders sold significant amounts of stock under pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 plans, including CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s $21.4 million sale and Christopher Cox’s $28.5 million sale. Insiders sold approximately $99.9 million worth of shares over the past 90 days.
• META traded near $741, close to its 12-month high, while analysts maintained an overall “Moderate Buy” consensus with an average price target of $791.86. The company reported 28% year-over-year revenue growth but missed quarterly EPS estimates.

Iowa State Bank trimmed its stake in shares of Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META - Free Report) by 14.7% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The firm owned 12,361 shares of the social networking company's stock after selling 2,135 shares during the quarter. Meta Platforms comprises about 1.4% of Iowa State Bank's portfolio, making the stock its 19th biggest holding. Iowa State Bank's holdings in Meta Platforms were worth $8,964,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Several other large investors also recently modified their holdings of META. Advantage Trust Co bought a new stake in Meta Platforms during the second quarter worth about $28,000. Niles Investment Management LLC bought a new position in Meta Platforms in the 4th quarter valued at about $29,000. Philadelphia Investment Partners LLC bought a new position in Meta Platforms in the 2nd quarter valued at about $32,000. Horizons Wealth Management acquired a new position in shares of Meta Platforms in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $33,000. Finally, Axiom Investment Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of Meta Platforms in the 1st quarter valued at approximately $36,000. 79.91% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Insider Transactions at Meta Platforms

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 transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, insider Christopher Cox sold 40,000 shares of the business's stock in a transaction on 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 sale, the insider directly owned 184,516 shares in the company, valued at approximately $131,515,624.16. This represents a 17.82% decrease in their position. 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 90 days, insiders sold 146,647 shares of company stock worth $99,886,901. 13.53% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Meta Platforms Price Performance

Shares of META traded down $0.47 during trading hours on Tuesday, reaching $741.43. The stock had a trading volume of 5,730,973 shares, compared to its average volume of 17,470,250. 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 12 month low of $520.26 and a 12 month high of $779.82. The stock has a market capitalization of $1.89 trillion, a PE ratio of 27.93, a PEG ratio of 1.27 and a beta of 1.19. The company's 50-day moving average is $628.48 and its two-hundred day moving average is $616.82.

Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, July 29th. The social networking company reported $6.18 earnings per share (EPS) 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 analyst estimates of $60.22 billion. Meta Platforms had a return on equity of 33.18% and a net margin of 29.83%.Meta Platforms's revenue for the quarter was up 28.0% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $7.14 EPS. Research analysts expect that Meta Platforms, Inc. will post 27.94 EPS for the current year.

Meta Platforms Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, September 28th. Shareholders of record on Monday, September 21st were given a $0.5250 dividend. This represents a $2.10 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.3%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, September 21st. Meta Platforms's dividend payout ratio is 7.91%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

META has been the topic of several analyst reports. The Goldman Sachs Group reiterated a "buy" rating and set a $725.00 price target (down from $815.00) on shares of Meta Platforms in a research report on Thursday, August 27th. Moffett Nathanson lowered their price objective on shares of Meta Platforms from $800.00 to $740.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, July 30th. Daiwa Securities Group cut their target price on Meta Platforms from $790.00 to $687.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, August 4th. Truist Financial reduced their target price on Meta Platforms from $770.00 to $763.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, August 27th. Finally, New Street Research decreased their price target on Meta Platforms from $730.00 to $700.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, July 31st. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, forty-four have assigned a Buy rating and ten have issued a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $791.86.

Trending Headlines about Meta Platforms

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

• Positive Sentiment: Meta Muse is strengthening the AI growth narrative. Coverage highlights the potential for Muse to capture share in personal-agent and AI-powered shopping markets, with early users reportedly relying on it for purchases that might otherwise go through Amazon. Analysts and commentators see the product as a possible long-term monetization driver. Meta Muse: Sparking the AI Revolution
• Positive Sentiment: AI infrastructure investments could support Meta’s long-term economics. Meta’s large spending commitments are being viewed as a way to improve advertising performance, engagement and future AI monetization. The company also has a 20-year power purchase agreement with Vistra, helping secure nuclear power for energy-intensive data centers and AI workloads. Vistra Stock Gains as Federal Funds Fuel Nuclear Power Expansion
• Positive Sentiment: Reels-first testing in India may improve video engagement and advertising opportunities. Sending some Facebook users directly into full-screen Reels could increase time spent on the platform and create additional short-form video inventory, although the financial impact remains unproven. Facebook tests going Reels-first in India
• Neutral Sentiment: Meta and other technology companies are challenging U.K. data demands. The dispute with Ofcom over online-safety information requests could limit compliance costs if successful, but it also underscores continuing regulatory scrutiny of Meta’s platforms. Meta, TikTok, X challenge UK watchdog over online safety data demands
• Negative Sentiment: New Mexico’s lawsuit represents the largest immediate risk. A judge is expected to rule this month on a potential penalty of up to $40 billion, an amount that could materially affect Meta’s cash position, earnings and ability to fund AI infrastructure. New Mexico Wants Meta to Pay Up to $40 Billion
• Negative Sentiment: Investors remain concerned about valuation and spending. Meta’s ambitious AI buildout requires substantial capital, while one market commentator reduced exposure to META as Treasury yields approached 5.26%, increasing pressure on expensive megacap technology stocks. Analyst Sells Cisco and Trims Meta Amid Rising Yields

Meta Platforms 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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