Meta Platforms, Inc. $META Shares Sold by StrongBox Wealth LLC

Key Points

• StrongBox Wealth LLC reduced its Meta stake by 59.7% in the third quarter, selling 1,610 shares and retaining 1,086 shares valued at $788,000.
• Other major institutional investors increased their holdings, and institutional investors collectively owned 79.91% of Meta’s shares.
• Meta beat quarterly earnings and revenue expectations, with revenue up 26.1% year over year; analysts’ consensus rating was “Moderate Buy,” with an average price target of $833.12.

StrongBox Wealth LLC cut its stake in Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META - Free Report) by 59.7% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 1,086 shares of the social networking company's stock after selling 1,610 shares during the period. StrongBox Wealth LLC's holdings in Meta Platforms were worth $788,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in the stock. State Street Corp increased 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 purchasing an additional 3,510,123 shares during the period. Bank of America Corp DE grew its holdings in 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 acquiring an additional 2,673,494 shares during the period. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC raised its position in 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 acquiring an additional 162,909 shares in the last quarter. Amundi boosted its position in shares of Meta Platforms by 18.1% during the 1st quarter. Amundi now owns 11,858,972 shares of the social networking company's stock valued at $6,784,873,000 after purchasing an additional 1,815,017 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Dimensional Fund Advisors LP grew its stake in shares of Meta Platforms by 4.0% in the 1st 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. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 79.91% of the company's stock.

More Meta Platforms News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Meta’s Muse AI assistant is expanding to Apple Watch and Android Wear OS, giving users another way to access its AI services and potentially broadening adoption. Article: Meta's AI agent Muse lands on Apple Watch and Android Wear OS
• Positive Sentiment: JPMorgan named Meta one of its preferred internet stocks, citing AI-driven advertising and future monetization opportunities. The endorsement may help investor confidence after recent pressure on the shares. Article: JPMorgan Just Added Meta Platforms to Its Analyst Focus List
• Positive Sentiment: ETF purchases exceeded sales on Friday, with 63 funds buying Meta shares and a reported net inflow of $211.9 million—an indication of institutional demand. Article: ETFs Bought $211.9 Million of Meta Platforms
• Neutral Sentiment: Short-interest figures conflict: one report says short positions rose 165.6% to 75.5 million shares as of October 30, while a later entry reports zero shares as of November 10. The inconsistency makes the latest data unreliable as a directional signal.
• Negative Sentiment: Investors continue to weigh the cost and payoff of Meta’s AI investment. Recent coverage cites negative free cash flow and a large legal charge that weighed on reported earnings, despite strong advertising growth. Article: Meta Platforms Stock: Is it a Steal of a Deal at $650?
• Negative Sentiment: Meta is expanding AI-based age checks for Instagram teens as lawsuits over harm to young users continue. The move may address safety concerns, but the litigation and regulatory exposure remain risks. Article: Meta expands Instagram's AI age-guessing tech globally

Insider Transactions at Meta Platforms

In other Meta Platforms news, COO Javier Olivan sold 946 shares of the business's stock in a transaction dated Monday, November 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $614.15, for a total value of $580,985.90. Following the transaction, the chief operating officer owned 4,094 shares in the company, valued at $2,514,330.10. The trade was a 18.77% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Insiders sold a total of 149,398 shares of company stock worth $102,134,435 over the last ninety days. 13.42% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several research firms have issued reports on META. Royal Bank Of Canada lifted their price target on shares of Meta Platforms from $770.00 to $800.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research report on Thursday, October 22nd. Phillip Securities raised Meta Platforms from a "buy" rating to a "strong-buy" rating and reduced their price objective for the stock from $795.00 to $750.00 in a research note on Monday, August 3rd. Barclays boosted their target price on Meta Platforms from $780.00 to $880.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a research report on Thursday, October 22nd. Rothschild & Co Redburn boosted their price objective on Meta Platforms from $900.00 to $1,000.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Tuesday, July 21st. Finally, BMO Capital Markets boosted their price target on shares of Meta Platforms from $580.00 to $685.00 and gave the company a "market perform" rating in a report on Thursday, October 22nd. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, forty-seven have given a Buy rating and seven have issued a Hold rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $833.12.

Meta Platforms Price Performance

Shares of META opened at $641.39 on Wednesday. The business's 50-day moving average is $677.61 and its 200-day moving average is $632.27. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.30, a current ratio of 1.90 and a quick ratio of 1.90. The company has a market capitalization of $1.64 trillion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.87, a P/E/G ratio of 1.11 and a beta of 1.28. Meta Platforms, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $520.26 and a fifty-two week high of $779.82.

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

Meta Platforms Announces Dividend

The business 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. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, September 21st. This represents a $2.10 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.3%. Meta Platforms's dividend payout ratio is 7.16%.

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.

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