Meta Platforms, Inc. $META Stake Reduced by Mystic Asset Management Inc.

Key Points

• Mystic Asset Management reduced its Meta stake by 9.2% in the second quarter, selling 1,623 shares and retaining 16,014 shares worth approximately $9.02 million. Meta represents about 1.9% of Mystic’s portfolio, while institutional investors collectively own 79.91% of the stock.
• Analyst sentiment remains favorable, with a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $788.88. Recent recommendations included JPMorgan upgrading Meta to overweight, while several firms adjusted their price targets.
• Meta reported quarterly revenue of $60.80 billion, up 28% year over year, but its $6.18 EPS missed the $7.19 consensus estimate. The company also declared a quarterly dividend of $0.525 per share, implying a 0.3% annualized yield.

Mystic Asset Management Inc. cut its stake in Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META - Free Report) by 9.2% during the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 16,014 shares of the social networking company's stock after selling 1,623 shares during the period. Meta Platforms accounts for approximately 1.9% of Mystic Asset Management Inc.'s investment portfolio, making the stock its 11th largest holding. Mystic Asset Management Inc.'s holdings in Meta Platforms were worth $9,021,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Auto Owners Insurance Co lifted its position in Meta Platforms by 76,587.7% in the 4th quarter. Auto Owners Insurance Co now owns 105,292,277 shares of the social networking company's stock valued at $69,502,379,000 after purchasing an additional 105,154,977 shares during the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC boosted its stake in Meta Platforms by 1.7% during the 4th quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 52,806,712 shares of the social networking company's stock valued at $34,734,628,000 after purchasing an additional 878,396 shares during the period. Norges Bank bought a new position in Meta Platforms in the 4th quarter worth about $22,152,075,000. Bank of America Corp DE grew its position in Meta Platforms by 14.6% in the 1st 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 during the last quarter. Finally, Invesco Ltd. increased its stake in shares of Meta Platforms by 6.1% in the fourth quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 18,200,469 shares of the social networking company's stock valued at $12,013,948,000 after purchasing an additional 1,046,715 shares during the period. 79.91% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

META has been the topic of a number of recent analyst reports. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised Meta Platforms from a "neutral" rating to an "overweight" rating and lifted their price target for the company from $640.00 to $820.00 in a report on Thursday, September 10th. The Goldman Sachs Group decreased their price objective on Meta Platforms from $815.00 to $725.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a report on Thursday, July 30th. Wedbush raised their target price on Meta Platforms from $595.00 to $650.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a research report on Friday. Sanford C. Bernstein reaffirmed an "outperform" rating and set a $800.00 target price on shares of Meta Platforms in a research note on Thursday, July 30th. Finally, KeyCorp reduced their price target on Meta Platforms from $790.00 to $780.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company 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 stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $788.88.

Meta Platforms Price Performance

NASDAQ META opened at $665.60 on Tuesday. Meta Platforms, Inc. has a 12 month low of $520.26 and a 12 month high of $790.80. The firm has a market capitalization of $1.70 trillion, a PE ratio of 25.07, a P/E/G ratio of 1.12 and a beta of 1.25. The company's 50 day simple moving average is $602.89 and its 200 day simple moving average is $608.92. 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 (NASDAQ:META - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly 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). Meta Platforms had a net margin of 29.83% and a return on equity of 33.18%. The firm had revenue of $60.80 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $60.22 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $7.14 earnings per share. The business's revenue for the quarter was up 28.0% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities research analysts forecast that Meta Platforms, Inc. will post 28.17 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Meta Platforms Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, September 28th. Shareholders of record on Monday, September 21st will be given a $0.525 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Monday, September 21st. This represents a $2.10 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.3%. Meta Platforms's payout ratio is 7.91%.

Meta Platforms News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: AI strategy is boosting investor confidence. Goldman Sachs reiterated its bullish view, citing the rollout of Meta’s Muse AI agent and a recent legal settlement as potential catalysts. Analysts also argue that Meta’s valuation remains attractive relative to its growth, with one estimate assigning an $817 price target. Why is Meta stock gaining in premarket today
• Positive Sentiment: Advertising momentum supports earnings expectations. A bullish analysis highlighted second-quarter ad impressions growth of 14% and a 12% increase in average ad prices. Meta’s forward PEG ratio was also described as below both the sector median and its five-year average, suggesting investors may still view the stock as reasonably valued despite its recent rally. Meta Platforms: AI Spending Is Starting To Pay Off
• Positive Sentiment: Meta is benefiting from a shift in AI sentiment. Shares of Meta and Alphabet gained while AI-chip stocks weakened after several AI executives called for a slower approach to developing frontier models. Investors may be favoring Meta because its large user base and advertising business provide diversified ways to monetize AI. Why Google and Meta Stocks Are the Big Winners From the Latest AI Concerns
• Neutral Sentiment: AI investment is creating both opportunity and financial risk. AI-related debt issuance has surged, and Meta is viewed as better positioned than highly leveraged infrastructure providers because of its stronger cash generation. Nevertheless, the scale of data-center spending could pressure free cash flow and increase execution risk. AI-Related Debt Sales Are Near $500 Billion
• Negative Sentiment: Meta faces a proposed class-action lawsuit over smart-glasses privacy. Parents and children in California and Illinois allege that the company’s unreleased “NameTag” facial-recognition feature improperly used Facebook and Instagram data. The case could create legal costs, regulatory scrutiny and reputational damage if the allegations gain traction. Meta Faces Lawsuit Over Smart Glasses Facial Recognition
• Negative Sentiment: Content-moderation and insider-selling headlines add caution. Meta’s Oversight Board urged it not to replace professional fact-checking with Community Notes, while a reported insider stock sale worth about $13 million may weigh modestly on sentiment. These developments raise governance and reputational concerns, although neither necessarily changes Meta’s underlying operating outlook. Oversight Board asks Meta not to replace fact-checking with Community Notes

Insider Transactions at Meta Platforms

In other Meta Platforms news, insider Curtis Mahoney sold 1,559 shares of the company's stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, August 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $558.00, for a total value of $869,922.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider directly owned 1,957 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $1,092,006. This represents a 44.34% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal 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, COO Javier Olivan sold 2,838 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, September 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $616.71, for a total transaction of $1,750,222.98. Following the transaction, the chief operating officer owned 11,662 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $7,192,072.02. This trade represents a 19.57% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Insiders sold 60,183 shares of company stock valued at $36,673,495 in the last quarter. 13.53% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

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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