Meta Platforms, Inc. $META Stock Acquired by Fifth Third Wealth Advisors LLC

Key Points

• Fifth Third Wealth Advisors increased its Meta stake by 1.8% in the third quarter to 62,762 shares valued at approximately $45.5 million. Institutional investors collectively own 79.91% of Meta’s outstanding stock.
• Meta exceeded quarterly expectations, reporting $7.40 in EPS versus the $6.54 consensus and $64.6 billion in revenue, up 26.1% year over year.
• Analysts maintain a generally positive outlook, with a “Moderate Buy” consensus and an average price target of $833.12, while COO Javier Olivan sold shares under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 plan.

Fifth Third Wealth Advisors LLC boosted its stake in Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META - Free Report) by 1.8% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 62,762 shares of the social networking company's stock after purchasing an additional 1,099 shares during the quarter. Meta Platforms makes up 1.2% of Fifth Third Wealth Advisors LLC's investment portfolio, making the stock its 14th largest position. Fifth Third Wealth Advisors LLC's holdings in Meta Platforms were worth $45,514,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

A number of other hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in META. Horizons Wealth Management bought a new stake in Meta Platforms during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $33,000. Advantage Trust Co purchased a new stake in Meta Platforms in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $28,000. Philadelphia Investment Partners LLC bought a new position in Meta Platforms in the 2nd quarter valued at $32,000. Axiom Investment Management LLC bought a new position in Meta Platforms in the 1st quarter valued at $36,000. Finally, Schuylkill Financial LLC purchased a new position in shares of Meta Platforms during the 2nd quarter valued at $36,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 79.91% of the company's stock.

Meta Platforms Stock Down 1.2%

META opened at $612.49 on Thursday. The stock has a market cap of $1.56 trillion, a PE ratio of 20.88, a P/E/G ratio of 1.12 and a beta of 1.19. The company has a quick ratio of 1.90, a current ratio of 1.90 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.30. Meta Platforms, Inc. has a 52 week low of $520.26 and a 52 week high of $779.82. The business's fifty day simple moving average is $667.08 and its 200 day simple moving average is $632.53.

Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, October 21st. The social networking company reported $7.40 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $6.54 by $0.86. Meta Platforms had a return on equity of 30.73% and a net margin of 31.15%. The firm had revenue of $64.60 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $63.34 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $7.25 EPS. The company's revenue for the quarter was up 26.1% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, research analysts expect that Meta Platforms, Inc. will post 28.98 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Meta Platforms Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, September 28th. Investors of record on Monday, September 21st were given a $0.5250 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Monday, September 21st. This represents a $2.10 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.3%. Meta Platforms's payout ratio is presently 7.16%.

Insider Transactions at Meta Platforms

In other Meta Platforms news, COO Javier Olivan sold 946 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, October 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $640.00, for a total transaction of $605,440.00. Following the transaction, the chief operating officer directly owned 5,040 shares in the company, valued at $3,225,600. This trade represents a 15.80% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Insiders sold a total of 150,015 shares of company stock valued at $102,464,300 over the last ninety days. 13.53% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Key Meta Platforms News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Meta priced a $25 billion Class A common-stock offering and a $12.5 billion mandatory convertible preferred-stock offering, with proceeds earmarked for its artificial-intelligence infrastructure. The common offering reportedly attracted demand several times greater than the shares available, suggesting institutional interest in Meta’s AI strategy. Meta offering pricing
• Positive Sentiment: Nvidia plans to invest $3 billion in Meta and expand its partnership around Meta’s Muse AI assistant and models. The deal provides third-party validation for Meta’s AI ambitions and may help secure access to Nvidia hardware. Nvidia invests in Meta partnership
• Positive Sentiment: Meta’s core advertising business remains strong: ad impressions increased 10% year over year, average ad prices rose 14%, and AI improvements reportedly lifted app-ad conversions by 9.6%. Early adoption of Muse and new AI experiments such as Waddle World could create future commerce and subscription revenue. Meta AI risk and reward
• Neutral Sentiment: Meta delayed indefinitely the rollout of new commercial terms after publisher objections. The move could reduce near-term conflict but leaves unresolved questions about the company’s relationship with media organizations and use of publisher content. Meta delays commercial terms
• Negative Sentiment: The major concern is dilution: Meta is pursuing nearly $98 billion in equity financing, including new common and convertible preferred securities. Investors appear worried that the funding will reduce per-share value even if it finances long-term AI growth. Meta stock analysis and dilution
• Negative Sentiment: AI investment is weighing heavily on near-term financials. Capital expenditures reached $34.9 billion, producing negative free cash flow of $2.1 billion, while higher spending and legal costs pressured margins. This has led some analysts to downgrade the stock, despite revenue exceeding expectations. Meta AI spending downgrade
• Negative Sentiment: Meta COO Javier Olivan sold shares worth approximately $1.0 million in two transactions. Both sales were executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 plan, reducing their significance as a signal of management’s outlook. SEC insider transaction filing

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research analysts have recently weighed in on the stock. Barclays upped their price target on shares of Meta Platforms from $780.00 to $880.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a report on Thursday, October 22nd. Moffett Nathanson lowered their price objective on Meta Platforms from $800.00 to $740.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, July 30th. Arete Research lifted their price objective on Meta Platforms from $735.00 to $806.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Wednesday, September 16th. Rothschild & Co Redburn boosted their target price on Meta Platforms from $900.00 to $1,000.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research report on Tuesday, July 21st. Finally, CICC Research decreased their target price on Meta Platforms from $773.00 to $700.00 and set an "outperform" rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, July 31st. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, forty-seven have issued a Buy rating and eight have given a Hold rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat, Meta Platforms currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $833.12.

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's principal platforms include Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, WhatsApp, and Threads, which enable users to connect, communicate, share content, and discover products and services.

Meta also operates Reality Labs, its division focused on virtual, augmented, and mixed reality technologies. Reality Labs develops products such as Meta Quest virtual reality headsets and related software and experiences, along with research and hardware intended to support immersive computing.

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