Meta Platforms, Inc. $META Stock Acquired by Modera Wealth Management LLC

Key Points

• Modera Wealth Management increased its Meta stake by 20.4% in the third quarter, adding 2,219 shares to hold 13,101 shares valued at about $9.5 million.
• Institutional investors own 79.91% of Meta shares, with several major firms—including State Street and Bank of America—also reporting increased holdings.
• Meta beat quarterly earnings and revenue estimates, reporting $7.40 per share and $64.6 billion in revenue; revenue rose 26.1% year over year.

Modera Wealth Management LLC raised its holdings in Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META - Free Report) by 20.4% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 13,101 shares of the social networking company's stock after acquiring an additional 2,219 shares during the period. Modera Wealth Management LLC's holdings in Meta Platforms were worth $9,500,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Other large investors have also bought and sold shares of the company. State Street Corp increased its position in shares of Meta Platforms by 4.0% during the second quarter. State Street Corp now owns 92,033,963 shares of the social networking company's stock worth $51,841,811,000 after acquiring an additional 3,510,123 shares in the last quarter. Bank of America Corp DE raised its holdings in shares of 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 lifted its position in Meta Platforms by 1.3% in the 2nd 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 valued at $7,230,426,000 after acquiring an additional 162,909 shares in the last quarter. Amundi lifted its position in Meta Platforms by 18.1% in the 1st quarter. Amundi now owns 11,858,972 shares of the social networking company's stock valued at $6,784,873,000 after acquiring an additional 1,815,017 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Dimensional Fund Advisors LP boosted its stake in 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 period. 79.91% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Key Meta Platforms News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Meta made its Muse Voice AI available to U.S. users, including voice and video conversations with its consumer AI agent. Wider access could help the company build engagement with its AI products. Meta says US users can now video chat with their Muse AI avatar
• Positive Sentiment: Meta acquired Conductor, a startup that uses multiple AI agents to help build software projects, adding technology and talent to its AI development efforts. Meta acquires AI coding startup Conductor
• Neutral Sentiment: Meta completed a $15 billion senior-notes offering. Strong investor demand supports its ability to raise funds, but the borrowing adds to scrutiny of the cost of financing its AI expansion. Meta Platforms Completes $15 Billion Senior Notes Offering
• Negative Sentiment: Meta, Google and TikTok sued California’s attorney general to block a law restricting features considered addictive for users under 16. The legal challenge highlights continuing regulatory and litigation exposure around youth safety. Meta, Google, and TikTok sue California AG over teen social media law
• Negative Sentiment: Meta’s president warned that political and community opposition over data-center power and water use could make new facilities harder to build. That could complicate the infrastructure buildout needed to support AI growth. Meta warns election backlash against data centers could make AI expansion harder
• Negative Sentiment: Coverage of Meta’s debut euro bond sale pointed to borrowing costs above Alphabet’s, adding to investor concern about the expense of funding the company’s large AI spending plans. Meta Paid 1.4 Times What Alphabet Did to Borrow in Euros
• Negative Sentiment: Delhi Police filed a case concerning child sexual abuse material on Meta’s platforms after intervention by India’s child-rights authorities, creating potential reputational and legal risk. Child Abuse Material On Meta Platforms Flagged, Delhi Police Files FIR After NHRC Intervention

Meta Platforms Stock Performance

Shares of META stock opened at $605.08 on Friday. The company has a market cap of $1.55 trillion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 20.63, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.09 and a beta of 1.28. Meta Platforms, Inc. has a 52 week low of $520.26 and a 52 week high of $779.82. The company has a quick ratio of 1.90, a current ratio of 1.90 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.30. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $674.18 and a 200-day moving average of $632.13.

Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, October 22nd. The social networking company reported $7.40 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $6.54 by $0.86. Meta Platforms had a net margin of 31.15% and a return on equity of 30.73%. The business had revenue of $64.60 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $63.34 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $7.25 earnings per share. The firm's revenue for the quarter was up 26.1% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities analysts forecast that Meta Platforms, Inc. will post 29.01 earnings per share for the current year.

Meta Platforms Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, September 28th. Investors of record on Monday, September 21st were issued a dividend of $0.5250 per share. This represents a $2.10 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.3%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, September 21st. Meta Platforms's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 7.16%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Meta Platforms

In other news, insider Christopher Cox sold 40,000 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction dated 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 transaction, the insider directly owned 184,516 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $131,515,624.16. This trade represents a 17.82% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a 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, CEO Mark Zuckerberg sold 27,474 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, September 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $777.44, for a total transaction of $21,359,386.56. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Over the last three months, insiders sold 151,090 shares of company stock valued at $103,150,807. 13.53% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

META has been the topic of several recent analyst reports. Benchmark reaffirmed a "hold" rating on shares of Meta Platforms in a research report on Thursday, August 27th. Evercore reissued an "outperform" rating on shares of Meta Platforms in a report on Thursday, October 22nd. Raymond James Financial increased their price target on shares of Meta Platforms from $650.00 to $860.00 and gave the company a "strong-buy" rating in a research note on Thursday, September 24th. Sanford C. Bernstein reissued an "outperform" rating and issued a $800.00 price objective (down from $850.00) on shares of Meta Platforms in a research report on Thursday, July 30th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group reissued a "buy" rating and set a $885.00 price target on shares of Meta Platforms in a research report on Thursday, October 22nd. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, forty-seven have assigned a Buy rating and seven have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price 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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