Meta Platforms, Inc. $META Stock Purchased by Claro Advisors Inc.

Key Points

• Claro Advisors increased its Meta stake by 4.7% in the third quarter, adding 824 shares to hold 18,293 shares valued at about $13.3 million. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 79.91% of Meta’s stock.
• Meta reported quarterly earnings of $7.40 per share, topping the $6.54 consensus estimate, while revenue of $64.6 billion exceeded forecasts and rose 26.1% year over year.
• Analyst sentiment was broadly positive: the stock has a “Moderate Buy” consensus rating and an average price target of $833.12, with several firms recently raising their targets.

Claro Advisors Inc. increased its position in shares of Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META - Free Report) by 4.7% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 18,293 shares of the social networking company's stock after purchasing an additional 824 shares during the period. Meta Platforms accounts for about 1.3% of Claro Advisors Inc.'s holdings, making the stock its 16th biggest holding. Claro Advisors Inc.'s holdings in Meta Platforms were worth $13,266,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Bill Few Associates Inc. lifted its holdings in Meta Platforms by 1.3% in the third quarter. Bill Few Associates Inc. now owns 1,206 shares of the social networking company's stock valued at $874,000 after acquiring an additional 15 shares during the last quarter. Value Partners Investments Inc. grew its position in Meta Platforms by 1.8% in the third quarter. Value Partners Investments Inc. now owns 866 shares of the social networking company's stock worth $630,000 after acquiring an additional 15 shares during the period. Tenzing Financial LLC increased its stake in Meta Platforms by 1.3% during the second quarter. Tenzing Financial LLC now owns 1,210 shares of the social networking company's stock worth $726,000 after acquiring an additional 16 shares during the last quarter. Uptown Financial Advisors LLC increased its stake in Meta Platforms by 1.3% during the second quarter. Uptown Financial Advisors LLC now owns 1,273 shares of the social networking company's stock worth $717,000 after acquiring an additional 16 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Sheets Smith Wealth Management raised its position in Meta Platforms by 2.8% in the second quarter. Sheets Smith Wealth Management now owns 594 shares of the social networking company's stock valued at $334,000 after purchasing an additional 16 shares during the period. 79.91% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Meta Platforms Stock Up 0.0%

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

Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, October 22nd. The social networking company reported $7.40 earnings per share 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 business had revenue of $64.60 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $63.34 billion. During the same period last year, the business earned $7.25 EPS. The company's revenue was up 26.1% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities research analysts anticipate that Meta Platforms, Inc. will post 29.01 EPS 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 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%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research analysts have weighed in on META shares. Royal Bank Of Canada increased their target price on shares of Meta Platforms from $770.00 to $800.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research note on Thursday, October 22nd. Pivotal Research boosted their price target on shares of Meta Platforms from $930.00 to $960.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Thursday, October 22nd. Monness Crespi & Hardt reissued a "buy" rating and issued a $875.00 price target on shares of Meta Platforms in a research note on Thursday, October 22nd. Jefferies Financial Group upped their price objective on shares of Meta Platforms from $710.00 to $875.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Tuesday, September 22nd. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft increased their price objective on shares of Meta Platforms from $750.00 to $820.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research report on Friday, September 25th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, forty-seven have given a Buy rating and seven have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $833.12.

Meta Platforms News Roundup

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 Activity

In other news, COO Javier Olivan sold 946 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, November 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $614.15, for a total value of $580,985.90. Following the completion of the sale, the chief operating officer directly owned 4,094 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $2,514,330.10. This represents a 18.77% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction 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. Over the last ninety days, insiders sold 149,398 shares of company stock valued at $102,134,435. 13.42% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

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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