Meta Platforms (META) News Today

Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META) shares are moving today on a mix of upgraded analyst sentiment, insider and institutional selling, and fresh developments around its AI projects and regulatory outlook.

• Analyst price‐target boost: Loop Capital raised its price target from $695 to $888 (a 38.7% upside from the recent $640 level) and kept a “buy” rating, driving upside momentum.
• Insider & institutional selling: Several heavy hitters—including Shellback Capital, Silvercrest Asset Management, Soma Equity, Sphera Funds, and lawmakers Julie Johnson and Josh Gottheimer—have trimmed or unloaded META stock in recent filings, creating downward pressure.
• “Behemoth” AI model delay: Reports that Meta has postponed its next-generation “Behemoth” Llama 4 launch until fall have spurred a 2–3% after-hours dip, as investors worry about engineering challenges and competitive positioning versus OpenAI and Google.
• FTC antitrust trial developments: The U.S. Federal Trade Commission rested its case against Meta’s Instagram and WhatsApp acquisitions, shifting focus to Meta’s defense. While a positive milestone for Meta, any adverse outcome could pose breakup risks.
• Ad‐revenue strength & AI initiatives: Despite AI delays, Meta’s ad-tech improvements drove higher ad‐conversion rates (+30% in AI ad tools uptake), and its AI assistant now approaches 1 billion monthly users—supporting confidence in long-term monetization.

In sum, META’s session reflects selective optimism: buy‐side support via lofty price targets and robust ad metrics vs. sell‐side caution around insider exits, delays in flagship AI rollouts, and ongoing regulatory uncertainty.