Meta Platforms, Inc. $META Shares Sold by Crestwood Advisors Group LLC

Crestwood Advisors Group LLC lessened its holdings in shares of Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META) by 2.8% during the 3rd quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The fund owned 190,588 shares of the social networking company’s stock after selling 5,505 shares during the period. Meta Platforms comprises approximately 2.4% of Crestwood Advisors Group LLC’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 7th biggest position. Crestwood Advisors Group LLC’s holdings in Meta Platforms were worth $139,965,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of the business. Goldstone Financial Group LLC raised its holdings in Meta Platforms by 44.4% in the 3rd quarter. Goldstone Financial Group LLC now owns 3,752 shares of the social networking company’s stock worth $2,756,000 after acquiring an additional 1,153 shares during the period. CW Advisors LLC boosted its stake in Meta Platforms by 27.8% during the 2nd quarter. CW Advisors LLC now owns 176,762 shares of the social networking company’s stock valued at $130,467,000 after purchasing an additional 38,432 shares during the period. Ashton Thomas Private Wealth LLC grew its holdings in Meta Platforms by 34.2% in the 3rd quarter. Ashton Thomas Private Wealth LLC now owns 52,252 shares of the social networking company’s stock valued at $38,373,000 after buying an additional 13,311 shares during the last quarter. Stephens Inc. AR lifted its holdings in shares of Meta Platforms by 5.6% during the second quarter. Stephens Inc. AR now owns 84,687 shares of the social networking company’s stock worth $62,507,000 after buying an additional 4,473 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Cherokee Insurance Co acquired a new stake in shares of Meta Platforms in the second quarter worth $3,321,000. 79.91% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Key Meta Platforms News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Board approved a quarterly cash dividend of $0.525/share (payable Mar. 26); Goldman Sachs lists Meta among top growth picks — this boosts yield and buyback/dividend narrative that can support the stock. Meta (META) Strengthens Investor Appeal With Dividend Payout and Platform Expansion Efforts
• Positive Sentiment: Billionaire and institutional buying headlines (e.g., Bill Ackman, David Tepper coverage) are being cited by media — signals of high-profile conviction that can attract momentum buyers. A Billionaire Just Bet Big on This AI Stock. Should Investors Follow Suit?
• Positive Sentiment: Industry-level tailwind: Bridgewater projects ~ $650B of AI capex among big tech in 2026 — validates Meta’s heavy AI investment as part of a broad secular cycle that could expand ad/compute monetization over time. Big Tech to invest about $650 billion in AI in 2026, Bridgewater says
• Neutral Sentiment: Market commentary and analyst features (Jim Cramer, MarketBeat, Motley Fool) highlight Meta’s long-term AI/cloud ambitions and relative valuation within the “Magnificent Seven” — supportive for medium/long-term holders but not immediate catalysts. Jim Cramer Believes Meta’s (META) Developing Its Own Cloud Business
• Negative Sentiment: Investor concern about funding model: coverage highlights hyperscalers (including Meta) increasingly using debt to finance AI buildouts — shifts risk profile and worries some investors about rising leverage and capital allocation. How the AI debt binge shattered hyperscalers’ ‘unspoken contract’ with investors
• Negative Sentiment: WSJ reports Meta continues to borrow billions for AI despite strong free cash flow — reinforces investor unease that spending pace and financing choices could pressure margins or returns. Meta Rakes It In, Yet Still Borrows Billions for AI
• Negative Sentiment: Regulatory/legal risk: India’s Supreme Court will review appeals by Meta/WhatsApp over a ~₹213 crore penalty related to privacy policy — an active legal overhang in a key growth market. Indian Supreme Court To Hear Meta, WhatsApp Pleas Against ₹213 Crore Penalty Over Privacy Policy
• Negative Sentiment: Minor insider selling disclosed (director sale ~ $370k) — not large enough alone to move fundamentals but adds to mixed sentiment. Insider Selling: Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META) Director Sells $370,724.40 in Stock

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several research firms recently commented on META. Cantor Fitzgerald reiterated an “overweight” rating and set a $860.00 target price (up from $750.00) on shares of Meta Platforms in a research note on Thursday, January 29th. Sanford C. Bernstein restated an “outperform” rating and issued a $900.00 target price (up from $870.00) on shares of Meta Platforms in a research note on Thursday, January 29th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft boosted their price target on shares of Meta Platforms from $880.00 to $920.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, January 29th. Erste Group Bank cut shares of Meta Platforms from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Monday, November 10th. Finally, Monness Crespi & Hardt raised their target price on Meta Platforms from $808.00 to $890.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, January 29th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirty-nine have issued a Buy rating and seven have given a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Meta Platforms presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $844.44.

Meta Platforms Price Performance

Shares of META stock opened at $637.25 on Tuesday. Meta Platforms, Inc. has a 52 week low of $479.80 and a 52 week high of $796.25. The stock has a market capitalization of $1.61 trillion, a PE ratio of 27.12, a PEG ratio of 1.12 and a beta of 1.28. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.27, a quick ratio of 2.60 and a current ratio of 2.60. The stock’s fifty day moving average is $656.47 and its 200-day moving average is $688.15.

Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, January 28th. The social networking company reported $8.88 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $8.16 by $0.72. Meta Platforms had a return on equity of 38.61% and a net margin of 30.08%.The business had revenue of $59.89 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $58.33 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $8.02 earnings per share. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 23.8% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities research analysts expect that Meta Platforms, Inc. will post 26.7 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Meta Platforms Dividend Announcement

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, March 26th. Stockholders of record on Monday, March 16th will be paid a dividend of $0.525 per share. This represents a $2.10 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.3%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, March 16th. Meta Platforms’s dividend payout ratio is 8.94%.

Insider Activity at Meta Platforms

In related news, CFO Susan J. Li sold 6,418 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Sunday, February 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $639.77, for a total value of $4,106,043.86. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer owned 73,346 shares in the company, valued at $46,924,570.42. This trade represents a 8.05% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Also, COO Javier Olivan sold 172 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, February 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $639.18, for a total transaction of $109,938.96. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief operating officer directly owned 17,965 shares in the company, valued at $11,482,868.70. This trade represents a 0.95% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. In the last ninety days, insiders sold 27,791 shares of company stock worth $17,835,648. 13.61% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Meta Platforms Profile

Meta Platforms, Inc (NASDAQ: META), formerly Facebook, Inc, is a global technology company best known for building social networking services and immersive computing platforms. Founded in 2004 and headquartered in Menlo Park, California, the company operates a family of consumer-facing products and services that connect users, creators and businesses. In October 2021 the company rebranded as Meta to reflect an expanded strategic focus on augmented and virtual reality technologies alongside its social media businesses.

Meta’s core consumer products include Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and Messenger, which enable social networking, messaging, content sharing and community building across mobile and desktop devices.