Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META) Given Consensus Rating of “Moderate Buy” by Analysts

Shares of Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META) have been assigned a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” from the forty-nine ratings firms that are covering the company, MarketBeat reports. Seven investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation, thirty-nine have assigned a buy recommendation and three have issued a strong buy recommendation on the company. The average 1 year price target among brokerages that have covered the stock in the last year is $844.4444.

META has been the topic of a number of recent analyst reports. Canaccord Genuity Group lifted their price target on shares of Meta Platforms from $900.00 to $930.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, January 29th. Truist Financial lifted their target price on Meta Platforms from $875.00 to $900.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, January 29th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their price target on Meta Platforms from $800.00 to $825.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Thursday, January 29th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft raised their price target on Meta Platforms from $880.00 to $920.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, January 29th. Finally, Piper Sandler boosted their price objective on Meta Platforms from $840.00 to $880.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Thursday, January 29th.

Insider Activity at Meta Platforms

In related news, CFO Susan J. Li sold 6,418 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Sunday, February 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $639.77, for a total value of $4,106,043.86. Following the sale, the chief financial officer directly owned 73,346 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $46,924,570.42. The trade was a 8.05% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, CTO Andrew Bosworth sold 8,089 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, February 18th. The stock was sold at an average price of $631.24, for a total transaction of $5,106,100.36. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief technology officer directly owned 2,841 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,793,352.84. The trade was a 74.01% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. In the last ninety days, insiders have sold 27,791 shares of company stock valued at $17,835,648. Insiders own 13.61% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of META. Westchester Capital Management Inc. acquired a new position in Meta Platforms during the third quarter worth $26,000. RHL Group LLC bought a new stake in Meta Platforms during the 4th quarter worth about $28,000. Strategic Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of Meta Platforms during the 4th quarter worth about $29,000. Niles Investment Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of Meta Platforms during the 4th quarter worth about $29,000. Finally, Bare Financial Services Inc bought a new position in shares of Meta Platforms in the 2nd quarter valued at about $30,000. 79.91% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Meta Platforms Price Performance

Meta Platforms stock opened at $637.25 on Tuesday. The company has a current ratio of 2.60, a quick ratio of 2.60 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.27. The firm has a market capitalization of $1.61 trillion, a P/E ratio of 27.12, a PEG ratio of 1.12 and a beta of 1.28. The business has a 50-day moving average of $656.47 and a 200-day moving average of $688.15. Meta Platforms has a 1 year low of $479.80 and a 1 year high of $796.25.

Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, January 28th. The social networking company reported $8.88 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $8.16 by $0.72. The business had revenue of $59.89 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $58.33 billion. Meta Platforms had a net margin of 30.08% and a return on equity of 38.61%. Meta Platforms’s quarterly revenue was up 23.8% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $8.02 EPS. On average, equities analysts anticipate that Meta Platforms will post 26.7 EPS for the current year.

Meta Platforms Announces Dividend

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 issued a $0.525 dividend. This represents a $2.10 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.3%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, March 16th. Meta Platforms’s dividend payout ratio is 8.94%.

More 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

Meta Platforms Company 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.