BDF Gestion Decreases Stock Position in Meta Platforms, Inc. $META

BDF Gestion lowered its stake in shares of Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META) by 3.7% during the 4th quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The institutional investor owned 47,108 shares of the social networking company’s stock after selling 1,788 shares during the period. Meta Platforms accounts for 3.8% of BDF Gestion’s portfolio, making the stock its 6th largest position. BDF Gestion’s holdings in Meta Platforms were worth $31,096,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Park Place Capital Corp grew its position in Meta Platforms by 53.7% in the fourth quarter. Park Place Capital Corp now owns 4,964 shares of the social networking company’s stock worth $3,277,000 after acquiring an additional 1,734 shares in the last quarter. S.E.E.D. Planning Group LLC raised its position in Meta Platforms by 6.6% during the fourth quarter. S.E.E.D. Planning Group LLC now owns 19,093 shares of the social networking company’s stock valued at $12,603,000 after purchasing an additional 1,174 shares in the last quarter. GEM Asset Management LLC raised its position in Meta Platforms by 53.6% during the fourth quarter. GEM Asset Management LLC now owns 507 shares of the social networking company’s stock valued at $329,000 after purchasing an additional 177 shares in the last quarter. jvl associates llc lifted its stake in Meta Platforms by 9.7% during the fourth quarter. jvl associates llc now owns 1,075 shares of the social networking company’s stock worth $710,000 after purchasing an additional 95 shares during the last quarter. Finally, RF&L Wealth Management LLC lifted its stake in Meta Platforms by 27.1% during the fourth quarter. RF&L Wealth Management LLC now owns 8,385 shares of the social networking company’s stock worth $5,535,000 after purchasing an additional 1,790 shares during the last quarter. 79.91% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

More Meta Platforms News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Large AI infrastructure commitment — Meta told investors it will boost spending on a West Texas AI data center to about $10 billion, signaling continued investment in model training capacity and long-term AI revenue opportunities. Meta boosts investment in West Texas AI data center by over sixfold to $10 billion
• Positive Sentiment: Strategic silicon partnership — Meta is the lead partner / launch customer for Arm’s new AGI CPU, which could lower Meta’s long‑run costs for AI inference/training and validate its data‑center strategy. This reduces execution risk on large compute builds. Arm launches first own-brand chip with Meta as launch customer
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst view improving — Erste Group modestly raised FY2027 EPS estimates for Meta, showing some sell‑side confidence in profit power despite near‑term noise. Erste Group raises FY2027 EPS estimate for META
• Neutral Sentiment: Cost moves and workforce cuts — Meta has cut several hundred roles and reports of broader restructuring persist; layoffs can boost near‑term margins but also signal stress amid massive CapEx. Meta Lays Off 700 Employees, While Rewarding Top Executives
• Neutral Sentiment: Executive retention program — Meta awarded performance‑tied stock units/options to senior leaders to retain talent for its AI push; upside‑only payoff if aggressive targets are met (long‑term positive if execution succeeds). Meta grants senior executives stock awards to retain talent
• Neutral Sentiment: Unusual options activity — A surge in call buying suggests some traders are speculating on a rebound, increasing intraday volume and volatility (short‑term noise).
• Negative Sentiment: Landmark legal losses — Back‑to‑back jury verdicts (including a Los Angeles negligent‑design verdict and a New Mexico penalty) found Meta liable for harms to minors; investors fear follow‑on suits, regulatory changes and larger fines or restrictions that could materially affect business models and costs. Meta shares slip after US jury verdicts raise concerns of new legal exposure
• Negative Sentiment: Huge AI CapEx and free‑cash‑flow risk — Market commentary highlights an aggressive 2026 CapEx plan (reported ranges well above prior years), which could compress free cash flow and make the stock more sensitive to execution and legal shocks. That combination is a primary driver of the selloff. Meta Reportedly Plans 20% Layoff: A Sign of Weakness or Strength?

Insider Transactions at Meta Platforms

In other Meta Platforms news, CFO Susan J. Li sold 56,571 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, February 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of $644.70, for a total transaction of $36,471,323.70. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, Director Robert M. Kimmitt sold 580 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, March 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $632.02, for a total value of $366,571.60. Following the completion of the sale, the director owned 4,427 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,797,952.54. This trade represents a 11.58% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Over the last ninety days, insiders sold 162,484 shares of company stock worth $104,015,906. Company insiders own 13.61% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities analysts have recently commented on META shares. Roth Mkm reduced their price objective on Meta Platforms from $850.00 to $800.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, January 26th. Scotiabank upped their target price on Meta Platforms from $685.00 to $700.00 and gave the stock a “sector perform” rating in a research note on Thursday, January 29th. Robert W. Baird increased their price target on shares of Meta Platforms from $815.00 to $830.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Thursday, January 29th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their price target on shares of Meta Platforms from $800.00 to $825.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Thursday, January 29th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company boosted their price objective on shares of Meta Platforms from $849.00 to $856.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Monday, February 23rd. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirty-nine have assigned a Buy rating and seven have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, Meta Platforms currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $846.63.

Meta Platforms Stock Performance

Shares of META stock opened at $547.25 on Friday. The company has a market capitalization of $1.38 trillion, a P/E ratio of 23.29, a PEG ratio of 0.92 and a beta of 1.30. Meta Platforms, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $479.80 and a fifty-two week high of $796.25. 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 has a 50 day moving average price of $645.82 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $668.89.

Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, January 28th. The social networking company reported $8.88 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $8.16 by $0.72. Meta Platforms had a net margin of 30.08% and a return on equity of 38.61%. The company had revenue of $59.89 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $58.33 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $8.02 earnings per share. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 23.8% on a year-over-year basis. Analysts expect that Meta Platforms, Inc. will post 26.7 earnings per share for the current year.

Meta Platforms Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, March 26th. Stockholders of record on Monday, March 16th were paid a dividend of $0.525 per share. This represents a $2.10 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.4%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, March 16th. Meta Platforms’s dividend payout ratio is 8.94%.

About Meta Platforms

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.