Meta Platforms, Inc. $META Shares Sold by Exencial Wealth Advisors LLC

Exencial Wealth Advisors LLC cut its stake in shares of Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META) by 6.2% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 55,506 shares of the social networking company’s stock after selling 3,673 shares during the quarter. Meta Platforms accounts for approximately 1.3% of Exencial Wealth Advisors LLC’s holdings, making the stock its 15th biggest position. Exencial Wealth Advisors LLC’s holdings in Meta Platforms were worth $40,762,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of META. Norges Bank purchased a new stake in shares of Meta Platforms in the second quarter valued at about $23,155,393,000. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC lifted its position in Meta Platforms by 73,443.1% in the second quarter. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 8,417,003 shares of the social networking company’s stock valued at $6,212,506,000 after purchasing an additional 8,405,558 shares during the period. State Street Corp boosted its holdings in Meta Platforms by 1.9% in the 2nd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 86,925,674 shares of the social networking company’s stock valued at $64,158,971,000 after purchasing an additional 1,650,435 shares in the last quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. increased its position in Meta Platforms by 0.8% during the 2nd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 192,591,101 shares of the social networking company’s stock worth $142,149,566,000 after purchasing an additional 1,532,568 shares during the period. Finally, Corient Private Wealth LLC raised its stake in shares of Meta Platforms by 103.5% during the 2nd quarter. Corient Private Wealth LLC now owns 1,998,624 shares of the social networking company’s stock worth $1,475,166,000 after buying an additional 1,016,667 shares in the last quarter. 79.91% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, Director Robert M. Kimmitt sold 580 shares of Meta Platforms stock in a transaction dated Thursday, January 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $618.28, for a total transaction of $358,602.40. Following the completion of the sale, the director directly owned 5,587 shares in the company, valued at $3,454,330.36. The trade was a 9.40% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, insider Jennifer Newstead sold 519 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, December 30th. The shares were sold at an average price of $658.69, for a total transaction of $341,860.11. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider directly owned 28,658 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $18,876,738.02. This represents a 1.78% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. In the last quarter, insiders sold 40,115 shares of company stock worth $24,741,055. 13.61% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of analysts recently weighed in on the company. Stifel Nicolaus decreased their price target on Meta Platforms from $900.00 to $875.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, October 30th. The Goldman Sachs Group restated a “buy” rating on shares of Meta Platforms in a research report on Tuesday, October 14th. Arete Research set a $718.00 price target on shares of Meta Platforms in a research note on Thursday, December 4th. Royal Bank Of Canada reduced their price objective on shares of Meta Platforms from $840.00 to $810.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, October 30th. Finally, BNP Paribas Exane initiated coverage on shares of Meta Platforms in a report on Monday, November 24th. They set an “outperform” rating and a $800.00 price objective on the stock. Four analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirty-seven have issued a Buy rating and seven have given a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Meta Platforms has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $821.55.

Trending Headlines about Meta Platforms

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

• Positive Sentiment: Meta will begin showing ads on Threads globally next week — Threads has passed ~400M users and data suggests rapid DAU growth versus X; global ad availability is a direct near‑term revenue catalyst as the company starts to monetize that audience. Meta to begin rolling out Threads ads globally
• Positive Sentiment: Meta’s new AI lab (Superintelligence Labs) has delivered its first in‑house models, per the CTO — this progress supports product differentiation, reduces dependency on third‑party models, and improves the narrative around AI ROI for Meta’s heavy capex. Exclusive: Meta’s new AI team has delivered first key models
• Positive Sentiment: Oklo’s stock upgrade highlights Meta’s agreement to use advanced nuclear power for data centers — a multi‑year, binding energy supply deal could lower long‑term data‑center energy costs and improve sustainability credentials. Oklo Stock Upgraded to Buy. Meta Nuclear Deal Is a ‘Meaningful Step Forward.
• Neutral Sentiment: UBS trimmed its price target (from $915 to $830) but kept a buy rating — analysts still see upside, though the lowered target highlights ongoing uncertainty around timing/returns of AI investments. UBS lowers META price target
• Neutral Sentiment: Meta cut ~1,500 Reality Labs roles and reported additional smaller layoffs — a cost‑reduction move that trims losses in non‑core metaverse projects but signals scaling back of prior bets. Meta lays off 331 workers in Washington state
• Negative Sentiment: The FTC will appeal its loss in the antitrust case over Instagram and WhatsApp — renewed legal risk keeps a regulatory overhang that could drive volatility and potential future remedies. FTC will appeal ruling in Meta antitrust case
• Negative Sentiment: Some customers left Manus after Meta’s ~$2B acquisition — customer attrition and privacy concerns around the buy create execution and reputational risk for Meta’s AI push. Meta’s $2 billion Manus deal pushes away some customers
• Negative Sentiment: UK regulator alleges Meta profited from illegal gambling ads — another regulatory/PR headwind that could prompt stricter oversight or fines in key markets. Britain accuses Meta of profiting from illegal gambling ads
• Negative Sentiment: Insider sale: a director sold 580 shares (filed disclosure) — small size but sometimes taken by investors as a modest negative signal. Insider filing: Kimmitt sale

Meta Platforms Stock Up 1.5%

META stock opened at $612.96 on Thursday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.15, a current ratio of 1.98 and a quick ratio of 1.98. The company’s 50 day simple moving average is $640.41 and its 200-day simple moving average is $697.92. Meta Platforms, Inc. has a 12 month low of $479.80 and a 12 month high of $796.25. The firm has a market capitalization of $1.54 trillion, a PE ratio of 27.07, a P/E/G ratio of 1.19 and a beta of 1.29.

Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, October 29th. The social networking company reported $7.25 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $6.74 by $0.51. The firm had revenue of $51.24 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $49.34 billion. Meta Platforms had a return on equity of 39.35% and a net margin of 30.89%.Meta Platforms’s revenue was up 26.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $6.03 EPS. Equities analysts expect that Meta Platforms, Inc. will post 26.7 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Meta Platforms Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, December 23rd. Investors of record on Monday, December 15th were paid a dividend of $0.525 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, December 15th. This represents a $2.10 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.3%. Meta Platforms’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 9.28%.

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.