Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META) Receives Consensus Recommendation of “Moderate Buy” from Analysts

Shares of Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META) have been given a consensus recommendation of “Moderate Buy” by the forty-nine analysts that are presently covering the stock, MarketBeat.com reports. Seven investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, thirty-nine have given a buy rating and three have assigned a strong buy rating to the company. The average 12 month price objective among brokerages that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $844.4444.

Several equities research analysts have issued reports on META shares. Erste Group Bank lowered shares of Meta Platforms from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Monday, November 10th. Arete Research set a $718.00 price target on shares of Meta Platforms in a research report on Thursday, December 4th. BNP Paribas Exane began coverage on shares of Meta Platforms in a research note on Monday, November 24th. They set an “outperform” rating and a $800.00 price target for the company. Evercore upped their price objective on Meta Platforms from $875.00 to $900.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Thursday, January 29th. Finally, Rothschild & Co Redburn set a $900.00 target price on Meta Platforms in a report on Monday, January 26th.

Meta Platforms Trading Down 2.8%

Shares of META opened at $637.25 on Tuesday. The stock’s 50-day moving average price is $656.47 and its 200 day moving average price is $688.15. The company has a quick ratio of 2.60, a current ratio of 2.60 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.27. The firm has a market capitalization of $1.61 trillion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 27.12, a P/E/G ratio of 1.12 and a beta of 1.28. Meta Platforms has a 12-month low of $479.80 and a 12-month high of $796.25.

Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META) last announced 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 company had revenue of $59.89 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $58.33 billion. Meta Platforms had a return on equity of 38.61% and a net margin of 30.08%.Meta Platforms’s revenue for the quarter was up 23.8% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $8.02 EPS. As a group, research analysts predict that Meta Platforms will post 26.7 earnings per share for the current year.

Meta Platforms Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, March 26th. Shareholders of record on Monday, March 16th will be issued a dividend of $0.525 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, March 16th. 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 8.94%.

Trending Headlines about Meta Platforms

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

Insider Activity

In other news, CTO Andrew Bosworth sold 8,089 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, February 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $631.24, for a total value of $5,106,100.36. Following the sale, the chief technology officer owned 2,841 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,793,352.84. This represents a 74.01% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Also, CFO Susan J. Li sold 6,418 shares of Meta Platforms stock in a transaction dated Sunday, February 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $639.77, for a total transaction of $4,106,043.86. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer directly owned 73,346 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $46,924,570.42. This represents a 8.05% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders have sold a total of 27,791 shares of company stock worth $17,835,648 over the last 90 days. 13.61% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

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

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.