Meta Platforms, Inc. $META Stock Acquired by WestEnd Advisors LLC

WestEnd Advisors LLC boosted its stake in shares of Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META) by 9.9% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The firm owned 61,470 shares of the social networking company’s stock after buying an additional 5,533 shares during the period. Meta Platforms makes up approximately 1.0% of WestEnd Advisors LLC’s holdings, making the stock its 23rd biggest holding. WestEnd Advisors LLC’s holdings in Meta Platforms were worth $44,579,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Barnes Pettey Financial Advisors LLC lifted its position in Meta Platforms by 1.0% in the 1st quarter. Barnes Pettey Financial Advisors LLC now owns 1,519 shares of the social networking company’s stock valued at $869,000 after acquiring an additional 15 shares in the last quarter. Bill Few Associates Inc. increased its holdings in Meta Platforms by 1.3% during the 3rd quarter. Bill Few Associates Inc. now owns 1,206 shares of the social networking company’s stock worth $874,000 after purchasing an additional 15 shares in the last quarter. Value Partners Investments Inc. increased its holdings in Meta Platforms by 1.8% during the 3rd quarter. Value Partners Investments Inc. now owns 866 shares of the social networking company’s stock worth $630,000 after purchasing an additional 15 shares in the last quarter. CWS Financial Advisors LLC increased its holdings in Meta Platforms by 1.7% during the 1st quarter. CWS Financial Advisors LLC now owns 985 shares of the social networking company’s stock worth $564,000 after purchasing an additional 16 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Tenzing Financial LLC raised its stake in shares of Meta Platforms by 1.3% in the 2nd quarter. Tenzing Financial LLC now owns 1,210 shares of the social networking company’s stock valued at $726,000 after purchasing an additional 16 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 79.91% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

META has been the topic of a number of research reports. Citigroup boosted their price target on Meta Platforms from $895.00 to $905.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, October 22nd. Mizuho lifted their target price on Meta Platforms from $750.00 to $950.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Thursday, October 22nd. Weiss Ratings upgraded Meta Platforms from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “buy (b-)” rating in a research note on Thursday, October 8th. DA Davidson upped their price target on Meta Platforms from $700.00 to $800.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, October 22nd. Finally, Monness Crespi & Hardt reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $875.00 price target on shares of Meta Platforms in a research note on Thursday, October 22nd. Three analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, forty-seven have given a Buy rating and seven have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $833.12.

Insider Transactions at Meta Platforms

In other news, CAO Aaron Anderson sold 3,240 shares of Meta Platforms stock in a transaction on Thursday, September 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $618.06, for a total transaction of $2,002,514.40. Following the completion of the sale, the chief accounting officer owned 6,271 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $3,875,854.26. This trade represents a 34.07% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, CTO Andrew Bosworth sold 7,848 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, August 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $558.00, for a total transaction of $4,379,184.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief technology officer owned 828 shares in the company, valued at $462,024. This trade represents a 90.46% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Over the last quarter, insiders sold 149,515 shares of company stock worth $102,183,520. 13.53% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Meta Platforms Trading Down 1.3%

Shares of Meta Platforms stock opened at $606.73 on Tuesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.30, a current ratio of 1.90 and a quick ratio of 1.90. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $671.17 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $632.13. Meta Platforms, Inc. has a 1 year low of $520.26 and a 1 year high of $779.82. The company has a market capitalization of $1.55 trillion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 20.69, a P/E/G ratio of 1.06 and a beta of 1.19.

Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, October 22nd. The social networking company reported $7.40 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $6.54 by $0.86. The company had revenue of $64.60 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $63.34 billion. Meta Platforms had a net margin of 31.15% and a return on equity of 30.73%. The company’s revenue was up 26.1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $7.25 earnings per share. Research analysts forecast that Meta Platforms, Inc. will post 29.01 EPS for the current year.

Meta Platforms Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, September 28th. Shareholders of record on Monday, September 21st were issued a $0.5250 dividend. This represents a $2.10 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.3%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, September 21st. Meta Platforms’s dividend payout ratio is currently 7.16%.

More Meta Platforms News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Meta’s advertising business remains a key support. Revenue increased 26% in the latest quarter, and AI-driven improvements to ad targeting and engagement are helping Meta benefit even as AI agents pressure traditional search. Why AI is boosting Meta’s ad business while hurting Google search
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts continue to view Meta favorably, with the stock receiving a “Moderate Buy” consensus rating. The company’s long-term upside depends on whether its AI investments generate sufficient advertising and new-business growth. Meta Platforms Stock Now Rated Moderate Buy
• Neutral Sentiment: Meta postponed new business-account terms after criticism that they could enable extensive scraping of news and other websites. The delay reduces immediate backlash but highlights ongoing concerns about AI data practices and potential regulation. Meta delays new business terms after outcry
• Negative Sentiment: Investors are increasingly focused on the scale and funding of Meta’s AI buildout. The company is reportedly considering at least $20 billion in bond offerings, while a separate 6.5% preferred-share issuance raises concerns about expensive capital, dilution-like effects, and balance-sheet pressure. Meta eyes at least $20 billion from potential bond offerings Meta 6.5% preferreds issuance
• Negative Sentiment: Large capital expenditures—projected at $135 billion to $145 billion for 2026—are raising questions about free cash flow, returns on AI investment, and possible shareholder dilution. Market pressure on major AI spenders has added to the stock’s weakness. Meta and Alphabet face market pressure over capital expenditures
• Negative Sentiment: Settlements involving alleged social-media addiction and harm to young users may limit litigation costs in the near term, but plaintiffs’ attorneys are still demanding product and safety changes, preserving regulatory and reputational risk. Attorney calls for meaningful changes after Meta and Snap settlements

Meta Platforms Company Profile

Meta Platforms, Inc is a technology company that develops social networking, messaging, virtual and augmented reality, and artificial intelligence products. The company’s principal platforms include Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, WhatsApp, and Threads, which enable users to connect, communicate, share content, and discover products and services.

Meta also operates Reality Labs, its division focused on virtual, augmented, and mixed reality technologies. Reality Labs develops products such as Meta Quest virtual reality headsets and related software and experiences, along with research and hardware intended to support immersive computing.