Meta Platforms, Inc. $META Stock: Columbia Bank Grows Stake

Columbia Bank lifted its stake in shares of Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META) by 13.5% during the 3rd quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The fund owned 6,902 shares of the social networking company’s stock after buying an additional 820 shares during the quarter. Meta Platforms comprises 1.1% of Columbia Bank’s portfolio, making the stock its 18th largest holding. Columbia Bank’s holdings in Meta Platforms were worth $5,005,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of META. Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Group Inc. boosted its position in Meta Platforms by 0.8% during the 3rd quarter. Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Group Inc. now owns 5,194,923 shares of the social networking company’s stock worth $3,767,254,000 after acquiring an additional 41,762 shares during the last quarter. Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. Ltd. acquired a new position in Meta Platforms in the third quarter valued at approximately $1,120,128,000. Aviance Capital Partners LLC lifted its stake in shares of Meta Platforms by 0.8% in the third quarter. Aviance Capital Partners LLC now owns 26,582 shares of the social networking company’s stock valued at $19,277,000 after buying an additional 223 shares in the last quarter. Stevens Capital Partners increased its stake in Meta Platforms by 3.1% in the 3rd quarter. Stevens Capital Partners now owns 5,323 shares of the social networking company’s stock valued at $3,860,000 after buying an additional 162 shares during the last quarter. Finally, ProShare Advisors LLC raised its stake in shares of Meta Platforms by 3.4% in the third quarter. ProShare Advisors LLC now owns 1,385,243 shares of the social networking company’s stock valued at $1,004,551,000 after buying an additional 45,057 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 79.91% of the company’s stock.

Meta Platforms News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: Meta launched Spaces, a collaboration feature for its Muse AI agents, following the rollout of Muse Voice. The new offerings may help strengthen user engagement and expand Meta’s consumer AI ecosystem. Meta introduces Spaces
• Positive Sentiment: Recent earnings commentary points to AI supporting Meta’s advertising operations, reinforcing the potential for the company’s AI investments to generate revenue. Takeaways from recent earnings
• Neutral Sentiment: Meta paused planned updates to its terms and is keeping existing rules in place. The move avoids an immediate policy change, though the underlying issues remain unresolved. Meta pauses planned terms updates
• Neutral Sentiment: Plans for new nonvoting Class C shares have been described as effectively creating a 2-for-1 split. A split changes the number of shares, but does not by itself change the company’s underlying value; the structure preserves Mark Zuckerberg’s voting control. Is Meta Platforms next for a stock split?
• Negative Sentiment: Meta and other platforms sued to block California restrictions on social-media features for users under 16. The case adds regulatory uncertainty and potential legal costs. Platforms sue over California teen social-media law
• Negative Sentiment: Meta warned that political backlash and possible limits on data-center construction could complicate its AI expansion. Its $15 billion senior-notes offering also highlights the scale of financing required for investment. Data-center expansion concerns
• Negative Sentiment: Reported ETF net selling and insider share sales may add short-term pressure, although the disclosed insider transaction was made under a pre-arranged trading plan. ETFs are net sellers of Meta Platforms

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several analysts have weighed in on the company. Loop Capital lifted their price objective on Meta Platforms from $740.00 to $955.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, September 24th. Truist Financial increased their price objective on shares of Meta Platforms from $763.00 to $1,000.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday, October 13th. Guggenheim reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $850.00 target price on shares of Meta Platforms in a research report on Thursday, October 22nd. Phillip Securities raised Meta Platforms from a “buy” rating to a “strong-buy” rating and reduced their price target for the stock from $795.00 to $750.00 in a research report on Monday, August 3rd. Finally, Citigroup raised their price target on shares of Meta Platforms from $895.00 to $905.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, October 22nd. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, forty-seven have given a Buy rating and seven have issued a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, Meta Platforms currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $833.12.

Meta Platforms Stock Up 0.8%

META opened at $610.15 on Friday. The business has a 50-day moving average of $674.97 and a two-hundred day moving average of $632.16. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.30, a current ratio of 1.90 and a quick ratio of 1.90. Meta Platforms, Inc. has a 12 month low of $520.26 and a 12 month high of $779.82. The stock has a market capitalization of $1.56 trillion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 20.80, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.05 and a beta of 1.28.

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

Meta Platforms Dividend Announcement

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

Insider Buying and Selling at Meta Platforms

In other news, CTO Andrew Bosworth sold 7,848 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, August 18th. The stock was sold at an average price of $558.00, for a total transaction of $4,379,184.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief technology officer owned 828 shares in the company, valued at $462,024. The trade was a 90.46% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, CEO Mark Zuckerberg sold 27,474 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, September 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $777.44, for a total transaction of $21,359,386.56. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Insiders sold 151,090 shares of company stock worth $103,150,807 in the last three months. 13.53% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Meta Platforms Profile

Meta Platforms, Inc is a global technology company that develops social networking, messaging, and digital communication products. Its services include Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Messenger, and Threads, which connect people and help businesses reach audiences around the world.

The company also develops virtual and augmented reality products and technologies through its Reality Labs division, including Quest headsets and related software and services. Advertising is a central part of Meta’s business, with its platforms providing tools for businesses to promote products and services.

Founded in 2004 as Facebook by Mark Zuckerberg and fellow students, the company changed its name to Meta Platforms in 2021 to reflect its broader focus on building social technologies and immersive digital experiences.