A Glimpse Into The Expert Outlook On Meta Platforms Through 47 Analysts

Benzinga · 11/25 19:00

Throughout the last three months, 47 analysts have evaluated Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META), offering a diverse set of opinions from bullish to bearish.

The following table encapsulates their recent ratings, offering a glimpse into the evolving sentiments over the past 30 days and comparing them to the preceding months.

Bullish Somewhat Bullish Indifferent Somewhat Bearish Bearish
Total Ratings 22 21 4 0 0
Last 30D 1 0 0 0 0
1M Ago 6 8 2 0 0
2M Ago 13 11 2 0 0
3M Ago 2 2 0 0 0

Analysts' evaluations of 12-month price targets offer additional insights, showcasing an average target of $654.6, with a high estimate of $811.00 and a low estimate of $525.00. Witnessing a positive shift, the current average has risen by 7.76% from the previous average price target of $607.47.

price target chart

Interpreting Analyst Ratings: A Closer Look

An in-depth analysis of recent analyst actions unveils how financial experts perceive Meta Platforms. The following summary outlines key analysts, their recent evaluations, and adjustments to ratings and price targets.

Analyst Analyst Firm Action Taken Rating Current Price Target Prior Price Target
Josh Beck Raymond James Maintains Strong Buy $675.00 $675.00
Ken Gawrelski Wells Fargo Lowers Overweight $641.00 $652.00
Ronald Josey Citigroup Raises Buy $705.00 $645.00
Lloyd Walmsley UBS Raises Buy $719.00 $690.00
Aaron Kessler Seaport Global Raises Buy $675.00 $555.00
Andrew Boone JMP Securities Raises Market Outperform $660.00 $635.00
Shyam Patil Susquehanna Raises Positive $675.00 $600.00
Rohit Kulkarni Roth MKM Raises Buy $635.00 $620.00
Ross Sandler Barclays Raises Overweight $630.00 $550.00
Nat Schindler Scotiabank Lowers Sector Perform $583.00 $585.00
Doug Anmuth JP Morgan Raises Overweight $660.00 $640.00
James Lee Mizuho Raises Outperform $675.00 $650.00
Justin Post B of A Securities Raises Buy $660.00 $630.00
Brian Pitz BMO Capital Raises Market Perform $530.00 $525.00
Thomas Champion Piper Sandler Raises Overweight $650.00 $575.00
Colin Sebastian Baird Raises Outperform $630.00 $605.00
Barton Crockett Rosenblatt Maintains Buy $811.00 $811.00
Mark Shmulik Bernstein Raises Outperform $675.00 $600.00
Brent Thill Jefferies Raises Buy $675.00 $600.00
John Blackledge TD Cowen Raises Buy $675.00 $600.00
James Lee Mizuho Raises Outperform $650.00 $600.00
Deepak Mathivanan Cantor Fitzgerald Maintains Overweight $670.00 $670.00
Eric Sheridan Goldman Sachs Raises Buy $636.00 $555.00
Mark Kelley Stifel Raises Buy $663.00 $590.00
Rohit Kulkarni Roth MKM Raises Buy $620.00 $550.00
Nat Schindler Scotiabank Announces Sector Perform $585.00 -
Youssef Squali Truist Securities Raises Buy $650.00 $570.00
Josh Beck Raymond James Raises Strong Buy $650.00 $600.00
Deepak Mathivanan Cantor Fitzgerald Raises Overweight $670.00 $660.00
Justin Patterson Keybanc Raises Overweight $655.00 $560.00
Brian Pitz BMO Capital Raises Market Perform $525.00 $475.00
Lloyd Walmsley UBS Raises Buy $690.00 $635.00
Michael Morris Guggenheim Raises Buy $665.00 $600.00
Ken Gawrelski Wells Fargo Raises Overweight $652.00 $647.00
Jeffrey Wlodarczak Pivotal Research Announces Buy $780.00 -
Deepak Mathivanan Cantor Fitzgerald Maintains Overweight $660.00 $660.00
Brian White Monness, Crespi, Hardt Raises Buy $620.00 $570.00
Barton Crockett Rosenblatt Raises Buy $811.00 $643.00
Justin Post B of A Securities Raises Buy $630.00 $563.00
Doug Anmuth JP Morgan Raises Overweight $640.00 $610.00
Andrew Boone JMP Securities Raises Market Outperform $635.00 $550.00
Scott Devitt Wedbush Maintains Outperform $600.00 $600.00
Colin Sebastian Baird Raises Outperform $605.00 $530.00
Deepak Mathivanan Cantor Fitzgerald Maintains Overweight $660.00 $660.00
Ronald Josey Citigroup Raises Buy $645.00 $580.00
Gil Luria DA Davidson Announces Buy $600.00 -
Deepak Mathivanan Cantor Fitzgerald Announces Overweight $660.00 -

Key Insights:

  • Action Taken: Analysts frequently update their recommendations based on evolving market conditions and company performance. Whether they 'Maintain', 'Raise' or 'Lower' their stance, it reflects their reaction to recent developments related to Meta Platforms. This information provides a snapshot of how analysts perceive the current state of the company.
  • Rating: Offering insights into predictions, analysts assign qualitative values, from 'Outperform' to 'Underperform'. These ratings convey expectations for the relative performance of Meta Platforms compared to the broader market.
  • Price Targets: Analysts set price targets as an estimate of a stock's future value. Comparing the current and prior price targets provides insight into how analysts' expectations have changed over time. This information can be valuable for investors seeking to understand consensus views on the stock's potential future performance.

To gain a panoramic view of Meta Platforms's market performance, explore these analyst evaluations alongside essential financial indicators. Stay informed and make judicious decisions using our Ratings Table.

Stay up to date on Meta Platforms analyst ratings.

Discovering Meta Platforms: A Closer Look

Meta is the largest social media company in the world, boasting close to 4 billion monthly active users worldwide. The firm's "Family of Apps," its core business, consists of Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, and WhatsApp. End users can leverage these applications for a variety of different purposes, from keeping in touch with friends to following celebrities and running digital businesses for free. Meta packages customer data, gleaned from its application ecosystem and sells ads to digital advertisers. While the firm has been investing heavily in its Reality Labs business, it remains a very small part of Meta's overall sales.

A Deep Dive into Meta Platforms's Financials

Market Capitalization Analysis: The company's market capitalization is above the industry average, indicating that it is relatively larger in size compared to peers. This may suggest a higher level of investor confidence and market recognition.

Revenue Growth: Over the 3 months period, Meta Platforms showcased positive performance, achieving a revenue growth rate of 18.87% as of 30 September, 2024. This reflects a substantial increase in the company's top-line earnings. As compared to its peers, the company achieved a growth rate higher than the average among peers in Communication Services sector.

Net Margin: Meta Platforms's net margin is impressive, surpassing industry averages. With a net margin of 38.65%, the company demonstrates strong profitability and effective cost management.

Return on Equity (ROE): Meta Platforms's ROE stands out, surpassing industry averages. With an impressive ROE of 9.77%, the company demonstrates effective use of equity capital and strong financial performance.

Return on Assets (ROA): Meta Platforms's ROA stands out, surpassing industry averages. With an impressive ROA of 6.45%, the company demonstrates effective utilization of assets and strong financial performance.

Debt Management: With a below-average debt-to-equity ratio of 0.3, Meta Platforms adopts a prudent financial strategy, indicating a balanced approach to debt management.

The Basics of Analyst Ratings

Analyst ratings serve as essential indicators of stock performance, provided by experts in banking and financial systems. These specialists diligently analyze company financial statements, participate in conference calls, and engage with insiders to generate quarterly ratings for individual stocks.

In addition to their assessments, some analysts extend their insights by offering predictions for key metrics such as earnings, revenue, and growth estimates. This supplementary information provides further guidance for traders. It is crucial to recognize that, despite their specialization, analysts are human and can only provide forecasts based on their beliefs.

Which Stocks Are Analysts Recommending Now?

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This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.