Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META) Shares Down 4.8% Following Insider Selling

Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META) shares were down 4.8% during trading on Monday after an insider sold shares in the company. The stock traded as low as $713.19 and last traded at $715.62. 27,599,422 shares changed hands during trading, an increase of 57% from the average session volume of 17,527,525 shares. The stock had previously closed at $751.66.

Specifically, CEO Mark Zuckerberg sold 27,474 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, September 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $777.44, for a total value of $21,359,386.56. The transaction 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, COO Javier Olivan sold 629 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, September 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $680.27, for a total value of $427,889.83. Following the completion of the sale, the chief operating officer owned 1,175 shares in the company, valued at approximately $799,317.25. This represents a 34.87% 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. In related news, COO Javier Olivan sold 946 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, September 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $680.27, for a total transaction of $643,535.42. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief operating officer owned 9,770 shares in the company, valued at $6,646,237.90. This trade represents a 8.83% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of research analysts have issued reports on the company. Tigress Financial reissued a “strong-buy” rating and set a $945.00 price objective (down from $995.00) on shares of Meta Platforms in a report on Thursday, September 24th. Mizuho set a $750.00 target price on shares of Meta Platforms and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Thursday, July 30th. Needham & Company LLC reaffirmed a “hold” rating on shares of Meta Platforms in a report on Thursday, August 27th. KeyCorp increased their target price on Meta Platforms from $780.00 to $900.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Wednesday, September 23rd. Finally, Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “hold (c+)” rating on shares of Meta Platforms in a report on Tuesday, September 22nd. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, forty-four have given a Buy rating and ten have given a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $787.86.

More Meta Platforms News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Meta expanded Muse for Small Business, adding integrations with Shopify, QuickBooks, Stripe, Canva, Dropbox and Slack. The initiative could help monetize Meta’s substantial AI investment through business subscriptions, transaction fees and software or API sales. Meta expands Muse AI agent for small businesses
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts highlighted Muse’s rapid adoption and Meta’s distribution advantage across Facebook, Instagram, Messenger and WhatsApp. Potential monetization beyond advertising—including subscriptions, commerce commissions, enterprise tools and commercial model licensing—has encouraged investors to value Meta as more than an advertising company. Beyond advertising: analysts align on Meta Muse
• Positive Sentiment: Meta hired MongoDB CEO Chirantan “CJ” Desai to lead its enterprise-AI effort, signaling a serious push to sell Muse and related tools to corporate customers. One analyst also raised the price target on META to $830 from $730 with a Buy rating. Meta launches enterprise AI platform
• Neutral Sentiment: Meta’s school-based Instagram safety program and voluntary safeguards discussed at a White House AI meeting may help address scrutiny, but they do not eliminate the broader regulatory risk surrounding teen safety, autonomous AI and data use. Meta expands Instagram school program
• Negative Sentiment: OpenAI introduced its competing always-on Dots agents, intensifying competition in enterprise and consumer AI before Meta has fully monetized Muse. Reports that Muse disclosed a user’s private information and home address also raise trust, reputational and potential legal concerns. OpenAI takes on Meta with Dots
• Negative Sentiment: The New York Times reported that Meta uses AI data-center spending to claim substantial federal research tax benefits, while the company’s accountants reportedly consider the approach risky. Possible scrutiny could increase tax costs or add regulatory uncertainty. How Meta uses AI data centers to avoid federal taxes
• Negative Sentiment: Meta’s heavy AI infrastructure spending continues to pressure the investment case, while CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s sale of 27,474 shares under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 plan may add modest sentiment pressure. The recent rally has also left valuation more sensitive to execution disappointments.

Meta Platforms Price Performance

The company’s fifty day moving average is $618.47 and its two-hundred day moving average is $613.86. The firm has a market capitalization of $1.88 trillion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 27.85, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.25 and a beta of 1.25. The company has a quick ratio of 2.23, a current ratio of 2.23 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.32.

Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, July 29th. The social networking company reported $6.18 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $7.19 by ($1.01). The company had revenue of $60.80 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $60.22 billion. Meta Platforms had a net margin of 29.83% and a return on equity of 33.18%. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 28.0% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $7.14 EPS. Equities research analysts anticipate that Meta Platforms, Inc. will post 27.94 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Meta Platforms Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, September 28th. Investors of record on Monday, September 21st were paid a dividend of $0.5250 per share. This represents a $2.10 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.3%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, September 21st. Meta Platforms’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 7.91%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Meta Platforms

Institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. Watchman Group Inc. raised its holdings in Meta Platforms by 0.3% in the 1st quarter. Watchman Group Inc. now owns 5,091 shares of the social networking company’s stock valued at $2,913,000 after acquiring an additional 15 shares in the last quarter. Penney Financial LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Meta Platforms by 3.9% during the 1st quarter. Penney Financial LLC now owns 399 shares of the social networking company’s stock worth $228,000 after acquiring an additional 15 shares during the period. Barnes Pettey Financial Advisors LLC boosted its position in shares of Meta Platforms by 1.0% during the 1st quarter. Barnes Pettey Financial Advisors LLC now owns 1,519 shares of the social networking company’s stock worth $869,000 after acquiring an additional 15 shares in the last quarter. CWS Financial Advisors LLC increased its stake in Meta Platforms by 1.7% in the first quarter. CWS Financial Advisors LLC now owns 985 shares of the social networking company’s stock valued at $564,000 after acquiring an additional 16 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Tenzing Financial LLC raised its position in Meta Platforms by 1.3% during the second 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 in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 79.91% of the company’s stock.

About Meta Platforms

Meta Platforms, Inc is a technology company that develops social networking, messaging, virtual and augmented reality, and artificial intelligence products. The company operates a global family of apps that includes Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, WhatsApp and Threads, enabling users to connect, communicate, share content and discover communities.

Meta generates most of its business through digital advertising displayed across its platforms. Its products serve individuals, creators, businesses and organizations in markets around the world, while its advertising tools help businesses reach audiences based on factors such as interests, activity and demographics.

Through its Reality Labs division, Meta develops virtual and augmented reality hardware, software and services, including the Meta Quest line of headsets and related experiences.