1,620 Meta Platforms, Inc. $META Shares Acquired by Legacy Private Trust Co.

Legacy Private Trust Co. lifted its position in shares of Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META) by 7.5% during the 3rd quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The fund owned 23,364 shares of the social networking company’s stock after acquiring an additional 1,620 shares during the quarter. Meta Platforms makes up about 0.9% of Legacy Private Trust Co.’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 22nd biggest position. Legacy Private Trust Co.’s holdings in Meta Platforms were worth $16,943,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other large investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Central Pacific Bank Trust Division grew its position in shares of Meta Platforms by 64.7% during the 3rd quarter. Central Pacific Bank Trust Division now owns 7,169 shares of the social networking company’s stock valued at $5,199,000 after buying an additional 2,817 shares during the last quarter. Rosenberg Matthew Hamilton lifted its holdings in Meta Platforms by 3.0% in the third quarter. Rosenberg Matthew Hamilton now owns 1,538 shares of the social networking company’s stock worth $1,115,000 after acquiring an additional 45 shares during the last quarter. Horizons Wealth Management bought a new position in Meta Platforms in the third quarter worth about $33,000. Baker Tilly Wealth Management LLC boosted its stake in Meta Platforms by 5.5% in the third quarter. Baker Tilly Wealth Management LLC now owns 8,576 shares of the social networking company’s stock valued at $6,219,000 after acquiring an additional 445 shares during the period. Finally, Ferguson Wellman Capital Management Inc. boosted its stake in Meta Platforms by 69.5% in the third quarter. Ferguson Wellman Capital Management Inc. now owns 99,735 shares of the social networking company’s stock valued at $72,326,000 after acquiring an additional 40,878 shares during the period. 79.91% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of brokerages have recently weighed in on META. BMO Capital Markets dropped their price target on Meta Platforms from $720.00 to $580.00 and set a “market perform” rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, July 30th. Monness Crespi & Hardt upped their price objective on Meta Platforms from $730.00 to $830.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Monday, September 28th. Piper Sandler upped their price objective on Meta Platforms from $785.00 to $875.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Friday, September 25th. The Goldman Sachs Group reaffirmed a “buy” rating and issued a $725.00 target price (down from $815.00) on shares of Meta Platforms in a research report on Thursday, August 27th. Finally, Guggenheim reissued a “buy” rating and set a $800.00 price target on shares of Meta Platforms in a report on Tuesday, July 28th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, forty-four have given a Buy rating and ten have assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Meta Platforms has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $791.86.

Insider Activity

In other Meta Platforms news, insider Christopher K. Cox sold 40,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, September 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $712.76, for a total value of $28,510,400.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider directly owned 184,516 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $131,515,624.16. This represents a 17.82% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal 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, CEO Mark Zuckerberg sold 27,474 shares of Meta Platforms stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, September 24th. The stock was 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 a total of 146,647 shares of company stock worth $99,886,901 over the last 90 days. 13.53% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Meta Platforms News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: Meta Muse is strengthening the AI growth narrative. Coverage highlights the potential for Muse to capture share in personal-agent and AI-powered shopping markets, with early users reportedly relying on it for purchases that might otherwise go through Amazon. Analysts and commentators see the product as a possible long-term monetization driver. Meta Muse: Sparking the AI Revolution
• Positive Sentiment: AI infrastructure investments could support Meta’s long-term economics. Meta’s large spending commitments are being viewed as a way to improve advertising performance, engagement and future AI monetization. The company also has a 20-year power purchase agreement with Vistra, helping secure nuclear power for energy-intensive data centers and AI workloads. Vistra Stock Gains as Federal Funds Fuel Nuclear Power Expansion
• Positive Sentiment: Reels-first testing in India may improve video engagement and advertising opportunities. Sending some Facebook users directly into full-screen Reels could increase time spent on the platform and create additional short-form video inventory, although the financial impact remains unproven. Facebook tests going Reels-first in India
• Neutral Sentiment: Meta and other technology companies are challenging U.K. data demands. The dispute with Ofcom over online-safety information requests could limit compliance costs if successful, but it also underscores continuing regulatory scrutiny of Meta’s platforms. Meta, TikTok, X challenge UK watchdog over online safety data demands
• Negative Sentiment: New Mexico’s lawsuit represents the largest immediate risk. A judge is expected to rule this month on a potential penalty of up to $40 billion, an amount that could materially affect Meta’s cash position, earnings and ability to fund AI infrastructure. New Mexico Wants Meta to Pay Up to $40 Billion
• Negative Sentiment: Investors remain concerned about valuation and spending. Meta’s ambitious AI buildout requires substantial capital, while one market commentator reduced exposure to META as Treasury yields approached 5.26%, increasing pressure on expensive megacap technology stocks. Analyst Sells Cisco and Trims Meta Amid Rising Yields

Meta Platforms Price Performance

Shares of META stock traded down $0.47 during midday trading on Tuesday, reaching $741.43. 5,730,973 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 17,470,250. The company’s 50 day moving average price is $628.48 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $616.82. The company has a market cap of $1.89 trillion, a P/E ratio of 27.93, a PEG ratio of 1.27 and a beta of 1.19. Meta Platforms, Inc. has a 12 month low of $520.26 and a 12 month high of $779.82. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.32, a quick ratio of 2.23 and a current ratio of 2.23.

Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, July 29th. The social networking company reported $6.18 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $7.19 by ($1.01). Meta Platforms had a net margin of 29.83% and a return on equity of 33.18%. The company had revenue of $60.80 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $60.22 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $7.14 EPS. Meta Platforms’s revenue was up 28.0% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, sell-side analysts expect that Meta Platforms, Inc. will post 27.94 earnings per share for the current year.

Meta Platforms Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, September 28th. Stockholders of record on Monday, September 21st were paid a $0.5250 dividend. This represents a $2.10 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.3%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, September 21st. Meta Platforms’s payout ratio is currently 7.91%.

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.