Meta Platforms reported third-quarter profit more than tripled and revenue rose 26% to $64.6 billion, driven by AI-powered recommendations, more ads shown and higher ad prices; shares rose about 5% after hours. Net income was $9.86 billion ($3.83 per share), versus $2.71 billion ($1.05 per share) a year earlier, when a large one-off tax charge weighed on results. CEO Mark Zuckerberg said the Muse personal AI agent, launched in September, could eventually generate more revenue per user than Instagram and Facebook, and more than 10 million people in the US and Canada have set up accounts. Free cash flow turned negative for the first time since 2012 due to heavy AI spending, and Meta raised the low end of its 2026 capex forecast to $135–145 billion. Earnings were also hit by a settlement worth up to $18.59 billion over teen mental health, while a New Mexico judge ordered Meta to pay $25 billion.
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Related tickers and likely impact
META
▲ Likely positiveMeta Platforms
Relevance: high
| Market | US stocks |
|---|---|
| Sector | Communication Services |
| Industry | Interactive Media & Services |
| Market cap | $1.9T |
| Close on 10/21/2026 | 698.43 |
| Change that session | +0.60% |
Impact is scored by AI from the headline and may be wrong. It is not investment advice.
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