Meta reported third-quarter revenue of $64.6 billion, up 26% year on year and above the $63.33 billion analysts expected, driven by strong advertising demand. A $9.9 billion charge tied to an August agreement with 52 state attorneys general over teen mental health and social media litigation pulled net income down to $9.86 billion, below the $15.44 billion expected, and EPS to $3.83 against $5.89 estimated. Excluding the charge, operating income would have been $22.88 billion and EPS $7.40. Meta guided fourth-quarter revenue to $73 billion to $76 billion and narrowed its 2026 capital expenditure outlook to $135 billion to $145 billion. Separately, a New Mexico court ordered Meta to pay a $25 billion penalty over false statements about user data and hate speech, and shares rose 3.2% after hours.
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Related tickers and likely impact
META
• NeutralMeta 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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