Meta shares fell 7.0% on Thursday, October 22, 2026, while the S&P 500 lost 1.2%, a day after the company reported third-quarter results and raised the low end of its 2026 spending forecast. Investors were reportedly weighing growth from its new AI agent, Muse, against rising AI costs. Free cash flow was negative $1.16 billion in fiscal Q3 2026, versus positive $11.2 billion a year earlier, as capital spending reached $34.9 billion. The operating margin fell to 20.1% from 40.1%, mostly due to a $9.9 billion legal charge, while total debt obligations rose to $115 billion. Revenue still grew 26.1% year over year, and Meta expects fourth-quarter revenue of $73 billion to $76 billion.
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META
• NeutralMeta Platforms
Relevance: low
| Market | US stocks |
|---|---|
| Sector | Communication Services |
| Industry | Interactive Media & Services |
| Market cap | $1.9T |
| Close on 10/22/2026 | 648.85 |
| Change that session | -6.98% |
Impact is scored by AI from the headline and may be wrong. It is not investment advice.
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