Meta shares trade at $694.25, below the $730 level where the stock has repeatedly stalled, as investors await the next earnings report. Ad revenue rose 27% to $59.36 billion on 14% more ad impressions and 12% higher prices per ad, but capital spending is climbing sharply: Meta expects $130 billion to $145 billion in 2026, up from $72.22 billion in 2025. Second-quarter free cash flow fell to $784 million from $8.55 billion a year earlier, operating margin dropped to 31% from 43%, and diluted EPS of $6.18 missed the $7.22 consensus. Management attributes much of the weakness to one-time items, including $2.4 billion in legal charges and $1.2 billion in severance. Of the 63 analysts covering the stock, the average target is $819, implying about 18% upside, and the article says the stock needs third-quarter revenue near the top of the $61 billion to $64 billion guidance, an operating margin recovering toward 40%, and signs that 2027 capex is leveling off.
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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 10/20/2026 | 694.44 |
| Change that session | -1.56% |
Impact is scored by AI from the headline and may be wrong. It is not investment advice.
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