Meta Platforms continues to draw strong support from Wall Street, where 44 analysts maintain a consensus rating of “Strong Buy.” The average 12-month price target stands at $820, implying roughly 25% upside from current levels, with individual forecasts ranging from $655 to $1,117. Recent analyst moves include Wells Fargo trimming its target to $754 while reaffirming an overweight view, Stifel cutting its target to $785 amid heightened scrutiny of AI spending, and Jefferies reiterating a buy rating with a $910 goal. This broad-based optimism underscores expectations for double-digit share gains over the next year.

In the third quarter, Meta delivered 26% year-over-year revenue growth, driven by a 14% increase in ad impressions and a 10% rise in average ad prices across its social platforms. Operating margins narrowed from 43% to 40% as costs and expenses climbed 32%, reflecting heavy capital expenditures on AI-capable data-center build-out. Management now forecasts 2026 capital spending to be “notably larger” than the $70–72 billion range seen in 2025, highlighting an aggressive investment cycle aimed at powering next-generation AI services.

Meta has temporarily suspended teen access to its AI characters globally and is developing an age-appropriate version with built-in parental controls, following parental feedback and as it faces a series of child-safety lawsuits. Trials in Los Angeles and New Mexico allege app-related harms to minors, and regulators in the UK and EU are probing data-handling practices. While these measures may slow feature engagement among younger users, they aim to reduce legal and reputational risks amid intensifying scrutiny of social media’s impact on children.