On Thursday, Citi analyst Ronald Josey increased the price target for Meta Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ: NASDAQ:META) to $690 from the previous target of $655, while reiterating a Buy rating on the stock. The revision follows Meta’s announcement of first-quarter results for 2025, which surpassed expectations, with a notable 20% year-over-year growth in advertising revenue, excluding foreign exchange impacts. According to InvestingPro data, Meta maintains strong financial health with an overall score of "GREAT" and impressive revenue growth of 21.94% over the last twelve months.
Meta’s second-quarter guidance also exceeded analyst projections at the higher end, signaling robust advertising demand trends. Despite potential challenges from the global economic environment and reduced spending from China-based advertisers, Meta’s extensive user base and advertiser network, combined with its focus on new products, seem to be mitigating some of these macro challenges. The company’s strong market position is reflected in its industry-leading gross profit margin of 81.68%. InvestingPro subscribers can access 12 additional key insights about Meta’s financial performance and market position.
The company’s achievements were highlighted by the impressive milestones of Meta AI reaching approximately 1 billion monthly active users (MAUs) and Threads garnering 350 million MAUs, with increased engagement across its core applications. Although Meta announced an increase in its capital expenditure guidance by about $5.5 billion at the midpoint, the clarity provided on its five core artificial intelligence focus areas has strengthened confidence in its continued growth trajectory.
Meta’s performance and strategic initiatives have solidified its position as Citi’s top pick in the sector. The new price target of $690 reflects an estimated 20% earnings-to-revenue (ETR) based on after-market pricing. This adjustment underscores the firm’s positive outlook on Meta’s future financial performance and market position.
In other recent news, Meta Platforms Inc. reported first-quarter earnings that exceeded expectations, with a revenue of $42 billion, marking a 19% year-over-year increase when excluding foreign exchange impacts. The company’s operating income reached $17.6 billion, reflecting a 41% margin, which is the highest first-quarter operating margin in four years. Following these results, Evercore ISI raised its price target for Meta to $750, maintaining an Outperform rating, while Oppenheimer increased its target to $665, also retaining an Outperform rating. Truist Securities adjusted its price target to $720, up from $700, and kept a Buy rating on the shares. Meta’s guidance for second-quarter revenue was in line with expectations, and the company announced an increase in its full-year capital expenditure forecast, emphasizing its focus on AI investments. The firm’s strategic investments in AI and infrastructure are believed to be driving returns, with AI-driven recommendations boosting user engagement on platforms like Facebook and Instagram. Analysts noted Meta’s impressive fundamentals, including a projected 20% revenue growth on a $200 billion revenue base and operating margins over 40%. Despite potential regulatory challenges in Europe, Meta’s strong market position and untapped monetization opportunities continue to support a positive outlook.
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