Meta Platforms (META) Dips More Than Broader Market: What You Should Know

Meta Platforms (META) closed the latest trading day at $595.57, indicating a -0.27% change from the previous session's end. The stock trailed the S&P 500, which registered a daily loss of 0.09%. At the same time, the Dow added 0.04%, and the tech-heavy Nasdaq lost 0.1%.Shares of the social media company have appreciated by 5.6% over the course of the past month, outperforming the Computer and Technology sector's gain of 3.04% and the S&P 500's loss of 0.29%.The investment community will be paying close attention to the earnings performance of Meta Platforms in its upcoming release. The company is predicted to post an EPS of $6.76, indicating a 26.83% growth compared to the equivalent quarter last year. Alongside, our most recent consensus estimate is anticipating revenue of $47 billion, indicating a 17.17% upward movement from the same quarter last year.In terms of the entire fiscal year, the Zacks Consensus Estimates predict earnings of $22.68 per share and a revenue of $163.11 billion, indicating changes of +52.52% and +20.91%, respectively, from the former year.Any recent changes to analyst estimates for Meta Platforms should also be noted by investors. Recent revisions tend to reflect the latest near-term business trends. As such, positive estimate revisions reflect analyst optimism about the company's business and profitability.Our research shows that these estimate changes are directly correlated with near-term stock prices. To capitalize on this, we've crafted the Zacks Rank, a unique model that incorporates these estimate changes and offers a practical rating system.The Zacks Rank system, which varies between #1 (Strong Buy) and #5 (Strong Sell), carries an impressive track record of exceeding expectations, confirmed by external audits, with stocks at #1 delivering an average annual return of +25% since 1988. Over the past month, the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate has moved 0.4% higher. At present, Meta Platforms boasts a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy).In terms of valuation, Meta Platforms is currently trading at a Forward P/E ratio of 26.33. This expresses a discount compared to the average Forward P/E of 32.61 of its industry.Meanwhile, META's PEG ratio is currently 1.31. The PEG ratio is akin to the commonly utilized P/E ratio, but this measure also incorporates the company's anticipated earnings growth rate. The Internet - Software was holding an average PEG ratio of 2.29 at yesterday's closing price.The Internet - Software industry is part of the Computer and Technology sector. This industry, currently bearing a Zacks Industry Rank of 31, finds itself in the top 13% echelons of all 250+ industries.The strength of our individual industry groups is measured by the Zacks Industry Rank, which is calculated based on the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks within these groups. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1.Be sure to use Zacks.com to monitor all these stock-influencing metrics, and more, throughout the forthcoming trading sessions.Zacks Naming Top 10 Stocks for 2025Want to be tipped off early to our 10 top picks for the entirety of 2025?History suggests their performance could be sensational.From 2012 (when our Director of Research Sheraz Mian assumed responsibility for the portfolio) through November, 2024, the Zacks Top 10 Stocks gained +2,112.6%, more than QUADRUPLING the S&P 500’s +475.6%. Now Sheraz is combing through 4,400 companies to handpick the best 10 tickers to buy and hold in 2025. Don’t miss your chance to get in on these stocks when they’re released on January 2.Be First to New Top 10 Stocks >>Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Meta Platforms, Inc. (META): Free Stock Analysis ReportTo read this article on Zacks.com click here.Zacks Investment ResearchWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks