Meta Platforms (META) Q4 Earnings: Taking a Look at Key Metrics Versus Estimates

Meta Platforms (META) reported $48.39 billion in revenue for the quarter ended December 2024, representing a year-over-year increase of 20.6%. EPS of $8.02 for the same period compares to $5.33 a year ago.The reported revenue represents a surprise of +3.02% over the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $46.97 billion. With the consensus EPS estimate being $6.68, the EPS surprise was +20.06%.While investors closely watch year-over-year changes in headline numbers -- revenue and earnings -- and how they compare to Wall Street expectations to determine their next course of action, some key metrics always provide a better insight into a company's underlying performance.Since these metrics play a crucial role in driving the top- and bottom-line numbers, comparing them with the year-ago numbers and what analysts estimated about them helps investors better project a stock's price performance.Here is how Meta Platforms performed in the just reported quarter in terms of the metrics most widely monitored and projected by Wall Street analysts: Family daily active people (DAP): $3.35 billion versus the six-analyst average estimate of $3.33 billion. Headcount: 74,067 compared to the 71,952 average estimate based on four analysts. Average Revenue Per Person (ARPP): $14.25 compared to the $13.85 average estimate based on three analysts. Advertising Revenue- US & Canada: $20.98 billion compared to the $20.84 billion average estimate based on five analysts. The reported number represents a change of +18% year over year. Advertising Revenue- Europe: $11.15 billion versus the four-analyst average estimate of $10.79 billion. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +21.8%. Geographical Revenue by User- Asia-Pacific: $9.25 billion compared to the $9.15 billion average estimate based on four analysts. The reported number represents a change of +23.1% year over year. Advertising Revenue- Rest of the World: $5.64 billion versus the four-analyst average estimate of $5.32 billion. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +26.7%. Geographical Revenue by User- US & Canada: $21.78 billion compared to the $21.35 billion average estimate based on four analysts. The reported number represents a change of +17.2% year over year. Revenue- Reality Labs: $1.08 billion versus $1.15 billion estimated by 11 analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a +1.1% change. Revenue- Family of Apps (FoA): $47.30 billion versus the 11-analyst average estimate of $45.84 billion. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +21.2%. Revenue- Advertising: $46.78 billion versus the 10-analyst average estimate of $45.43 billion. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +20.9%. Revenue- Other: $519 million versus the 10-analyst average estimate of $429.23 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +55.4%. View all Key Company Metrics for Meta Platforms here>>>Shares of Meta Platforms have returned +15.2% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +1.7% change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), indicating that it could perform in line with the broader market in the near term.7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 DaysJust released: Experts distill 7 elite stocks from the current list of 220 Zacks Rank #1 Strong Buys. They deem these tickers "Most Likely for Early Price Pops."Since 1988, the full list has beaten the market more than 2X over with an average gain of +24.3% per year. So be sure to give these hand picked 7 your immediate attention. See them now >>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