Meta Platforms Ignites Rally as AI Bet Thrills Wall Street

Meta Platforms ( (META) ) has been popular among investors this week. Here is a recap of the key news on this stock.

Meta Platforms is emerging as one of Wall Street’s favored large-cap growth stories after delivering blockbuster quarterly results and signaling that heavy investment in artificial intelligence is already paying off. The company posted earnings of $8.88 per share on revenue of $59.89 billion, beating analyst forecasts on both counts and delivering 23%-24% year-over-year growth in constant currency. Daily active people across its apps reached 3.58 billion, and ad revenue rose strongly, helped by higher engagement with Reels and AI‑driven targeting and conversion tools. Despite guiding to sharply higher 2026 operating expenses and capital spending—much of it earmarked for AI and infrastructure—Meta Platforms insists it can still grow profits, and several analysts argue that accelerating revenue and improving efficiency more than offset the spending ramp.

Analysts have responded with a wave of price target hikes and reiterated Buy ratings, framing Meta Platforms as a long-term AI and digital advertising winner. Rosenblatt’s Barton Crockett set a Street‑high target of $1,144, implying roughly 71% upside, while Jefferies lifted its target to $1,000 and Pivotal Research, Morgan Stanley, Citi, Piper Sandler, CMB International, and others raised or reaffirmed targets in the $825–$910 range. The stock has climbed more than 12% in the past week and now trades near record highs, yet the average Wall Street target of about $862 still suggests double‑digit upside from recent levels. Compared with fellow tech heavyweight Microsoft—whose latest report drew mixed reactions due to Azure growth concerns—Meta Platforms currently enjoys clearer positive momentum, with a consensus Strong Buy rating and a higher Smart Score indicating potential to outperform the broader market.