Meta Platforms (META) closed at $671.73 in the latest trading session, marking a +1.39% move from the prior day. The stock's performance was ahead of the S&P 500's daily gain of 0.8%. Meanwhile, the Dow experienced a drop of 0.15%, and the technology-dominated Nasdaq saw an increase of 1.6%.
Shares of the social media company have appreciated by 6.4% over the course of the past month, underperforming the Computer and Technology sector's gain of 7.62%, and outperforming the S&P 500's gain of 5.15%.
The upcoming earnings release of Meta Platforms will be of great interest to investors. The company's earnings report is expected on April 29, 2026. The company is expected to report EPS of $6.69, up 4.04% from the prior-year quarter. At the same time, our most recent consensus estimate is projecting a revenue of $55.34 billion, reflecting a 30.78% rise from the equivalent quarter last year.
For the entire fiscal year, the Zacks Consensus Estimates are projecting earnings of $29.78 per share and a revenue of $249.01 billion, representing changes of +26.78% and +23.9%, respectively, from the prior year.
Investors should also take note of any recent adjustments to analyst estimates for Meta Platforms. Recent revisions tend to reflect the latest near-term business trends. As a result, upbeat changes in estimates indicate analysts' favorable outlook on the business health and profitability.
Based on our research, we believe these estimate revisions are directly related to near-term stock moves. To take advantage of this, we've established the Zacks Rank, an exclusive model that considers these estimated changes and delivers an operational 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 shifted 0.1% upward. Meta Platforms is currently a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).
Digging into valuation, Meta Platforms currently has a Forward P/E ratio of 22.25. This valuation marks a premium compared to its industry average Forward P/E of 18.47.
Also, we should mention that META has a PEG ratio of 1.02. The PEG ratio bears resemblance to the frequently used P/E ratio, but this parameter also includes the company's expected earnings growth trajectory. The Internet - Software industry currently had an average PEG ratio of 1.05 as of yesterday's close.
The Internet - Software industry is part of the Computer and Technology sector. This industry, currently bearing a Zacks Industry Rank of 92, finds itself in the top 38% 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 follow all of these stock-moving metrics, and many more, on Zacks.com.
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Meta Platforms, Inc. (META): Free Stock Analysis Report
This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).