Alphabet's Earnings Rally Pushes Magnificent 7 Market Cap To Record $16.8 Trillion: 10 Tech-Heavy ETFs Moving Wednesday
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Oct 30 2024
0mins
Should l Buy META?
Source: Benzinga
Alphabet's Strong Earnings: Alphabet Inc. reported impressive third-quarter earnings with an EPS of $2.12 and revenue of $88.27 billion, surpassing Wall Street expectations and contributing to a record market cap of $16.8 trillion for the "Magnificent Seven" tech giants.
Market Reactions and Mixed Performances: Following Alphabet's earnings report, its stock surged over 6%, adding more than $150 billion to its market cap, while other companies in the Magnificent Seven experienced mixed performances, with Tesla showing notable gains.
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Analyst Views on META
Wall Street analysts forecast META stock price to rise
44 Analyst Rating
37 Buy
6 Hold
1 Sell
Strong Buy
Current: 649.810
Low
655.15
Averages
824.71
High
1117
Current: 649.810
Low
655.15
Averages
824.71
High
1117
About META
Meta Platforms, Inc. is building human connections, powered by artificial intelligence and immersive technologies. The Company's products enable people to connect and share with friends and family through mobile devices, personal computers, virtual reality (VR) and mixed reality (MR) headsets, augmented reality (AR), and wearables. It also helps people discover and learn about what is going on in the world around them, enabling people to share their experiences, ideas, photos, videos, and other content with audiences ranging from their closest family members and friends to the public at large. The Company's segments include Family of Apps (FoA) and Reality Labs (RL). FoA segment includes Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, WhatsApp and Threads. RL segment includes its virtual, augmented, and mixed reality related consumer hardware, software and content. Its product offerings in VR include its Meta Quest devices, as well as software and content available through the Meta Horizon Store.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
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- Surge in Capex: The capital expenditure forecast for 2026 has been raised to between $115 billion and $135 billion, nearly doubling the $72.2 billion spent in 2025, leading to a divide among investors regarding the sustainability of this spending plan.
- Robust User Growth: Meta's Family of Apps now boasts 3.58 billion daily active users, representing 43% of the global population, showcasing effective AI application in its advertising business with an 18% increase in ad impressions.
- Strong Profitability: Meta anticipates Q1 2026 revenues between $53.5 billion and $56.5 billion, implying growth rates as high as 34%, and despite spending pressures, the company maintains strong cash flow and profitability metrics.
See More
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- Global AI Summit: The Web Summit in Doha attracted over 30,000 founders, investors, and experts, establishing itself as a global hub for AI discussions and showcasing the Middle East's rise in the global AI landscape.
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- Energy and Data Infrastructure: Attendees discussed the resilience of supply chains, energy systems, and data infrastructure amid rising geopolitical tensions, emphasizing the need for governments to ensure supply and diversification of computing capabilities to meet the demands of the information age.
- Investment Opportunities: Qatar's Prime Minister announced an additional $2 billion for the Qatar Investment Authority's Fund of Funds program, bringing total committed capital to $3 billion, supporting 12 regional and international fund managers, reflecting the country's ambition and potential in global AI investments.
See More
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- New Regulations Announced: UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced that AI chatbots will be included in the Online Safety Act, requiring compliance with illegal content duties, with penalties including fines or blocking, highlighting the government's commitment to child protection.
- Expanded Regulatory Scope: The new measures target not only OpenAI's ChatGPT and Google's Gemini but also Microsoft's Copilot, aiming to close existing loopholes in the law to prevent children from accessing inappropriate content and enhance social responsibility.
- International Trend Influence: With countries like Australia and Spain implementing social media bans, the UK government is also considering restrictions on social media use for those under 16, reflecting a global concern for youth mental health and legislative responses.
- New Direction in Tech Regulation: Legal experts note that the government's latest actions signify a more proactive regulatory approach to rapidly evolving technologies, aiming to address risks arising from the design and behavior of technologies themselves, rather than just user-generated content.
See More
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- AI Trade Stalling: According to David Woo, the Nasdaq 100 index (QQQ) has shown no significant movement since last October, with its 100-day rolling return rapidly approaching zero, indicating a potential leadership erosion and the risk of a deeper market correction.
- Earnings Momentum Weakening: During the fourth-quarter earnings season, the combined EBIT four-quarter moving average of the Magnificent Seven fell to its lowest level since 2023, and despite a rebound at Apple, the overall fading earnings growth momentum raises concerns about profit-taking risks for investors.
- Capex Correlation Breakdown: Woo noted that for the first time since the launch of ChatGPT, the strong correlation between AI stocks and hyperscaler capital expenditures has turned negative, suggesting a loss of market trust in capex as a signal for higher returns, which could lead to over-investment risks.
- Market Psychology Shift: As AI-related capex grows much faster than AI-related revenue, Woo warns that this unsustainable gap may indicate a shift in investment cycles outpacing revenue cycles, posing significant risks for the market, especially with an uncertain outlook heading into 2026.
See More
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Previous Summits: This event follows government-led summits on artificial intelligence that have taken place in the U.K., South Korea, and France.
See More
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- Intensifying Tech Competition: Analyst Rory Green warns that China's rapid advancements in AI are breaking the U.S. tech monopoly, with predictions that most of the world may rely on a Chinese tech stack within the next 5 to 10 years, significantly impacting the U.S. market.
- National AI Fund Launched: China launched a 60.06 billion yuan ($8.69 billion) national AI fund last year and initiated the 'AI+' program to integrate AI technology across its economy and society, further accelerating its technological development.
- Cost Advantage Emerges: By leveraging massive Huawei chip clusters and abundant low-cost energy, China is narrowing the gap with the U.S. in AI model development, making its low-cost tech offerings attractive to developing economies and potentially reshaping the global tech landscape.
- U.S. Investment Return Concerns: U.S. tech giants announced capital expenditures of up to $700 billion in AI, raising concerns about returns and leading to a $1 trillion loss in market caps, reflecting growing doubts about the U.S.'s competitive edge against China.
See More
