Scotiabank urges investors to avoid ’expensive’ U.S. growth stocks By Investing.com
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Mar 04 2025
0mins
Should l Buy META?
Source: Investing.com
Investment Advice from Scotiabank: Scotiabank advises investors to avoid expensive U.S. growth stocks due to rising uncertainty and suggests focusing on Growth at a Reasonable Price (GARP) instead, highlighting that stocks like Nvidia fit this category while others like Amazon and Tesla are considered overpriced.
Market Trends and Sentiment: The report notes a decline in investor sentiment, with expensive growth stocks underperforming and defensive sectors gaining traction, indicating a shift in market dynamics as cyclicals lose momentum and short selling increases.
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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.
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- Innovation Sandbox: Qatar Foundation Chairperson Sheikha Moza bint Nasser described the event as a 'sandbox of innovation,' highlighting AI's potential to empower small businesses and drive economic growth, particularly as large enterprises face implementation challenges.
- 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.
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- New Investment Direction: Ackman's Pershing Square Capital Management has recently increased its stake in Meta Platforms, now accounting for 10% of its capital, reflecting strong confidence in the company's leadership in the digital advertising space.
- User Base Growth: Meta's daily active users have reached 3.5 billion, a 7% year-over-year increase, providing robust growth potential for advertising revenue and further solidifying its market position.
- Revenue Growth Potential: Meta's revenue grew by 22% in 2025, demonstrating its diversified revenue streams and strong management team, particularly in ongoing innovations in social media and Reality Labs.
- Attractive Stock Valuation: Ackman noted that Meta's price-to-earnings ratio has dropped from 21.2 to 18.2, indicating the stock is undervalued; despite market disappointment over its planned $165 billion capital expenditure for 2026, the future growth opportunities remain compelling.
See More
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- New Investment Direction: Ackman's Pershing Square Capital Management has recently invested in Meta Platforms, which now accounts for 10% of its capital, reflecting strong confidence in the company's future growth.
- User Base Advantage: With over 3.5 billion users and a 7% year-over-year increase in daily active users, Meta provides a robust growth potential for its digital advertising business, which Ackman identifies as a key factor for investment.
- Strong Financial Performance: Meta's revenue grew by 22% in 2025, and its price-to-earnings ratio has decreased from 21.2 to 18.2, indicating that its stock is undervalued, which Ackman sees as an excellent buying opportunity.
- Strategic Positioning: Ackman plans to develop Howard Hughes Holdings into a diversified holding company, demonstrating his strategic vision for seeking long-term growth in his investment portfolio, with the investment in Meta being a key component of this strategy.
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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- Meta's Smart Glasses Success: Meta Platforms has developed a successful smart glasses business, indicating a strong foothold in the market.
- Mainstream Adoption Challenge: The company faces the challenge of making the product mainstream before competitors can catch up.
See More
