STOXX 600 drops on dour earnings, poised for worst month in a year
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Oct 31 2024
0mins
Should l Buy META?
Source: Reuters
Market Performance: Europe's benchmark index, the STOXX 600, fell 0.7% and is set to record its worst monthly performance since October 2023, influenced by disappointing corporate earnings and uncertainty surrounding the U.S. presidential election.
Corporate Earnings Impact: Major companies like TotalEnergies, BNP Paribas, and Anheuser-Busch InBev reported weaker-than-expected results, contributing to negative sentiment in the market, while Shell and Airbus saw gains due to better-than-forecast profits and leadership changes, respectively.
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Analyst Views on META
Wall Street analysts forecast META stock price to rise over the next 12 months. According to Wall Street analysts, the average 1-year price target for META is 824.71 USD with a low forecast of 655.15 USD and a high forecast of 1117 USD. However, analyst price targets are subjective and often lag stock prices, so investors should focus on the objective reasons behind analyst rating changes, which better reflect the company's fundamentals.
44 Analyst Rating
37 Buy
6 Hold
1 Sell
Strong Buy
Current: 661.460
Low
655.15
Averages
824.71
High
1117
Current: 661.460
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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- Significant Revenue Growth: Meta's Q4 revenue rose 24% year-over-year, with ad impressions increasing by 18% and average ad prices up by 6%, showcasing the company's robust performance in its advertising business and solidifying its market position.
- Capital Expenditure Plans: The company expects capital expenditures to range from $115 billion to $135 billion in 2026, representing a staggering 73% year-over-year growth compared to $72.2 billion in 2025, reflecting strong confidence in future growth opportunities.
- Core Business Optimization: CFO Susan Li emphasized that Meta will prioritize investments to enhance its core business, particularly in AI-driven ad recommendations, which not only unlocks additional value from existing products but also sets the stage for an exciting new product cycle.
- Profitability Resilience: Despite a 40% year-over-year surge in costs and expenses, Meta managed to achieve an 11% growth in earnings per share, demonstrating resilience during its investment cycle, while management's Q1 revenue guidance suggests a growth of 26% to 34%, further boosting market confidence.
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- Substantial Capital Expenditure Increase: The company projects capital expenditures for 2026 to range between $115 billion and $135 billion, representing a 73% increase from $72.2 billion in 2025, reflecting Meta's commitment to investing in future AI-driven product cycles and core business, which could yield significant returns for shareholders.
- Sustained Business Momentum: Despite only an 11% year-over-year growth in earnings per share in Q4, the company managed to achieve this amidst a 40% rise in costs and expenses, showcasing the resilience and potential profitability of its core business.
- Optimistic Outlook: Management's guidance for Q1 revenue suggests a year-over-year growth of 26% to 34%, and even after adjusting for foreign exchange impacts, the strong business momentum indicates that Meta is well-positioned for competitive growth in the market.
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- Revenue Growth Potential: Nebius Group is expected to grow its full-year revenues by 5x in 2026, reflecting the strong performance of AI infrastructure companies in the market, allowing investors to benefit from long-term capital appreciation.
- Productivity Boost: The proliferation of AI technology has led to over 30% increases in new website creation, iOS apps, and GitHub code productivity over the past year, further driving big tech companies' spending on AI infrastructure and ensuring sustained industry growth.
- Market Transition Opportunity: As the AI buildout frenzy cools, infrastructure companies will shift from construction to monetization phases, expected to generate substantial rental income, enabling investors to navigate the uncertainties of software competition by focusing on
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- Meta's Dividend Potential: Although Meta's dividend yield is only 0.3%, its 9% payout ratio indicates significant potential for future dividend increases, coupled with the company's $81.6 billion in cash and marketable securities, reflecting a strong financial position.
- Tractor Supply's Stable Returns: With a dividend yield of 1.7%, Tractor Supply maintains a relatively conservative 45% payout ratio despite slower sales growth, and the company anticipates accelerating sales growth in the future, providing reliable investment returns.
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- Strong Financial Health: As of 2025, Meta's cash, cash equivalents, and marketable securities totaled $81.6 billion, far exceeding its long-term debt of $58.7 billion, indicating a robust balance sheet that supports future growth and dividend payments.
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- Historical Comparison: This $670 billion expenditure represents 2.1% of U.S. GDP, ranking just behind the Louisiana Purchase and surpassing other major historical infrastructure projects like U.S. railroads and the interstate highway system, highlighting its strategic significance.
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- Market Performance Volatility: Following the latest earnings reports, the year-to-date stock performance of the four companies varies, with Meta and Alphabet showing relative strength, while Amazon and Microsoft have seen declines, reflecting market ambivalence towards high CapEx amid growth potential concerns.
See More
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- Significant Revenue Growth: Meta's Q4 revenue rose 24% year-over-year, with ad impressions increasing by 18% and average ad prices up by 6%, showcasing the company's robust performance in its advertising business and solidifying its market position.
- Capital Expenditure Plans: The company expects capital expenditures to range from $115 billion to $135 billion in 2026, representing a staggering 73% year-over-year growth compared to $72.2 billion in 2025, reflecting strong confidence in future growth opportunities.
- Core Business Optimization: CFO Susan Li emphasized that Meta will prioritize investments to enhance its core business, particularly in AI-driven ad recommendations, which not only unlocks additional value from existing products but also sets the stage for an exciting new product cycle.
- Profitability Resilience: Despite a 40% year-over-year surge in costs and expenses, Meta managed to achieve an 11% growth in earnings per share, demonstrating resilience during its investment cycle, while management's Q1 revenue guidance suggests a growth of 26% to 34%, further boosting market confidence.
See More
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- Significant Revenue Growth: Meta reported a 24% year-over-year revenue increase in Q4, with ad impressions up 18% and average ad prices rising 6%, indicating strong performance in its advertising business that is expected to drive future revenue growth.
- Substantial Capital Expenditure Increase: The company projects capital expenditures for 2026 to range between $115 billion and $135 billion, representing a 73% increase from $72.2 billion in 2025, reflecting Meta's commitment to investing in future AI-driven product cycles and core business, which could yield significant returns for shareholders.
- Sustained Business Momentum: Despite only an 11% year-over-year growth in earnings per share in Q4, the company managed to achieve this amidst a 40% rise in costs and expenses, showcasing the resilience and potential profitability of its core business.
- Optimistic Outlook: Management's guidance for Q1 revenue suggests a year-over-year growth of 26% to 34%, and even after adjusting for foreign exchange impacts, the strong business momentum indicates that Meta is well-positioned for competitive growth in the market.
See More
Investment Opportunities in AI Infrastructure
- Surge in CAPEX: AI-related capital expenditures among hyperscalers are projected to reach $515 billion by 2026, a significant increase from $390 billion in 2025, indicating robust demand for AI infrastructure and presenting a lucrative opportunity for investors seeking stable returns.
- Revenue Growth Potential: Nebius Group is expected to grow its full-year revenues by 5x in 2026, reflecting the strong performance of AI infrastructure companies in the market, allowing investors to benefit from long-term capital appreciation.
- Productivity Boost: The proliferation of AI technology has led to over 30% increases in new website creation, iOS apps, and GitHub code productivity over the past year, further driving big tech companies' spending on AI infrastructure and ensuring sustained industry growth.
- Market Transition Opportunity: As the AI buildout frenzy cools, infrastructure companies will shift from construction to monetization phases, expected to generate substantial rental income, enabling investors to navigate the uncertainties of software competition by focusing on
See More
Seeking Dividend Stocks Amid AI Uncertainty
- Importance of Dividends: Amid AI-related uncertainties, dividend payments provide investors with a risk mitigation opportunity, allowing them to directly control a portion of company earnings, thereby enhancing confidence during market volatility.
- Meta's Dividend Potential: Although Meta's dividend yield is only 0.3%, its 9% payout ratio indicates significant potential for future dividend increases, coupled with the company's $81.6 billion in cash and marketable securities, reflecting a strong financial position.
- Tractor Supply's Stable Returns: With a dividend yield of 1.7%, Tractor Supply maintains a relatively conservative 45% payout ratio despite slower sales growth, and the company anticipates accelerating sales growth in the future, providing reliable investment returns.
- Investment Value Assessment: With price-to-earnings ratios of 29 and 26 for Meta and Tractor Supply respectively, both stocks appear attractively priced relative to their long-term potential, and despite inherent risks, investors may consider adding these dividend stocks to their portfolios.
See More
Dividend Investment Opportunities in Meta and Tractor Supply
- Meta's Dividend Potential: With a dividend yield of only 0.3% and a payout ratio of just 9%, Meta has significant room to increase its dividends over time, which could attract more income-seeking investors looking for stability.
- Strong Financial Health: As of 2025, Meta's cash, cash equivalents, and marketable securities totaled $81.6 billion, far exceeding its long-term debt of $58.7 billion, indicating a robust balance sheet that supports future growth and dividend payments.
- Tractor Supply's Steady Growth: Although Tractor Supply's sales growth rate was only 4.3% in fiscal 2025, its dividend yield stands at 1.7% with a payout ratio of 45%, demonstrating the company's ability to provide stable returns, appealing to risk-averse investors.
- Long-Term Growth Expectations: Tractor Supply anticipates accelerating sales growth in the future, aiming for annual net sales growth of 6% to 8% and earnings-per-share growth of 8% to 11%, offering investors a promising long-term growth outlook.
See More
Four Tech Giants' 2026 CapEx Could Exceed $670 Billion
- CapEx Overview: Meta, Amazon, Microsoft, and Alphabet are projected to spend a combined $670 billion in capital expenditures in 2026, with Amazon leading at up to $200 billion, indicating a significant commitment to infrastructure development among these tech giants.
- Historical Comparison: This $670 billion expenditure represents 2.1% of U.S. GDP, ranking just behind the Louisiana Purchase and surpassing other major historical infrastructure projects like U.S. railroads and the interstate highway system, highlighting its strategic significance.
- Investor Caution: Despite aggressive spending, investor concerns about future growth are rising, as Meta and Microsoft's capital expenditures exceed 30% of annual revenue, with Meta potentially surpassing 50% for the first time, which may lead to decreased investor confidence in their stocks.
- Market Performance Volatility: Following the latest earnings reports, the year-to-date stock performance of the four companies varies, with Meta and Alphabet showing relative strength, while Amazon and Microsoft have seen declines, reflecting market ambivalence towards high CapEx amid growth potential concerns.
See More
