In the latest trading session, Meta Platforms (META) closed at $659.15, marking a -2.31% move from the previous day. The stock fell short of the S&P 500, which registered a loss of 0.41% for the day. Elsewhere, the Dow saw a downswing of 0.36%, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq depreciated by 0.89%.
Prior to today's trading, shares of the social media company had gained 13.42% lagged the Computer and Technology sector's gain of 14.93% and outpaced the S&P 500's gain of 9.71%.
The investment community will be paying close attention to the earnings performance of Meta Platforms in its upcoming release. The company is slated to reveal its earnings on April 29, 2026. The company is forecasted to report an EPS of $6.71, showcasing a 4.35% upward movement from the corresponding quarter of the prior year. Meanwhile, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for revenue is projecting net sales of $55.49 billion, up 31.15% from the year-ago period.
For the full year, the Zacks Consensus Estimates are projecting earnings of $29.83 per share and revenue of $250.16 billion, which would represent changes of +26.99% and +24.48%, respectively, from the prior year.
Additionally, investors should keep an eye on any recent revisions to analyst forecasts for Meta Platforms. These revisions help to show the ever-changing nature of near-term business trends. As a result, upbeat changes in estimates indicate analysts' favorable outlook on the business health and profitability.
Our research demonstrates that these adjustments in estimates directly associate with imminent stock price performance. To capitalize on this, we've crafted the Zacks Rank, a unique model that incorporates these estimate changes and offers a practical rating system.
The Zacks Rank system, stretching from #1 (Strong Buy) to #5 (Strong Sell), has a noteworthy track record of outperforming, validated by third-party audits, with stocks rated #1 producing an average annual return of +25% since the year 1988. The Zacks Consensus EPS estimate has moved 0.26% higher within the past month. Meta Platforms is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold).
Valuation is also important, so investors should note that Meta Platforms has a Forward P/E ratio of 22.62 right now. This indicates a premium in contrast to its industry's Forward P/E of 19.47.
It's also important to note that META currently trades at a PEG ratio of 1.1. The PEG ratio bears resemblance to the frequently used P/E ratio, but this parameter also includes the company's expected earnings growth trajectory. Internet - Software stocks are, on average, holding a PEG ratio of 1.14 based on yesterday's closing prices.
The Internet - Software industry is part of the Computer and Technology sector. Currently, this industry holds a Zacks Industry Rank of 88, positioning it in the top 37% 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.
Ensure to harness Zacks.com to stay updated with all these stock-shifting metrics, among others, in the next trading sessions.
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This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
