Oliver Rodzianko is an accomplished investment analyst grounded in timeless value principles, specializing in the technology sector with expertise in AI, semiconductors, software, and renewable energy. He focuses on companies with resilient management and lasting competitive advantages, often taking long-term positions in those with strong leadership and wide economic moats. Recognized as a trusted authority in financial analysis, Rodzianko's articles are regularly featured as "Must Reads" on Seeking Alpha, ...

Core Business Performance - Meta's advertising business has shown solid performance, with revenue growth of 22% and operating income growth of 39% in the last year [2][3] - The company generated $133 billion in revenue and $63 billion in operating profit in 2023, marking a significant turnaround from challenges faced in 2022 [3][4] - Daily active users (DAU) reached 3.35 billion, growing by 5% year over year, indicating strong user engagement across its platforms [4][5] Advertising Business Dynamics - In 2024, ad impressions and pricing increased by 11% and 10% respectively, highlighting the attractiveness of Meta's advertising business [5] - The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into its applications is expected to enhance user engagement and sustain advertising growth [6][7] Reality Labs Investment - Despite the success of its core business, Meta's Reality Labs continues to incur significant losses, with operating losses increasing from $16 billion to $18 billion in 2024 [8] - Revenue from Reality Labs remained stagnant at $2 billion, indicating challenges in monetizing this segment [8][9] - The potential market size for the metaverse is projected to reach $508 billion by 2030, prompting Meta to invest early despite current losses [9][10] Stock Valuation and Investor Considerations - Meta's stock currently has a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 28, which is on the higher end of its historical range, suggesting that it may not be a bargain at this valuation [12] - The company ended 2024 with strong advertising growth, but the ongoing losses from Reality Labs could impact overall profitability [13] - While the stock is not recommended for selling, potential investors are advised to wait for a more favorable entry point [14]

About this content About Emily Jarvie Emily began her career as a political journalist for Australian Community Media in Hobart, Tasmania. After she relocated to Toronto, Canada, she reported on business, legal, and scientific developments in the emerging psychedelics sector before joining Proactive in 2022. She brings a strong journalism background with her work featured in newspapers, magazines, and digital publications across Australia, Europe, and North America, including The Examiner, The Advocate, ...

Meta Platforms (META -1.36%) is a top social media company which routinely generates billions in profit each quarter. But as with any growth-oriented business, it's eyeing the next big opportunity. And right now, its sights appear to be set on artificial intelligence (AI). The company has its own chatbot, but it's looking at making it more widely available, which could unlock a new growth opportunity for the business.While it may not seem like a top AI stock to own, Meta is trying to change that impression. ...

Two senior Meta executives — Dan Neary, vice president for Asia-Pacific, and Kate Hamill, managing director for retail and e-commerce in North America — are leaving the company after more than a decade each in key leadership roles. The departures are unrelated. Neary, who joined Meta in 2013, announced his decision to step down in a LinkedIn post on Thursday. He described the move as the end of a "12-year run," during which he helped grow the company's business across the Asia-Pacific region.Based in Singa ...

In this photo illustration, the Facebook logo is displayed on the screen of an iPhone in front of a Meta logo on October 28, 2021 in Paris, France.Meta on Thursday debuted the Facebook Friends tab, a new feature that's part of CEO Mark Zuckerberg's pitch to revive the original spirit of his social networking app, or "OG Facebook" as he called it."The new Friends tab is a throwback to OG Facebook when you only saw friends' status updates,"  Zuckerberg said in a post about the feature. "More OG Facebook comin ...

Like many companies, Meta Platforms (META -2.42%) started 2025 splendidly, performing well through the first few weeks of the year. And like many of its peers, the tech giant's shares have dipped in the past month due to a combination of factors, with President Trump's trade wars playing a prominent role.Though it might be tempting to avoid the stock as the market remains volatile, Meta Platforms looks attractive to buy and hold for a while despite near-term uncertainty. Let's consider three reasons to inve ...

The stock market downturn has created a rare opportunity to purchase several high-quality stocks at discounted valuation levels.The U.S. equity market began 2025 on a positive note, with the S&P 500 index increasing nearly 2.8% in January 2025. Market sentiment was largely optimistic, fueled by strong earnings from artificial intelligence (AI)-powered companies and optimism about a resilient economy.However, things have worsened, as growing geopolitical tensions, rising economic uncertainty, and the increas ...

This is one of Wall Street's most-influential businesses, and it's never completed a stock split before.For more than two years, the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) has been the hottest trend on Wall Street, and the primary catalyst that lifted the Dow Jones Industrial Average, S&P 500, and Nasdaq Composite to new heights. But it's not the only factor that's played a pivotal role in exciting investors.In 2024, professional and everyday investors flocked to companies enacting stock splits.A stock split ...

Company Performance - Meta Platforms (META) closed at $626.31, reflecting a +1.21% change from the previous trading day's close, outperforming the S&P 500's daily gain of 0.16% [1] - Over the past month, shares of Meta Platforms have decreased by 7.38%, which is worse than the Computer and Technology sector's loss of 5.94% and the S&P 500's loss of 3.59% [1] Upcoming Earnings - Meta Platforms is projected to report earnings of $5.33 per share, indicating a year-over-year growth of 13.16% [2] - Revenue is expected to reach $41.43 billion, representing a 13.64% increase compared to the same quarter last year [2] Annual Forecast - For the entire year, earnings are forecasted at $25.61 per share and revenue at $188.8 billion, reflecting changes of +7.33% and +14.77% respectively compared to the previous year [3] Analyst Estimates - Recent changes to analyst estimates for Meta Platforms are important as they indicate the evolving nature of near-term business trends [3] - Positive estimate revisions are seen as a sign of optimism regarding the company's business outlook [3] Zacks Rank and Performance - The Zacks Rank system, which ranges from 1 (Strong Buy) to 5 (Strong Sell), shows that 1 ranked stocks have yielded an average annual return of +25% since 1988 [4][5] - Currently, Meta Platforms holds a Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold) [5] Valuation Metrics - Meta Platforms is trading at a Forward P/E ratio of 24.16, which is lower than its industry's Forward P/E of 28.29 [6] - The company has a PEG ratio of 1.32, compared to the Internet - Software industry's average PEG ratio of 2.07 [6] Industry Context - The Internet - Software industry is part of the Computer and Technology sector and holds a Zacks Industry Rank of 128, placing it in the top 50% of over 250 industries [7] - Research indicates that top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1 [7]