Meta Platforms(US:META) 智通财经网·2025-06-20 08:27Core Viewpoint - Morgan Stanley reports that Meta plans to introduce advertising in the "Updates" tab of WhatsApp, which is expected to create a significant new revenue growth path for the company, maintaining an "Overweight" rating with a target price of $650 [1] Group 1: Advertising Strategy - Meta announced the launch of "status ads" in the "Updates" tab of WhatsApp, which will not appear in user calls or messages and will not access user chat content [1] - The "Updates" tab has approximately 1.5 billion daily active users, and the ad format is similar to Instagram Stories [1] - Meta also plans to commercialize the "Channels" feature on the platform, including the introduction of "promoted channels" and "channel subscriptions," with potential revenue sharing from subscription income in the future [1] Group 2: Revenue Projections - In a base case scenario, if users spend 2-4 minutes daily on the "Updates" tab and the ad monetization rate is similar to Pinterest's international level, WhatsApp ad revenue could reach $3-5 billion annually, contributing a 1.5%-2% uplift to Meta's 2026 revenue [2][3] - In an optimistic scenario, if the time spent on the "Updates" tab reaches 12% and the ad monetization rate matches Facebook's level, annual revenue could exceed $6 billion, providing a 3% uplift to Meta's 2026 revenue [2][3] Group 3: Long-term Growth Potential - Although the WhatsApp advertising business may have limited short-term impact on Meta's overall revenue, it is significant for providing more long-term growth options, including expansion into business messaging, search, and devices [3] - The company believes that more stable revenue and cash flow growth will enhance long-term profitability and valuation [3]