VR has been 'pretty big disappointment' for Meta, says Mizuho's Lloyd Walmsley

Core Insights - Meta is reportedly considering cutting the budget for its Metaverse Group by up to 30%, which has positively impacted its stock price amid concerns over high spending and recent earnings [1] - The company has raised the low end of its total expenses for the year to $116 billion, indicating a focus on managing costs [2] Budget Cuts and Focus Shift - The potential budget cut appears to be more targeted towards the Reality Labs segment rather than a blanket cut across all AR/VR initiatives, possibly closer to a 10% reduction overall [3][4] - This shift suggests that Meta is approaching its Reality Labs investments with more discipline, addressing investor concerns about operational expenditure growth and the uncertain returns from long-term projects [4][5] Investor Sentiment and Strategic Direction - Investors have been frustrated with the lack of returns from Reality Labs, which has been viewed as a "black hole" for capital, leading to a need for more stringent capital allocation decisions [5][10] - The company is pivoting its focus from the metaverse to artificial intelligence (AI), which is now seen as its primary strategic direction, as the metaverse investments have not yielded the expected consumer interest [6][7] Performance and Future Outlook - Despite heavy investments in both the metaverse and AI, Meta has managed to maintain healthy operating income growth, indicating effective management of its core business [9] - The cumulative operating income losses from Reality Labs have exceeded $80 billion since 2019, highlighting the challenges faced in the VR segment, while there may still be potential in augmented reality (AR) [11]