Meta Platforms (NASDAQ: META) Price Prediction and Forecast 2026-2030 for January 21

Core Insights - Meta Platforms Inc. has experienced a stock decline of 5.72% over the past five trading sessions, following a previous decline of 3.76%, largely due to concerns over AI capital expenditures announced in its FY 2025 Q3 earnings report [1] - Despite a significant correction of over 21%, shares have rebounded by 2.34% since bottoming on November 19, 2025, although the stock is down 2.00% year-over-year [1] Financial Performance - In Q3 2025, Meta reported quarterly revenue of $51.24 billion, exceeding analysts' expectations of $49.41 billion by 26.2%, with adjusted EPS of $7.25 beating expectations of $6.69 by 20.2% [3] - However, GAAP EPS of $1.05 fell 82.6% short of expectations of $6.70 [3] - Year-over-year sales growth for Q3 was 26%, marking the highest revenue growth since FY 2024 Q1 [3] Stock Buyback and Dividend - Meta authorized a $50 billion stock buyback and announced the initiation of a dividend, currently yielding 0.33%, equating to $0.52 per share quarterly or $2.08 annually [4] Revenue and Net Income Growth - From 2014 to 2024, Meta's revenue grew by 1,196.16%, from $12.466 billion to over $164 billion, while net income increased from $2.940 billion to over $62.36 billion [6] - The primary driver of this growth has been advertising revenue from its social media platforms [6] Key Business Segments - As of year-end 2023, 99% of Meta's revenue comes from its Family of Apps segment, despite its expansion into augmented and virtual reality through Reality Labs [7] Strategic Focus Areas 1. AI Investment: Meta is heavily investing in AI, with a focus on expanding its capabilities and improving ad revenue, which saw a 10% year-over-year increase [9] 2. Renewable Energy Development: Meta aims for net zero by 2030, with 100% of its operations supported by renewable energy since 2020, which is expected to reduce utility costs and carbon footprint [9] 3. Free Cash Flow Growth: Meta's free cash flow reached a record $43 billion in 2023, up from $21 billion in 2019, indicating a strong focus on efficiency [10] Stock Price Predictions - The median one-year price target for Meta is $821.33, representing a potential upside of 35.95% from the current share price, with a consensus "Strong Buy" rating from analysts [11] - 24/7 Wall St. projects a 2026 price target of $935.29, indicating a potential upside of 54.81% [11] - By the end of the decade, the stock price is forecasted to reach $1,216.82, reflecting a potential upside of 101.42% [13]