Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META) is among the Ken Fisher Stock Portfolio: 12 Best Stocks to Buy. Barclays Keeps an Overweight rating on Meta Platforms, Inc. (META) On January 29, 2026, TheFly reported that Barclays kept its Overweight rating. It boosted its price objective for Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META) to $800 from $770. The corporation reported that the firm was back to business in the fourth quarter and that the first quarter’s growth in advertising revenue exceeded thirty percent. Barclays ...

Core Viewpoint - X Corp, owned by Elon Musk, has filed a lawsuit against major music publishers, alleging collusion to prevent the company from negotiating individual licensing agreements for musical works, which violates federal antitrust laws [1][2][3] Group 1: Lawsuit Details - The lawsuit was filed in a Texas federal district court and includes major publishers such as Sony Music, Universal Music, and Warner Chappell [1] - X Corp claims it has been unable to acquire musical composition licenses from individual publishers on competitive terms, suggesting that the collective action of these publishers aimed to impose inflated licensing rates [2][3] - The lawsuit alleges that music publishers representing over 90% of copyrighted music in the US collaborated through the National Music Publishers' Association to act against X Corp [5][8] Group 2: Impact on X Corp - X Corp states that the publishers have been sending numerous takedown requests weekly, seeking the removal of thousands of posts containing copyrighted music, which has pressured the company into accepting unfavorable licensing terms [5][8] - The lawsuit claims that X has already taken down thousands of posts and suspended over 50,000 users, negatively impacting its user base and advertising revenue [8] - X Corp is seeking to restore fair competition in music licensing and to be compensated for lost advertising income [8] Group 3: Previous Legal Context - In 2024, X Corp successfully had most of a 2023 lawsuit filed by 17 music publishers dismissed, which accused the company of copyright violations involving nearly 1,700 songs and sought over $250 million in damages [6][8] - The latest lawsuit indicates that some of the involved publishers have shown willingness to settle the dispute through individual agreements [6][8]

Group 1: Coupang Data Breach - Coupang, South Korea's largest e-commerce platform, announced compensation exceeding $1 billion for victims of its massive data breach, the largest in the country's history [5] - Each of the 33.7 million affected customers will receive vouchers worth up to 50,000 won ($35), distributed in phases starting January 15, 2026 [6] - Coupang's CEO, Park Dae-jun, stepped down after taking responsibility for the breach, while interim CEO Harold Rogers called it a "pivotal moment" and pledged a customer-centric shift to rebuild trust [6][7] Group 2: LandSpace and Space Industry - China's private rocket company LandSpace is preparing to challenge Elon Musk's SpaceX by advancing its reusable rocket technology and plans to go public to fund future projects [7] - Despite a failed test of its Zhuque-3 rocket, LandSpace aims to compete with SpaceX, which could boost China's space industry historically dominated by state-owned companies [8] - LandSpace's chief designer highlighted the financial support that SpaceX receives, which allows for riskier testing, indicating that similar support is needed for Chinese private companies to thrive in commercial space flight [10]

Core Insights - Voya Investment Management's "Voya MI Dynamic Small Cap Fund" experienced underperformance in Q3 2025, primarily due to stock selection issues despite a strong recovery in equity markets [1] - The fund's performance was negatively impacted by its overweight position in Grindr Inc. (NYSE:GRND), which reported disappointing Q2 2025 results [3] Fund Performance - The equity markets rebounded significantly in Q3 2025, recovering from earlier volatility caused by tariffs, with growth stocks outperforming value stocks [1] - The fund underperformed the index on a NAV basis during the quarter [1] Grindr Inc. (NYSE:GRND) Analysis - Grindr Inc. had a one-month return of -11.07% and a 52-week loss of 12.97%, closing at $13.49 per share with a market capitalization of $2.59 billion as of December 5, 2025 [2] - The stock was identified as a primary detractor from the fund's performance, influenced by a negative shift in its earnings results compared to previous quarters [3] Hedge Fund Interest - Grindr Inc. was held by 29 hedge fund portfolios at the end of Q3 2025, a decrease from 32 in the previous quarter [4] - Despite a 30% year-over-year revenue increase to $116 million, the company is viewed as having less upside potential compared to certain AI stocks [4]

Meta has poached Apple's most prominent design executive in a major coup that underscores a push by the social networking giant into AI-equipped consumer devices https://t.co/8rL7ilyjsr ...

Core Insights - A federal judge ruled in favor of Meta Platforms, Inc. against the FTC's antitrust charges, which claimed that Meta holds a monopoly in social networking [1] - The ruling is viewed positively for major tech companies like Amazon, which are also facing FTC scrutiny [2] - Meta's spokesperson emphasized the company's contributions to innovation and economic growth, indicating a commitment to continue investing in America [2] Company Overview - Meta Platforms, Inc. is a California-based company founded in 2004, focusing on products that enable sharing and connection across devices [3] - The company operates through two segments: Family of Apps and Reality Labs [3] Analyst Ratings and Price Targets - Cantor Fitzgerald reduced its price target for Meta from $830 to $720 while maintaining an 'Overweight' rating [2] - Freedom Capital upgraded Meta's stock from 'Hold' to 'Buy' with a price target of $800 [2]

A major win this week for Meta. A federal judge has ruled the company is not a social networking monopoly. A decision that spares Meta from spitting off Instagram and WhatsApp.It's another win for big tech under the Trump administration, which has fueled tech giants AI push. ...

Core Viewpoint - Meta has successfully won its antitrust case against the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), which claimed that Meta held an illegal monopoly in social networking through its acquisitions of WhatsApp and Instagram [1][2]. Summary by Sections Antitrust Case Outcome - The US District Court for the District of Columbia ruled that the FTC failed to prove its claims against Meta, allowing the company to continue operating WhatsApp and Instagram without any restrictions [1][3]. - Judge James Boasberg emphasized that the FTC must demonstrate that Meta currently holds monopoly power, not just in the past [2]. Background of the Case - The FTC's initial complaint was dismissed in 2021 due to insufficient evidence regarding Meta's market power in social networking [2]. - After the FTC amended its filing with additional data on Meta's user numbers and acquisitions, the case proceeded in 2022, culminating in a trial that began in April [3]. Testimonies and Arguments - Key testimonies included Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, who argued against the FTC's claims by referencing his 2008 statement that "it is better to buy than compete" [3]. - The outcome of the case means that Meta avoids the potential requirement to separate WhatsApp and Instagram into independent companies [3]. Reactions to the Verdict - Meta released a statement highlighting the decision as recognition of the fierce competition it faces in the social networking industry and reaffirming its commitment to innovation and economic growth [4]. - The FTC expressed disappointment with the ruling, indicating a potential review of their options moving forward [5]. Industry Context - The ruling comes amid other antitrust actions in the tech industry, including a recent settlement involving Google, which was mandated to share limited search and user-interaction data with competitors [6].

Meta Chief Revenue Officer John Hegeman is leaving the social networking leader, one of several leadership changes at a company under pressure to deliver on a costly AI strategy. https://t.co/2cJEeQutKU ...

Summary of Newborn Town (9911.HK) Conference Call Company Overview - **Company**: Newborn Town (9911.HK) - **Industry**: Social Networking and Live Streaming - **Market Cap**: HK$15,627 million (US$2,012 million) - **Current Price**: HK$11.06 - **Target Price**: HK$16.00 - **Recommendation**: Buy/High Risk Key Points Industry Position - Newborn Town is the 6 Chinese internet player by overseas revenue and 3 in social networking, following ByteDance and Joyy as of August 2025 [1][2][3] Growth Drivers 1. **Product Development Success**: The company has seen replicable success in product development, particularly with Sugo, amidst increasing competition [1][3] 2. **Global Presence**: Strong foothold in MENA and pan-SEA regions, with effective localization strategies [1][3][43] 3. **Emerging Growth Areas**: Anticipated growth in games, social e-commerce, and short dramas [1][3] 4. **Strategic Investments**: Proven track record of strategic investments fueling growth [1][3] 5. **AI Adoption**: Implementation of AI to enhance operational efficiency and growth [1][3] Financial Performance - **Revenue Forecasts**: Expected revenue growth of +54% in 2024, +35% in 2025, +20% in 2026, and +16% in 2027 [3][4] - **Net Profit**: Projected net profit of Rmb1,125 million in 2025, with a diluted EPS of Rmb0.860 [6][11] - **Margins**: Adjusted net margins expected to be 12.2% in 2024, improving to 15.4% by 2027 [3][4] Product Portfolio - **Pan-Audience Products**: Includes Mico, YoHo, TopTop, and Sugo, with significant user engagement and revenue contributions [13][14][15] - **Diverse-Audience Products**: Acquired BlueCity, enhancing offerings in the diverse-audience segment with platforms like Blued and HeeSay [26][28] - **User Metrics**: As of 1H25, average MAU reached 33.9 million, with cumulative downloads of 870 million [14][19] Valuation - Target price set at HK$16, based on a 16x FY26E adjusted EPS of HK$1.01, aligning with global peers [4][11] Risks 1. **Product Lifecycle**: Aging products and low new product hit rates could impact growth [5][30] 2. **Competition**: Intensifying competition in the global social entertainment space [5][30] 3. **Traffic Acquisition**: ROI fluctuations in traffic acquisition strategies [5][30] 4. **Regulatory Changes**: Evolving regulations across different markets may pose challenges [5][30] Market Opportunities - **Sector Outlook**: Strong potential in the global social networking and casual gaming markets, particularly in MENA and SEA [1][16][18] - **Upcoming Developments**: Potential inclusion in HK Stock Connect by March next year, which could enhance visibility and liquidity [2][12] Strategic Initiatives - **Global Headquarters**: Established in Hong Kong, with regional headquarters in Riyadh and Singapore to support global operations [47][48] - **AI and Middle Platform**: Focus on enhancing AI capabilities to streamline operations and improve product development efficiency [40][41] Conclusion - Newborn Town is positioned for robust growth with a diversified product portfolio and strong global presence. The company is leveraging strategic investments and AI to enhance operational efficiency, while navigating potential risks associated with competition and product lifecycle management. The current market correction presents a buying opportunity for investors looking to capitalize on its growth trajectory.