Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META) is one of the AI Stocks in Focus on Wall Street. On Janaury 26, Evercore ISI analyst Mark Mahaney reiterated an Outperform rating on the stock with an $875.00 price target. The rating affirmation comes ahead of the company’s fourth-quarter earnings report, due on January 28. The firm anticipates that Meta will post a modest earnings beat for the fourth quarter, while issuing guidance broadly in-line with expectations. However, it noted potential risk to Wall Street’s 20 ...

Core Insights - Meta Platforms has consistently exceeded Wall Street's sales estimates for 11 consecutive quarters, with shares rising over 4% post-earnings on May 1 [1][4] - The company has also surpassed expectations for adjusted earnings per share (EPS) for nine consecutive quarters, with an average post-earnings gain of over 5% in the last 10 quarters [4] Analyst Sentiment - Nearly 20 Wall Street analysts have raised their price targets for Meta, with three times as many increasing their targets compared to those who lowered them [4][5] - Analysts at JPMorgan and Stifel highlight Meta's increased capital expenditure (CapEx) for AI infrastructure as a key driver for future growth, indicating confidence in the company's long-term goals [5][6][7] AI Strategy and Performance - Meta's AI initiatives have led to a 26% increase in ad impressions and a 17% rise in the price paid per ad from Q1 2023 to Q1 2025, demonstrating strong demand and effective execution [7] - Citigroup analysts noted that Meta's structured explanation of its five major growth opportunities through AI has strengthened confidence in its growth trajectory [8][9] Price Target Updates - Recent updates from Wall Street analysts suggest a potential upside of over 18% for Meta shares based on the price targets following the May 1 earnings release [10] - The average 12-month stock price forecast for Meta is $696.45, indicating a 17.08% upside from the current price [8]