Core Insights - Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META) is recognized as one of the best monopoly stocks to buy currently, despite a recent price target reduction from $930 to $875 by Evercore ISI while maintaining an "Outperform" rating [1][2] - The company's stock performance is influenced by its increased investment spending plans for 2026, which analysts believe warrants close attention [2] Financial Performance - In Q3 2025, Meta reported revenues of $51.24 billion, marking a 26% year-over-year increase, with the average price per ad rising by 10% year-over-year [3] - The company anticipates Q4 2025 total revenue to be between $56 billion and $59 billion, indicating strong expected ad revenue growth, although this is partially offset by reduced year-over-year revenue from Reality Labs [4] Investment Perspective - Rowan Street Capital highlighted Meta as their largest holding for several years, emphasizing its long-term ownership benefits and a compounded annual growth rate of over 21% since their initial purchase [4] - While Meta is viewed as a solid investment, some analysts suggest that certain AI stocks may offer greater upside potential with less downside risk [4]

Group 1 - The Federal Trade Commission is initiating new investigations into Amazon and Google regarding potential misleading practices towards advertisers in online ad placements [1][2] - The investigations will focus on whether these companies are adequately disclosing terms and pricing to advertisers, with the process expected to take a significant amount of time [2] - There has been little immediate reaction in the stock market, possibly indicating that investors are becoming accustomed to ongoing government scrutiny of these tech companies [3] Group 2 - Google has previously been found to illegally monopolize the search market and search advertising, while Amazon is facing an antitrust trial scheduled for 2027 [3]

Core Insights - Meta Platforms is expected to report its first-quarter earnings, with a focus on the impact of President Trump's tariffs on its online advertising business [1] - Analysts predict that Meta's advertising revenue from China could be significantly affected, with a potential loss of $7 billion in 2025 if Chinese companies continue to reduce their ad spending [2] - Meta's total sales for 2024 are projected to be $18.35 billion, with 11% derived from China [1] Financial Expectations - Analysts expect Meta to report $8.54 billion in sales from the Asia-Pacific region for the quarter [2] - The expected earnings per share for Meta is $5.28, with total revenue anticipated to be $41.39 billion [6] - Meta's capital expenditures for the quarter are projected to be $14.32 billion, which may be influenced by the ongoing trade policies [4] Market Context - Other tech companies, including Snap, Reddit, and Amazon, are also set to report earnings, indicating a broader trend in the online advertising sector [5] - Google has indicated potential headwinds in its online ad business due to similar trade issues, reflecting a wider concern across the industry [3] - Intel's CFO has expressed concerns about the economic impact of U.S. trade policies, suggesting a growing probability of an economic slowdown [4]