Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META) is one of the Must-Watch AI Stocks on Wall Street. On December 4, Mizuho analyst Lloyd Walmsley reiterated an Outperform rating on the stock with an $815.00 price target. The rating affirmation follows potential cuts to Metaverse; which signal upside for Meta and could potentially add $2/share to 2026 EPS. A Bloomberg report from December 4 has revealed that Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg is expected to meaningfully cut resources for building metaverse; Zuckerberg’s idea of a ...

Core Insights - Meta Platforms is making significant budget cuts to its metaverse division, acknowledging that its previous focus on the metaverse was misguided and costly [1][5][11] - The company plans to reduce its metaverse budget by up to 30%, which is expected to save billions annually [6][11] - Meta's Reality Labs division has incurred substantial losses, with a reported loss of $13.2 billion in 2023 and $17.7 billion for the full year [3][11] Financial Performance - Meta's Reality Labs generated only $1.3 billion in revenue while incurring losses of $13.2 billion in 2023 [3] - The company's stock saw a positive reaction, increasing by several points following the announcement of budget cuts [6] - Since the layoffs in November 2022, which affected 11,000 employees, Meta's stock has increased over 500%, indicating a successful shift in strategy towards profitability [10] Strategic Shift - The cuts will affect products like Horizon Worlds and the Quest virtual reality unit, with layoffs expected as early as January [7] - This strategic pivot reflects a realization that technology must be useful to succeed, moving away from Zuckerberg's previous vision of the metaverse [7][12] - The company aims to redirect resources towards more practical applications, particularly in AI and other startup projects [12]

Group 1: Meta Platforms - Meta is considering cutting up to 30% of its Metaverse budget for 2026, primarily affecting the Quest virtual reality unit and Horizon Worlds [2] - The EU is planning a new antitrust investigation into Meta regarding its "Meta AI" tool within WhatsApp [3] Group 2: Netflix - Netflix announced its acquisition of Warner Bros Discovery for approximately $82.7 billion, valuing Warner Bros at $27.75 per share [3] Group 3: Amazon - Despite optimistic commentary on AI, investors are largely unresponsive to Amazon's claims of skyrocketing demand for AI infrastructure [5] - Anthropic, a company backed by Amazon and Google, is preparing for a potentially massive IPO, engaging Silicon Valley firm Wilson Sonsini for early preparations [6]

Wall Street analysts rerated Meta Platforms Inc (NASDAQ:META) after the company said that it is considering cutting up to 30% of its 2026 Metaverse budget, primarily targeting the Quest virtual reality unit and Horizon Worlds, which account for the bulk of metaverse-related investment.JPMorgan analyst Doug Anmuth maintained an Overweight rating on Meta with a price forecast of $800.Bank of America Securities analyst Justin Post reiterated a Buy rating on Meta with a price forecast of $810.Also Read: Meta Pl ...

Meta Platforms Inc.’s Mark Zuckerberg is expected to meaningfully cut resources for building the so-called metaverse, an effort that he once framed as the future of the company and the reason for changing its name from Facebook Inc.Executives are considering potential budget cuts as high as 30% for the metaverse group next year, which includes the virtual worlds product Meta Horizon Worlds and its Quest virtual reality unit, according to people familiar with the talks, who asked not to be named while discus ...