Meta Platforms (META) has significantly deepened its commitment to carbon-free energy through two major partnerships announced on January 9. The social media giant has entered into agreements with Okl... ...

Core Viewpoint - Meta Platforms is positioned as a promising dividend stock with significant long-term potential despite its current low dividend yield of 0.3% [3][10]. Dividend and Payout Ratio - Meta's quarterly dividend is $0.525 per share, leading to an annualized payout of $2.10, which results in a low payout ratio of 9%, indicating ample room for future dividend increases [3][5]. - The company has initiated dividend payments only recently, starting last year, and is expected to continue growing its dividend in the future [2][6]. Share Repurchases - In Q3, Meta returned approximately $1.3 billion in dividends and spent nearly $3.2 billion on share repurchases, with Q2 seeing almost $10 billion allocated for buybacks [7]. - The total shareholder yield, when factoring in share repurchases, is significant, even though the dividend yield remains low [7]. Business Growth - Meta's revenue for Q3 increased by 26% year-over-year to about $51.2 billion, showing an acceleration from the previous quarter's growth rate of 22% [8]. - The growth was driven by a 14% increase in ad impressions and a 10% rise in average price per ad [8]. Free Cash Flow - The company reported approximately $10.6 billion in free cash flow for Q3, which is crucial for supporting dividends and share repurchases [9]. Capital Expenditures and Future Outlook - Meta plans to invest $70 to $72 billion in capital expenditures in 2025, primarily for AI computing infrastructure, which may impact the pace of dividend growth in the near term [6][11]. - Management anticipates that capital expenditures will increase significantly in 2026 compared to 2025, indicating a focus on long-term growth strategies [11]. Valuation - Meta's shares are trading at a price-to-earnings ratio of 29, suggesting that while the stock is not overly expensive, it is also not cheap, necessitating continued rapid growth and successful investments in AI [12].

​Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META) is one of the Most Profitable Stocks to Buy Now. On November 18, Laura Martin from Needham maintained a Hold rating on Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META) without disclosing any price targets. However, earlier on November 13, Lloyd Walmsley from Mizuho Securities raised the firm’s price target on the stock from $812 to $920 and reiterated a Buy rating. ​The ratings follow the company’s recent outperformance during its fiscal Q3 2025 results. On October 29, Meta Platforms ...

Core Insights - The international operations of Meta Platforms are crucial for assessing its financial resilience and growth prospects, especially given the interconnected nature of the global economy [2][3]. Revenue Performance - For the quarter ended September 2025, Meta's total revenue reached $51.24 billion, marking a year-over-year increase of 26.3% [4]. - Europe generated $11.57 billion, accounting for 22.6% of total revenue, slightly exceeding Wall Street's expectation of $11.51 billion [5]. - Asia-Pacific contributed $14.3 billion, representing 27.9% of total revenue, surpassing the expected $13.39 billion by 6.79% [6]. - The Rest of the World brought in $5.66 billion, making up 11.1% of total revenue, also exceeding the consensus estimate of $5.52 billion by 2.61% [7]. Future Projections - Analysts project Meta's total revenue for the current fiscal quarter to be $58.43 billion, reflecting a 20.8% increase from the previous year, with contributions from Europe, Asia-Pacific, and the Rest of the World expected to be $13.5 billion, $14.75 billion, and $6.15 billion, respectively [8]. - For the full year, total revenue is anticipated to reach $198.22 billion, a 20.5% increase from the prior year, with regional contributions of $45.76 billion from Europe, $52.24 billion from Asia-Pacific, and $21.33 billion from the Rest of the World [9]. Strategic Importance - The reliance on global markets presents both opportunities and challenges for Meta Platforms, making the analysis of international revenue trends essential for forecasting future performance [10].