Benchmark Reiterates Hold Rating on Meta Ahead of Earnings

Analyst: Mark Zgutowicz 1 min read Reproduced verbatim Published as The Benchmark Company, now part of StoneX
Rating
Hold
Unchanged
StoneX and Meta logos

What the analyst said

Benchmark analyst Mark Zgutowicz reiterated a Hold rating on Meta (NASDAQ: META).

“We maintain our Hold rating in front META’s 1Q print on Wed., 4/19… Following last weeks announced 10% RIF (effective 5/20) and elimination of 6,000 open roles, we expect management to lower its CY26 total expense guidance range to ~$159B-$164B, from existing $162B-$169B.

Our ‘26E op. income has been revised up to $89.4B (from $83.8B), which sits +3% above consensus.

While management has suggested its end-to-end AI-powered ad solutions, notably Advantage+, are generating a $60B run-rate (30% of ad revenue), with the company facing a realistic est. $750B+ capex outlay over the next 5 years, management needs to provide a clearer articulation of the return flywheel.

We outline specific questions below and discuss why Muse Spark may be a step in the right direction fundamentally, it remains well short of competing frontier AI labs.”

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Track record

Firm track recordStoneX: 70% of its 23 targets at least a year old were reached within 12 months (#19 of 26 firms); on Meta, 1 of 4. Accuracy ranking →

StoneX on Meta

StoneX price targets on Meta

8 calls from July 31, 2025 to September 22, 2026. The rating moved from Buy to Hold.

StoneX targetMETA share price
  1. September 22, 2026Rating only, no price targetHoldNo target
  2. August 27, 2026Rating only, no price targetHoldNo target
  3. July 27, 2026Rating only, no price targetHoldNo target
  4. July 10, 2026Rating only, no price targetHoldNo target
  5. April 28, 2026 This noteRating only, no price targetHoldNo target
  6. January 29, 2026Rating only, no price targetHoldNo target
  7. October 30, 2025Downgraded to HoldHoldNo target
  8. July 31, 2025Earliest call shownBuy$890
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