Major Averages Close Fractionally Higher as Oil Prices Decline Sharply
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: May 27 2026
0mins
The major averages closed fractionally higher amid a sharp decline in oil prices. Crude prices dropped sharply amid improved optimism around U.S.-Iran negotiations, though a deal to reopen the Straight of Hormuz is not yet clinched. AI enthusiasm continues dominating equity leadership. Semiconductor names and hyperscaler-related infrastructure plays remain the strongest part of the market, even as analysts increasingly debate whether the rally has become too narrow and valuation-sensitive.Get caught up quickly on the top news and calls moving stocks with these five Top Five lists.1. STOCK NEWS:Dick's Sportingreported, reiterated its FY26 earnings outlook, and said it sees $200M in charges in FY26 from the Foot Locker acquisitionZscalerprovided areport for Q3, but analysts called its Q4 guidance "underwhelming"Abercrombie & Fitchreportedand reiterated its FY26 guidanceBank of Montrealreported aand boosted its quarterly dividendSherwin-Williamsand Nippon Paintconfirmed aAkzoNobel2. WALL STREET CALLS:FedExto Overweight at JPMorganVerra Mobilityto Underweight at JPMorgan and cut to Neutral-equivalent ratings by at least five other firmsSanDiskto Overweight at BarclaysDeutsche BankDollar Generalwith its customer base "increasingly challenged"MGM Resortsat Truist and JPMorgan3. AROUND THE WEB:Metais selling consumer subscriptions to its Meta AI chatbot for the first time, Bloomberg reportsNvidia'sCEO said the company plans to invest about $150B per year in Taiwan, describing it as the "epicentre" of the AI revolution and a long-term global hub for technology manufacturing, Reuters reportsParamount'sproposed $110B acquisition of Warner Bros. Discoveryis moving toward likely approval by U.S. antitrust regulators following a recent Justice Department meeting, Reuters saysMicronhas hit $1T market value for the first time, driven by AI demand for its memory chips, CNBC reportsBolloreCEO Cyrille Bollore was urging Universal Music Group'smanagement to reject Bill Ackman's takeover proposal, Reuters reports4. MOVERS:Digital Turbinegained afterand providing guidance for FY27Opendoor Technologiesincreased afterin the Russell 3000 IndexRed Catwas higher after H.C. Wainwrightcoverage of the stock with a Buy ratingPDD Holdingsfell in New York afterSatellogicwas lower after5. EARNINGS/GUIDANCE:Bath & Body Worksand provided guidance for Q2 and FY26Capri Holdings, with CEO John Idol commenting, "Looking at fiscal 2026 we were encouraged by the progress we made executing against the strategic initiatives introduced last year"Dycom, with EPS and revenue beating consensusManchester Unitedand raised its guidance for FY26Monroand announced it will not provide guidance for FY27INDEXES:The Dow rose 182.60, or 0.36%, to 50,644.28, the Nasdaq gained 18.55, or 0.07%, to 26,674.73, and the S&P 500 advanced 1.24, or 0.016%, to 7,520.36.
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Analyst Views on META
Wall Street analysts forecast META stock price to rise
44 Analyst Rating
37 Buy
6 Hold
1 Sell
Strong Buy
Current: 567.580
Low
655.15
Averages
824.71
High
1117
Current: 567.580
Low
655.15
Averages
824.71
High
1117
About META
Meta Platforms, Inc. is building human connections, powered by artificial intelligence and immersive technologies. The Company's products enable people to connect and share with friends and family through mobile devices, personal computers, virtual reality (VR) and mixed reality (MR) headsets, augmented reality (AR), and wearables. It also helps people discover and learn about what is going on in the world around them, enabling people to share their experiences, ideas, photos, videos, and other content with audiences ranging from their closest family members and friends to the public at large. The Company's segments include Family of Apps (FoA) and Reality Labs (RL). FoA segment includes Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, WhatsApp and Threads. RL segment includes its virtual, augmented, and mixed reality related consumer hardware, software and content. Its product offerings in VR include its Meta Quest devices, as well as software and content available through the Meta Horizon Store.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
Meta Plans Significant Increase in Capital Expenditures
- Surge in Capital Expenditures: Meta plans to increase capital expenditures to between $125 billion and $145 billion by 2026, nearly doubling from $72 billion in 2025, primarily due to rising component costs, particularly memory prices, raising investor concerns about future profitability.
- Strong Ad Performance: Despite the increased spending, Meta's advertising business remains robust, with a 19% increase in ad impressions and a 12% rise in average ad prices in Q1, indicating enhanced user engagement and advertisers' willingness to pay more.
- User Engagement Growth: Meta's Instagram Reels saw a 10% increase in user time spent in Q1, while total video time on Facebook rose over 8% globally, demonstrating that the application of AI technology is effectively enhancing user experience and advertising effectiveness.
- Uncertain Future Outlook: Although Meta's P/E ratio stands at about 21 times, reflecting market concerns over investment returns, the company has historically achieved compounded shareholder value through bold investments, suggesting that if revenue continues to grow rapidly, today's stock price may appear cheap in hindsight.
See More
Meta Secures AI Computing Power Agreements with Crusoe
- New Agreement Signed: Meta has entered into agreements with data center developer Crusoe to purchase approximately 1.6 gigawatts of computing capacity from two data centers located in Childress, Texas, and Warrenton, Missouri, aimed at meeting the surging demand for artificial intelligence.
- Capacity Impact: The 1.6 gigawatts of capacity is sufficient to power 750,000 U.S. homes, indicating Meta's ambition in AI infrastructure development, particularly against the backdrop of tech companies expanding their infrastructures.
- Infrastructure Investment: Meta plans to invest $600 billion by 2028 in building AI-related data centers, demonstrating a long-term commitment to the AI sector while raising investor concerns about the returns on these investments.
- Hyperion Data Center Construction: Meta is constructing the Hyperion data center in Louisiana, expected to provide 2 gigawatts of capacity with the potential to scale up to 5 gigawatts, further enhancing its competitive edge in AI computing capabilities.
See More
Meta Faces 20% Stock Decline Risk Amid AI Infrastructure Concerns
- Strong Operating Margin: Meta achieved a 41% operating margin and $46 billion in free cash flow for 2025, demonstrating robust financial performance despite a 20% decline from its peak stock price, indicating a competitive edge in the advertising market.
- User Base Advantage: With 3.56 billion daily active users, Meta positions itself as a central platform for AI content distribution, and as AI models commoditize, this user base becomes its most defensible competitive advantage, driving future advertising revenue growth.
- CapEx Warning: Analysts caution that Meta's capital expenditures could reach $135 billion in 2026; while the market may be overreacting to this spending, prolonged underperformance could occur if AI monetization takes longer than expected.
- Market Sentiment and Valuation: Meta trades at a forward P/E of 18 with a PEG ratio of 0.834; despite cautious market sentiment, the average analyst price target of $827.32 suggests significant upside potential.
See More
Hyperscalers Face Hardware Bottlenecks Amid Chip Shortages
- Chip Shortage Impact: The dominance of SK Hynix, Samsung, and Micron in the high-bandwidth memory (HBM) market has created severe hardware bottlenecks for hyperscalers, impacting their capital expenditures and growth plans.
- Meta's Ad Reliance: Meta's reliance on an advertising revenue model restricts its market perception, and despite its significant cloud business potential, the lack of supporting business has led to a 12.55% decline in its stock year-to-date.
- Capital Equipment Companies' Edge: Companies like Applied Materials, Lam Research, and KLA Corp play a crucial role in the supply chain, but despite strong demand, they cannot meet the hyperscalers' needs in the short term, affecting their growth outlook.
- Intensifying Market Competition: As Amazon collaborates with Marvell and Broadcom to develop custom AI chips, competition among hyperscalers intensifies, with future profitability becoming a focal point for market observers.
See More
Alphabet's Cloud Business Shows Strong Growth
- Significant Cloud Growth: Alphabet's Google Cloud revenue surged 63% year-over-year in Q1 2026 to $20 billion, outpacing competitors and demonstrating strong momentum in the cloud computing market.
- Operating Income Surge: Google Cloud's operating income tripled year-over-year to $6.6 billion, with operating margins increasing from 17.8% to 32.9%, indicating substantial improvements in cost control and profitability.
- Demand Exceeds Supply: The segment's backlog nearly doubled in a single quarter to $462 billion, with CEO Sundar Pichai noting that demand has outstripped supply, highlighting the strong market appetite for cloud services.
- Investment Cost Pressure: Despite rapid growth, Alphabet anticipates capital expenditures of $180 billion to $190 billion in 2026, which could pressure free cash flow, and the company's reliance on advertising may impact overall performance in a weak economy.
See More
Meta Platforms Faces Skepticism Over AI Product Development
- Significant Price Discount: Meta Platforms' stock is currently down 25% from its all-time high and trades at a forward P/E ratio of 19, significantly lower than the S&P 500's 21.5, indicating market skepticism about its future growth prospects.
- Reliance on Advertising Revenue: Despite investing hundreds of billions in AI infrastructure, the only real return so far has been an increase in advertising revenue, suggesting that its AI strategy has yet to translate into significant new revenue streams.
- High Growth Potential: Meta achieved a 33% revenue growth in the last quarter, far exceeding the S&P 500's 10% annual growth rate, highlighting its strong growth potential at a lower valuation, but it needs to launch effective AI products to boost market confidence.
- Future Product Outlook: Meta is developing new products like a personal superintelligence model and AI glasses, which, if successfully launched, could provide substantial upside for its stock; otherwise, it may remain at lower levels until AI investments yield returns.
See More
Meta Plans Significant Increase in Capital Expenditures
- Surge in Capital Expenditures: Meta plans to increase capital expenditures to between $125 billion and $145 billion by 2026, nearly doubling from $72 billion in 2025, primarily due to rising component costs, particularly memory prices, raising investor concerns about future profitability.
- Strong Ad Performance: Despite the increased spending, Meta's advertising business remains robust, with a 19% increase in ad impressions and a 12% rise in average ad prices in Q1, indicating enhanced user engagement and advertisers' willingness to pay more.
- User Engagement Growth: Meta's Instagram Reels saw a 10% increase in user time spent in Q1, while total video time on Facebook rose over 8% globally, demonstrating that the application of AI technology is effectively enhancing user experience and advertising effectiveness.
- Uncertain Future Outlook: Although Meta's P/E ratio stands at about 21 times, reflecting market concerns over investment returns, the company has historically achieved compounded shareholder value through bold investments, suggesting that if revenue continues to grow rapidly, today's stock price may appear cheap in hindsight.
See More
Meta Secures AI Computing Power Agreements with Crusoe
- New Agreement Signed: Meta has entered into agreements with data center developer Crusoe to purchase approximately 1.6 gigawatts of computing capacity from two data centers located in Childress, Texas, and Warrenton, Missouri, aimed at meeting the surging demand for artificial intelligence.
- Capacity Impact: The 1.6 gigawatts of capacity is sufficient to power 750,000 U.S. homes, indicating Meta's ambition in AI infrastructure development, particularly against the backdrop of tech companies expanding their infrastructures.
- Infrastructure Investment: Meta plans to invest $600 billion by 2028 in building AI-related data centers, demonstrating a long-term commitment to the AI sector while raising investor concerns about the returns on these investments.
- Hyperion Data Center Construction: Meta is constructing the Hyperion data center in Louisiana, expected to provide 2 gigawatts of capacity with the potential to scale up to 5 gigawatts, further enhancing its competitive edge in AI computing capabilities.
See More
Meta Faces 20% Stock Decline Risk Amid AI Infrastructure Concerns
- Strong Operating Margin: Meta achieved a 41% operating margin and $46 billion in free cash flow for 2025, demonstrating robust financial performance despite a 20% decline from its peak stock price, indicating a competitive edge in the advertising market.
- User Base Advantage: With 3.56 billion daily active users, Meta positions itself as a central platform for AI content distribution, and as AI models commoditize, this user base becomes its most defensible competitive advantage, driving future advertising revenue growth.
- CapEx Warning: Analysts caution that Meta's capital expenditures could reach $135 billion in 2026; while the market may be overreacting to this spending, prolonged underperformance could occur if AI monetization takes longer than expected.
- Market Sentiment and Valuation: Meta trades at a forward P/E of 18 with a PEG ratio of 0.834; despite cautious market sentiment, the average analyst price target of $827.32 suggests significant upside potential.
See More
Hyperscalers Face Hardware Bottlenecks Amid Chip Shortages
- Chip Shortage Impact: The dominance of SK Hynix, Samsung, and Micron in the high-bandwidth memory (HBM) market has created severe hardware bottlenecks for hyperscalers, impacting their capital expenditures and growth plans.
- Meta's Ad Reliance: Meta's reliance on an advertising revenue model restricts its market perception, and despite its significant cloud business potential, the lack of supporting business has led to a 12.55% decline in its stock year-to-date.
- Capital Equipment Companies' Edge: Companies like Applied Materials, Lam Research, and KLA Corp play a crucial role in the supply chain, but despite strong demand, they cannot meet the hyperscalers' needs in the short term, affecting their growth outlook.
- Intensifying Market Competition: As Amazon collaborates with Marvell and Broadcom to develop custom AI chips, competition among hyperscalers intensifies, with future profitability becoming a focal point for market observers.
See More
Alphabet's Cloud Business Shows Strong Growth
- Significant Cloud Growth: Alphabet's Google Cloud revenue surged 63% year-over-year in Q1 2026 to $20 billion, outpacing competitors and demonstrating strong momentum in the cloud computing market.
- Operating Income Surge: Google Cloud's operating income tripled year-over-year to $6.6 billion, with operating margins increasing from 17.8% to 32.9%, indicating substantial improvements in cost control and profitability.
- Demand Exceeds Supply: The segment's backlog nearly doubled in a single quarter to $462 billion, with CEO Sundar Pichai noting that demand has outstripped supply, highlighting the strong market appetite for cloud services.
- Investment Cost Pressure: Despite rapid growth, Alphabet anticipates capital expenditures of $180 billion to $190 billion in 2026, which could pressure free cash flow, and the company's reliance on advertising may impact overall performance in a weak economy.
See More
Meta Platforms Faces Skepticism Over AI Product Development
- Significant Price Discount: Meta Platforms' stock is currently down 25% from its all-time high and trades at a forward P/E ratio of 19, significantly lower than the S&P 500's 21.5, indicating market skepticism about its future growth prospects.
- Reliance on Advertising Revenue: Despite investing hundreds of billions in AI infrastructure, the only real return so far has been an increase in advertising revenue, suggesting that its AI strategy has yet to translate into significant new revenue streams.
- High Growth Potential: Meta achieved a 33% revenue growth in the last quarter, far exceeding the S&P 500's 10% annual growth rate, highlighting its strong growth potential at a lower valuation, but it needs to launch effective AI products to boost market confidence.
- Future Product Outlook: Meta is developing new products like a personal superintelligence model and AI glasses, which, if successfully launched, could provide substantial upside for its stock; otherwise, it may remain at lower levels until AI investments yield returns.
See More
