Meta Acquires AI Developer Manus for Over $2 Billion
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Dec 30 2025
0mins
Source: CNBC
- Acquisition Strategy: Meta Platforms announced the acquisition of AI agent developer Manus for over $2 billion, as reported by The Wall Street Journal, which is seen as potentially transformative, akin to Meta's acquisitions of Instagram in 2012 and WhatsApp in 2014.
- Market Reaction: This acquisition is expected to enhance Meta's competitiveness in the AI space, particularly as AI-driven products and services gain prominence, potentially opening new revenue streams for the company.
- Industry Impact: With Meta increasing its investment in AI, this move is likely to spur innovation and development across the industry, especially in social media and digital advertising, potentially prompting other companies to follow suit.
- Future Outlook: Analysts believe this acquisition will provide Meta with a stronger technological foundation, positioning the company favorably in future market competition, especially in light of the rapid advancements in the AI sector.
Discover Tomorrow's Bullish Stocks Today
Receive free daily stock recommendations and professional analysis to optimize your portfolio's potential.
Sign up now to unlock expert insights and stay one step ahead of the market trends.
Analyst Views on META
Wall Street analysts forecast META stock price to rise over the next 12 months. According to Wall Street analysts, the average 1-year price target for META is 824.71 USD with a low forecast of 655.15 USD and a high forecast of 1117 USD. However, analyst price targets are subjective and often lag stock prices, so investors should focus on the objective reasons behind analyst rating changes, which better reflect the company's fundamentals.
44 Analyst Rating
37 Buy
6 Hold
1 Sell
Strong Buy
Current: 672.970
Low
655.15
Averages
824.71
High
1117
Current: 672.970
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's Earnings Beat Expectations, Analysts Raise Price Targets
- Strong Earnings: Meta reported fourth-quarter earnings of $8.88 per share and revenue of $59.89 billion, both exceeding market expectations, indicating that AI-driven advertising monetization is alleviating concerns over rising operating and capital expenditures.
- Robust Guidance: The company expects first-quarter sales to range between $53.5 billion and $56.5 billion, significantly above the consensus estimate of $51.41 billion, suggesting strong growth momentum in its advertising business that reinforces its market position.
- AI Investment Returns: Despite a $6.02 billion operating loss from Reality Labs, analysts remain optimistic about Meta's AI investments, believing that the growth in its advertising business will offset these losses, with benefits from AI expected to materialize by 2026.
- Analyst Optimism: Several Wall Street analysts raised their price targets for Meta, with Barclays increasing its target to $800, implying a 20% upside, reflecting confidence in Meta's long-term growth potential.
Continue Reading
Meta Platforms: Potential and Risks of AI Investment
- Large User Base: Meta Platforms boasts approximately 3.5 billion daily active users, with its robust social media ecosystem attracting advertisers, thereby enhancing ad demand and revenue, showcasing its competitiveness in the digital advertising market.
- Ad Platform Optimization: By leveraging AI-driven algorithms, Meta has improved its advertising platform, increasing user engagement and subsequently driving ad demand and revenue growth, indicating its ongoing commitment to technological innovation.
- Relatively Reasonable Valuation: Despite significant spending in AI, Meta's forward price-to-earnings ratio is the lowest among the 'Magnificent Seven' tech giants, reflecting a relatively attractive valuation that draws attention from long-term investors.
- Agile Market Response: Following the failure of its metaverse investments, Meta swiftly adjusted its strategy towards AI, demonstrating its ability to adapt to market changes and laying the groundwork for future monetization opportunities.
Continue Reading