Meta Platforms Considers 2026 Stock Split as Shares Surge 443%
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Dec 28 2025
0mins
Should l Buy META?
Source: NASDAQ.COM
- Stock Price Surge: Meta's shares have soared 443% over the past three years, closing at $661.50 on December 22, reflecting strong market performance and investor confidence.
- Potential Stock Split: Meta is considering a stock split in 2026, which could enhance liquidity and broaden investor participation, although splits do not alter the company's fundamentals.
- Advertising Business Growth: With nearly 3.5 billion daily active users, Meta's digital advertising business is robust, and management projects capital expenditures of $66 billion to $72 billion for fiscal 2025, primarily for AI infrastructure expansion.
- Investment Return Potential: According to Bank of America, companies that split their stock see an average return of 25.4% in the year following the announcement, significantly higher than the S&P 500's 11.9%, indicating that Meta's stock could appreciate post-split.
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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: 644.780
Low
655.15
Averages
824.71
High
1117
Current: 644.780
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.
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- AI Patent Controversy: The company secured a patent allowing the simulation of social media activity for deceased users, which has sparked considerable backlash from consumers, potentially harming its brand reputation despite no immediate plans for implementation.
- User Experience Risks: The patent suggests that users could continue to post content posthumously, which may negatively impact other users, particularly on an emotional level, leading to a decline in trust towards the platform.
- Future Strategic Considerations: While Meta has no current plans to implement this technology, the existence of the patent indicates that the company may consider leveraging it for commercialization in the future, particularly in the realms of digital legacy and virtual memorialization.
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- Investment Strategy: Meta plans to increase capital expenditures to between $115 billion and $135 billion in 2026, with total expenses projected between $162 billion and $169 billion, reflecting a significant commitment to AI investments, although this also introduces potential risks.
- Netflix Growth Slowdown: Netflix's first-quarter revenue forecast of $12.2 billion implies a year-over-year growth rate of 15.3%, while its 2026 revenue outlook of $50.7 billion to $51.7 billion suggests a slowdown to 12% to 14% growth, indicating a notable deceleration that could impact its market competitiveness.
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- Market Reactions: Following the economic data release, major US stock index futures fell, with S&P 500 and Dow futures down 0.3% and Nasdaq 100 futures dropping 0.5%, while safe-haven demand surged, pushing gold prices up by 1% and silver by over 4%.
See More
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- User Engagement Milestone: Meta reported over 3.5 billion daily active users in Q4 across its platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, highlighting its significant influence and user retention in the social media landscape.
- AI Patent Controversy: The company secured a patent allowing the simulation of social media activity for deceased users, which has sparked considerable backlash from consumers, potentially harming its brand reputation despite no immediate plans for implementation.
- User Experience Risks: The patent suggests that users could continue to post content posthumously, which may negatively impact other users, particularly on an emotional level, leading to a decline in trust towards the platform.
- Future Strategic Considerations: While Meta has no current plans to implement this technology, the existence of the patent indicates that the company may consider leveraging it for commercialization in the future, particularly in the realms of digital legacy and virtual memorialization.
See More
Comparative Growth Analysis of Meta and Netflix
- Strong Q4 for Meta: Meta reported a 24% year-over-year revenue increase to $59.9 billion in Q4, driven by an 18% rise in ad impressions and a 6% increase in average ad prices, showcasing its robust performance in the advertising market and user growth potential.
- Optimistic Guidance: Meta's first-quarter revenue outlook ranges from $53.5 billion to $56.5 billion, implying approximately 30% growth compared to last year's $42.3 billion midpoint, indicating a rare high growth rate for a company of its size and highlighting its significant future growth potential.
- Massive Investment Plans: Meta anticipates capital expenditures of $115 billion to $135 billion in 2026, with total expenses projected between $162 billion and $169 billion, primarily driven by substantial investments in artificial intelligence, reflecting its commitment to technological innovation.
- Slowing Growth for Netflix: While Netflix's Q4 revenue grew 17.6% year-over-year to $12.1 billion and surpassed 325 million paid memberships, its 2026 revenue forecast of $50.7 billion to $51.7 billion indicates a slowdown to 12% to 14% growth, revealing a weakening growth momentum.
See More
Comparative Growth Outlook for Meta and Netflix
- Meta Revenue Outlook: Meta's first-quarter revenue guidance ranges from $53.5 billion to $56.5 billion, implying approximately 30% year-over-year growth compared to last year's $42.3 billion, indicating strong momentum in advertising and user growth, which suggests robust growth potential in a competitive market.
- Investment Strategy: Meta plans to increase capital expenditures to between $115 billion and $135 billion in 2026, with total expenses projected between $162 billion and $169 billion, reflecting a significant commitment to AI investments, although this also introduces potential risks.
- Netflix Growth Slowdown: Netflix's first-quarter revenue forecast of $12.2 billion implies a year-over-year growth rate of 15.3%, while its 2026 revenue outlook of $50.7 billion to $51.7 billion suggests a slowdown to 12% to 14% growth, indicating a notable deceleration that could impact its market competitiveness.
- Valuation Comparison: While both Meta and Netflix trade at price-to-earnings ratios of 27 and 30 respectively, Meta's faster growth and AI investment opportunities make its valuation more attractive, leading investors to prefer Meta for potentially higher long-term returns.
See More
Wedbush Optimistic About AI Software Companies' Future
- Early Monetization of AI Tools: Wedbush asserts that software companies are in the early stages of monetizing AI tools, with fresh funding at OpenAI and Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang reaffirming strong chip demand, indicating sustained market confidence that could drive industry recovery.
- Salesforce Earnings Highlight: The firm points to Salesforce's earnings updates as evidence that AI-driven revenue is beginning to materialize, reflecting that corporate investments in AI are gradually translating into actual gains, further enhancing market optimism about AI.
- Expected M&A Activity in Software: Analysts anticipate that merger activity in the software sector will accelerate in the coming months as companies pursue strategic acquisitions to bolster their AI capabilities, thereby driving industry consolidation and innovation.
- Accelerated AI Adoption by Big Enterprises: Wedbush notes advancements by Apple in AI assistant Siri features and monetization progress at Microsoft, ServiceNow, Meta, and Alphabet, suggesting that widespread enterprise adoption of AI technologies will boost market sentiment.
See More
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- Governance Scrutiny: Palantir faces mounting scrutiny as CEO Alex Karp's reimbursement of $17.2 million for private jet usage, a 123% increase from 2024, has drawn sharp criticism from investor Michael Burry, potentially impacting stock price and investor confidence.
- Legal Disputes: The company has sued AI startup Percepta, alleging its founders violated privacy and non-solicitation agreements; although a judge denied an injunction against their work, the ongoing case could harm Palantir's reputation and employee morale.
- Government Procurement Agreement: The recently finalized purchasing framework by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security simplifies the procurement of Palantir products, covering software licenses, implementation, and support services, which is expected to enhance Palantir's market presence in federal immigration and border enforcement programs.
- Stock Price Volatility: Amid these negative developments, Palantir's shares fell 1.48% to $132.88 on Friday, raising concerns about future performance and market confidence in the company.
See More
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- GDP Slowdown: The US GDP growth rate for Q4 2025 was reported at 1.4%, a significant decline from 4.4% in the previous quarter and below economists' expectations of 3%, indicating a slowdown in economic activity driven by reduced government spending and exports.
- PCE Price Index Increase: The Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) price index rose to 2.9% year-over-year in December, surpassing forecasts, with a monthly increase of 0.4%, marking the fastest pace since February, suggesting persistent inflationary pressures that could influence future monetary policy.
- Core PCE Metrics: Core PCE increased from 2.8% to 3%, exceeding expectations of 2.9%, with a monthly rise of 0.4%, indicating ongoing consumer price increases that may pose greater challenges for the Federal Reserve in early 2026.
- Market Reactions: Following the economic data release, major US stock index futures fell, with S&P 500 and Dow futures down 0.3% and Nasdaq 100 futures dropping 0.5%, while safe-haven demand surged, pushing gold prices up by 1% and silver by over 4%.
See More
