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Meta Platforms Inc. Class A (META) earnings date & stock reaction

Meta Platforms Inc. Class A · Internet

Meta Platforms Inc. Class A earnings date & time

Next earningsWed, October 21 around 4:00 PM ET, after the closescheduled

Schedule

Korea time (KST)
Thu, October 22
Reporting pattern
12 of last 12 after close
Typical move
±5.9% · 12-report avg

What the market expects

Consensus EPS

$6.75Coming in above this counts as a beat

Year-ago quarter
$1.05→+542.9%
Guided revenue
$60.8B→$62.5B+2.8%
Full earnings calendarFrom an earnings calendar · Schedule last checked October 14
Latest reportApr–Jun 2026 results· July 29, 2026 reported
EPS consensus $7.22 → $6.18 ▼ -14.4% missRev $47.5B → $60.8B +28% YoY
Post-earnings price move
Next-day move
-8.0%
After 5 days
+0.5%
Price around earnings
Around this report
Overlapped an FOMC holdThis report landed on a US Federal Reserve rate-decision day. Rate decisions move the whole market, so the move may reflect the decision, not just earnings. A cut is not always good or a hike always bad. Crisis cuts fell, and hikes in a strong economy often rose.Sector peer Alphabet Inc. Class A (7/22): beat, yet stock -7.1%A same-industry peer, Alphabet Inc. Class A, reported within the 10 days before this one (7d earlier). How the market took it (next-day move -7.1%) is the best read on the sector mood. A beat that still fell means the bar was high, so this stock may face similar pressure.
Earnings callStrong revenue growth driven by AI-powered ads, offset by surging expenses and margin compression
“On a dollar basis, our ads business is reporting faster year-over-year revenue growth than any other company's reported ad business.”
· Mark Zuckerberg
“We anticipate 2026 capital expenditures, including principal payments on finance leases, to be in the range of $130-145 billion, narrowed from our prior outlook of $125-145 billion.”
· Susan Li
Positives
  • ▲Robust Advertising Business Growth
    • Ad revenue for the quarter reached $59.4 billion, up 27% vs last year.
    • Ad impressions and average price per ad increased by 14% and 12% respectively vs last year.
  • ▲Increased Engagement via AI Integration
    • Instagram global time spent grew by double digits vs last year due to improved recommendations.
    • Facebook video time spent rose 9% globally and over 10% in the U.S. and Canada vs last year.
  • ▲Expansion of New Revenue Streams
    • Over 1 million businesses are using WhatsApp Business Agents on a weekly basis.
    • Other revenue hit $1 billion for the first time, growing 73% vs last year driven by WhatsApp.
Concerns
  • ▼Profitability Decline Due to Rising Costs
    • Total expenses surged 55% vs last year to $42 billion, driven by infrastructure and legal costs.
    • Operating margin compressed to 31% from 43% in the same period last year.
  • ▼Significant Drop in Free Cash Flow
    • Free cash flow dropped to $784 million as capital expenditures reached $31.1 billion.
  • ▼Higher Expense Outlook and Tax Burden
    • Full-year 2026 total expense guidance was raised to a range of $165-169 billion.
    • Expected tax rate for remaining quarters was increased to 15-17% from the previous 13-16%.
Based on the Jul 29, 2026 earnings-call transcript. Quotes are verbatim.

Meta Platforms Inc. Class A (META) rose the day after earnings in 7 of its last 12 reports (58%), moving ±5.9% on average. It has fallen despite beating the consensus estimate 3 times.

Up next day
7/12
58%
Fell despite growth
3/12
Good earnings ignored
Price when beating
+2.0%
avg over 10 beats
Price when missing
-9.6%
avg over 2 misses
Avg earnings move
±5.9%
typical swing on earnings
Biggest single move
-11.3%
'25.10 · largest reaction
🔑What actually moves this stock?
What really matters here
When huge AI spending pays off + ad strength
In finance terms: AI capex · ad revenue
Growth · revenue (YoY by quarter, latest right)
+16%
25-04(Mar qtr)
+22%
25-07(Jun qtr)
+26%
25-10(Sep qtr)
+24%
26-01(Dec qtr)
+33%
26-04(Mar qtr)
+28%
26-07(Jun qtr)
Accelerating · Growth is accelerating from +16% to +28%. A good direction.
This company spent ~$30.1B on AI capex last quarter alone (+82% YoY). The full-year plan alone is $130-145B. If this capex outgrows revenue, the market asks when it pays off. Ad and revenue growth must keep up, or the stock can fall even on a beat.
What to watch next report

When results drop, skip the EPS number. Check if the growth above holds or accelerates, and whether guidance beats expectations.

The real bar for this stock

Beating estimates isn't enough. Here's where the real surprise started.

Beat consensus 10 of 12 times
Median beat +18.7%. 3 of those beats still fell the next day.
Reports that rose beat by +18.7% (median). Reports that fell beat by just +13.9%
Roughly +18.7% was the bar this stock had to clear.

How this stock reacts to earnings

Traits seen across its recent earnings reactions

Good results usually push the stock up
Up the next day 7 of 10 beats (70%)
Moves in line with results, fairly predictable
Avg +2.0% on a beat, -9.6% on a miss
Big earnings-day moves tend to fade within days
Reversed the day-one move · 67% of last 12

Earnings number vs guidance: which drives it?

How often the beat/miss matched the actual price move

This stock mostly moves with the reported earnings number
Moved opposite to results 3 of last 12 times (25%)
3xBeat but fell
Even a beat sells off if guidance disappoints
0xMissed but rose
Even a miss rebounds if guidance reassures
Fell despite growth3/12

3/10 beats fell next day · watches AI capex · ad revenue

Next-day reaction
  • Jun 2026 report-8.0%
  • Mar 2026 report-8.6%
  • Dec 2025 report+10.4%
  • Sep 2025 report-11.3%
  • Jun 2025 report+11.3%
  • Mar 2025 report+4.2%

Earnings timeline · bars = next-day move, ▲▼ = beat/miss

Apr–Jun 2026 results
Reported 2026-07-29
Next-day move
-8.0%
After 5 days +0.5%
EPS consensus $7.22 → $6.18 ▼ -14.4% missRev $47.5B → $60.8B +28% YoY
Next-Q guidance+3%· ~$62.5B est.
Price around earnings
Around this report
Overlapped an FOMC holdThis report landed on a US Federal Reserve rate-decision day. Rate decisions move the whole market, so the move may reflect the decision, not just earnings. A cut is not always good or a hike always bad. Crisis cuts fell, and hikes in a strong economy often rose.Sector peer Alphabet Inc. Class A (7/22): beat, yet stock -7.1%A same-industry peer, Alphabet Inc. Class A, reported within the 10 days before this one (7d earlier). How the market took it (next-day move -7.1%) is the best read on the sector mood. A beat that still fell means the bar was high, so this stock may face similar pressure.

Earnings trend · last 12 quarters

EPS$6.18YoY -13%
'23.10'26.7
Revenue$60.8BYoY +28%
'23.10'26.7

Earnings history and price reaction

Meta Platforms Inc. Class A across its last 12 earnings reports: EPS versus consensus, the move on the earnings day, and the cumulative move five trading days later.
Quarter endedReported (ET)vs market expectation (consensus)Earnings dayAfter 5 days
6/20262026-07-29-14.4%-8.0%+0.5%
3/20262026-04-29+56.8%-8.6%-8.4%
12/20252026-01-28+8.0%+10.4%+0.0%
9/20252025-10-29-84.3%-11.3%-15.4%
6/20252025-07-30+21.0%+11.3%+11.0%
3/20252025-04-30+23.1%+4.2%+8.7%

12 reports, quarters ending 9/2023 to 6/2026. The earnings-day move is the first trading day that reflects the report; the five-day figure is the cumulative move from that point.

Frequently asked questions

When is the next Meta Platforms Inc. Class A earnings date?

The next Meta Platforms Inc. Class A (META) earnings report is expected Wed, October 21 around 4:00 PM ET, after the close. It comes from an earnings calendar and may not be a company-confirmed date; it updates automatically if it changes.

What is the consensus EPS forecast for Meta Platforms Inc. Class A's next earnings?

Analysts expect EPS of about $6.75 for Meta Platforms Inc. Class A (META). Coming in above that counts as a beat, below it a miss — though a beat does not guarantee the stock rises.

Does Meta Platforms Inc. Class A (META) stock usually go up after earnings?

Over the last 12 earnings reports, the stock rose on 7 of them (58%). The average move on earnings day was ±5.9%.

Does Meta Platforms Inc. Class A react more to the earnings numbers or to guidance?

In 3 of the last 12 reports (25%), the stock moved the opposite way from whether it beat or missed the forecast. A high share means guidance and expectations drive the move more than the reported numbers.

Can Meta Platforms Inc. Class A stock fall even when earnings are good?

Yes. In 3 of the last 12 reports, Meta Platforms Inc. Class A fell on the earnings day despite growing EPS. Expectations already priced in, or guidance, can matter more than the reported numbers.

Does Meta Platforms Inc. Class A stock keep moving after the earnings day?

Over the last 12 reports, the move continued in the same direction for the following five trading days 33% of the time. This tendency is known as post-earnings announcement drift.