Meta Platforms beats consensus, stock rises over 4%

Clay Webster FXStreet

Meta Platforms (META) stock gained afterhours on Wednesday after offering a steep outlook on full-year spending. The company helmed by founder Mark Zuckerberg initially dropped 3.7% to $635 after the company guided for between $162 billion and $169 billion in total expenses for 2026. But then the market rallied following upward guidance to Q1 2026 revenue with shares rising 4% to $695.

Meta has been raising its capex budget on AI data centers quarter upon quarter during the present AI rally, and it appears to only be pushing harder on the accelerator.

The results from the fourth quarter of 2025 were impressive though. Meta reported adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of $8.88 on revenue of $59.89 billion. The bottom line beat consensus by $0.66, while the topline came in $1.42 billion above consensus. Sales for Q4 rose 24% from a year earlier.

Ad impressions across Meta's Family of Apps increased by 18% YoY in Q4, and December saw average daily active users rise 7% YoY to 3.58 billion. Average price per ad in Q4 rose 6% YoY.

For the first quarter of 2026, management guided for total revenue in the range of $53.5 billion to $56.5 billion against consensus of $51.41 billion.

META Platforms daily chart — META daily stock chart

Premium

You have reached your limit of 3 free articles for this month.

Start your subscription and get access to all our original articles.

Subscribe to Premium Sign In

Author

Clay Webster

FXStreet

Clay Webster grew up in the US outside Buffalo, New York and Lancaster, Pennsylvania. He began investing after college following the 2008 financial crisis.

EUR/USD climbs to two-week highs beyond 1.1900

EUR/USD is keeping its foot on the gas at the start of the week, reclaiming the 1.1900 barrier and above on Monday. The US Dollar remains on the back foot, with traders reluctant to step in ahead of Wednesday’s key January jobs report, allowing the pair to extend its upward grind for now.

GBP/USD hits three-day peaks, targets 1.3700

GBP/USD is clocking decent gains at the start of the week, advancing to three-day highs near 1.3670 and building on Friday’s solid performance. The better tone in the British Pound comes on the back of the intense sekk-off in the Greenback and despite re-emerging signs of a fresh government crisis in the UK.

Gold treads water around $5,000

Gold is trading in an inconclusive fashion around the key $5,000 mark on Monday week. Support is coming from fresh signs of further buying from the PBoC, while expectations that the Fed could turn more dovish, alongside concerns over its independence, keep the demand for the precious metal running.

Crypto Today: Bitcoin steadies around $70,000, Ethereum and XRP remain under pressure

Bitcoin hovers around $70,000, up near 15% from last week's low of $60,000 despite low retail demand. Ethereum delicately holds $2,000 support as weak technicals weigh amid declining futures Open Interest. XRP seeks support above $1.40 after facing rejection at $1.54 during the previous week's sharp rebound.

Japanese PM Takaichi nabs unprecedented victory – US data eyed this week

I do not think I would be exaggerating to say that Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s snap general election gamble paid off over the weekend – and then some. This secured the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) an unprecedented mandate just three months into her tenure.

Bitcoin, Ethereum and Ripple consolidate after massive sell-off

Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Ripple prices consolidated on Monday after correcting by nearly 9%, 8%, and 10% in the previous week, respectively. BTC is hovering around $70,000, while ETH and XRP are facing rejection at key levels. Traders should be cautious: despite recent stabilization, upside recovery for these top three cryptocurrencies is capped as the broader trend remains bearish.