Should investors still be buying Meta's stock? Shares of Meta Platforms (META 2.95%) surged after the social media company reported strong Q4 results that easily surpassed analyst estimates and issued upbeat guidance. Going into its report, the stock was basically flat over the past year. With the stock gaining some momentum, let's take a closer look at its report and guidance to see if Meta's sto...
Should investors still be buying Meta's stock? Shares of Meta Platforms (META 2.95%) surged after the social media company reported strong Q4 results that easily surpassed analyst estimates and issued upbeat guidance. Going into its report, the stock was basically flat over the past year. With the stock gaining some momentum, let's take a closer look at its report and guidance to see if Meta's stock is a buy. Expand NASDAQ : META Meta Platforms Today's Change ( -2.95 %) $ -21.81 Current Price $ 716.50 Key Data Points Market Cap $1.8T Day's Range $ 713.59 - $ 732.17 52wk Range $ 479.80 - $ 796.25 Volume 24M Avg Vol 19M Gross Margin 82.00 % Dividend Yield 0.29 % Full speed ahead Investors have been worried about Meta's capital expenditures (capex). However, the company did not back down, upping it to a range of $115 billion to $135 billion for 2026. That's a big jump from the already hefty $72.2 billion it spent in 2025. The funds will mostly be directed toward its artificial intelligence (AI) efforts. However, it did say that losses at its Reality Labs division will be similar to those in 2025 and should peak this year. Meanwhile, Meta's core business continues to hum along. Revenue for the quarter jumped 24% year over year to $59.9 billion, while adjusted EPS rose by 11% to $8.88. Analysts were expecting revenue of $58.6 billion and adjusted EPS of $8.23, as compiled by LSEG. Advertising revenue also jumped 24%, coming in at $58.1 billion. Revenue at Reality Labs, which is home to Meta's metaverse and its augmented reality headsets and smart glasses, fell 12% year over year to $955 million. Operating income from its social media apps increased by 9% to $30.8 billion, while Reality Labs posted a loss of $6 billion versus $5 billion a year earlier. Meta's advertising growth was driven by an 18% increase in ad impressions and a 6% rise in average price per ad. Meta also continues to grow its number of users. Family daily active people (DAP), a measurement of registered...
bjdlzx/E+ via Getty Images With the US threatening Iran with military force, and as long as the situation remains tense and uncertain, for February I expect West Texas Intermediate oil prices to range between $60 and $70 per barrel. If the situation is resolved peacefully, then I expect oil prices to drop into the mid- to high $50 or low $60s. If the situation becomes kinetic, then all bets are of...
bjdlzx/E+ via Getty Images With the US threatening Iran with military force, and as long as the situation remains tense and uncertain, for February I expect West Texas Intermediate oil prices to range between $60 and $70 per barrel. If the situation is resolved peacefully, then I expect oil prices to drop into the mid- to high $50 or low $60s. If the situation becomes kinetic, then all bets are off. During the month of January, there was the capture of Maduro, the Venezuelan leader, severely reduced output from Kazakhstan because of damage to the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) terminal on the Black Sea and other issues, and the uprising in and confrontation with Iran. Those are a lot of developments for one month. Late last year, expectations were for low oil prices in the first quarter. Bloomberg, for example, published an article on December 18, “The World Is Awash With Oil and Prices Are Poised to Keep Falling” (subscription required). In fact, many oil analysts anticipated 2 to 3 million barrels per day inventory builds that have not occurred. My expectation is that they will not occur during the first quarter of the year. Of course, the only item currently known that really matters for February 2026 is whether the US decides to launch military action against Iran. I am hoping that the two sides can reach an agreement without the use of force. My expectation, however, is that the US will take some type of action against Iran. Before continuing, I should state that I generally dislike when others project confidently what is about to happen next in the geopolitical arena. The reality is that none of us can say with certainty; not even the prime actors themselves are certain. From my readings, I am making a guess as to what I expect. My guess is not firmly held; in fact, I am not even putting money at risk in the direction of my expectations. I am not confident that the US achieved its complete objectives during the Iran war in the summer of 2025. It seems to be...
Key Points Meta Platforms' ad revenue climbed in Q4, powered by its AI models. Meanwhile, growth is expected to accelerate meaningfully in Q1. The stock is still attractively valued, even after the jump in its stock price. 10 stocks we like better than Meta Platforms › Shares of Meta Platforms (NASDAQ: META) surged after the social media company reported strong Q4 results that easily surpassed ana...
Key Points Meta Platforms' ad revenue climbed in Q4, powered by its AI models. Meanwhile, growth is expected to accelerate meaningfully in Q1. The stock is still attractively valued, even after the jump in its stock price. 10 stocks we like better than Meta Platforms › Shares of Meta Platforms (NASDAQ: META) surged after the social media company reported strong Q4 results that easily surpassed analyst estimates and issued upbeat guidance. Going into its report, the stock was basically flat over the past year. With the stock gaining some momentum, let's take a closer look at its report and guidance to see if Meta's stock is a buy. Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now. Continue » Full speed ahead Investors have been worried about Meta's capital expenditures (capex). However, the company did not back down, upping it to a range of $115 billion to $135 billion for 2026. That's a big jump from the already hefty $72.2 billion it spent in 2025. The funds will mostly be directed toward its artificial intelligence (AI) efforts. However, it did say that losses at its Reality Labs division will be similar to those in 2025 and should peak this year. Meanwhile, Meta's core business continues to hum along. Revenue for the quarter jumped 24% year over year to $59.9 billion, while adjusted EPS rose by 11% to $8.88. Analysts were expecting revenue of $58.6 billion and adjusted EPS of $8.23, as compiled by LSEG. Advertising revenue also jumped 24%, coming in at $58.1 billion. Revenue at Reality Labs, which is home to Meta's metaverse and its augmented reality headsets and smart glasses, fell 12% year over year to $955 million. Operating income from its social media apps increased by 9% to $30.8 billion, while Reality Labs posted a loss of $6 billion versus $5 billion a year earlier. Meta's advertising growth was driven by an 18% increase in ad impressions and a 6% rise in average price per ad. Meta a...
12m ago 08.12 GMT 50 Palestinians expected to cross the border in each direction, Egyptian state-run media reports The number of people moving through the crossing is expected to be very limited, with the restriction that only those traveling on foot can move across the border. In the first days of the reopening, just fifty people are expected to cross the border between Gaza and Egypt in each dir...
12m ago 08.12 GMT 50 Palestinians expected to cross the border in each direction, Egyptian state-run media reports The number of people moving through the crossing is expected to be very limited, with the restriction that only those traveling on foot can move across the border. In the first days of the reopening, just fifty people are expected to cross the border between Gaza and Egypt in each direction, Egyptian state-linked media reported on Monday. Share 24m ago 08.00 GMT Earlier, an Israeli defence official said the crossing could hold between 150 and 200 people altogether in both directions. There would be more people leaving than returning because patients left together with escorts, the official added. Lists of people due to pass through the crossing had been submitted by Egypt and approved by Israel, the official said. Reopening the border crossing was a key requirement of the first phase of the US president Donald Trump’s plan to end the conflict. But the ceasefire, which came into effect in October after two years of fighting, has been repeatedly shaken by rounds of violence. Israeli attacks in Gaza have killed more than 500 Palestinians since the ceasefire began, local health officials say, and Palestinian militants have killed four Israeli troops, according to Israeli authorities. For the full story, click here: Gaza’s Rafah crossing to reopen for Palestinians on Monday, Israel says Read more Share
AGF Management Ltd. raised its position in Oracle Corporation (NYSE:ORCL - Free Report) by 35.5% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 830,191 shares of the enterprise software provider's stock after purchasing an additional 217,353 shares during the quarter. Oracle accounts for approximately 1.0% of AGF Manage...
AGF Management Ltd. raised its position in Oracle Corporation (NYSE:ORCL - Free Report) by 35.5% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 830,191 shares of the enterprise software provider's stock after purchasing an additional 217,353 shares during the quarter. Oracle accounts for approximately 1.0% of AGF Management Ltd.'s holdings, making the stock its 22nd largest holding. AGF Management Ltd.'s holdings in Oracle were worth $233,483,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Several other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of the company. Brighton Jones LLC grew its stake in shares of Oracle by 189.3% during the 4th quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 153,580 shares of the enterprise software provider's stock worth $25,593,000 after acquiring an additional 100,494 shares in the last quarter. Revolve Wealth Partners LLC boosted its holdings in Oracle by 8.1% during the fourth quarter. Revolve Wealth Partners LLC now owns 5,418 shares of the enterprise software provider's stock worth $903,000 after purchasing an additional 404 shares during the last quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC grew its position in Oracle by 21.5% in the second quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC now owns 4,348 shares of the enterprise software provider's stock valued at $951,000 after purchasing an additional 768 shares in the last quarter. Segment Wealth Management LLC grew its position in Oracle by 4.7% in the second quarter. Segment Wealth Management LLC now owns 2,905 shares of the enterprise software provider's stock valued at $635,000 after purchasing an additional 130 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Hennessy Advisors Inc. acquired a new stake in Oracle in the 2nd quarter valued at $161,000. 42.44% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get Oracle alerts: Sign Up Oracle News Roundup Here are the key news stories impa...
These three stocks appear to be poised for strong performances in 2026. February is the shortest month of the year, so investors don't have as much time to buy great stocks as they do in other months. And there are plenty of strong contenders to consider. Here are three stocks I think should be near the top of the list to buy this month. 1. Amazon Amazon (AMZN 1.00%) has lagged well behind the S&P...
These three stocks appear to be poised for strong performances in 2026. February is the shortest month of the year, so investors don't have as much time to buy great stocks as they do in other months. And there are plenty of strong contenders to consider. Here are three stocks I think should be near the top of the list to buy this month. 1. Amazon Amazon (AMZN 1.00%) has lagged well behind the S&P 500 (^GSPC 0.43%) over the last 12 months. However, share prices tend to follow earnings growth sooner or later. Amazon's bottom line is growing robustly, driven in part by the company's initiatives to improve efficiency. I fully expect this trend will continue when Amazon reports its 2025 fourth-quarter results later this week. Expand NASDAQ : AMZN Amazon Today's Change ( -1.00 %) $ -2.43 Current Price $ 239.30 Key Data Points Market Cap $2.6T Day's Range $ 237.64 - $ 243.31 52wk Range $ 161.38 - $ 258.60 Volume 47M Avg Vol 44M Gross Margin 50.05 % I also believe that agentic AI will provide a strong tailwind for Amazon Web Services (AWS) in 2026. AWS gained momentum in the third quarter. As companies invest more heavily in deploying AI agents and begin to see returns on those investments, Amazon's industry-leading cloud unit should benefit tremendously. 2. BeOne Medicines Even with its stock soaring more than 50% over the last 12 months, I think BeOne Medicines (ONC 2.75%) ranks among the most underrated biotech stocks on the market. BeOne's flagship product, Brukinsa, is now the gold standard for treating several types of blood cancer. Sales for the blockbuster drug should continue to rise in both the U.S. and Europe. Expand NASDAQ : ONC BeOne Medicines Ag Today's Change ( -2.75 %) $ -9.62 Current Price $ 340.38 Key Data Points Market Cap $38B Day's Range $ 339.19 - $ 349.98 52wk Range $ 196.45 - $ 385.22 Volume 297K Avg Vol 297K Gross Margin 83.82 % BeOne recently received Chinese regulatory approval for sonrotoclax for the treatment of relapsed/refractory (R/R) mantle...
Key Points Amazon's earnings should continue to grow robustly. BeOne Medicines has two potential catalysts on the way soon. Enterprise Products Partners offers a high distribution yield and favorable growth prospects. 10 stocks we like better than Amazon › February is the shortest month of the year, so investors don't have as much time to buy great stocks as they do in other months. And there are ...
Key Points Amazon's earnings should continue to grow robustly. BeOne Medicines has two potential catalysts on the way soon. Enterprise Products Partners offers a high distribution yield and favorable growth prospects. 10 stocks we like better than Amazon › February is the shortest month of the year, so investors don't have as much time to buy great stocks as they do in other months. And there are plenty of strong contenders to consider. Here are three stocks I think should be near the top of the list to buy this month. 1. Amazon Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) has lagged well behind the S&P 500 (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC) over the last 12 months. However, share prices tend to follow earnings growth sooner or later. Amazon's bottom line is growing robustly, driven in part by the company's initiatives to improve efficiency. I fully expect this trend will continue when Amazon reports its 2025 fourth-quarter results later this week. Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now, when you join Stock Advisor. See the stocks » I also believe that agentic AI will provide a strong tailwind for Amazon Web Services (AWS) in 2026. AWS gained momentum in the third quarter. As companies invest more heavily in deploying AI agents and begin to see returns on those investments, Amazon's industry-leading cloud unit should benefit tremendously. 2. BeOne Medicines Even with its stock soaring more than 50% over the last 12 months, I think BeOne Medicines (NASDAQ: ONC) ranks among the most underrated biotech stocks on the market. BeOne's flagship product, Brukinsa, is now the gold standard for treating several types of blood cancer. Sales for the blockbuster drug should continue to rise in both the U.S. and Europe. BeOne recently received Chinese regulatory approval for sonrotoclax for the treatment of relapsed/refractory (R/R) mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) and R/R chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL)/small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL). I...
Singapore, Feb 2, 2026, 15:38 SGT — Regular session Sembcorp shares slipped in mid-afternoon trading following a turbulent week driven by deal rumors Investors are balancing Micron’s power-supply expansion with the looming Alinta acquisition process Focus shifts to upcoming regulatory milestones and Sembcorp’s FY2025 earnings set for later this month Sembcorp Industries Ltd (SGX:U96) shares dipped...
Singapore, Feb 2, 2026, 15:38 SGT — Regular session Sembcorp shares slipped in mid-afternoon trading following a turbulent week driven by deal rumors Investors are balancing Micron’s power-supply expansion with the looming Alinta acquisition process Focus shifts to upcoming regulatory milestones and Sembcorp’s FY2025 earnings set for later this month Sembcorp Industries Ltd (SGX:U96) shares dipped 0.8% to S$5.98 by mid-afternoon Monday, after moving within a range of S$5.96 to S$6.09. The stock had climbed 3.6% on Jan. 29 but dropped 1.6% to close Friday at S$6.03. (MarketScreener) This shift matters as investors juggle two narratives simultaneously: a long-term power contract extension linked to semiconductor demand, and a major overseas acquisition awaiting regulatory approval. Earnings are the next key milestone, with the report looming close. The wider environment hasn’t been kind. Risk appetite waned across Asia following sharp declines in precious metals and slipping oil prices, unsettling markets, Reuters reported. (Reuters) On Jan. 28, Sembcorp announced it had reached key terms to expand an 18-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with a Micron Technology unit, boosting supply by 150 megawatts while maintaining the contract through 2041. The company said this extension is not expected to materially affect FY2026 earnings per share or net tangible assets per share, which excludes intangible assets from the balance sheet. (SGX Links) Alinta Energy is another key factor. A Singapore Exchange filing revealed shareholders greenlit the acquisition at a Jan. 30 extraordinary general meeting, with 99.76% voting yes. Still, final approval hinges on other conditions. According to Sembcorp’s website, the deal is expected to close in the first half of 2026, pending regulatory sign-off and usual closing steps. The Business Times noted the transaction includes a coal-fired plant that supplies roughly 20% of Victoria’s electricity. (SGX Links) Earlier, Citi Research analyst...
Microsoft is fairly valued according to our Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) , but this can change at a moment's notice. Track the value in your watchlist or portfolio and be alerted on when to act. Putting those projections together, the model arrives at an estimated intrinsic value of US$468.23 per share. Compared to the recent share price of US$430.29, the DCF suggests Microsoft is trading at an impl...
Microsoft is fairly valued according to our Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) , but this can change at a moment's notice. Track the value in your watchlist or portfolio and be alerted on when to act. Putting those projections together, the model arrives at an estimated intrinsic value of US$468.23 per share. Compared to the recent share price of US$430.29, the DCF suggests Microsoft is trading at an implied 8.1% discount, which sits in the “close enough” zone rather than looking clearly cheap or expensive. For Microsoft, the model used here is a 2 Stage Free Cash Flow to Equity approach based on cash flow projections. The latest twelve month free cash flow is about US$93.7b. Analysts have supplied forecast free cash flow figures for the next few years, and Simply Wall St extends those out further, with projected free cash flow reaching US$277.2b in 2035. All of these cash flows are in US$, and each future year is discounted back to reflect the time value of money and risk. A DCF model takes estimates of a company’s future cash flows, then discounts them back to today’s dollars to arrive at an estimate of what the business might be worth right now. Simply Wall St currently gives Microsoft a valuation score of 5 out of 6 , based on how it screens as undervalued on several checks. Next we will look at what different valuation approaches say about that number and why there may be an even more useful way to think about value by the end of this article. Recent headlines around Microsoft continue to focus on its position among large US software companies and its role in broader technology themes. This helps frame how investors think about long term prospects. These stories often influence sentiment, which can feed into both short term price swings and how the valuation is interpreted. The share price closed at US$430.29, with returns of an 8.5% decline over 7 days and a 9.0% decline over 30 days, while still showing a 5.5% return over 1 year and 71.6% and 84.9% over 3 and 5 years...
Microsoft is fairly valued according to our Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) , but this can change at a moment's notice. Track the value in your watchlist or portfolio and be alerted on when to act. Putting those projections together, the model arrives at an estimated intrinsic value of US$468.23 per share. Compared to the recent share price of US$430.29, the DCF suggests Microsoft is trading at an impl...
Microsoft is fairly valued according to our Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) , but this can change at a moment's notice. Track the value in your watchlist or portfolio and be alerted on when to act. Putting those projections together, the model arrives at an estimated intrinsic value of US$468.23 per share. Compared to the recent share price of US$430.29, the DCF suggests Microsoft is trading at an implied 8.1% discount, which sits in the “close enough” zone rather than looking clearly cheap or expensive. For Microsoft, the model used here is a 2 Stage Free Cash Flow to Equity approach based on cash flow projections. The latest twelve month free cash flow is about US$93.7b. Analysts have supplied forecast free cash flow figures for the next few years, and Simply Wall St extends those out further, with projected free cash flow reaching US$277.2b in 2035. All of these cash flows are in US$, and each future year is discounted back to reflect the time value of money and risk. A DCF model takes estimates of a company’s future cash flows, then discounts them back to today’s dollars to arrive at an estimate of what the business might be worth right now. Simply Wall St currently gives Microsoft a valuation score of 5 out of 6 , based on how it screens as undervalued on several checks. Next we will look at what different valuation approaches say about that number and why there may be an even more useful way to think about value by the end of this article. Recent headlines around Microsoft continue to focus on its position among large US software companies and its role in broader technology themes. This helps frame how investors think about long term prospects. These stories often influence sentiment, which can feed into both short term price swings and how the valuation is interpreted. The share price closed at US$430.29, with returns of an 8.5% decline over 7 days and a 9.0% decline over 30 days, while still showing a 5.5% return over 1 year and 71.6% and 84.9% over 3 and 5 years...