Bernstein SocGen Group has reiterated an Outperform rating on Meta Platforms Inc. with an unchanged price target of $870.00, a figure that represents nearly 30% potential upside from the stock's most recent quote of $672.97. The research note accompanies data that places Meta's market capitalization at approximately $1.7 trillion and a price-to-earnings ratio of 29.76.
The research firm kept its positive stance despite noting that Meta seems to present a more modest public profile in artificial intelligence relative to named competitors such as Claude, Gemini, GPT and Grok. Bernstein emphasized, however, that appearances may be misleading and that Meta's AI capabilities should not be discounted based on surface-level comparisons.
InvestingPro data cited in the analysis shows Meta retaining an 82% gross profit margin. Bernstein views that margin strength as a material source of funding for sustained AI investment, giving the company the ability to direct meaningful capital into AI development. InvestingPro also rates Meta's overall financial health as "GREAT," with a score of 3.27, a metric the research note referenced in support of Meta's capacity to finance continued AI work.
Bernstein acknowledged that building out AI capabilities represents a sizable financial commitment for Meta but stated that the company is likely to persist with those investments through the year. The firm used a bodybuilding metaphor to suggest that Meta may possess latent strengths in the AI race despite a less ostentatious external profile.
Other recent moves and analyst actions cited alongside Bernstein's note provide additional context on how market participants and corporate partners are positioning around Meta's AI and infrastructure needs. Meta has committed up to $6 billion in Corning's fiber-optic cable technology to support its growing AI data center footprint, a deal confirmed by Corning's chief executive. Corning has indicated plans to scale manufacturing capacity to meet demand from that arrangement.
On the analyst front, KeyBanc Capital Markets reduced its price target for Meta to $835 from $875 while retaining an Overweight rating, projecting that Meta will benefit from AI product cycles by 2026 and observing that Meta shares trade at a notable discount to Alphabet. Benchmark has kept a Hold rating heading into Meta's upcoming fourth-quarter earnings report, advising investors to monitor for potential cuts in the Reality Labs division.
The note also referenced industry developments peripheral to Meta's immediate operating picture. OpenAI has been reported to charge premium rates for ChatGPT advertising that exceed those of Meta's offerings, though OpenAI provides limited metrics to advertisers. In addition, TikTok settled a social media addiction lawsuit with a 19-year-old California plaintiff, avoiding what would have been a bellwether trial among similar cases.
Overall, Bernstein's maintained Outperform reflects a view that Meta's margin profile and financial footing provide a substantial runway for AI investment, even as the company contends with perceptions about the relative scale of its public AI models and with ongoing scrutiny of its product divisions.