Meta Platforms stock rises as Muse drives analyst targets higher

Published on 09/23/2026 at 14:56 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS

Meta Platforms stock reached USD 741.25 on September 22, 2026, after an 11.43 percent gain. Q2 revenue rose 28.0 percent to USD 60.80 billion.

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Meta Platforms stock closed at USD 741.25 on Nasdaq on September 22, 2026, after rising 11.43 percent in one session. The move followed early demand for Muse, Meta's AI assistant, while analyst targets moved higher ahead of the company's Connect event.

Muse lifts the valuation debate

Meta Platforms launched Muse on September 8, 2026, and the assistant became the No. 1 free app on Apple's US App Store within 10 days, according to SeDaily. The same report linked the product's traction to an 11.4 percent rise in Meta shares and a record Nasdaq close of 27,244.28 on September 22, 2026.

The market response has also changed the valuation conversation. MarketBeat reported on September 23, 2026, that Cantor Fitzgerald raised its Meta price target from USD 680.00 to USD 860.00 and kept an Overweight rating. The increase of USD 180.00 is larger than the stock's USD 741.25 closing price reference, but the target remains an analyst forecast rather than a realized market value.

Revenue grew while profit fell

Meta's latest reported quarter was Q2 2026, released on July 29, 2026. Revenue reached USD 60.80 billion, up 28.0 percent from the same quarter a year earlier, while earnings per share came in at USD 6.18, according to MarketBeat.

The quarter contained a clear counter-factor to the Muse enthusiasm: reported EPS missed the cited consensus estimate of USD 7.19 by USD 1.01, while revenue exceeded the USD 60.22 billion estimate by USD 0.58 billion. Net margin was 29.83 percent in Q2 2026, and the company had revenue of USD 60.80 billion against USD 51.24 billion in the year-earlier comparison used in current estimates.

Capital spending is another measurable pressure point. Meta's 2026 capital expenditure guidance was narrowed to USD 130 billion to USD 145 billion, compared with USD 72.2 billion spent in 2025, according to Yahoo Finance on September 22, 2026. The range implies a substantial increase in investment as Meta expands AI infrastructure and products.

Stock remains below its yearly high

Meta opened at USD 736.59 on September 23, 2026, while the current market snapshot showed a market capitalization of USD 1.88 trillion. The 52-week range was USD 520.26 to USD 770.60, leaving the September 22 close USD 29.35 below the high and USD 220.99 above the low.

For investors, the central comparison is now between fast top-line growth and the cost of sustaining AI expansion. Meta's Q2 revenue growth of 28.0 percent supports the business case, but the USD 6.18 EPS result and the USD 130 billion to USD 145 billion 2026 capital spending plan keep execution and cash generation central to the valuation.

Meta stock trades near its yearly high

Meta Platforms stock closed at USD 741.25 on Nasdaq on September 22, 2026, after an 11.43 percent daily gain. On September 23, 2026, the stock opened at USD 736.59, with the 52-week high at USD 770.60 and market capitalization at USD 1.88 trillion.