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Meta Platforms, Inc. (Nasdaq: META) stock has experienced volatility following its Q1 2024 earnings report, but several factors suggest the social media giant is well-positioned for future growth.

The company’s strong financial performance, strategic investments in cutting-edge technologies, and recent shareholder-friendly initiatives have created a compelling case for investors looking to capitalize on the tech sector’s long-term potential.

Meta’s Q1 results demonstrated the company’s ability to maintain robust growth, with revenue increasing by 27% year-over-year and earnings per share surpassing Wall Street expectations. Additionally, the company’s massive user base, which includes over 3.2 billion monthly active users across its family of apps, provides perhaps an underrated yet unparalleled foundation for future expansion and monetization opportunities.

Meta’s heavy investments in artificial intelligence (AI) and virtual reality (VR) technologies also position the company at the forefront of the next generation of computing platforms. As these technologies mature and are widely adopted, Meta is poised to reap significant benefits from its early mover advantage and extensive research and development efforts.

While currently operating at a loss, the company’s Reality Labs division has the potential to unlock new revenue streams and drive growth in the coming years as the metaverse concept gains traction.

Why Meta Stock is a Dark Horse Among Big Tech

Despite the market’s negative reaction to Meta’s plans for increased spending and the losses incurred by its Reality Labs division, the company’s core business remains strong, and its investments in AI and VR are likely to pay off in the long run.

Meta’s AI capabilities have already been successfully integrated into its advertising platform, enhancing ad targeting and driving better returns for advertisers. As the company continues to refine its AI algorithms and apply them across its various products and services, it is expected to unlock new opportunities for growth and efficiency.

Moreover, the rumors of a potential stock split in 2024 have generated excitement among investors. A stock split would make Meta’s shares more accessible to a broader range of retail investors, potentially leading to increased demand and liquidity for the stock.

META Still Undervalued When Compared to Big Tech Peers

Although Meta’s market capitalization of $1.27 trillion is smaller than that of some of its Big Tech counterparts, such as Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) ($3.29T), Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) ($3.32T), Alphabet (NASDAQ: GOOG) ($2.17T), and Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) ($1.90T), the company’s stock has outperformed the broader market in 2024.

Meta’s shares have surged 41% year-to-date, compared to the S&P 500’s 15% gain. Moreover, Meta’s price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 28.7 is lower than Apple’s (33.3), Microsoft’s (38.7), and Amazon’s (51.3), indicating that the stock may be relatively undervalued compared to its peers.

Meta’s Shares Currently Trading 5% Below 52-Week High

As of the latest trading session, Meta’s stock is priced at $499.49, representing a 1.41% decline on the day. The stock is currently trading 5% below its 52-week high. However, analysts remain bullish on Meta’s prospects, with an average price target of $515.52, suggesting a potential upside of 3%.

Meta recently announced its first-ever quarterly dividend of $0.50 per share and has authorized a substantial $50 billion share repurchase program, demonstrating its commitment to returning value to shareholders.

These developments have contributed to increased trading activity, with a volume of 13.06 million shares, surpassing the 3-month average of 6.51 million shares.

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