Meta stock is the stock of Meta Platforms Inc., the parent of Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Threads, listed on Nasdaq under the ticker META. In the second quarter of 2026, Meta's revenue rose 28% to US$60.8 billion, but net income fell 14% because costs jumped 55% on AI investment, legal charges, and severance. Meta is scheduled to report its third quarter today, Wednesday 21 October 2026, after the US market closes.

Watch out for one trap: the ticker META on the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX) is PT Nusantara Infrastructure Tbk, a different company. This article covers Meta Platforms on Nasdaq: its business, the latest quarterly figures, valuation, risks, and how investors in Indonesia can get exposure.

Key Takeaways

• Q2 2026 revenue was US$60.8 billion (up 28%), but operating income fell 8% to US$18.8 billion and net income fell 14% to US$15.9 billion (EPS US$6.18).
• Total costs rose 55% to US$42.0 billion. About US$3.6 billion of that was one-time: a US$2.4 billion legal charge and US$1.18 billion of severance after the headcount reduction in May 2026.
• Q2 capex was US$31.1 billion, almost as large as operating cash flow of US$31.9 billion, so free cash flow was only US$784 million (US$8.55 billion a year earlier). 2026 capex guidance is US$130 to 145 billion.
• Meta did not repurchase shares in Q2 (US$10.2 billion a year earlier), and its long-term debt is US$83.7 billion.
• Meta's Q3 revenue guidance is US$61 to 64 billion. The Q3 earnings call is around 03:30 WIB on Thursday 22 October 2026.
• The share price closed at US$694.25 on 20 October 2026, with a market capitalization of about US$1.77 trillion (StockAnalysis).

What Company Is META? The Difference from META on the IDX

Two stocks with the ticker META are often confused:

Meta Platforms was formerly Facebook Inc. and traded under the ticker FB. Since the rename, its ticker has been META. That is why searches for "Facebook stock" and "Meta stock" point to the same company.

On the "price of 1 lot of META": a lot is a trading unit on the IDX (1 lot = 100 shares). The US market has no lot concept. Stocks are bought per share, and many platforms offer fractional purchases. One share of META on Nasdaq closed at US$694.25 on 20 October 2026.

Meta's Business: Ads on Top, Losses at Reality Labs

Meta reports two segments. Q2 2026 figures (quarter ended 30 June 2026) from Meta's official report:

Advertising contributed US$59.36 billion, or about 98% of total revenue, up 27%. Ad growth came from two directions: ad impressions rose 14% and the average price per ad rose 12%. Daily active people across Meta's apps reached 3.60 billion (up 3%).

Meta also said Advantage+, its suite of AI-driven ad tools, has passed an annual revenue run-rate of US$75 billion. This is Meta's own claim and has not been independently verified. "Other" revenue (mainly WhatsApp paid messaging and subscriptions) passed US$1 billion for the first time, up 73%.

Reality Labs has never turned a profit. According to Beancount, the segment lost US$8.6 billion in the first half of 2026.

Q2 2026 Results: Revenue Up, Profit Down

Costs rose much faster than revenue. According to Beancount, research and development costs rose 67% to US$21.7 billion on AI talent and compute, and cost of revenue rose 33% including depreciation on a larger infrastructure base. About US$3.58 billion of the cost increase was one-time (US$2.4 billion legal charges and US$1.18 billion severance), and the rest is structural. The report we read does not detail the legal matters behind the US$2.4 billion charge.

The result did fall short on earnings: consensus EPS was about US$7.22 versus US$6.18 reported, while revenue of US$60.8 billion beat consensus of about US$60.2 to 60.3 billion (DigitalApplied). After the report, the stock fell roughly 8 to 10 percent in after-hours trading.

Capex, Cash Flow, and Debt

Like Alphabet, Meta is pouring very large sums into AI infrastructure:

1. Capex is rising sharply. Q2 capital expenditure was US$31.08 billion (including finance lease principal), and full-year 2026 guidance was narrowed to US$130 to 145 billion (previously US$125 to 145 billion). Total 2026 expenses are guided at US$165 to 169 billion, and Meta said 2026 operating income will exceed 2025.
2. Free cash flow is nearly gone. Operating cash flow of US$31.86 billion was almost entirely absorbed by capex, so Q2 free cash flow was only US$784 million. Dividend payments of US$1.35 billion even exceeded that free cash flow.
3. Debt is up, buybacks have stopped. Meta repurchased no shares in Q2. Cash and marketable securities were US$90.26 billion, while long-term debt was US$83.66 billion. According to Beancount, Meta added about US$24.9 billion of net long-term debt in the first half.

The question the market is now weighing: does AI spending on this scale produce ad revenue and new products to match?

The AI Narrative: Muse and Wonder

According to TipRanks (19 October 2026), early success of the Muse AI agent and the launch of the Wonder model family helped drive a re-rating of Meta stock. Guggenheim analysts called Muse usage and engagement the primary swing factor for sentiment. We have not verified these product details from official Meta sources, so treat this as market narrative, not operating data.

Valuation and Dividend

According to StockAnalysis as of 20 October 2026, META trades at a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of about 26.2 and about 21.8 times forward earnings. The 52-week range is US$520.26 to US$779.82, so the closing price of US$694.25 is about 11% below the high (our calculation).

Meta pays a cash dividend of US$0.525 per share per quarter on Class A and B shares (paid 28 September 2026 to holders of record on 21 September). The annual dividend of US$2.10 is a yield of about 0.30%, so the dividend is not the main reason to hold this stock.

Risks to Watch

1. Capex outrunning cash flow. If AI spending does not produce matching revenue, margins and free cash flow could stay under pressure. Q2 free cash flow was only US$784 million.

2. Advertising dependence. About 98% of revenue comes from advertising, which is sensitive to the economic cycle and competition from other platforms.

3. Reality Labs. The segment keeps losing about US$4.6 billion per quarter with no clear path to profit.

4. Legal and regulatory costs. Meta booked a US$2.4 billion legal charge in Q2. On antitrust, a US court rejected the FTC's bid to force Meta to divest Instagram and WhatsApp in November 2025, and the FTC filed an appeal in January 2026 (NPR, CNBC), so that matter is not entirely over.

5. AI competition. The market is judging whether Meta's AI investment produces widely used products, and Muse is the main test of sentiment.

6. Volatility around earnings. After the Q2 report, the stock fell roughly 8 to 10 percent after hours. Sharp moves around earnings are normal for this stock.

What to Watch in the Q3 Report (21 October 2026)

Meta is scheduled to release Q3 2026 results on 21 October 2026 after the US market closes, with a call at 4:30 p.m. New York time, which is around 03:30 WIB on Thursday 22 October 2026. Meta's Q3 revenue guidance is US$61 to 64 billion, while consensus is about US$63.15 billion (DigitalApplied). What the market will look at: ad growth and price per ad, free cash flow, capex guidance, comments on 2027 spending, and evidence of AI product adoption. US market hours are covered in what time the US market opens.

How to Get Exposure to Meta Stock from Indonesia

There are two common routes: through a brokerage or platform that offers access to US exchanges, or through stock tokens on a digital asset platform. The differences between them (ownership rights, voting rights, dividends, and issuer risk) are covered in US stock tokens vs regular stocks and how xStocks work.

On Mobee, exposure to Meta is available through the METAX/IDR pair, the Meta Platforms Tokenized Stock (Ondo). It is a token representing Meta Platforms stock, not the stock itself. As of around 10:50 WIB on 21 October 2026, its price was Rp12,528,574 per token, down 1.18% over 24 hours, with a range of Rp12,234,245 to Rp12,850,355 and volume of about Rp996 million. Dividend treatment, voting rights, and redemption on a token can differ from those of a direct shareholder, so read the product terms in the app. See also US stock tokenization and the xStocks product page.

If you want to monitor without staring at the screen, set a price alert on Mobee. Other US tech stocks already covered: NVIDIA stock, Apple stock, and Microsoft stock.

Conclusion

Meta today is an ad machine that is still growing fast, but its profit is being squeezed by AI investment, legal charges, and severance, while free cash flow is nearly gone and buybacks have stopped. The Q3 report today will show whether that heavy spending is starting to pay off. What separates an informed investor from a follower is reading cash flow and capex, not just revenue growth.

Frequently Asked Questions

What company is META stock?

META on Nasdaq is the stock of Meta Platforms Inc., the parent of Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Threads, formerly named Facebook. Its revenue in the second quarter of 2026 reached US$60.8 billion, up 28% from a year earlier. Do not confuse it with META on the Indonesia Stock Exchange, which is PT Nusantara Infrastructure Tbk.

What is the difference between META on Nasdaq and META on the IDX?

META on Nasdaq is Meta Platforms, a US technology company traded in dollars. META on the IDX is PT Nusantara Infrastructure Tbk, an Indonesian infrastructure company traded in rupiah. They are different companies that happen to share a ticker on different exchanges.

What is the price of 1 lot of META stock?

The US market does not use lots. Stocks are bought per share, and META on Nasdaq closed at US$694.25 per share on 20 October 2026. A lot (100 shares) applies only on the IDX, so 1 lot of IDX META is a different company's stock.

Does Meta stock pay a dividend?

Yes. Meta pays a cash dividend of US$0.525 per share per quarter (paid 28 September 2026), equal to US$2.10 per year, a yield of about 0.30%. The dividend is not the main attraction of this stock.

When does Meta report third-quarter earnings?

Meta is scheduled to report third-quarter 2026 results on Wednesday 21 October 2026 after the US market closes, with the call at around 03:30 WIB on Thursday 22 October 2026. Meta's Q3 revenue guidance is US$61 to 64 billion.

How can I buy Meta stock from Indonesia?

Through a brokerage or platform that offers US exchange access, or through stock tokens. Mobee offers the METAX/IDR pair, a token representing Meta Platforms stock, not the stock itself. Read the product terms before trading.

Disclaimer

This article is educational and not an investment recommendation, not an invitation to buy or sell stocks, and contains no price target. Stocks, stock tokens, and digital assets carry risk, including the risk of losing value. Do your own research and consider your risk profile before making a decision. Mobee is operated by PT CTXG Indonesia Berkarya, licensed and supervised by the Financial Services Authority (OJK).