Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META) stock has retreated this year, making it the worst-performing member of the Magnificent Seven. The stock has fallen to $566, down nearly 30% from its 2025 high. As a result, Mark Zuckerberg's net worth has declined by approximately $31 billion.
Mark Zuckerberg's Net Worth Has Plunged This Year
In a year in which many billionaires are adding billions of dollars to their net worth, Zuckerberg has become one of the worst performers. Bloomberg data shows that his wealth has dropped by $31 billion, bringing his net worth to $202 billion. In contrast, Elon Musk has added $490 billion to his wealth following the strong debut of the SpaceX IPO.
Other top losers this year are LVMH's Bernard Arnault, Microsoft's Steve Ballmer and Bill Gates, Oracle's Larry Ellison, and India's Mukesh Ambani.
Meta has plunged because of its increasing spending on its AI business, with the company increasing its capital expenditure plans for the year from $125 billion to $145 billion. Investors are also concerned about the company's position in the AI space, where Anthropic and OpenAI have gained most of the market share. MetaAI, despite being accessible by billions of people through its apps, has a much smaller market share.
Analysts are Optimistic About the Meta Stock
Still, despite its woes, analysts are highly optimistic about the company, with the average target being $480. 12 months ago, the average target among analysts was $705. Some of the most bullish analysts are from companies like Wedbush, Benchmark, Piper Sandler, and UBS.
One of the most bullish aspects of the Meta Platforms stock is its valuation. Data shows that it has a GAAP forward price-to-earnings ratio of 17, much lower than the tech sector median of 30. This multiple is also lower than its five-year average of 22 and the S&P 500 Index average of 22. It has a forward PEG ratio of 0.85, also lower than the sector average of 1.28.
The company has also demonstrated that its business was still growing despite the ongoing competition from TikTok. Its revenue rose by 33% in the first quarter to $56 billion, with its net income jumping by 66% to $26 billion.
Analysts believe that the company has room to grow, with the annual revenue expected to hit $252 billion this year and $302 billion next year.
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