Autor: News Team

Financial results and outlook for 2025

Meta Platforms Inc (META:NASDAQ), the parent company of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, announced its financial results for the fourth quarter of 2024. Net income reached $20.83 billion, a 49% year-over-year increase. The company’s revenue grew 21% to $48.39 billion, with advertising revenue being the main source of growth. CEO Mark Zuckerberg highlighted significant advances in artificial intelligence, expecting Meta AI to reach more than a billion users by 2025.

Meta Platforms also predicts increased operating costs for 2025, which are expected to be in the range of $114 billion to $119 billion. This increase is attributed to rising infrastructure investment and labor costs, but which analysts believe to be higher than originally expected.

Share price development

Shares of Meta Platforms Inc (META:NASDAQ) are currently trading at $676.49, up slightly from the previous day. During 2025, the company’s stock has risen by more than 16% and has gained approximately 70% over the past 52 weeks. This positive trend indicates continued investor confidence in the company’s growth prospects.

Regulation and changes to the business model

In response to pressure from European regulators, Meta has decided to offer users in Europe the option of less personalised ads on the Facebook and Instagram platforms. The new ad targeting model will be based on the content that users interact with during a particular session, with the user’s age, gender and location being key parameters. Some of these ads will be able to be skipped for a few seconds.

In addition, Meta plans to reduce the price of its ad-free subscription service in Europe by approximately 40%. The move is part of a broader strategy to comply with new European Union regulations that emphasize transparency and greater user choice in the digital environment.

Summary

Meta Platforms Inc (META:NASDAQ) continues to solidify its position as a leader in digital advertising and artificial intelligence. Despite higher expected operating expenses, the stock maintains an uptrend, signaling investor optimism. Changes to the business model in Europe demonstrate the company’s willingness to adapt to new regulatory requirements and ensure the long-term sustainability of its business in key regions.

Meta Platforms Inc (META:NASDAQ) also pays a regular quarterly dividend of $0.50 per share, for an annual dividend of $2.00. At the current share price of $676.49, the dividend yield is 0.30%. The average target price for Meta Platforms Inc (META:NASDAQ) stock has been set at $811 per share by Zacks.com analysts with a high estimate for the short to medium term investment horizon.

1. Partnership with Pearson : On January 9, 2025, Microsoft announced a strategic partnership with Pearson to transform learning and workflow through artificial intelligence. This partnership leverages Microsoft 365 Copilot technologies to streamline learning processes and improve access to digital tools.

2. New features in Microsoft 365 Copilot : The company has introduced new features in Microsoft 365 Copilot that enable users to better leverage AI in their daily work. These innovations focus on increasing productivity and simplifying complex tasks, strengthening Microsoft’s competitiveness in the AI-based services market.

3. Current share price development : As of January 20, 2025, shares of Microsoft (MSFT) are trading at a price of $429.03, up 0.98% from the previous day. The day’s high was recorded at $434.555 while the low was $425.19. This positive trend shows investor confidence in the long-term potential of the company. However, analysts warn of potential risks associated with growing competition in the cloud services and artificial intelligence space. For example, analyst Gil Luria of D.A. Davidson downgraded Microsoft stock from a «buy» rating to a «neutral» rating. The reason for the move is concerns about Microsoft’s ability to maintain market share in the fast-growing technology sector.

4. Assumption of future developments : Microsoft continues to invest heavily in areas such as artificial intelligence, cloud technologies and strategic partnerships. These activities are likely to contribute to the company’s long-term growth, although they will be subject to increasing competition and pressures on innovation capacity.

Microsoft Corp (NASDAQ-MSFT) also pays regular quarterly dividends to its shareholders. Currently, the dividend yield is 0.77% p.a. The actual dividend amount has been approved by the board of directors at $3.32 per share. The company also has a currently known date for the dividend payment, the so-called Pay-Date, which will be March 13, 2025. The last date for purchasing shares using the dividend payment, the so-called Ex-Dividend-Date, has been set for February 20, 2025. A day to take advantage According to analysts at brokerage firms and financial strategists at investment banks, the share price can be expected to rise in the short to medium term investment horizon. The average target price for the short- to medium-term investment horizon has been set at $510.26 per share.

Graph Source : www.zacks.com

Tesla has recently focused on strengthening its position in key markets, including China, its second largest market. Tesla recently launched a redesigned Model Y there, which includes a number of improvements. Among the main changes:

– New design features: the Model Y has been updated with LED light bars and an improved exterior.

– Interior comfort: The new model includes heated and ventilated seats along with a touchscreen for rear passengers.

– Increased range: the range has been increased to 719 km on a single charge according to the Chinese CLTC standard.

Pricing for this model has been set at 263,500 Chinese Yuan (approximately $35,900), with deliveries expected to begin in March 2025 following regulatory approval. The move is a strategic move aimed at strengthening Tesla’s competitiveness in the Chinese market, where it faces stiff competition from local manufacturers such as BYD and Xiaomi.

Tesla Stock Analysis (TSLA)

Tesla stock has shown remarkable growth in 2024, especially in the fourth quarter, when its value rose 62.5%. However, analysts at Bank of America recently adjusted their rating on TSLA stock from a «buy» rating to a «neutral» rating. At the same time, the stock’s target price was raised from $400 to $490, reflecting a cautious stance on the company’s future growth and the risks associated with its ambitious plans.

Some analysts predict that Tesla’s stock could reach $500 or even $700. The key drivers of this optimistic outlook are:

– Advances in autonomous driving: Tesla is investing heavily in the development of fully autonomous vehicles, which could revolutionize the automotive industry.

– Launch of a more affordable model: Tesla is expected to launch a cheaper model that could expand its customer base.

On the other hand, there are risks that may affect the future development of TSLA stock:

– Strong competition: Competition is growing rapidly in the electric vehicle market, especially from Chinese manufacturers.

– Macroeconomic conditions: a global economic slowdown could reduce demand for electric vehicles.

Current traded price and technical view

TSLA shares are currently trading at a price of $394.74, with intraday movements between $384.46 and $399.16. Despite a recent decline of 0.29%, the stock is expected to continue to exhibit the high volatility that is characteristic of technology companies.

Conclusion

Tesla continues its expansion and innovation that keeps it at the forefront of the automotive industry. Although the analyst outlook remains mixed, the company continues to represent an attractive investment for those who believe in the long-term potential of electric vehicles and technological innovation.

PayPal’s Strategic Moves PayPal Holdings Inc (NASDAQ:PYPL) has recently announced several key initiatives and innovations that have impacted its market position and stock value. Highlights include:

1. Apple Pay integration and cashback rewards: PayPal is focused on expanding its payment services into brick-and-mortar stores in 2024. The integration of PayPal’s debit card with Apple Pay mobile wallet will allow the company to compete in the in-store payments market. At the same time, a 5% cashback rewards offer for purchases has been launched to gain more market share and strengthen relationships with users. The move is part of new CEO Alex Chriss’ strategy to diversify PayPal’s services.

2.            In response to the increasing demand for simple payment sharing tools, PayPal has launched a new feature in its mobile app. This feature allows users to easily split shared expenses between friends or family, for example when buying gifts. The aim is to provide users with an intuitive and efficient payment tool.

Financial Results and Stock Development PayPal Holdings Inc. shares have seen an increase of approximately 48% in 2024. As of December 18, 2024, the current stock price is around $90.86 per share, a slight decrease of 0.00504% from the previous day. This development is supported by investor confidence in the company’s long-term strategy.

Analysts at Wolfe Research recently upgraded shares of PayPal from a «Peer Perform» rating to an «Outperform» rating and set a $107 price target on the stock. This optimism is justified by the company’s plans to optimize operations and further innovate to increase PayPal’s competitiveness.

PayPal Outlook PayPal continues to demonstrate its ability to adapt to a rapidly changing market environment and technology trends. Expanding its brick-and-mortar payment service offerings, supporting payment sharing features and focusing on greater user-friendliness are key drivers for future growth.

Investors should monitor PayPal’s next steps, particularly in the area of collaboration with technology partners, and evaluate the stock’s potential in the context of global payment trends. The average target price with a high estimate has been set by Zacks.com analysts for the short- to medium-term investment horizon at $150 per share.

Citigroup Inc., the global financial services giant, has seen significant events in recent weeks that reflect its steady growth and future opportunities. The company’s stock hit a 52-week high of $71.27 at the end of November, marking a one-year increase of more than 50%. This milestone is supported by continued investor confidence, robust financial performance and an attractive dividend policy with a 3.16% annual yield that has been paid for 14 consecutive years.

Financial results and outlook

Citigroup reported net income of $3.2 billion for the third quarter of 2024, representing revenue growth of 3% year-over-year. Earnings per share (EPS) were $1.51, beating analysts’ expectations by $0.20. The bank also estimates that total revenue for the year will be approximately USD 80-81 billion. These results reflect strong performance across five major segments, including banking, personal finance and wealth management.

Market positions and target prices

Analysts have revised their target prices on Citigroup stock. For example, BofA Securities raised the target to $90 due to Citigroup’s performance comparison with its competitors. Others, such as Zacks.com, maintained a Neutral rating with a target price of $77.45, reflecting more moderate near-term upside potential.

Market Developments

Citigroup stock price is currently trading at $72.15, maintaining its position at the top of the 52-week range. This rise comes at a time when the broader banking sector is facing pressure from regulations and geopolitical uncertainty. However, investors appreciate the bank’s stable dividend policy and long-term growth potential due to its strong capital base and the technological innovations it is implementing in its services.

In conclusion, Citigroup continues its transformation towards a more efficient structure focused on key markets and segments. This evolution, supported by stable earnings and attractive valuations, makes it an attractive investment for investors focused on long-term profits and regular dividend payments. The dividend yield is currently at 3.12% per annum and the actual dividend has been approved by the company’s AGM at $0.56 per share. 

Graph Source : www.zacks.com

Visa Inc (NYSE-V), one of the global leaders in payment technology, ended 2024 on a high note, exceeding analysts’ expectations. Fourth-quarter revenue came in at $8.78 billion, above expectations of $8.62 billion. The company’s net income rose to $4.7 billion, or $2.27 per share, compared to $1.86 per share last year. Adjusted earnings per share were $2.33, again above market estimates.

Strong Growth and Service Expansion

The main driver of the success was growth in cross-border transactions, which grew 18% excluding intra-European operations. In addition, the company continues to expand its innovative digital payment solutions. One of the key projects is the development of Push-to-Wallet, which enables easy integration of virtual cards into mobile wallets such as Apple Pay or Google Pay. This innovation strengthens the security and control of payments and attracts new customers.

Promotions and Outlook

Shares of Visa are currently trading around $309, close to their one-year high. Despite strong financial results, the stock has seen a slight decline, which may be due to investor concerns over ambitious expectations of double-digit revenue growth on an adjusted constant dollar basis in 2025.

Stability and Dividend Attractiveness

Visa also continues to pay a stable dividend, which currently stands at $0.52 per share with an annual yield of 0.73%. The company’s high credit rating (AA-) and strong balance sheet make it an attractive choice for investors focused on the long-term. Thanks to these indicators, Visa confirms its position as a leading dividend stock.

Conclusion

The year 2024 was a successful period for Visa Inc. where the company was able to not only grow financially but also innovate and strengthen its position in the digital payments market. With healthy cash flow, the development of new services, and stable dividends, Visa remains an attractive option for investors looking for a combination of growth and stability.

Visa Inc (NYSE-V) also pays regular quarterly dividends to its shareholders. The dividend yield is currently 0.75% per annum and the actual dividend amount has been approved by the company’s AGM at $0.59 per share. Due to the fact that the company posted positive financial results for the fourth quarter of 2024 and the full year 2024, as well as the expansion of digital payment services to new features that will enable the seamless use of virtual push-to-wallet cards very popular for buying shares among private investors and multinational investment corporations, where according to analysts of brokerage companies and financial strategists of investment banks, the share price can be expected to grow in the short to medium term investment horizon. The average target price was set at USD 326.41 per share.

Graph Source : www.zacks.com

Apple Inc. continues to be at the center of the technology world’s attention with its latest products, software updates and financial results. In addition, investors are keeping an eye on the company’s stock, which continues to show growth potential despite minor fluctuations.

New products and innovations: Apple introduced new iMac, Mac Mini and MacBook Pro models equipped with powerful M4 chips, available in stores from 8 November 2024. M4 chips take device performance and efficiency to a new level. At the same time, beta versions of iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2 and macOS Sequoia 15.2 software updates have been launched, which include enhanced AI features and compatibility with other products such as Vision Pro. The augmented reality headset will also be available in South Korea and the United Arab Emirates. Creative tools support: the Final Cut Pro update will bring surround video editing and automatic caption generation features that will be appreciated by professional users in the creative industry.

 Financial performance and investor rewards: The company reported revenue growth for the fourth quarter of 2024, announcing a dividend of $0.25 per share. Steady earnings and revenue growth confirms that Apple maintains a strong market position, with analysts expecting further revenue growth in the coming years.

Apple stock outlook

Growth Estimate: Analysts predict Apple’s share price will rise to $247 over the next 12 months, representing upside potential of approximately 6%. Optimistic forecasts even call for a target price of $300. Apple’s revenue is expected to grow at an average annual rate of 8.9% over the next three years, and earnings per share (EPS) are expected to increase by 17.5%, with 70% of the analysts surveyed recommending the stock for purchase. This is due to continued demand for key products such as the iPhone 15 and successful expansion into new markets with innovative products.

Risks and volatility: on the other hand, Apple stock may face short-term fluctuations. Some analysts warn of a possible share price decline to $180-184 due to competition and regulatory risks. Also, the recent selling of shares by management has raised questions about further growth.

Summary

Apple Inc. continues to demonstrate its strength as a technology leader with innovative products and solid financial performance. For investors looking for long-term growth, the stock remains an attractive option, thanks to steady revenue growth, expansion into global markets, and analyst support. Still, short-term risks and potential price fluctuations should be kept in mind.

Apple Inc (AAPL-NASDAQ) pays regular attractive quarterly dividends to its shareholders. The dividend yield is currently 0.43% per annum. The current dividend amount was approved by the company’s shareholders at a meeting of shareholders at $0.25 per share. The average target price has been set by Zacks.com analysts for the short to medium term investment horizon at $240.80 per share.

Graph Source : www.zacks.com

Netflix, Inc. (NASDAQ-NFLX) is an American pay-per-view online movie provider. It is currently available in 190 countries around the world – in North and South America, Europe, Africa, Australia and Asia. Since January 2016, it is also available in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The company was founded in 1997 and is headquartered in Los Gatos, California. The company began providing services to subscribers in 1999. Initially, Netflix provided movies only on DVDs, which it mailed within the US. Ten years later, the company began providing streaming content over the Internet. The company employs 13,000 tribal workers.

Shares of Netflix (NASDAQ-NFLX) hit record highs after news that the Tyson-Paul fight attracted 108 million viewers. The company says the fight was the most streamed global sporting event of all time. Jake Paul, 27, defeated Mike Tyson, 58, in a one-of-a-kind fight. According to Forbes magazine, Tyson earned $20 million and the winner of the fight, Paul, earned $40 million. The main event was also the fight between Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano, which was the most-watched professional women’s sporting event in U.S. history, seen by 74 million viewers worldwide. Some analysts believe that this fight between Poul and Tyson served as an appetizer for Netflix’s upcoming Christmas Eve NFL game , when it will be Netflix’s first opportunity to stream live games, one of the four most popular American sports. Netflix stock is up 83% over the past 12 months .

Netflix Inc. also recently released its financial results for the third quarter of 2024. The company saw its subscribers increase by 5 million in the third quarter to a current 282.7 million subscribers. The company reported revenues of $9.83 billion with an operating profit of $2.91 billion. Operating profit recorded a 30% year-on-year increase. The company also said that it expects further growth in its subscribers in Q4 2024 and also expects its operating margin to increase by another 27 percent. Due to the Q3 2024 earnings results and the growing popularity of Netflix’s streaming content, the stock price is expected to rise. 36 analysts from Tipranks.com have set an average target price of $774.58 per share for Netflix, Inc (NASDAQ-NFLX) stock for the short to medium term investment horizon.

Graph Source : www.zacks.com

Amazon Inc (Nasdaq:AMZN) is considering a new multibillion-dollar investment in artificial intelligence startup Anthropic. The investment will cost Amazon Inc. $4 billion in rival OpenAI, with the expectation that its customers will get early access to Anthropic’s technology.  Amazon Inc (Nasdaq:AMZN) also announced that Black Friday Week and Cyber Monday events will be held, as they are annually, from November 21 to December 2. This will allow customers to shop millions of products in more than 35 categories. Prime members can complete their holiday shopping while enjoying unlimited fast free shipping, including more than 300 million items available with free Prime shipping in the U.S. and tens of millions of the most popular items available with same-day delivery when the order is created.

The company also recently released financial results for the third quarter of 2024. The company managed the quarter above analysts’ expectations, increasing total sales 11% year-over-year to $158.9 billion. Revenue in North America grew 9% to $95.5 billion and in other countries grew 12% to $35.9 billion. Revenue in the AWS segment grew 19% to $27.5 billion. Excluding all expenses, the company earned a net profit of $15.3 billion with a year-over-year increase of 54.54%.

According to the company’s statement, it expects revenue growth in the fourth quarter of 2024, with an outlook of around $181.5 billion to $188.5 billion, a year-over-year increase of between 7% and 11%. Operating income is expected to be between $16.0 billion and $20.0 billion, compared to $13.2 billion for the same quarter in 2023.

Chart Source : ZACKS.COM

Amazon shares have added over 42% to their value since the beginning of the year. This has caught the attention of multinational investment corporations as well as private investors for buying shares of (Nasdaq:AMZN), which is expected to do as well or better in the final quarter of this year thanks to Amazon’s ever-evolving AI. Analysts at ZACKS.COM have raised their price targets on shares of Amazon Inc (Nasdaq:AMZN). The average target price has been set at $236.78 per share for the short- to medium-term investment horizon.