Summary
Meta Platforms, Inc. (META) reported strong financial performance for the third quarter and the first nine months of 2019. Revenue continued its robust growth, driven primarily by advertising, with a significant portion originating from mobile devices. Despite increased investments in infrastructure, R&D, and headcount to support growth and long-term initiatives, the company maintained healthy operating margins. The company's balance sheet shows substantial growth in assets, notably in cash and cash equivalents and marketable securities. However, this period also saw a significant increase in liabilities, largely due to a $5.0 billion FTC settlement provision. Investors should note the company's ongoing investments in its core platforms (Facebook, Instagram), expanding ecosystems (Messenger, WhatsApp), and future technologies (AI, AR/VR), which are expected to drive continued expense growth. While the company generated strong operating cash flow, it also continued its share repurchase program and significant capital expenditures.
Financial Highlights
49 data points| Revenue | $17.65B |
| Cost of Revenue | $3.15B |
| Gross Profit | $14.50B |
| R&D Expenses | $3.55B |
| Operating Expenses | $10.47B |
| Operating Income | $7.18B |
| Net Income | $6.09B |
| EPS (Basic) | $2.13 |
| EPS (Diluted) | $2.12 |
| Shares Outstanding (Basic) | 2.85B |
| Shares Outstanding (Diluted) | 2.87B |
Key Highlights
- 1Revenue increased by 29% year-over-year to $17.65 billion in Q3 2019, driven by a 28% increase in advertising revenue.
- 2Net income rose by 19% year-over-year to $6.09 billion in Q3 2019, with diluted EPS of $2.12.
- 3Daily Active Users (DAUs) grew 9% year-over-year to 1.62 billion, and Monthly Active Users (MAUs) grew 8% year-over-year to 2.45 billion.
- 4Total costs and expenses increased by 31% year-over-year to $10.47 billion in Q3 2019, largely due to investments in data centers, infrastructure, R&D, and headcount.
- 5The company recorded a $5.0 billion legal accrual for an FTC settlement, significantly impacting General and Administrative expenses for the nine-month period.
- 6Cash and cash equivalents and marketable securities stood at $52.27 billion as of September 30, 2019, reflecting strong operational cash generation.
- 7Capital expenditures for the nine-month period totaled $11.0 billion, primarily for data centers, servers, and network infrastructure.