Meta Q4 Earnings Beat, Revenue Growth Slowdown Forecasted

Meta Platforms (META) reported strong fourth-quarter earnings on Wednesday, exceeding analyst expectations. However, the social media giant cautioned of slower revenue growth in the current quarter and projected a faster increase in expenses in 2025.

Key Financial Metrics:

* Q4 EPS: $8.02 (est. $6.75)
* Q4 Revenue: $48.4 billion (est. $46.9 billion)
* Annual Revenue: $164.5 billion (up 22% YoY)

Revenue Forecast:

* Q1 Revenue: $39.5-$41.8 billion (8%-15% YoY growth)
* 2025 Revenue: Forecast unavailable

Expense Projections:

* 2025 Expenses: $114-$119 billion (up from $95.1 billion in 2024)
* Infrastructure costs and employee compensation to drive expense growth

Other Developments:

* Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced plans to invest $60-$65 billion in AI infrastructure projects in 2024.
* The company reached a $25 million settlement with former President Donald Trump over his lawsuit related to his suspension from Meta platforms.

Market Response:

* Meta shares climbed 2% in pre-market trading following the earnings release, reversing initial losses.