Meta Closes at $612, Lagging Peers Despite Fresh $840-$930 AI Targets

Meta shares ended around $612 on July 7 after dropping 18.8% over the past year and 10% year-to-date, underperforming mega-cap peers despite multiple bullish analyst notes. The stock surged 9.7% on July 1 and 8.8% on July 2 amid heavy options buying and AI monetization optimism. Evercore ISI reiterated a $930 target on July 1, Piper Sandler held an $800 objective on July 4, and Truist maintained an $840 target on July 7, citing potential $2.5 billion from AI subscriptions and Business Agents. Q1 results underscored Meta’s structural strength with $56.3 billion revenue and 48% net margin versus Snap’s $1.5 billion and -6% margin, while 2026 capex guidance remains elevated at $125-145 billion.