Meta Platforms Inc. suffered a serious loss, witnessing its market value plummet by $200 billion.
The decline happened following the company’s first-quarter earnings call, during which CEO Mark Zuckerberg highlighted the company’s substantial investments in artificial intelligence (AI) and the Metaverse, instead of concentrating on immediate revenue streams.
Despite a 27% increase in revenue to $36.46 billion and a net income that more than doubled to a $12.37 billion (rounded), investors were unsettled by the company’s projections for future expenses.
Shares dropped by 15.5% as Zuckerberg outlined expensive future projects, including the expansion of business messaging and the integration of ads into AI interactions.
Meta’s stock took a 15% hit in extended trading, bringing its market capitalization down to around $1.2 trillion, still a high valuation. This highlights the unpredictable nature of tech stocks, especially during significant, unmonetized product development stages.
Meta 1 day chart 24th April 2024
Zuckerberg’s prioritization of long-term growth over immediate profits is a gamble, placing a bet on AI and the Metaverse to transform digital interactions.
This strategy carries considerable financial risks, as the recent market reaction has shown. Meta’s future now depends on the successful deployment and monetization of these cutting-edge technologies.