Here's What Key Metrics Tell Us About Meta Platforms (META) Q3 Earnings

Meta Platforms (META) reported $51.24 billion in revenue for the quarter ended September 2025, representing a year-over-year increase of 26.3%. EPS of $7.25 for the same period compares to $6.03 a year ago.The reported revenue represents a surprise of +3.63% over the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $49.45 billion. With the consensus EPS estimate being $6.61, the EPS surprise was +9.68%.While investors closely watch year-over-year changes in headline numbers -- revenue and earnings -- and how they compare to Wall Street expectations to determine their next course of action, some key metrics always provide a better insight into a company's underlying performance.Since these metrics play a crucial role in driving the top- and bottom-line numbers, comparing them with the year-ago numbers and what analysts estimated about them helps investors better project a stock's price performance.Here is how Meta Platforms performed in the just reported quarter in terms of the metrics most widely monitored and projected by Wall Street analysts:Family daily active people (DAP): $3.54 billion versus the six-analyst average estimate of $3.49 billion.Headcount: 78,450 versus the four-analyst average estimate of 76,888.Average Revenue Per Person (ARPP): $14.46 versus $14.08 estimated by three analysts on average.Advertising Revenue- US & Canada: $21.33 billion versus the five-analyst average estimate of $21.7 billion. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +22.7%.Advertising Revenue- Europe: $12.07 billion versus the four-analyst average estimate of $11.65 billion. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +29%.Geographical Revenue by User- Asia-Pacific: $10.27 billion compared to the $9.87 billion average estimate based on four analysts. The reported number represents a change of +25% year over year.Advertising Revenue- Rest of the World: $6.66 billion versus $6.37 billion estimated by four analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a +30.9% change.Geographical Revenue by User- US & Canada: $21.75 billion versus $21.53 billion estimated by four analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a +23.5% change.Revenue- Family of Apps (FoA): $50.77 billion versus the 11-analyst average estimate of $49.07 billion. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +25.9%.Revenue- Reality Labs: $470 million versus the 11-analyst average estimate of $339.85 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +74.1%.Revenue- Advertising: $50.08 billion compared to the $48.51 billion average estimate based on 10 analysts. The reported number represents a change of +25.6% year over year.Revenue- Other: $690 million versus $588.26 million estimated by 10 analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a +59% change.View all Key Company Metrics for Meta Platforms here>>>Shares of Meta Platforms have returned +2.3% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +3.8% change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), indicating that it could outperform the broader market in the near term.#1 Semiconductor Stock to Buy (Not NVDA)The incredible demand for data is fueling the market's next digital gold rush. As data centers continue to be built and constantly upgraded, the companies that provide the hardware for these behemoths will become the NVIDIAs of tomorrow.One under-the-radar chipmaker is uniquely positioned to take advantage of the next growth stage of this market. It specializes in semiconductor products that titans like NVIDIA don't build. It's just beginning to enter the spotlight, which is exactly where you want to be.See This Stock Now for Free >>Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Meta Platforms, Inc. (META): Free Stock Analysis ReportThis article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).Zacks Investment ResearchWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks