Latest news with #NTM
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Milwaukee Health Department warns of skin disease from unlicensed tattoo operation
The Milwaukee Health Department is investigating unlicensed tattoo operations after cases of skin disease in minors emerged. The health department said it started investigating the case after a report on May 14 from a medical provider of a case of nontuberculous mycobacteria from a tattoo procedure on a minor. The health department said they found two additional cases of minors with NTM on May 20 and June 2. The health department teamed up with the Milwaukee Police Department to find one of the suspects, according to Carly Hegarty, director of consumer environmental health for the City of Milwaukee. Citations were issued against Jonathan Beasley accusing him of giving tattoos to minors without a license. He faces $614 in fines. MPD and health officials connected Beasley to two locations associated with Davinci Way Ink. NTM is an environmental bacterium that can cause a skin infection. NTM can come from tattooing if the tattoo tools aren't properly cleaned or used in unsterile tap water used to distill the black ink, according to a health department press release. According to Hegarty, the symptoms of NTM are swelling, pain, and pus and drainage near the tattoo area. While NTM can heal in two to three months, Hegarty said anyone who believes they have NTM should get an official diagnosis and treatment from a doctor. The Milwaukee Health Department is urging medical professionals to report if they see cases of tattoo-related infections and to ask their patients about recent tattoos and where they obtained them. Investigations into other unlicensed tattoo operations are still ongoing, Hegarty said. For parents or other people interested in tattoo safety, Hegarty said there are a few signs people can look for to be safe. According to the press release, licensed tattoo artists are supposed to verify the age of the person receiving the tattoo, follow proper sanitation procedures and give detailed instructions for aftercare. Hegarty said when getting tattoos, regardless of age, it's important to advocate for yourself. 'People absolutely have the right to ask, hey, can I see your City of Milwaukee-issued license? Can I see your practitioner's license? I would say good any tattoo artist would have that readily available,' Hegarty said. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Cases of skin disease from illegal tattoo operation in Milwaukee
Business Upturn
24-04-2025
- Business
- Business Upturn
Beyond Air Granted U.S. Patent Covering Treatment of NTM Infections Using gaseous Nitric Oxide (gNO)
GARDEN CITY, N.Y., April 24, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Beyond Air, Inc. (NASDAQ: XAIR) ('Beyond Air' or the 'Company'), a commercial-stage medical device and biopharmaceutical company focused on harnessing the power of nitric oxide (NO) to improve the lives of patients, today announced that the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has issued U.S. Patent No. 12,274,830. The issued patent gives the Company protection for its method of delivering gaseous nitric oxide (gNO) to a patient that has a condition associated with non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) lung infection. 'This latest patent further strengthens our growing intellectual property portfolio and reinforces the potential of our LungFit program,' said Steve Lisi, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Beyond Air. 'We recently announced the publication of positive clinical data in the American Thoracic Society Journal showing the potential LungFit GO has in safe and effective treatment of NTM lung infections with patients self-administering NO at home.' The allowed claims in this patent encompass a novel dosing regimen of 200 ppm to 320 ppm gNO for 10 to 45 minutes, 2 to 5 times per day, to provide a nitric oxide-load (NO load) of 300 ppm-hrs to 900 ppm-hrs of gNO per day over a period of at least 14 days. The patent will expire on March 12, 2038. NTM infection is a rare and serious bacterial infection in the lungs causing debilitating pulmonary disease associated with high morbidity and mortality. NTM infection is acquired by inhaling aerosolized bacteria from the environment, and can lead to NTM lung disease, a progressive and chronic condition. According to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, 13% of U.S. cystic fibrosis patients had a positive culture for a NTM species in 2017. NTM is an emerging public health concern worldwide because of its multi-drug antibiotic resistance. Current treatment guidelines suggest a combination of multiple antibiotics dosed chronically for as long as two years. These complex, expensive and invasive regimens have a poor record in the treatment of Mycobacterium abscessus complex (MABSC) and refractory Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) and may cause severe adverse events. About Beyond Air®, Inc. Beyond Air is a commercial-stage medical device and biopharmaceutical company dedicated to harnessing the power of endogenous and exogenous nitric oxide (NO) to improve the lives of patients suffering from respiratory illnesses, neurological disorders, and solid tumors. The Company has received FDA approval and CE Mark for its first system, LungFit® PH, for the treatment of term and near-term neonates with hypoxic respiratory failure. Beyond Air is currently advancing its other revolutionary LungFit® systems in clinical trials for the treatment of severe lung infections such as viral community-acquired pneumonia (including COVID-19) and nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM). The Company has also partnered with The Hebrew University of Jerusalem to advance a pre-clinical program dedicated to the treatment of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and other neurological disorders. Additionally, Beyond Cancer, Ltd., an affiliate of Beyond Air, is investigating ultra-high concentrations of NO with a proprietary delivery system to target certain solid tumors in the pre-clinical setting. For more information, visit About LungFit®* Beyond Air's LungFit® is a cylinder-free, phasic flow generator and delivery system designated as a medical device by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The ventilator-compatible version of the device can generate NO from ambient air on demand for delivery to the lungs at concentrations ranging from 1 ppm to 80 ppm. The LungFit® system could potentially replace large, high-pressure NO cylinders, providing significant advantages in the hospital setting, including greatly reducing inventory and storage requirements, improving overall safety by eliminating NO2 purging steps, and offering other operational benefits. LungFit can also deliver NO at concentrations at or above 80 ppm for potentially treating severe acute lung infections in the hospital setting (e.g., COVID-19, bronchiolitis) and chronic, refractory lung infections in the home setting (e.g., NTM). With the elimination of cylinders, Beyond Air intends to offer NO treatment in the home setting. *Beyond Air's LungFit PH is approved for commercial use in the United States, European Union, Australia, Thailand and New Zealand. Beyond Air's other LungFit systems are not approved for commercial use and are for investigational use only. Beyond Air is not suggesting NO use over 80 ppm or use at home. About Nitric Oxide Nitric Oxide (NO) is a powerful molecule, naturally synthesized in the human body, proven to play a critical role in a broad array of biological functions. In the airways, NO targets the vascular smooth muscle cells that surround the small resistance arteries in the lungs. Currently, exogenous inhaled NO is used in adult respiratory distress syndrome, post-cardiac surgery, and persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn to treat hypoxemia. Additionally, NO is believed to play a key role in the innate immune system, and in vitro studies suggest that NO possesses anti-microbial activity not only against common bacteria—including both gram-positive and gram-negative—but also against other diverse pathogens, including mycobacteria, viruses, fungi, yeast, and parasites, and has the potential to eliminate multi-drug-resistant strains. Forward Looking Statements This press release contains 'forward-looking statements' concerning the potential safety and efficacy of inhaled nitric oxide and the ultra-high concentration nitric oxide product candidate, as well as its therapeutic potential in a number of indications; and the potential impact on patients and anticipated benefits associated with inhaled nitric oxide and the ultra-high concentration nitric oxide product candidate. Forward-looking statements include statements about expectations, beliefs, or intentions regarding product offerings, business, results of operations, strategies or prospects. You can identify such forward-looking statements by the words 'appears,' 'expects,' 'plans,' 'anticipates,' 'believes' 'expects,' 'intends,' 'looks,' 'projects,' 'goal,' 'assumes,' 'targets' and similar expressions and/or the use of future tense or conditional constructions (such as 'will,' 'may,' 'could,' 'should' and the like) and by the fact that these statements do not relate strictly to historical or current matters. Rather, forward-looking statements relate to anticipated or expected events, activities, trends or results as of the date they are made. Because forward-looking statements relate to matters that have not yet occurred, these statements are inherently subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from any future results expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are only predictions and reflect views as of the date they are made with respect to future events and financial performance. Many factors could cause actual activities or results to differ materially from the activities and results anticipated in forward-looking statements, including risks related to the ability to raise additional capital; the timing and results of future pre-clinical studies and clinical trials; the potential that regulatory authorities, including the FDA and comparable non-U.S. regulatory authorities, may not grant or may delay approval for our product candidates; the approach to discover and develop novel drugs, which is unproven and may never lead to efficacious or marketable products; the ability to fund and the results of further pre-clinical studies and clinical trials of our product candidates; obtaining, maintaining and protecting intellectual property utilized by products; obtaining regulatory approval for products; competition from others using similar technology and others developing products for similar uses; dependence on collaborators; and other risks, which may, in part, be identified and described in the 'Risk Factors' section of Beyond Air's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and other of its filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, all of which are available on Beyond Air's website. Beyond Air and Beyond Cancer undertake no obligation to update, and have no policy of updating or revising, these forward-looking statements, except as required by applicable law. Contacts Investor Relations contacts Corey Davis, Ph.D. LifeSci Advisors, LLC [email protected] (212) 915-2577
Yahoo
20-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
How to think about earnings estimates during volatile times
A version of this post first appeared on Earnings estimates for the next 12 months are rising. And earnings estimates for 2025 and 2026 have been coming down. The above statements sound like they're in conflict. But they are actually two ways of communicating the same information. The differentiating factor: The passage of time. We often hear analysts talk about earnings estimates based on calendar years. For example, coming into this year Wall Street strategists presented their estimates for 2025 earnings. As time passes and information emerges, analysts will adjust those estimates. Historically, analysts tend to gradually revise down these calendar year estimates. And so far, this has been the case in 2025. However, time can pass quickly. And with calendar year estimates, what was once a discussion about future earnings can quickly become a discussion about past earnings. For example, at the beginning of the year, 2025 earnings represented the next-12 months' (NTM) earnings. But it's April now, which means any discussion of 2025 earnings involves an old quarter, and any discussion of NTM earnings involves a quarter in 2026. Morgan Stanley's Michael Wilson shared a nice side-by-side visualization of this somewhat confusing dynamic. The chart on the left shows the S&P 500's NTM earnings per share (EPS). As time passes, you can see NTM EPS move up as it continuously incorporates the higher earnings expected in future periods. The chart on the right shows EPS estimates for 2025 and 2026 — static periods in time. As time passes, you can see how analysts' estimates have moved lower in recent months. NTM earnings estimates look good despite calendar year estimates coming down. (Source: Morgan Stanley) "NTM EPS estimates continue to advance on the back of stronger 2026 EPS growth," Wilson observed. "However, NTM EPS may show signs of flattening in recent weeks as 2025/2026 estimates revise slightly lower (-1%)." To be clear, both charts employ the same analysts' estimates for earnings. They just differ in the way they reflect the effect of the passage of time. And the two charts are currently telling us that the promise of earnings growth on a rolling future basis is more than offsetting deteriorating expectations for static periods. This is important in the context of valuation metrics like the forward price-earnings (P/E) ratio. If earnings are expected to grow, then forward earnings (E) will rise as time passes. This leads to downward pressure on P/E ratios. As we discussed last week, there are currently a lot of issues with analysts' earnings estimates. Uncertainty is very high, and there's evidence that the earnings estimates out there right now are stale. But again, both visualizations are working off the same estimates. So if we believe the estimates for E is off, discussions about both NTM and calendar year estimates will similarly be off. The bottom line: Be mindful about what you read and hear about earnings estimates. While it can be helpful to know what's going on with revisions in certain calendar years, the information for a particular year will become less relevant as time passes. This is why it's arguably more useful to look to NTM earnings because stock prices are heavily determined by expectations for the future. There were several notable data points and macroeconomic developments since our last review: 🛍️ Shopping ticks higher. Retail sales increased 1.4% in March to a record $734.9 billion. (Source: Census via FRED) Unfortunately, there's evidence that recent spending has been boosted by consumers front-running tariffs. The 5.3% jump in car and car parts sales is in line with this trend. From Renaissance Macro's Neil Dutta: "It's challenging to get a proper signal from retail sales data at the moment. Households are taking tariffs seriously and we have seen a front running of activity, particularly in consumer durables. Ultimately, follow underlying growth. It's been softening." For more on consumer spending, read: 😵💫 and 🛍️ 💳 Card spending data is holding up. From JPMorgan: "As of 10 Apr 2025, our Chase Consumer Card spending data (unadjusted) was 3.0% above the same day last year. Based on the Chase Consumer Card data through 10 Apr 2025, our estimate of the US Census April control measure of retail sales m/m is 0.50%." (Source: JPMorgan) From BofA: "Total card spending per HH was up 2.3% y/y in the week ending Apr 12, according to BAC aggregated credit & debit card data. Among the categories we show, the biggest gains relative to last week were in entertainment, online electronics & grocery. The increase could be due to a dual boost from upcoming Easter and front-loading due to tariff uncertainty." (Source: BofA) Similar to March retail sales, April spending is likely being boosted by consumers pulling forward purchases in an attempt to front-run tariffs. For more on consumer spending, read: 😵💫 and 🛍️ 💼 Unemployment claims tick lower. Initial claims for unemployment benefits declined to 215,000 during the week ending April 12, down from 224,000 the week prior. This metric continues to be at levels historically associated with economic growth. (Source: DoL via FRED) For more context, read: 🏛️ and 💼 ⛽️ Gas prices tick lower. From AAA: "As spring break travel winds down, gas prices are following suit, down five cents since last week. Softer demand is fueling this downward trend, and with crude as low as it's been in a few years, drivers may continue to see lower pump prices as summer approaches." (Source: AAA) For more on energy prices, read: 🛢️ 👎 Inflation expectations heat up. From the New York Fed's March Survey of Consumer Expectations: "Median inflation expectations increased by 0.5 percentage point to 3.6% at the one-year-ahead horizon, were unchanged at 3.0% at the three-year-ahead horizon, and decreased by 0.1 percentage point to 2.9% at the five-year-ahead horizon." (Source: NY Fed) The introduction of tariffs as proposed by president-elect Donald Trump would be inflationary. For more, read: 😬 👎 New York area managers are worried about the future. From the NY Fed's Empire State Manufacturing Survey: "Firms expect conditions to worsen in the months ahead, a level of pessimism that has only occurred a handful of times in the history of the survey. The index for future general business conditions fell twenty points to -7.4; the index has fallen a cumulative forty-four points over the past three months. New orders and shipments are expected to fall slightly in the months ahead. Capital spending plans were flat. Input and selling price increases are expected to pick up, and supply availability is expected to worsen over the next six months." (Source: NY Fed) From the NY Fed's Business Leaders Survey: "After plunging twenty-five points last month, the index for future business activity sank another twenty-three points to -26.6, its lowest reading since April 2020, indicating that firms expect a significant decline in activity in the months ahead. The index for the future business climate also fell twenty-three points, to -50.0, marking its lowest level since 2009 and suggesting the business climate is expected to remain considerably worse than normal. The future employment index turned negative. The future supply availability index dropped to -36.1, with 44 percent of firms expecting supply availability to be worse in six months. Capital spending plans turned sharply negative." (Source: NY Fed) Keep in mind that during times of perceived stress, soft survey data tends to be more exaggerated than actual hard data. For more on this, read: 🙊 🛠️ Industrial activity ticks lower. Industrial production activity in March declined 0.3% from the prior month. Manufacturing output increased 0.3%. (Source: Federal Reserve) For more on economic activity cooling, read: 📉 🔨 New home construction starts fall. Housing starts fell 11.4% in March to an annualized rate of 1.32 million units, according to the Census Bureau. Building permits ticked up 1.6% to an annualized rate of 1.48 million units. (Source: Census) 🏠 Homebuilder sentiment ticks up. From the NAHB's Buddy Hughes: "The recent dip in mortgage rates may have pushed some buyers off the fence in March, helping builders with sales activity. At the same time, builders have expressed growing uncertainty over market conditions as tariffs have increased price volatility for building materials at a time when the industry continues to grapple with labor shortages and a lack of buildable lots." (Source: NAHB) 🏠 Mortgage rates rise. According to Freddie Mac, the average 30-year fixed-rate mortgage increased to 6.83% from 6.62% last week. From Freddie Mac: "The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage ticked up but remains below the 7% threshold for the thirteenth consecutive week. At this time last year, rates reached 7.1% while purchase application demand was 13% lower than it is today, a clear sign that this year's spring homebuying season is off to a stronger start." (Source: Freddie Mac) There are 147.4 million housing units in the U.S., of which 86.9 million are owner-occupied and about 34.1 million of which are mortgage-free. Of those carrying mortgage debt, almost all have fixed-rate mortgages, and most of those mortgages have rates that were locked in before rates surged from 2021 lows. All of this is to say: Most homeowners are not particularly sensitive to movements in home prices or mortgage rates. For more on mortgages and home prices, read: 😖 😬 This is the stuff pros are worried about. According to BofA's April Global Fund Manager Survey: "Trade war triggering a global recession is viewed as the biggest 'tail risk' according to 80% of investors, the largest concentration for a 'tail risk' in 15-year history." For more on risks, read: 🎢, 😟 and 🌈 📉 Near-term GDP growth estimates are tracking negative. The Atlanta Fed's GDPNow model sees real GDP growth declining at a 2.2% rate in Q1. Adjusted for the impact of gold imports and exports, they see GDP falling at a 0.1% rate. (Source: Atlanta Fed) For more on GDP and the economy, read: 📉 and 🤨 🚨 The tariffs announced by President Trump as they stand threaten to upend global trade — with significant implications for the U.S. economy, corporate earnings, and the stock market. Until we get some more clarity, here's where things stand: Earnings look bullish: The long-term outlook for the stock market remains favorable, bolstered by expectations for years of earnings growth. And earnings are the most important driver of stock prices. Demand is positive: Demand for goods and services remains positive, supported by healthy consumer and business balance sheets. Job creation, while cooling, also remains positive, and the Federal Reserve — having resolved the inflation crisis — has shifted its focus toward supporting the labor market. But growth is cooling: While the economy remains healthy, growth has normalized from much hotter levels earlier in the cycle. The economy is less "coiled" these days as major tailwinds like excess job openings have faded. It has become harder to argue that growth is destiny. Actions speak louder than words: We are in an odd period given that the hard economic data has decoupled from the soft sentiment-oriented data. Consumer and business sentiment has been relatively poor, even as tangible consumer and business activity continue to grow and trend at record levels. From an investor's perspective, what matters is that the hard economic data continues to hold up. Stocks are not the economy: Analysts expect the U.S. stock market could outperform the U.S. economy, thanks largely due to positive operating leverage. Since the pandemic, companies have adjusted their cost structures aggressively. This has come with strategic layoffs and investment in new equipment, including hardware powered by AI. These moves are resulting in positive operating leverage, which means a modest amount of sales growth — in the cooling economy — is translating to robust earnings growth. Mind the ever-present risks: Of course, this does not mean we should get complacent. There will always be risks to worry about — such as U.S. political uncertainty, geopolitical turmoil, energy price volatility, cyber attacks, etc. There are also the dreaded unknowns. Any of these risks can flare up and spark short-term volatility in the markets. Investing is never a smooth ride: There's also the harsh reality that economic recessions and bear markets are developments that all long-term investors should expect to experience as they build wealth in the markets. Always keep your stock market seat belts fastened. Think long term: For now, there's no reason to believe there'll be a challenge that the economy and the markets won't be able to overcome over time. The long game remains undefeated, and it's a streak long-term investors can expect to continue. A version of this post first appeared on Sign in to access your portfolio
The Guardian
11-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Ammar Khalia's global album of the month
As far-right political parties have risen in Greece in recent years, young artists from Athens' migrant communities have been using hip-hop to channel their anger. Rappers such as Kareem Kalokoh and his ATH Kids collective rap (in English) about racism over thunderous trap beats, while Greek-Nigerian artist Moose pays homage to the often-maligned immigrant suburb of Kypseli. Negros Tou Moria, meanwhile, has developed his own Greek-language genre. Since releasing his debut mixtape in 2012, NTM (real name Kofi Ansong) has pioneered what he calls trabetiko, mixing the Greek working-class folk music of rebetiko with trap. NTM raps about being a second-generation Greek born to Ghanaian parents while adorned in traditional clothing such as tsarouchia pom-pom shoes and a fustanella skirt. NTM downplays the folk references in favour of a more wide-ranging sound on his latest album, Mavri Ellada (Black Greece). His earlier releases had a melodic lilt; he's now shifted to a gravelly baritone, growling through everything from G-funk on Euthinofovos to Afrobeats on An Einai Dinaton and dancefloor synths on PragmatiKotita. His vocal dexterity is impressive: he slows his flow for the laid-back groove of Euthinofovos while skipping ahead of the beat on the thumping kicks of PragmatiKotita. NTM comes into his own when he employs his bass tone over that signature trabetiko sound. Oneiro samples a 50s Greek film soundtrack over a gut-punching beat as he raps venomously about being stopped and searched, while the title track pairs a trilling rebetiko bouzouki melody with rumbling sub-bass as he reflects on the country's economic need for immigration and the political hatred of it. Armed with this darker, more mature voice, NTM tackles bleak issues with indefatigable energy: a forceful statement. Portuguese producer Jonathan Uliel Saldanha and Ugandan trumpeter Florence Nandawula return with their second album as HHY and the Kampala Unit, Turbo Meltdown (Nyege Nyege). Filled with apocalyptic synth sounds and shuddering percussion, the duo soundtrack dark dancefloor moments, peaking on the syncopated east African polyrhythms and horn fanfares of Neon Veil Collapse. Stella Chronopoulou's fifth album as Σtella, Adagio (Sub Pop), sees the vocalist singing in her native tongue of Greek for the first time, producing a beautifully wistful cover of the 1969 Greek new wave track Ta Vimata and an earthy funk call-and-response on Omorfo Mou. Running at under 30 minutes, the nine-track record plays out a brief but beguiling new chapter. Featuring a blazing Amharic-langauge cover of Black Sabbath's War Pigs, four-piece Ukandanz's latest album Evil Plan (Compagnie 4000) is brash and uncompromising, traversing metal, prog and jazz fusion, all anchored in Ethiopian singer Asnaké Gèbrèyès's acrobatic vocals.
Globe and Mail
04-04-2025
- Business
- Globe and Mail
Stock Plunge Pushes Meta Platforms (META) Into Buy-The-Dip Territory
Shares of Meta Platforms (META) were down nearly 9% yesterday as the market sold off dramatically due to the tariff turmoil coming out of Washington, D.C. With yesterday's plunge, shares of the social media giant are now down nearly 30% from their 52-week high, giving investors a 'magnificent' opportunity to buy this dominant, blue-chip Mag 7 stock at a discount price. Don't Miss Our End of Quarter Offers: Discover the latest stocks recommended by top Wall Street analysts, all in one place with Analyst Top Stocks. Make smarter investments with weekly expert stock picks from the Smart Investor Newsletter. I'm bullish on Meta Platforms based on its valuation relative to the broader market and its magnificent seven peers, returns to shareholders, revenue and user growth, and track record of long-term performance. Furthermore, Wall Street analysts rate shares of the Menlo Park-based company a Strong Buy and forecast a potential upside of over 40% over the next year, further highlighting the attractive opportunity available to long-term investors here. Magnificent Seven Valuation The magnificent seven stocks, and tech stocks more broadly, have come under scrutiny for their elevated valuations. But at this point, Meta is hardly expensive, and one can even make the case that it's a value stock. Following the selloff, shares trade for an undemanding 21x consensus 2025 earnings estimates, roughly in line with the broader market, with the S&P 500 trading for 21.5 times 2025 times analyst earnings estimates. A lot can happen between now and next year, especially given the volatility in the market and the broader economy. However, Meta Platforms look even cheaper looking ahead another year, with shares trading at just 18.3x 2026 analyst earnings estimates. Not only is META stock trading at a negligible premium to the broader market, but it is also cheaper than many of its magnificent seven peers. For example, Apple (AAPL) and Microsoft (MSFT) trade for 27.9x and 28.3x 2025 earnings, respectively, while Amazon trades for a similar 28.2x 2025 earnings. Meta is roughly in line with Nvidia (NVDA) (22x NTM earnings) and trades at a premium to Alphabet (GOOGL) (16.8x 2025 earnings), both of which I am also bullish on. Meta is also significantly cheaper than Tesla (TSLA), which trades for over 100x 2025 earnings estimates, although at this point,t Tesla is clearly a bit of an outlier. During the market correction, all the magnificent seven stocks, except Tesla, have become significantly cheaper and more attractive. However, Meta Platforms is still among the most affordable, making it an attractive opportunity to buy this blue-chip magnificent seven company. META's Growing Returns to Shareholders Meta is also burnishing its newfound appeal as a value stock by returning capital to shareholders. As of 2024, Meta is still a newly minted dividend stock. Admittedly, its yield of 0.4% today isn't much to write home about, but Meta has a lot of potential as a dividend growth stock that could be paying a much higher dividend in the future than today. The company has already increased its quarterly payout from $0.50 a share in 2024 to $0.525 this year. Plus, it features a miniscule payout ratio, meaning that there is plenty of room to continue to increase these dividend payouts over time. Beyond the dividend, Meta is also significantly using share buybacks to return value to shareholders. Last year, t he company bought back an incredible $40 billion worth of shares, trailing only Apple in terms of the total value of these buybacks. Share repurchases can be accretive to shareholders because they decrease a company's share count over time and thus increase earnings per share. As discussed above, Meta shares are inexpensive right now, and Meta has plenty of cash, so I would expect the company to continue buying back shares in 2025. Meta is Huge and Still Growing Meta is one of the world's largest companies but still growing. Revenue grew by 22% in 2024, which is quite impressive for a company of its size and scale. Over the long term, the company has demonstrated massive revenue growth—its 2024 revenue of $164.5 billion was more than double its revenue of $70.7 billion generated five years ago in 2019 and nearly triple its revenue of $55.8 billion recorded six years ago in 2018. It might feel like Facebook and Instagram have been around forever, and everyone already has them. However, the company still increased daily active users by 5% during Q4 of 2024, which is no small feat given how ubiquitous the platforms already are. Is Meta Platforms a Good Stock to Buy? Turning to Wall Street, META earns a Strong Buy consensus rating based on 44 Buys, three Holds, and one Sell rating assigned in the past three months. The average analyst META stock price target of $761.49 implies a 48.6% upside potential from current levels. Meta Stock Looks Like a Fast Pitch Every now and then, the market throws investors a fast pitch that they can take a big swing at and knock out of the park, and right now, Meta looks like one of those rare opportunities. I'm bullish on Meta Platforms stock based on its cheap valuation, and continued impressive growth in revenue and users while, importantly, not forgetting to give back to shareholders. Sell-side analysts rate the stock a Strong Buy and forecast a potential upside of almost 50% over the next year, further underscoring the attractive opportunity.
