We recently published a list of 12 Best FAANG+ Stocks to Invest in Right Now. In this article, we are going to take a look at where Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META) stands against other best FAANG+ stocks to invest in right now.
The group of stocks formerly known as FAANG were synonymous with technological prowess, market dominance, and high growth. These companies provided exponential returns and offered the chance to be part of the technological revolution. Their rise to dominance was fueled by innovation, digital transformation, the increasing use of the internet, and their insatiable hunger for growth. In the process, they reshaped industries, altered consumer behavior, and redefined customer engagement. However, over the past couple of years, the acronym has lost some of its relevance as some names have changed and new companies have encroached on the territories of these mega-caps. As a result, the market has started using the term “Magnificent Seven” to better represent the most valuable tech stocks. In this list, we include the ‘Magnificent Seven’ plus five interesting stocks that focus on the transformational technology growth trends such as artificial intelligence, cloud computing, EV technology, and streaming.
Let’s begin by understanding the sheer magnitude of these stocks. We created an equal-weighted portfolio (equal investment in each stock) of all 12 mega-cap technology stocks in this list and compared their combined performance with the S&P 500 Index over the past 5 years. Astonishingly, the mega-caps portfolio has returned over 385% compared to the S&P 500 Index’s return of around 86%. Additionally, these 12 stocks now have a combined market cap of over $20.0 trillion, with around $14 trillion added in the past 5 years. In comparison, the total market cap of all US-listed stocks is approximately $60.5 trillion (as of December 2024; source: Wilshire 5000 Index), making these mega-caps account for nearly one-third of the total US market value. Although it’s not entirely fair to compare market caps to GDP, if we could, and if these 12 mega-caps formed a country, they would rival China as the second or third largest country by nominal GDP.
Despite recent intense competition, challenging market dynamics, and a difficult regulatory environment, these tech leaders still stand tall with their legacy of innovation and digital transformation. We believe their substantial investments in technology infrastructure, strategic acquisitions, international expansion, and continuous innovation have helped them maintain their dominance. Additionally, the rise of artificial intelligence and machine learning has opened new avenues for growth among these tech giants. With that, let’s explore these 12 stocks.
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Out Methodology
To identify the 10 best FAANG+ stocks, we compiled a list of U.S.-listed technology companies with largest market capitalization, along with the stocks from the FAANG acronym. Ultimately, the stocks were ranked in ascending order based on their market capitalization, with the stock having the highest market capitalization ranked at the top.
Note: All pricing data is as of market close on January 31.
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Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META)
Number of hedge funds: 235
Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META) focuses on providing social media platforms and virtual reality services. The company operates platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Messenger, and Threads, and also sells wearables like Oculus headsets, aiming to connect people and build communities through its services. It generates nearly all its revenue from selling advertising placements on its family of apps (FoA) to marketers. It boasts a substantial user base, with an average Family daily active people (DAP) of around 3.35 billion. Its market cap currently stands at $1.7 trillion, up from $510 billion five years ago.
In late January 2025, Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META) reported robust Q4 2024 results, with sales surging 21% year-over-year (YoY) to $48.4 billion, driven by a 6% increase in ad volumes and a 14% rise in ad pricing. Net income surged by an impressive 50% YoY due to better operating leverage. The company plans to invest $60-65 billion in its generative AI efforts and improving core businesses, which should further position it for long-term growth.
In recent years, Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META) has been investing heavily in the development of the metaverse, a virtual environment where users can interact, work, and entertain themselves. The company is aggressively using AI to create new experiences that make its platforms more social, useful, and immersive, while also improving monetization. One of the company’s key focuses has been its pivot towards augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) technologies, which are greatly enhancing user experiences and are expected to drive future growth. With a strong user base and innovative advertising solutions, Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META) is well-positioned to capitalize on the growing demand for digital advertising and immersive experiences.
Overall, META ranks 6th on our list of best FAANG+ stocks to invest in right now. While we acknowledge the potential of META to grow, our conviction lies in the belief that AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and doing so within a shorter time frame. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than META but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.
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Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.
