Is Meta Platforms Stock Outperforming the Nasdaq?

With a market cap of $1.9 trillion, Meta Platforms, Inc. (META) is a leading global technology company specializing in social networking, digital advertising, and virtual reality. It operates some of the world’s most widely used social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Messenger.

Companies valued at over $200 billion or more are generally classified as “mega-cap” stocks, and Meta Platforms fits this criterion perfectly. Its core business is digital advertising, which generates most of its revenue through its vast global user base and sophisticated data-driven targeting. Beyond ads, Meta invests heavily in Reality Labs, developing AR/VR products, including Quest headsets, smart glasses, and emerging AI tools. The company is also advancing in artificial intelligence, focusing on recommendation systems, generative AI assistants, and infrastructure that powers its social platforms and growing commerce ecosystem.

The social media company recently touched its 52-week high of $796.25 on Aug. 15 and is currently trading 5.7% below the peak. Over the past three months, shares of META have climbed 16.7%, outperforming the broader Nasdaq Composite’s ($NASX) 13.6% rise over the same time frame.

META has rallied 28.3% on a YTD basis, outperforming $NASX’s 12.4% rise in 2025. Moreover, shares of Meta Platforms have risen 45.3% over the past 52 weeks, compared to $NASX’s 23.6% return over the same time frame.

Since early May, META stock has been trading above its 50-day and 200-day moving averages, indicating a sustained bullish trend.

Meta’s stock surged 11.3% on July 30, after the company reported better-than-expected Q2 results, posting EPS of $7.14 and revenue of $47.5 billion. Growth was fueled by AI-driven advertising tools that lifted conversion rates by 5% on Instagram and 3% on Facebook. Meta also delivered an upbeat Q3 revenue outlook of $47.5–$50.5 billion, exceeding analyst expectations, and raised its full-year capital expenditure guidance by $2 billion to $66–$72 billion to accelerate investments in AI infrastructure.

In comparison with its rival, Alphabet Inc. (GOOG) has lagged behind META, with a 11.5% rise on a YTD basis and a 29.1% rally over the past 52 weeks.