Shares of Meta Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ: META) and International Business Machines Corp. (NYSE: IBM) experienced significant declines in pre-market trading Thursday following their respective earnings reports and strategic announcements.
Meta reported a 27% year-over-year increase in revenue for the first quarter, totaling $36.46 billion, while IBM announced its acquisition of HashiCorp for $6.4 billion, valued at $35 per share in cash.
IBM and META Shares Slide in Premarket Trading
IBM’s stock price dropped 8.35% to $168.73 in early trading after it unveiled its $6.4 billion acquisition of HashiCorp. This strategic move, valued at $35 per share in cash, is expected to fortify IBM’s position in the hybrid cloud market by harnessing HashiCorp’s infrastructure automation expertise. IBM is optimistic that this transaction will drive synergies across its key growth areas, including Red Hat, IT automation, and consulting.
Despite the strategic fit, investors appeared skeptical about the acquisition’s financial impact. IBM expects the deal to accrue to its adjusted EBITDA within the first full year after closing and to contribute positively to free cash flow in the second year.
Meanwhile, Meta’s shares tumbled 13.21% to $428.33 in pre-market trading despite reporting a 27% year-over-year increase in revenue for the first quarter, totaling $36.46 billion. The social media giant’s strong earnings were overshadowed by concerns over its projected spending on artificial intelligence (AI) technologies.
Meta’s Guidance for AI Expenditures Higher than Expected for 2024
Meta’s guidance for 2024 AI expenditures, ranging from $35 billion to $40 billion, marked a substantial increase from its previous estimate of $30 billion to $37 billion. This revision led to a sharp decline in the company’s stock price as investors weighed the potential benefits of increased AI investments against the impact on profitability and cash flow in the near term.
Do you think Meta will continue its upward momentum YTD, or will the stock enter correction? Let us know in the comments below.
Disclaimer: The author does not hold or have a position in any securities discussed in the article.
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