Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META) is one of the AI Stocks in the Spotlight for Investors. On December 11, Piper Sandler analyst Thomas Champion reiterated an Overweight rating on the stock with an $840.00 price target. The firm has tagged Meta as its Top Large Cap Pick, driven by ad market tailwinds and undervalued fundamentals.

Meta shares have delivered mid-single-digit gains over the past year, even though multiples have compressed by an estimated 10%, the firm noted. Their Ad buyer survey have further pointed to accelerating market growth heading into 2026.

This setup is particularly favorable for Meta due to its “evergreen” position in Social where it plays a dominant role in social media advertising. As a result, Piper Sandler anticipates META to benefit from an estimated 20% growth year-over-year in 2026.

“We’re buyers here with near-peak Opex/Capex concern, which is overstated in our view.”

Analysts at the firm have also pushed back on concerns that Meta’s operating and capital expenditures are nearing peak levels.

Meta Platforms has been expanding its advertising capabilities and also invests heavily in artificial intelligence and the metaverse.

While we acknowledge the potential of META as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If you’re looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock.

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