Meta stock takes a hit after user growth falters

On April 29, 2026, Meta’s stock dropped about 6% after the company reported first-quarter results that included a revenue of $56.3 billion, exceeding analyst expectations. However, the disappointment came from user growth, as daily active users (DAP) reached only 3.56 billion—below the anticipated 3.62 billion.

In the earnings report, Meta disclosed capital expenditures totaling $19.84 billion, significantly under the average estimate of $27.57 billion. This shortfall has raised concerns among investors about the company’s spending priorities and its ability to sustain revenue growth in the face of increasing competition.

Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, expressed confidence in future investments: “I expect that we will invest a significant amount of capital over the coming years to pursue that opportunity.” This statement reflects a long-term vision focused on enhancing AI infrastructure.

Despite raising its full-year capital expenditure guidance to between $125 billion and $145 billion, investor sentiment has soured due to the missed user growth targets. Meta also maintained its full-year expense outlook at between $162 billion and $169 billion.

The company did see a slight increase in headcount, rising by 1% year-on-year to reach 77,986 employees as of March 31. Yet, this increase does little to alleviate concerns regarding its operational efficiency amidst rising costs.

Experts suggest that Meta’s focus on expanding its AI capabilities may take time to translate into tangible user engagement metrics. As one analyst pointed out, “This reflects our expectations for higher component pricing this year and, to a lesser extent, additional data center costs to support future year capacity.”

As technology stocks continue to show strong momentum—evidenced by the Nasdaq Composite’s recent rise of 14% for the month—Meta’s performance stands in stark contrast. Observers are keenly watching how these developments will influence Meta’s market position moving forward.