Why Meta Platforms Shares Are Moving Upwards

Meta META shares rose about 4% Wednesday morning following reports from Bloomberg that the company plans to cut up to 30% of its metaverse budget.

The move reflects Meta's continued shift in focus from immersive virtual reality projects toward its rapidly growing AI and advertising initiatives. Bloomberg noted the reduction aims to streamline spending while prioritizing high-return areas like generative AI tools, Advantage+ ad automation, and its AI assistant ecosystem.

Despite the budget cut, analysts highlight that Meta remains heavily invested in AI infrastructure, including its Llama model and integration with devices like Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses. These projects are expected to drive both enterprise licensing revenue and consumer monetization opportunities.

The Bloomberg report comes amid Meta's $29 billion bond issuance in October to fund AI and other capital expenditures, signaling that the company is balancing long-term innovation with financial prudence.

Investors interpreted the metaverse budget reduction positively, viewing it as a reallocation of resources toward faster-growing, revenue-generating AI initiatives.