Meta Platforms reports Q3 earnings with an EPS miss despite crushing revenue expectations

Meta Platforms just dropped its Q3 2025 earnings, and the report card is a classic split decision. Revenue came in at $60.8 billion, handily beating analyst expectations. Earnings per share landed at $6.18, which missed the mark. The numbers behind the noise One-time tax charges appear to have weighed on the earnings figure, creating a gap between what analysts projected and what actually materialized. Meta has developed a track record of outperforming on sales while facing periodic EPS headwinds. CEO Mark Zuckerberg and CFO Susan Li are navigating what amounts to a dual mandate: keep the advertising business humming while pouring billions into future bets. The spending elephant in the room Meta has been aggressively investing in two areas: artificial intelligence infrastructure and Reality Labs, the division responsible for metaverse technologies. Reality Labs has been a persistent drag on Meta’s profitability for years now. Meta’s advertising business remains the financial backbone. The Family of Apps, which includes Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, and WhatsApp, continues to drive the overwhelming majority of revenue. Strong ad performance across these platforms delivered the rev...