As Facebook (FB) stock hovers in a buy zone, the social media giant is set to report second-quarter results. The Facebook earnings report will arrive after the market close Wednesday.
Wall Street expects Facebook earnings, on an adjusted basis, to reach $1.87 per share, up 8% from the year-ago period. Analysts predict revenue of $16.5 billion, which is up 25% but marks the fifth-straight quarter of decelerating growth.
Facebook stock closed at 202.36, up a fraction on the stock market today.
The stock remains in buy range, after rising above its 198.58 buy point from a cup-with-handle base on July 9.
The Facebook earnings report arrives as the company has had to deal with hostile regulators and lawmakers on a number of fronts. Its plans to unveil a cryptocurrency have landed with a thud on Capitol Hill and the Federal Reserve, though it remains a potential watershed moment for the company.
Wall Street Views On Facebook Stock
RBC Capital Markets analyst Mark Mahaney has a price target of 250 on Facebook stock, with a rating of outperform.
"We view Street-view estimates as ballpark reasonable, though we see no clear evidence to support significant upside variance," Mahaney wrote in a note to clients.
He expects Facebook to post monthly active users of 2.4 billion, up 8% from the year-ago period. Mahaney expects daily active users of 1.58 billion, also up 8%.
Upside Prediction For Facebook Stock
KeyBanc Capital Markets analyst Andy Hargreaves has an overweight rating and price target on Facebook stock of 220.
"We expect Facebook to report solid top-line growth with potential for upside to our consensus revenue estimates," he wrote in a note to clients.
Uncertainty surrounding Facebook stock includes its new privacy-focused strategic vision, which might dent revenue growth. A growing web of investigation, regulation and legislation also threatens to curb Facebook's growth.
Facebook earnings beat estimates for the first quarter when adjusted for a special circumstance, causing the stock to surge.
