Meta Q1 2026 Earnings Preview

Meta Platforms will report Q1 2026 earnings after the U.S. market close on April 29, 2026. Investors will assess whether strong advertising growth can offset heavy AI infrastructure spending and a large capital-expenditure program that has compressed margins.

Earnings Expectations and Timing

Meta’s earnings release is scheduled after market close on April 29, followed by a conference call. Consensus estimates project revenue near $55.5 billion, reflecting about 31% year-over-year growth. Earnings per share are expected around $6.70, within the company’s prior revenue guidance range of $53.5 billion to $56.5 billion. Recent user metrics remain robust, with daily active users at 3.58 billion and ad impressions up roughly 18% year-over-year in the latest quarter.

AI Spending and Financial Outlook

Meta’s 2026 guidance calls for total expenses between $162 billion and $169 billion, reflecting elevated AI spending across infrastructure, in-house chip development, and personnel. The company plans capital expenditures of $115 billion to $135 billion, a sharp increase from $69.7 billion in 2025.

These investments have pressured profitability. Operating margin declined from 48% in Q4 2024 to 41%, driven by infrastructure and headcount costs. To improve efficiency, management plans to cut about 8,000 jobs, roughly 10% of its workforce, and eliminate approximately 6,000 open positions. Despite rising expenses, some analysts expect operating income to grow in 2026, citing early AI-driven ad revenue gains from tools like Advantage+.