Key Highlights
- Meta has increased its Richland Parish, Louisiana data center investment beyond $50B, nearly doubling from the $27B figure revealed in October 2025
- The complex has expanded from a planned 2GW capacity to 5GW, establishing it as Meta’s biggest data facility worldwide
- Bloomberg reports the cumulative investment at the Louisiana location could surpass $250B
- Louisiana-based companies have secured contracts worth more than $1.6B since work commenced in December 2024
- META shares opened Monday at $669.21, with analysts maintaining a “Moderate Buy” consensus and an average target of $838.26
Meta Platforms has significantly amplified its commitment to the Richland Parish data center project in Louisiana, with costs now exceeding $50 billion ā almost twice the $27 billion price tag announced in October 2025.
META shares started Monday trading at $669.21. The stock’s 52-week trading range spans from $520.26 to $796.25, with the company commanding a market capitalization of $1.69 trillion.
The data center campus, initially designed with 2GW of capacity, has been expanded to accommodate 5GW. This scale positions it as the largest data center in Meta’s entire global portfolio.
According to Bloomberg News, Meta anticipates the total capital deployment at this Louisiana location will cross $250 billion. The magnitude of this investment is staggering by any measure.
Construction activities launched in December 2024. In the months since, businesses based in Louisiana have received contract awards exceeding $1.6 billion connected to the development.
In October 2025, Meta partnered with Blue Owl Capital (OWL) through a joint venture structure to support facility operations. The recent expansion adds approximately $40 billion on top of the initial commitment.
Energy Infrastructure Plans
Addressing the substantial power requirements of a 5GW operation, Meta has secured an arrangement with Entergy (ETR), the regional utility provider. This collaboration will finance the construction of seven natural gas generation facilities, three large-scale battery storage systems, nuclear capacity enhancements, and supplementary power procurement.
Meta assumes complete financial responsibility for energy costs, water consumption, and associated infrastructure development. Local ratepayers face no additional charges related to this project.
The Richland Parish Chamber of Commerce highlighted that Meta has provided specialized consultants to assist local entrepreneurs with business development, offered free of charge.
Financial Performance and Wall Street Views
Regarding quarterly results, Meta delivered Q1 earnings per share of $10.44, substantially exceeding the analyst projection of $6.67. The company generated $56.31 billion in revenue, marking a 33.1% increase compared to the prior year and surpassing the $55.56 billion Street estimate.
Meta announced a quarterly dividend payment of $0.525 per share, distributed on June 25th. This amounts to an annualized dividend of $2.10 per share, yielding approximately 0.3%.
Wall Street maintains an optimistic outlook on META stock. Among covering analysts, 35 rate the shares as Buy, three assign Strong Buy ratings, nine recommend Hold, and a single analyst rates it Sell. The consensus price target stands at $838.26, suggesting considerable appreciation potential from present trading levels.
Both Guggenheim and TD Cowen adjusted their price objectives down to $800 while maintaining Buy recommendations. Rosenblatt holds the most aggressive stance with a $1,015 target.
On the regulatory front, European Union authorities have raised concerns about Facebook and Instagram regarding design elements that may encourage addictive usage patterns, such as infinite scroll and automatic video playback. These issues could result in penalties under Digital Services Act provisions.
CFO Susan Li and CTO Andrew Bosworth both executed stock sales during May through previously established 10b5-1 trading arrangements, mainly to satisfy tax liabilities associated with equity compensation vesting.
Erste Group Bank raised its META rating from Hold to Buy on July 7th.
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