Meta Stock Climbs as Social Media Giant Rolls Out Ads on WhatsApp

Meta Platforms (META) shares climbed Monday as the social media giant said it’s introducing paid advertising to WhatsApp, in a move that could expand its revenue streams.

Shares were up over 2.5%, above $700, in recent trading Monday amid a broader rebound from Friday’s losses when geopolitical worries rattled markets. (Read Investopedia‘s full coverage of Monday’s trading here.)

In a reversal of WhatsApp’s longtime “no ads” mantra, Meta said Monday that it’s bringing channel subscriptions, promoted channels, and ads to its WhatsApp Updates tab, which the company said attracts about 1.5 billion users daily. The new features are expected to be rolled out globally over the next few months in an attempt to boost Meta’s ad revenue. 

Separately, Oppenheimer analysts raised their price target for the stock to $775 from $665 in a Sunday research note, citing Meta’s improving ad market outlook. The analysts suggested Meta could even see further upside with “higher than expected monetization driven by Instagram, Stories, and video.”

The stock has added nearly a fifth of its value since the start of the year, making it the best-performing member of the Magnificent Seven in 2025.