Meta revenue growth accelerated sharply in the first quarter of 2026, with the social media company reporting a 33 percent year-on-year increase to $56.3 billion. The expansion reflects strong advertising performance across its apps and continued spending on artificial intelligence infrastructure.
Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg said the results were driven by growth across Meta’s platforms and the release of the first model from Meta Superintelligence Labs. “We are on track to deliver personal superintelligence to billions of people,” Zuckerberg stated on an earnings call.
Ad Revenue and App Performance
Meta’s apps business, which includes Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, generated $55.9 billion in revenue, up from $41.9 billion in the prior year. Ad revenue made up the bulk of total revenue, rising 33 percent to $55 billion as advertising platforms continued to gain traction with businesses globally.
However, daily active users across Meta’s apps posted their first quarterly decline. The company attributed the drop to regional disruptions, specifically internet outages in Iran and WhatsApp service restrictions in Russia, which limited user engagement during the quarter.
Meta Revenue Growth Funded by Capex Increase
To compete with rivals investing heavily in artificial intelligence, Meta raised its capital expenditure forecast for 2026. The company now expects capex between $125 billion and $145 billion, up from the prior guidance of $115 billion to $135 billion. Meta cited higher component prices and plans to build additional AI infrastructure to support future capacity.
Alphabet, Meta’s primary competitor, expects capex to reach $185 billion in 2026, while Microsoft is forecasting $190 billion. On the earnings call, Zuckerberg defended Meta’s investment strategy, noting the company is still determining how its AI products will evolve. “We don’t have a very precise plan yet for every product,” he said.
Reality Labs Remains Unprofitable
Meta’s Reality Labs division, which houses the company’s virtual reality and augmented reality efforts tied to Zuckerberg’s Metaverse ambitions, posted an operating loss of $4 billion. Revenue from the unit was $402 million, down approximately 2.4 percent from the prior year period.
The ongoing losses in this division reflect the company’s long-term bet on immersive technologies, even as near-term profitability remains elusive. Reality Labs has been a subject of investor scrutiny given its sustained losses and unclear path to profitability.
Workforce Reduction and Future Outlook
Meta maintained its full-year expense outlook of between $162 billion and $169 billion but warned of ongoing regulatory scrutiny in the United States and European Union over youth-related issues. The company flagged potential material losses tied to legal proceedings in these regions.
The company is reshaping its workforce as part of its AI strategy, with plans to lay off approximately 8,000 employees, representing roughly 10 percent of its total workforce. Chief Financial Officer Susan Li confirmed the reductions on the earnings call, stating further workforce adjustments are expected later in 2026. “We don’t really know what the optimal size of a company will be in the future,” Li said. “There’s a lot of change right now, with AI capabilities advancing rapidly.”
