Largest Meta Platforms Shareholders: Who Owns the Most META Stock in 2024?

The share price for Facebook’s parent company, Meta Platforms (META), has soared by more than 68% since the start of the year after gaining more than 180% last year on record sales and the announcement of its first dividend. That has put the company in the trillion-dollar market cap club, along with the likes of Microsoft (MSFT), Apple (AAPL), Alphabet (GOOGL), and Amazon (AMZN).

The META share price is climbing as the Facebook owner aims to become established as an early leader in generative artificial intelligence (AI) and metaverse applications. On April 10, the company announced its new custom computing chip designed to optimize data centers for AI processing, part of its plans to incorporate AI into its social media platforms. In September, it added enhancements to its Meta AI assistant, including voice chat and business tools.

Who are the stakeholders of Meta Platforms best positioned to benefit from a continued rise in the share price?

In this article, we look at the Meta Platforms shareholders, who have the largest stakes in the company.

Table of Contents Table of Contents

1. Key Takeaways
2. META Stock Analysis: Shares Outstanding & Ownership Structure
3. Who Owns the Most Meta Platforms Shares?
4. The Bottom Line
5. FAQs
6. References

Show Full Guide

Table of Contents

1. Key Takeaways
2. META Stock Analysis: Shares Outstanding & Ownership Structure
3. Who Owns the Most Meta Platforms Shares?
Show Full Guide
4. The Bottom Line
5. FAQs
6. References

META Stock Analysis: Shares Outstanding & Ownership Structure

Like many publicly traded companies, Meta Platforms has an ownership structure comprising individual and institutional investors. So, who owns Meta Platforms shares in 2024?

Around 65.82% of the company is owned by institutional investors, with 22.73% owned by retail investors and 11.45% owned by company insiders, according to WallStreetZen data.

Historical Meta Platforms’ stock performance highlights the story of the company’s success. After surviving the bear market in 2022, META showed unprecedented performance, having reached an all-time high of $583.36 in October 2024.

Note that past performance is not indicative of future results.

Who Owns the Most Meta Platforms Shares?

Institutional investors, comprising investment firms, mutual funds, and other financial entities, play a key role in Meta’s share ownership landscape.

These institutions wield an influence through their collective ownership of Meta’s shares, affecting shareholder voting decisions and corporate governance matters.

Who owns the most Meta stock? Among the top institutional Meta Platforms shareholders are industry giants such as Vanguard Group and BlackRock, renowned for their extensive portfolios and strategic investments in leading companies across various sectors.

Beyond these major players, Meta’s shareholder base encompasses a diverse range of entities, including pension funds, hedge funds, and sovereign wealth funds, each contributing to the company’s overall ownership structure.

Individual investors, including insiders such as Mark Zuckerberg, Meta’s co-founder who owns the most shares of Meta Platforms’ Class B stock, and Sheryl Sandberg, its former chief operating officer (COO), hold significant stakes as part of their compensation and as a reflection in their belief in the company’s future value.

Top 5 Largest Institutional META Shareholders

Vanguard Group – 189,306,846 Shares – 7.48%

As of June 30, 2024, Vanguard held 189,306,846 shares in Meta. That was up from 186,347,527 at the end of December 2023, putting it among the largest shareholders of Meta Platforms, an SEC filing shows.

Meta is the largest holding in Vanguard’s Communication Services ETF, accounting for 22.10% of the fund with 1.79 million shares as of August 2024.

Vanguard Group is one of the largest and most influential investment management firms globally, known for introducing low-cost index funds and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) that changed the way individuals invest in financial markets.

Vanguard has amassed a substantial portfolio of investments across diverse asset classes. Its investment strategy typically emphasizes broad market exposure and long-term holding periods, aligning with Meta’s status as a leading player in the tech space. Vanguard invests in Meta for its funds covering the S&P 500 and technology sector, and as it holds more than $8 trillion in assets under management, it has a substantial stake in the company.

BlackRock – 161,109,659 Shares – 6.37%

The second biggest institutional among Facebook major shareholders, BlackRock held a total of 161,109,659 shares in Meta as of June 30, 2024, according to an SEC filing, equating to a 6.37% stake in the company.

The world’s largest asset management firm, BlackRock, has a formidable presence in the financial industry, managing more than $9 trillion on behalf of institutions, governments, and individual investors worldwide.

BlackRock’s investment in Meta reflects its strategic focus on innovation and growth-oriented opportunities, as well as its funds’ holdings in the world’s largest companies. Blackrock demonstrated its interest in investing in companies involved with developing metaverse applications with the launch of its iShares Future Metaverse Tech and Communications ETF. Meta is the fund’s largest holding, accounting for 6.39%.

Fidelity Investments – 138,456,403 Shares – 5.47%

With 138,456,403 shares, representing a 5.47% stake in Meta, according to an SEC filing, Fidelity has invested in the company and become one of Meta’s biggest shareholders as it pursues growth opportunities in the technology sector. Like BlackRock, Fidelity has launched a metaverse ETF, although Meta is its seventh-largest holding, behind companies like Nvidia and Alphabet.

Fidelity Management & Research (FMR) has three fund divisions: Equity, High-Income, and Fixed-Income. Fidelity offers a wide range of investment management solutions, including mutual funds, retirement planning, and wealth management services.

The company had $12.6 trillion in assets under administration and $4.9 trillion in total discretionary assets at the end of 2023.

State Street – 86,258,691 Shares – 3.41%

State Street held 86,258,691 shares in Meta as of June 30, 2024, down from 89,090,450 at the end of 2023, according to an SEC filing.

State Street is a leading financial services provider specializing in investment management and asset servicing for institutional investors, corporations, and governments.

State Street’s investment approach emphasizes rigorous risk management and a focus on long-term value creation, aligning with Meta’s strategic priorities and commitment to sustainable growth. State Street’s investment in the technology giant reflects its commitment to delivering value to clients seeking exposure to innovative growth sectors.

JP Morgan Chase – 51,860,977 Shares – 2.03%

With a stake amounting to 51,860,977 Meta shares in June, according to an SEC filing up from 49,077,756 shares at the end of 2023, JP Morgan demonstrates its strategic positioning within the technology sector and its confidence in Meta’s long-term growth prospects.

The firm’s investment as one of Meta’s largest shareholders reflects its commitment to identifying and capitalizing on technologies and market innovations that drive value creation for stakeholders.

JP Morgan is one of the largest and most influential financial institutions globally, offering a range of financial services, including investment banking, asset management, and private banking.

Top 5 Largest Individual META Shareholders

Mark Zuckerberg – 345,473,496 Shares – 13.5%

As the co-founder and CEO of Meta Platforms, Mark Zuckerberg remains the company’s largest individual owner of Meta Platforms shares, with a significant stake. Zuckerberg holds his Meta stock through the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI) Foundation — a charitable organization he owns with his wife, Priscilla Chan, to give away 99% of their wealth over their lifetimes.

CZI holds 958,000 Class A Meta shares and 344.5 million Class B shares, according to an SEC filing dated April 1, 2024, giving Zuckerberg majority control over Meta with 61% of the shareholding voting power.

Sheryl Sandberg – 1,373,362 Shares – 0.05%

Sheryl Sandberg stepped down as Chief Operating Officer of Meta in 2022 after 14 years and resigned from the company’s board of directors after 12 years as of May 2024. In a post on Facebook, Sandberg stated that she would remain an advisor to the company.

Sandberg sold more than $1.8 billion worth of Meta stock — more than 90% of her Meta ownership — between 2013 and 2022. But she still holds 1,373,362 Class A shares in Trust, according to a February 2024 SEC filing, making her the second-largest individual who owns Facebook shares behind Zuckerberg.

Michael Schroepfer – 1,054,630 Shares – 0.04%

Formerly Meta’s chief technology officer (CTO), Michael Schroepfer, left the company in 2022 to focus on investing and charitable work connected to addressing climate change. Schroepfer took on a position as a Senior Fellow at Meta and still holds company stock.

According to Schroepfer’s most recent SEC filing, he held 650,526 Meta shares directly as of February 2022, in addition to another 404,104 shares held indirectly in trust. That made Schroepfer one of Meta Platforms’ biggest shareholders.

Christopher Cox – 379,336 Shares – 0.01%

Chief product officer at Meta, Christopher Cox, initially joined Facebook in 2005 as a software engineer. He developed some of the social media platform’s key features, including its news feed. After moving to various executive roles and becoming chief product officer in 2014, Cox left the company in April 2019 to research and pursue climate-related projects. But Cox returned to the company and his executive role in June 2020.

Cox holds a total of 379,336 Meta shares indirectly through trusts, according to a February 2024 SEC filing. Filings show Cox receives restricted stock units as part of his compensation at Meta.

Javier Olivan – 91,134 Shares – 0.003%

Meta’s chief operating officer, Javier Olivan, oversees the company’s business teams, as well as the infrastructure and central products for its apps. Olivan joined the company in 2007 and previously served as the company’s chief growth officer. Before joining Facebook, Olivan was a product manager at Siemens Mobile.

Like other company executives, Olivan receives stock as compensation, making him one of the biggest Meta Platforms shareholders. An SEC filing dated April 12, 2024, shows he owns 91,134 shares directly and indirectly.

The Bottom Line

Understanding the ownership landscape of a company like Meta Platforms is useful for investors seeking insights into its corporate governance and investor sentiment.

By analyzing Meta Platforms’ biggest shareholders, both individual and institutional, investors can gain valuable perspectives on Meta’s strategic direction and future prospects.

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