Chinese regulators are investigating Meta's $2 billion purchase of artificial intelligence startup Manus, CNBC reported Thursday (Jan. 8). The probe will focus on whether the deal complies with China's export control laws, the report said.
China said on Thursday it would assess and investigate Meta's acquisition of artificial intelligence startup Manus, in a move highlighting its technology rivalry with the U.S..
Last year, one of the better performers among the Magnificent 7 was Meta Platforms Inc.
Meta experienced a 30% drawdown despite record revenues. The market is concerned about AI CapEx and R&D rising significantly with uncertain ROI. Meta's growth pillars remain intact; recent & planned spending should yield ad pricing power and a valuable in-house AI.
The latest consensus earnings revisions foretell robust Rule of 40 score for Meta Platforms (META) ahead, driven by strong growth and profitability metrics. Consensus forecasts for FQ4 imply a 20.5% revenue increase and a 36.3% net margin, yielding an R40 score of 56.8. META's valuation appears elevated versus sector medians, but is well below other stocks who can also pass R40.
Many baby boomers who are avidly focused on investing for their own retirement may also be looking to invest for their loved ones.
Shares of Meta Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ: META) gained 0.32% over the past five trading sessions after gaining 1.04% the five prior.
Micron (MU) and memory stocks surged as AI-driven demand fuels a high-bandwidth memory shortage and a potential supercycle. Discord confidentially filed for an IPO, while Meta's $2B Manus acquisition faces early-stage review by Chinese authorities.
My model estimates Meta's 2026 CapEx at $106–$119B, with a base case of $111B. Furthermore, after the $40B in non-cancelable third-party commitments, the company has $121B in non-cancelable commitments. Based on the figures above, I understand the skepticism, especially since Meta doesn't have a cloud business like the other hyperscalers.
Meta's $2 billion acquisition of AI assistant platform Manus is unsurprisingly caught in a regulatory tug-of-war — but not because of U.S. regulators. They appear assured that the deal is legitimate despite earlier misgivings about Benchmark's investment in Manus.
Chinese officials are reviewing Meta's $2 billion acquisition of artificial intelligence startup Manus for possible technology control violations, the Financial Times reported on Tuesday, citing two people familiar with the matter.
Still, it unveiled new features for the augmented reality glasses at CES 2026.