Meta stock price falls to nearly 1-year low: 3 reasons why the Facebook parent company is sinking in 2026

Yesterday, shares of Facebook and Instagram owner Meta Platforms (Nasdaq: META) dropped nearly 8% in a single trading session, ending the day at $547.54 per share. Today, the stock price has continued to fall, down about 2.5% in early-morning trading. At its current price of around $533 per share, it has declined more than 32% since META shares reached an all-time high of over $796 per share last August. But why has Meta, led by CEO Mark Zuckerberg, seen its stock fortunes reversed so profoundly since last summer? There are three primary factors at play. Meta loses landmark social media addiction trial The most immediate factor affecting META stock is likely the company’s recent loss this week in a closely watched social media addiction trial. The trial aimed to determine whether Meta and its social media platforms, especially Instagram, were responsible for the negative effects on one of its users by keeping the user addicted to their platforms since she was a minor. The jury found th