social media giant meta today released its fiscal first-quarter report for 2026, showcasing strong financial performance across the board. as of march 31, the company’s total revenue reached $56.311 billion, up 33% year over year and 29% on a constant-currency basis; net income attributable to shareholders was $26.773 billion, a robust 61% increase year over year; and diluted earnings per share were $10.44, up 62% from the prior-year period. during the same quarter, cash flow from operating activities totaled $32.226 billion, while free cash flow came in at $12.386 billion.
turning to operational metrics, the meta family of apps averaged 3.56 billion daily active users, up 4% year over year. advertising performance was particularly strong, with ad impressions increasing 19% year over year and average ad prices rising 12% year over year—both volume and price growth driving solid revenue expansion. total expenses for the quarter amounted to $33.440 billion, up 35% year over year, including $19.840 billion in capital expenditures. as of the end of march, the company held $81.180 billion in cash, cash equivalents, and marketable securities, with a total workforce of 77,986 employees, a slight 1% increase compared with the same period last year.
in terms of business segments, the apps family—including facebook and instagram—generated $55.909 billion in revenue and $26.900 billion in operating profit, while the reality labs division, focused on the metaverse and hardware, reported $402 million in revenue and an operating loss of $4.028 billion, though the loss narrowed slightly compared with the same period last year. looking ahead, meta expects second-quarter 2026 revenue to range between $58.0 billion and $61.0 billion, with full-year total expenses projected at $162.0 billion to $169.0 billion and capital expenditures between $125.0 billion and $145.0 billion, underscoring the company’s continued investment in artificial intelligence and infrastructure.
