Furthermore, a strong first-quarter earnings report lends credence to the claim that Meta will continue to outshine its competitors over the next year. That belief has been bolstered by its recent performance. Since hitting its year-to-date low on April 21, the stock has rallied 37.2%. The near-term future of the economy is uncertain — just like the markets themselves — and Meta Platforms CEO Mark Zuckerberg is a controversial figure. Certainly, Zuckerberg's sudden shift to the metaverse and brand name change to Meta Platforms raised a few eyebrows several years ago.