Meta’s Q3 results puts ad engine in focus; WhatsApp emerges as key revenue driver

Meta Platforms announced strong third-quarter performance for 2025, driven by a 26% year-on-year increase in advertising revenue and a significant surge in WhatsApp-related ad formats and business tools.

Meta reported Q3 revenue of approximately $51.24 billion, with its family of apps segment contributing roughly $50.77 billion. Ad impressions grew by 14% YoY and the average price per ad rose by 10%. 

Notably, Meta’s 'Other' revenue line, which captures messaging-business contributions including those from WhatsApp, reached $690 million in Q3 - up 59% YoY. Click-to-chat ads through WhatsApp surged 60% YoY, underscoring its emerging importance in Meta’s monetisation strategy. 

Meta highlighted the growth of user-business interactions on its messaging platforms - over a billion active daily threads - and said it is scaling its business AI tools and expanding click-to-WhatsApp ad formats in markets such as the U.S., Philippines, and Mexico. 

On the cost side, Meta reported operating expenses increasing 32% to $30.71 billion, and a one-time non-cash tax charge of $15.93 billion weighed heavily on net income, which fell to $2.71 billion — down 83% versus Q3 2024. Excluding tax effects, adjusted net income was estimated at $18.64 billion. 

Meta also raised its full-year expense outlook to the range of $116 billion–$118 billion and projected capital expenditures between $70 billion–$72 billion as it ramps up infrastructure and AI capabilities.