Meta Platforms (NASDAQ: META) is reportedly in preliminary discussions to lease its computing infrastructure to AI research lab Anthropic, in a deal that could be worth up to $10 billion, according to anonymous sources cited by CNBC on July 17. The potential partnership would see Anthropic purchase raw computing capacity from Meta to scale its advanced AI models, including its flagship model Fable.
This move comes amid industry-wide shortages of Nvidia's cutting-edge hardware, prompting AI labs to aggressively seek external compute power. Anthropic has already inked a similar deal with SpaceX and its Colossus 1 data center, and is also reportedly shortlisted for a $12 billion-plus data center project in Australia with IREN, as covered in IREN Stock Surges on Anthropic Shortlist for $12B+ Australia Data Center Project.
Strategic Shift to Enterprise Cloud
Meta has been fortifying its operational leadership to prepare for an aggressive venture into cloud hosting. The company recently named former Amazon Web Services (AWS) senior executive Dave Brown as its new head of infrastructure, signaling deep commercial intent. This potential partnership represents a bullish structural catalyst for Meta shares because it directly addresses the investment community's primary fear: unmitigated overspending.
The multinational stunned the market earlier this year by accelerating its full-year capex guidance to a staggering range of $125 billion to $145 billion, dedicated almost entirely to massive AI data center buildouts. Transitioning from a pure consumer-facing platform into a premium wholesale compute provider will enable Meta to seamlessly transform its excess server capacity from a heavy financial liability into an immediate, high-margin enterprise cash flow machine.
Market Context and Valuation
Meta stock is currently trading at roughly the same price at which it started 2026, sitting firmly above its major moving averages with an RSI in the mid-50s indicating intense buying pressure. The stock trades at 23x forward earnings, which many analysts consider inexpensive for an established AI beneficiary. Wall Street remains bullish, with a consensus rating of Strong Buy and a mean price target of about $823, implying more than 25% upside from current levels.
CEO Mark Zuckerberg previously hinted at this massive opportunity, revealing that external tech firms regularly ask to purchase Meta's compute at a premium. This development marks the birth of a tangible, recurring B2B enterprise cloud business, rather than forcing shareholders to wait for AI to subtly optimize core digital advertising yields.
Broader Implications
The potential deal with Anthropic is part of a broader trend of AI labs seeking compute capacity. Anthropic has also been linked to a $19 billion AI data center lease deal with TeraWulf, as reported in TeraWulf Stock Jumps 17% on $19B Anthropic AI Data Center Lease Deal. Meanwhile, Meta's stock surged 10.6% on plans to sell AI cloud computing capacity, as detailed in Meta Stock Surges 10.6% on Plans to Sell AI Cloud Computing Capacity.
As Meta successfully weaponizes its unprecedented capital outlays into a dominant cloud hosting powerhouse, its stock is primed for a powerful, growth-driven rebound. The consensus rating on the titan sits at Strong Buy currently, with the mean price target of about $823 indicating more than 25% upside from here.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice.
