When you can sell Meta stock
You can sell during an open trading window. Meta’s window opens on the second full trading day after it reports earnings and closes on the last day of the second month of the quarter, and the dates are the same for everyone.
Your RSUs vest on the 15th of February, May, August, and November, and the window closes at the end of those same months. That gives you about two weeks to sell each vest. If you miss it, you’ll wait until after the next earnings report, unless you have a 10b5-1 plan.
- The window opens
- At the start of trading on the second full trading day after Meta reports earnings for the quarter. The day of the announcement doesn’t count.
- The window closes
- At the end of the trading day on the last day of February, May, August, and November.
| Quarter | Closing date | Last day you can trade |
|---|---|---|
| Q1 | February 28 | Friday, February 27 |
| Q2 | May 31 | Friday, May 29 |
| Q3 | August 31 | Monday, August 31 |
| Q4 | November 30 | Monday, November 30 |
When the last day of the month falls on a weekend, your last chance to trade is the Friday before.
Always check Meta’s internal notices before you trade, because they’re the final word on whether the window is open. Meta can close the window early for some or all employees, and you can’t trade on material nonpublic information whether the window is open or not.
How to sell when the window is closed
- A 10b5-1 plan. Any employee can set one up, and you don’t have to be an executive. You tell the plan in advance how many shares to sell and when, and it can include shares from future vests. You need Meta’s approval, and you have to set it up during an open window when you don’t have inside information. Trading starts at least 90 days after you adopt the plan, it can run for up to two years, and Schwab handles the trades. If you want to sell every time you vest without watching the calendar, this is what I’d use.
- Vesting isn’t a trade, so the policy doesn’t apply when your RSUs vest or when Meta withholds shares for taxes. It does apply when you sell the shares you receive.
- Gifts are allowed in a closed window, but the recipient has to agree not to sell the shares until you would have been allowed to.
- Board members, senior officers, and certain other employees need pre-clearance before every trade, even in an open window. Meta will tell you if that applies to you.
- You can’t hold Meta stock in a margin account, pledge it for a loan, hedge it, or short it without special approval. A fund that’s more than 10% Meta stock is treated like Meta stock, but broad index funds are fine.
When Meta reports
Meta usually reports in late January or early February, late April, late July, and late October, and your window opens two trading days later. It posts upcoming dates on its investor relations site.
| Year | Q4 (prior year) | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | January 28 | April 29 | July 29 | Not yet reported |
| 2025 | January 29 | April 30 | July 30 | October 29 |
| 2024 | February 1 | April 24 | July 31 | October 30 |
- Q4 (prior year)
- January 28
- Q1
- April 29
- Q2
- July 29
- Q3
- Not yet reported
- Q4 (prior year)
- January 29
- Q1
- April 30
- Q2
- July 30
- Q3
- October 29
- Q4 (prior year)
- February 1
- Q1
- April 24
- Q2
- July 31
- Q3
- October 30
The dates Meta filed its earnings release with the SEC.
The most recent window
Meta reported second-quarter results on Wednesday, July 29, 2026, so the window opened that Friday, July 31, and closed on Monday, August 31. I worked these dates out from the policy, so go by Meta’s internal notices for the official ones.
Who the policy covers
You
The policy covers all employees, officers, directors, consultants, and contractors. If someone else trades for you, such as a broker, you’re still responsible.
Your household
It also covers your spouse or partner, your dependent children, and any other family members who live with you. Family members who live elsewhere aren’t covered unless you control their accounts, but it’s worth letting them know when the window is closed.
Entities you control
Any account or entity you control, or whose investments you direct, is treated the same as you.
