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Is Palantir a Top Tech Pick for 2026 After Strong Q4 Results & Guidance?
ZACKS· 2026-02-04 02:45
Core Insights - Palantir Technologies (PLTR) stock surged nearly +7% following a strong Q4 report, showcasing its advanced software platforms that assist in data integration and analysis for various sectors, including defense and finance [1][2] Q4 Highlights - Palantir achieved a record quarterly sales of $1.4 billion, marking a 70% increase from Q4 2024's $827.52 million and exceeding estimates of $1.34 billion by 4% [4] - U.S. revenue rose 93% to $1.07 billion, driven by a 137% increase in U.S. commercial revenue, which reached $507 million [4] - The company reported a net income of $608 million, translating to an adjusted EPS of $0.25, up from $79 million or $0.14 per share in the same quarter last year, surpassing Q4 EPS estimates of $0.23 [5] - Palantir has exceeded EPS expectations for 13 consecutive quarters, with an average earnings surprise of 11.63% in the last four quarterly reports [6] Full-Year Results & Guidance - For fiscal 2025, Palantir's total revenue grew 56% year over year to $4.48 billion, with full-year adjusted EPS increasing to $0.75 from $0.08 in 2024 [9] - The company provided strong forward guidance, expecting Q1 sales between $1.53 billion and $1.54 billion, and full-year FY26 sales to rise to $7.18 billion to $7.2 billion, both significantly above Wall Street's forecasts [9][10] Valuation Considerations - Palantir's stock is currently trading at 142X forward earnings and 56X forward sales, which are considered high valuations compared to other tech stocks, such as Nvidia [11] - The average forward-looking P/E and P/S multiples for Palantir's industry are 31X and 5X, respectively [12] Market Sentiment - Despite a Zacks Rank 3 (Hold) indicating some caution regarding PLTR as a top tech pick for 2026, the company's strong performance and aggressive guidance may justify its premium valuation [14]