Is Palantir still a millionaire-maker S&P 500 stock today?

Palantir has skyrocketed in recent years, making savvy investors a fortune. With the S&P 500 stock down 32% since November, am I a buyer today?

| More on:
Thoughtful man using his phone while riding on a train and looking through the window

Image source: Getty Images

You’re reading a free article with opinions that may differ from The Motley Fool’s Premium Investing Services. Become a Motley Fool member today to get instant access to our top analyst recommendations, in-depth research, investing resources, and more. Learn More.

Palantir Technologies (NASDAQ:PLTR) stock joined the S&P 500 in September 2024. But just 16 months before then it was trading for $7, and looked more likely destined for semi-obscurity than the prestigious blue-chip index.

Fast forward to today, Palantir stock has skyrocketed to around $145. For those keeping score, that’s an eye-popping gain of almost 1,900%!

Clearly, anyone who invested just under three years ago has made out like a bandit. They might even be a paper millionaire, depending on whether or not they backed up the truck.

But the question now is, can this high-calibre growth stock still potentially create future millionaires?

Another blowout quarter

As a quick reminder, Palantir helps governments and businesses make sense of their messy data to improve efficiency and produce better decisions. Its Artificial Intelligence Platform (AIP) connects AI with data, driving automation across various real-world operations.

The firm’s customers range from dozens of blue-chip companies to the FBI, CIA, and NHS. And in Q4 2025, its customer count grew 34% year on year, as it closed 180 deals valued at no less than $1m, 84 deals of at least $5m, and 61 at $10m or more.

Revenue exploded 70% higher to $1.4bn, marking an uptick in the growth rate. Indeed, this trend has been accelerating like a runaway train for five consecutive quarters now.

Source: Palantir Q4 2025 letter to shareholders

Palantir’s AIP business is driving truly incredible growth, with US commercial revenue surging 137% to $507m. Meanwhile, government revenue jumped 66% to $570m.

Equally remarkable is Palantir’s profitability. In Q4, it generated net income of $609m, representing a red-hot 41% margin. Never one to miss an opportunity to blow Palantir’s own trumpet, colourful CEO Alex Karp called this record profit “pure and uncontrived“.

In contrast, he said other enterprise software firms “may feel pressure to manage their businesses around their financials“. I read that as a dig at competitors who are carrying out acquisitions to buy revenue and ready-built AI products.

Then again, Karp doesn’t see Palantir as having any rivals. He wrote: “We are an n of 1, and these numbers prove it.”  

Millionaire-maker?

This quarter once again confirmed that we’re looking at a once-in-a-generation growth company. For 2026, it sees revenue increasing by another 61% to around $7.19bn.

Looking ahead, I can only see the company getting larger. Because once an organisation’s operations are plugged into Palantir’s platforms, it’s incredibly unlikely to leave.

Indeed, the opposite is happening — firms and agencies are becoming more reliant on the company. As such, the chief executive argues Palantir should be judged differently by the market.

To some extent, I agree with this. After all, the company is putting up extraordinary numbers and is extremely profitable. That deserves a premium.

But how much? Using this year’s forecast, the stock’s price-to-sales ratio is approaching 50, while the forward-looking earnings multiple is above 100. This leaves no margin of error for any sort of unexpected slowdown in growth, which is also extremely US-centric.

In my opinion, the stock remains overvalued, even after falling 32% since November. With an already hefty market cap above $300bn, I don’t see Palantir as a millionaire-maker today.

Nevertheless, if the stock keeps falling, I may become interested. But for now, it remains on my watchlist.

Ben McPoland has no position in any of the shares mentioned. The Motley Fool UK has no position in any of the shares mentioned. Views expressed on the companies mentioned in this article are those of the writer and therefore may differ from the official recommendations we make in our subscription services such as Share Advisor, Hidden Winners and Pro. Here at The Motley Fool we believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors.

More on Investing Articles

Mindful young woman breathing out with closed eyes, calming down in stressful situation, working on computer in modern kitchen.
Investing Articles

Be greedy when others are fearful: 2 shares to consider buying right now

Warren Buffett says investors should be greedy when others are fearful. So do falling prices mean it’s time to buy…

Read more »

Aston Martin DBX - rear pic of trunk
Investing Articles

Pennies from an all-time low, is the Aston Martin share price poised to rebound?

How can a business with a great brand and rich customer base keep losing money? Christopher Ruane examines the conundrum…

Read more »

A senior man and his wife holding hands walking up a hill on a footpath looking away from the camera at the view. The fishing village of Polperro is behind them.
Investing Articles

With spare cash to invest, does it make more sense to use a SIPP or an ISA?

ISA or SIPP? That's the dilemma this writer faces when trying to decide how to buy shares. So, what sort…

Read more »

Group of friends meet up in a pub
Investing Articles

Are barnstorming Barclays shares still a slam-dunk buy?

Barclays shares have had a blockbuster run but Harvey Jones now questions just how long the FTSE 100 bank can…

Read more »

Close-up of British bank notes
Investing Articles

5 steps to target a £5,000 second income

What would it really take to earn a second income of hundreds of pounds per month from dividend shares? Christopher…

Read more »

Portrait of pensive bearded senior looking on screen of laptop sitting at table with coffee cup.
Investing Articles

Is it madness to bet against the Rolls-Royce share price?

Harvey Jones wonders if the Rolls-Royce share price has flown too high, and it's finally time for investors to stand…

Read more »

Finger clicking a button marked 'Buy' on a keyboard
Investing Articles

A once-in-a-decade opportunity to buy quality UK shares?

As some of the UK’s top shares of the last 10 years fall to record low multiples, is this the…

Read more »

Man smiling and working on laptop
Investing Articles

As the FTSE 100 hits record highs, these top shares are still dirt cheap!

The FTSE 100 remains packed with brilliant bargains despite moving to new peaks. Royston Wild picks out two great cheap…

Read more »