Palantir Technologies Inc. (NYSE:PLTR) stock fell Wednesday, as the stock underperformed despite a generally positive technology sector environment.
Market Context And Performance
The broader market showed mixed signals on Wednesday, with the S&P 500 down 0.03% and the Technology sector gaining 0.6%. Palantir’s 2.95% decline came as the Nasdaq rose 0.28%, while the Russell 2000 fell 0.39%, reflecting split investor sentiment across indices.
No specific news events drove the stock’s movement today, though broader market trends suggest cautious investor sentiment may be contributing to the decline.
Internal Controversy Over ICE Work
According to a WIRED report on Tuesday, Palantir employees have been questioning the company’s work with the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement following the killing of Minneapolis nurse Alex Pretti on Saturday by federal agents. Internal Slack messages reviewed by WIRED revealed growing frustration within the company over its relationship with the Department of Homeland Security.
Palantir did not immediately respond to Benzinga’s request for comment.
Recent Positive Developments
On Jan. 21, Accenture Plc (NYSE:ACN) and Palantir disclosed they were selected by UK-based Sovereign AI to support the development and scaling of next-generation AI data centers across Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
Recently, Palantir CEO Alex Karp rejected the idea that the artificial intelligence industry is in a bubble at the World Economic Forum. Speaking to Laurence D. Fink, Karp said the skepticism stems from the fact that “a lot of AI just doesn’t work.”
Technical Analysis
Palantir is trading 7.8% below its 20-day simple moving average (SMA) and 9.6% below its 100-day SMA, which suggests it is struggling in the short to medium term. Over the past 12 months, shares have increased by 100.40%, and they are currently positioned closer to their 52-week highs than lows, indicating a strong longer-term trend.
The RSI is at 36.90, which is considered neutral territory, while the MACD is below its signal line, indicating bearish pressure on the stock. This combination suggests that while the stock is not in oversold territory, there is still downward momentum.
- Key Resistance: $187.50
- Key Support: $148.00
Earnings & Analyst Outlook
Investors are looking ahead to the next earnings report on Feb. 2.
- EPS Estimate: $0.21 (Up from $0.14 YoY)
- Revenue Estimate: $1.34 billion (Up from $827.52 million YoY)
- Valuation: Price to earnings ratio of 384.8x (Indicates premium valuation)
Analyst Consensus & Recent Actions: The stock carries a Hold Rating with an average price target of $163.08. Recent analyst moves include:
- Phillip Securities: Initiated with Buy (Target $208.00) (Jan. 22)
- Citigroup: Upgraded to Buy (Raises Target to $235.00) (Jan. 12)
- Truist Securities: Initiated with Buy (Target $223.00) (Jan. 6)
PLTR Price Action: Palantir shares were down 3.25% at $160.31 at the time of publication on Wednesday, according to Benzinga Pro data.
Image via Shutterstock
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