LIVE
PLTR
Palantir Technologies Inc. · Technology
$135.53
+1.30% this month
VERSUS
⟷
COMPARE
AI
C3.ai, Inc. · Technology
$10.43
+8.65% this month
AI Score
60.4vs21.7
PLTR ↑1Y Return
+4.25%vs-58.84%
PLTR ↑Forward P/E
75.47xvs-23.02x
AI ↑Target Upside
+17.37%vs-15.45%
PLTR ↑Scoreboard verdict
Across AI score, momentum, valuation, upside, operating margin
PLTR
3
AI
1
Metrics last refreshed: 6/6/2026
Quick take
PLTR vs AI: Palantir vs C3.ai — Which AI Software Stock Wins?: AI Score, Valuation, Performance and Upside
Palantir is a proven, GAAP-profitable AI and data analytics platform with strong government roots and accelerating commercial growth via AIP, while C3.ai is a smaller, still-unprofitable enterprise AI software company that has struggled with consistent growth but is attempting a recovery via federal AI contracts and consumption pricing. The comparison is between an established AI platform compounder and a speculative recovery story.
Use this PLTR vs AI comparison to evaluate two ways to invest in enterprise AI software. Palantir has the stronger platform, proven execution, and path to continued growth; C3.ai is a higher-risk turnaround where the upside depends on whether federal AI spending and consumption pricing can drive a revenue acceleration.
Live analysis · updated 6/6/2026
PLTR holds the edge across 3 of 5 key metrics in this comparison. PLTR has delivered stronger 1-year price return (+4.25% vs -58.84%), though AI trades at the lower forward P/E (-23.02x vs 75.47x). Analyst consensus implies meaningfully more upside for PLTR (+17.37%) than for AI (-15.45%).
Comparison scoreboard
PLTR LEADS 3/5AI Score
PLTR ✓60.4
AI 21.7
1Y Return
PLTR ✓+4.25%
AI -58.84%
Fwd P/E
PLTR 75.47
AI ✓-23.02
Target Up.
PLTR ✓+17.37%
AI -15.45%
Op. Margin
PLTR 46.18%
AI N/A
Normalized 1Y performance
PLTR
AI
Recent returns
PLTR
AI
Analyst price targets & sentiment
PLTR · 22 analysts
STRONG BUYHOLDSTRONG SELL
Hold (3.1/5.0)
Price target range
analyst low$40.00
analyst mean$183.73
current price$135.53
+17.4% upside to analyst mean
AI · 11 analysts
STRONG BUYHOLDSTRONG SELL
Hold (3.5/5.0)
Price target range
analyst low$6.00
analyst high$15.00
analyst mean$8.82
current price$10.43
-15.5% upside to analyst mean
Who should consider this stock?
PLTR may suit investors who:
- →Want a GAAP-profitable AI software platform with growing commercial and government exposure
- →Believe AIP will become a standard enterprise platform for operational AI deployment
- →Are comfortable with a high valuation that prices in continued strong execution
- →Value Palantir's established government customer relationships as a durable revenue floor
AI may suit investors who:
- →Are willing to accept higher risk for potential recovery upside if federal AI contracts accelerate
- →Believe consumption-based pricing will unlock broader enterprise adoption
- →Have a high risk tolerance and treat the position as a small, speculative allocation
- →See a scenario where AI becomes a niche enterprise AI leader for specific verticals
Performance & AI score
| Metric | PLTR | AI |
|---|---|---|
| AI score | 60.4 | 21.7 |
| AI rank | #160 | #4700 |
| Latest close | $135.53 | $10.43 |
| 1M return | +1.30% | +8.65% |
| 6M return | -23.83% | -31.92% |
| 1Y return | +4.25% | -58.84% |
$10,000 invested — hypothetical growth (dividends reinvested)
How much would $10,000 be worth today if invested at the start of each period, with all dividends reinvested?
| Period | PLTR | AI |
|---|---|---|
| 1Y ago | $11.3K (+13.0%) started 2025-06-05 | $4.12K (-58.8%) started 2025-06-05 |
| 5Y ago | $55.41K (+454.1%) started 2021-06-07 | $1.71K (-82.9%) started 2021-06-07 |
| 10Y ago | $142.66K (+1326.6%) started 2020-09-30 | $1.13K (-88.7%) started 2020-12-09 |
Hypothetical — past performance does not guarantee future results.
Valuation & upside potential
| Metric | PLTR | AI |
|---|---|---|
| Market cap | $375.28B | $1.52B |
| Trailing P/E | 175.89 | N/A |
| Forward P/E | 75.47 | -23.02 |
| Price/Sales | 96.76 | 6.06 |
| EV/Revenue | 70.36 | 4.01 |
| Analyst target | $183.73 | $8.82 |
| Target upside | +17.37% | -15.45% |
Growth, profitability & risk
| Metric | PLTR | AI |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue growth | 84.70% | -52.50% |
| Earnings growth | 325.00% | N/A |
| EPS growth | +325.00% | N/A |
| FCF margin | +33.56% | -8.35% |
| Operating margin | 46.18% | N/A |
| Profit margin | 43.67% | -187.95% |
| ROIC proxy | 32.59% | -63.05% |
| Return on equity | 32.59% | -63.05% |
| Dividend yield | N/A | N/A |
| Beta | 1.52 | 2.03 |
| Debt/equity | 2.48 | 8.32 |
| Current ratio | 6.91 | 6.64 |
| Quick ratio | 6.82 | 6.34 |
Drawdown & downside risk
Lower drawdown and smaller single-period drops generally indicate a smoother ride, though they do not guarantee lower future risk.
1Y risk snapshot
PLTR max drawdown38.19%
AI max drawdown73.39%
PLTR max wkly drop15.63%
AI max wkly drop28.98%
5Y risk snapshot
PLTR max drawdown79.14%
AI max drawdown88.32%
PLTR max wkly drop38.89%
AI max wkly drop32.83%
10Y risk snapshot
PLTR max drawdown84.62%
AI max drawdown95.63%
PLTR max wkly drop38.89%
AI max wkly drop32.83%
Performance metrics by period
| Period | Metric | PLTR | AI |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Y | Growth | +13.03% | -58.84% |
| CAGR | +13.05% | -58.86% | |
| Sharpe ratio | 0.41 | -1.10 | |
| Max drawdown | 38.19% | 73.39% | |
| Max daily drop | 11.62% | 25.58% | |
| Max wkly drop | 15.63% | 28.98% | |
| 5Y | Growth | +454.09% | -82.88% |
| CAGR | +40.89% | -29.77% | |
| Sharpe ratio | 0.78 | -0.13 | |
| Max drawdown | 79.14% | 88.32% | |
| Max daily drop | 21.31% | 26.34% | |
| Max wkly drop | 38.89% | 32.83% | |
| 10Y | Growth | +1326.63% | -88.72% |
| CAGR | +59.68% | -32.82% | |
| Sharpe ratio | 0.95 | -0.14 | |
| Max drawdown | 84.62% | 95.63% | |
| Max daily drop | 21.31% | 26.34% | |
| Max wkly drop | 38.89% | 32.83% |
Business comparison
| Category | PLTR | AI |
|---|---|---|
| Company | Palantir Technologies Inc. | C3.ai, Inc. |
| Sector | Technology | Technology |
| Industry | Software - Infrastructure | N/A |
| Core business | Data analytics and AI software platform serving government and commercial customers. Core products: Gotham (government intelligence), Foundry (enterprise data), and AIP (AI Platform for operational AI applications). | Enterprise AI software applications across industries including energy, manufacturing, financial services, and government. Transitioned to a consumption-based revenue model from subscription. |
| Investor focus | AIP commercial adoption and revenue acceleration, US commercial revenue growth, government contract expansion, Rule of 40 performance, and path to S&P 500 inclusion. | Revenue growth acceleration from federal and enterprise AI contracts, gross margin recovery, path to profitability, and differentiation against cloud provider AI offerings. |
PLTR strengths
- →Mission-critical government contracts provide durable revenue with high switching costs
- →AIP (AI Platform) is gaining traction as enterprises seek to operationalise AI in real workflows
- →GAAP profitable with improving margins and an expanding commercial customer base
AI strengths
- →Early mover in enterprise AI applications with a broad industry solution library
- →Federal government AI contracts providing a revenue growth catalyst
- →Consumption-based model aligns revenue with actual customer usage and lowers adoption friction
Risks to watch — PLTR
- →High valuation relative to current revenue requires sustained strong growth to justify
- →Government revenue is lumpy and subject to budget cycles and contract timing
- →Geopolitical exposure — revenue concentration in US and allied government customers
Risks to watch — AI
- →Sustained losses and a difficult path to profitability
- →Revenue growth has been inconsistent and below earlier expectations
- →Fierce competition from larger cloud vendors (AWS, Azure, Google) and AI-native startups
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