Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Gen Digital Inc. (GEN) vs Palantir Technologies Inc. (PLTR) Stock
Analyze side-by-side fundamentals, valuation, growth, and profitability to decide which stock is the better buy.
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Quick Verdict
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | PLTR | 56.2% revenue growth vs GEN's 3.6% |
| Value | GEN | Lower P/E (8.9x vs 106.7x) |
| Quality / Margins | PLTR | 36.3% net margin vs GEN's 12.8% |
| Stability / Safety | GEN | Beta 0.96 vs PLTR's 1.97 |
| Dividends | GEN | 2.2% yield; PLTR pays no meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | PLTR | +61.6% vs GEN's -15.6% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | PLTR | 18.3% ROA vs GEN's 3.8%, ROIC 22.3% vs 12.4% |
Who Each Stock Is For
Income & stability
Growth exposure
Long-term compounding (10Y)
Sleep-well-at-night portfolio
Defensive / Recession hedge
Business Model
What each company does and how it makes money
Gen Digital is a consumer cybersecurity company that provides antivirus, identity theft protection, and online privacy solutions through brands like Norton and LifeLock. It generates revenue primarily from subscription services — with consumer cybersecurity subscriptions accounting for over 90% of sales — while also offering some direct-to-consumer hardware products. The company benefits from strong brand recognition in consumer security, cross-selling opportunities across its portfolio, and network effects as its threat intelligence improves with more users.
Palantir Technologies builds and operates advanced data analytics platforms that help government agencies and large enterprises integrate, analyze, and act on complex data. It generates revenue primarily through government contracts—particularly with defense and intelligence agencies—and commercial enterprise software subscriptions, with government work historically representing the majority of its business. The company's key advantage lies in its deep expertise in handling sensitive, classified data and its proprietary software platforms that have been battle-tested in national security applications for nearly two decades.
Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
Financial Metrics Comparison
Side-by-side fundamentals across 2 stocks. BestLagging
Financial Scorecard
PLTR leads in 3 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Profitability & Efficiency). GEN leads in 2 (Valuation Metrics, Risk & Volatility).
Financial Metrics (TTM)
GEN and PLTR operate at a comparable scale, with $4.7B and $4.5B in trailing revenue. PLTR is the more profitable business, keeping 36.3% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to GEN's 12.8%. On growth, PLTR holds the edge at +70.0% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | GENGen Digital Inc. | PLTRPalantir Technolo… |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $4.7B | $4.5B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $2.2B | $1.4B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $603M | $1.6B |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $1.5B | $2.1B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +77.7% | +82.4% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +36.9% | +31.6% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +12.8% | +36.3% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +32.1% | +47.0% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +25.8% | +70.0% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +19.2% | +6.7% |
Valuation Metrics
At 21.9x trailing earnings, GEN trades at a 90% valuation discount to PLTR's 217.8x P/E. On an enterprise value basis, GEN's 10.5x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than PLTR's 216.8x.
| Metric | GENGen Digital Inc. | PLTRPalantir Technolo… |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $13.9B | $313.4B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $21.2B | $312.2B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 21.91x | 217.76x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 8.86x | 106.66x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | 8.01x | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 10.47x | 216.78x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 3.54x | 70.02x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 6.21x | 47.00x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 11.55x | 149.19x |
Profitability & Efficiency
GEN delivers a 25.9% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $26 in annual profit, vs $22 for PLTR. PLTR carries lower financial leverage with a 0.03x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to GEN's 3.66x.
| Metric | GENGen Digital Inc. | PLTRPalantir Technolo… |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +25.9% | +21.7% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +3.8% | +18.3% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +12.4% | +22.3% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +12.5% | +21.6% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 8 | 8 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 3.66x | 0.03x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $7.3B | -$1.2B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $1.0B | $1.4B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $8.3B | $229M |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 2.97x | — |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in PLTR five years ago would be worth $55,296 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $12,752 for GEN. Over the past 12 months, PLTR leads with a +61.6% total return vs GEN's -15.6%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors PLTR at 159.6% vs GEN's 7.3% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | GENGen Digital Inc. | PLTRPalantir Technolo… |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | -12.9% | -18.3% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -15.6% | +61.6% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +23.4% | +1649.9% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +27.5% | +453.0% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +122.0% | +1344.1% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +7.3% | +159.6% |
Risk & Volatility
GEN is the less volatile stock with a 0.96 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than PLTR's 1.97 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. GEN currently trades 70.0% from its 52-week high vs PLTR's 66.1% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | GENGen Digital Inc. | PLTRPalantir Technolo… |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.96x | 1.97x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $32.22 | $207.52 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $21.33 | $66.12 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +70.0% | +66.1% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 42.3 | 42.3 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 4.7M | 39.1M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates GEN as "Buy" and PLTR as "Hold". Consensus price targets imply 44.8% upside for PLTR (target: $199) vs 40.3% for GEN (target: $32). GEN is the only dividend payer here at 2.22% yield — a key consideration for income-focused portfolios.
| Metric | GENGen Digital Inc. | PLTRPalantir Technolo… |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Hold |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $31.67 | $198.71 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 21 | 24 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +2.2% | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 0 | — |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $0.50 | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +2.0% | +0.0% |
Historical Charts
Charts are rendered on first load. Hover for details.
Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Oct 20 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gen Digital Inc. (GEN) | 100 | 114.87 | +14.9% |
| Palantir Technologi… (PLTR) | 99.58 | 1,555.37 | +1461.9% |
Palantir Technologi… (PLTR) returned +453% over 5 years vs Gen Digital Inc. (GEN)'s +28%. A $10,000 investment in PLTR 5 years ago would be worth $55,296 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gen Digital Inc. (GEN) | $3.6B | $3.9B | +9.3% |
| Palantir Technologi… (PLTR) | $595M | $4.5B | +651.7% |
Gen Digital Inc.'s revenue grew from $3.6B (2016) to $3.9B (2025) — a 1.0% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gen Digital Inc. (GEN) | 69.1% | 16.3% | -76.4% |
| Palantir Technologi… (PLTR) | -97.4% | 36.3% | +137.3% |
Gen Digital Inc.'s net margin went from 69% (2016) to 16% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 7 Years
| Stock | 2018 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gen Digital Inc. (GEN) | 10.9 | 26.4 | +142.2% |
| Palantir Technologi… (PLTR) | 188.1 | 282.1 | +50.0% |
Gen Digital Inc. has traded in a 11x–29x P/E range over 7 years; current trailing P/E is ~22x. Palantir Technologies Inc. has traded in a 188x–398x P/E range over 3 years; current trailing P/E is ~218x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gen Digital Inc. (GEN) | 3.71 | 1.03 | -72.2% |
| Palantir Technologi… (PLTR) | -0.89 | 0.63 | +170.8% |
Gen Digital Inc.'s EPS grew from $3.71 (2016) to $1.03 (2025) — a -13% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Gen Digital Inc. generated $1B FCF in 2025 (+72% vs 2021). Palantir Technologies Inc. generated $2B FCF in 2025 (+554% vs 2021).
GEN vs PLTR: Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is GEN or PLTR a better buy right now?
Gen Digital Inc. (GEN) offers the better valuation at 21.9x trailing P/E (8.9x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Gen Digital Inc. (GEN) a "Buy" — based on 21 analyst ratings — the highest consensus in this comparison. The "better buy" depends entirely on your goals: growth investors should weight revenue trajectory, value investors should weight P/E and PEG, and income investors should weight dividend yield and streak.
02Which has the better valuation — GEN or PLTR?
On trailing P/E, Gen Digital Inc. (GEN) is the cheapest at 21.9x versus Palantir Technologies Inc. at 217.8x. On forward P/E, Gen Digital Inc. is actually cheaper at 8.9x.
03Which is the better long-term investment — GEN or PLTR?
Over the past 5 years, Palantir Technologies Inc. (PLTR) delivered a total return of +453.0%, compared to +27.5% for Gen Digital Inc. (GEN). A $10,000 investment in PLTR five years ago would be worth approximately $55K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: PLTR returned +1344% versus GEN's +122.0%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.
04Which is safer — GEN or PLTR?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Gen Digital Inc. (GEN) is the lower-risk stock at 0.96β versus Palantir Technologies Inc.'s 1.97β — meaning PLTR is approximately 105% more volatile than GEN relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Palantir Technologies Inc. (PLTR) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 3% versus 4% for Gen Digital Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which has better profit margins — GEN or PLTR?
Palantir Technologies Inc. (PLTR) is the more profitable company, earning 36.3% net margin versus 16.3% for Gen Digital Inc. — meaning it keeps 36.3% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: GEN leads at 40.9% versus 31.6% for PLTR. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — PLTR leads at 82.4%, reflecting greater pricing power or product mix advantage. Stronger margins indicate durable pricing power, lower cost of revenue, or higher mix of software/services. They are one of the clearest signs of business quality.
06Is GEN or PLTR more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, Gen Digital Inc. (GEN) trades at 8.9x forward P/E versus 106.7x for Palantir Technologies Inc. — 97.8x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for PLTR: 44.8% to $198.71.
07Which pays a better dividend — GEN or PLTR?
In this comparison, GEN (2.2% yield) pays a dividend. PLTR does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.
08Is GEN or PLTR better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Gen Digital Inc. (GEN) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.96), 2.2% yield, +122.0% 10Y return). Palantir Technologies Inc. (PLTR) carries a higher beta of 1.97 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (GEN: +122.0%, PLTR: +1344%), confirming both are viable long-term holds — but the lower-volatility option typically results in less emotional selling during corrections. Retirement portfolios generally favour predictability over maximum returns. Consult a financial advisor before making allocation decisions.
09What are the main differences between GEN and PLTR?
Both stocks operate in the Technology sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both. GEN pays a dividend while PLTR does not, making them suitable for different income and tax situations. These fundamental differences mean investors should not choose between them on a single metric — the "better stock" depends entirely on which of these characteristics aligns with your investment strategy.
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