Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Palantir Technologies Inc. (PLTR) vs Apple Inc. (AAPL) 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 AAPL's 6.4% |
| Value | AAPL | Lower P/E (31.1x vs 106.7x) |
| Quality / Margins | PLTR | 36.3% net margin vs AAPL's 27.0% |
| Stability / Safety | AAPL | Beta 1.28 vs PLTR's 1.97 |
| Dividends | AAPL | 0.4% yield; 14-year raise streak; PLTR pays no meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | PLTR | +61.6% vs AAPL's +9.7% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | AAPL | 31.1% ROA vs PLTR's 18.3%, ROIC 64.5% vs 22.3% |
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
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.
Apple is a technology giant that designs and sells premium consumer electronics — most famously the iPhone — along with related software and services. It generates revenue primarily from hardware sales (roughly 80% of total) and a fast-growing services segment (around 20%) that includes the App Store, subscriptions, and licensing. Its key competitive advantage is a powerful ecosystem that locks users into its hardware, software, and services through seamless integration and high switching costs.
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 2 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Total Returns). AAPL leads in 2 (Valuation Metrics, Risk & Volatility). 1 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
AAPL is the larger business by revenue, generating $435.6B annually — 97.3x PLTR's $4.5B. PLTR is the more profitable business, keeping 36.3% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to AAPL's 27.0%. On growth, PLTR holds the edge at +70.0% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | PLTRPalantir Technolo… | AAPLApple Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $4.5B | $435.6B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $1.4B | $152.9B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $1.6B | $117.8B |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $2.1B | $123.3B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +82.4% | +47.3% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +31.6% | +32.4% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +36.3% | +27.0% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +47.0% | +28.3% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +70.0% | +15.7% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +6.7% | +18.3% |
Valuation Metrics
At 35.4x trailing earnings, AAPL trades at a 84% valuation discount to PLTR's 217.8x P/E. On an enterprise value basis, AAPL's 27.5x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than PLTR's 216.8x.
| Metric | PLTRPalantir Technolo… | AAPLApple Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $313.4B | $3.88T |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $312.2B | $3.97T |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 217.76x | 35.41x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 106.66x | 31.15x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | 1.98x |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 216.78x | 27.45x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 70.02x | 9.33x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 47.00x | 53.76x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 149.19x | 39.33x |
Profitability & Efficiency
AAPL delivers a 133.5% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $134 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 AAPL's 1.67x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), PLTR scores 8/9 vs AAPL's 7/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | PLTRPalantir Technolo… | AAPLApple Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +21.7% | +133.5% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +18.3% | +31.1% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +22.3% | +64.5% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +21.6% | +69.6% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 8 | 7 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.03x | 1.67x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | -$1.2B | $89.7B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $1.4B | $33.5B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $229M | $123.3B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | — | — |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in PLTR five years ago would be worth $55,296 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $21,049 for AAPL. Over the past 12 months, PLTR leads with a +61.6% total return vs AAPL's +9.7%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors PLTR at 159.6% vs AAPL's 21.9% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | PLTRPalantir Technolo… | AAPLApple Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | -18.3% | -2.4% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +61.6% | +9.7% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +1649.9% | +81.2% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +453.0% | +110.5% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +1344.1% | +1027.4% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +159.6% | +21.9% |
Risk & Volatility
AAPL is the less volatile stock with a 1.28 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. AAPL currently trades 91.5% from its 52-week high vs PLTR's 66.1% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | PLTRPalantir Technolo… | AAPLApple Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 1.97x | 1.28x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $207.52 | $288.61 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $66.12 | $169.21 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +66.1% | +91.5% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 42.3 | 57.5 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 39.1M | 40.9M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates PLTR as "Hold" and AAPL as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 44.8% upside for PLTR (target: $199) vs 14.7% for AAPL (target: $303). AAPL is the only dividend payer here at 0.39% yield — a key consideration for income-focused portfolios.
| Metric | PLTRPalantir Technolo… | AAPLApple Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Hold | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $198.71 | $303.11 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 24 | 109 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | +0.4% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | — | 14 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | $1.03 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +0.0% | +2.3% |
Historical Charts
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Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Sep 20 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palantir Technologi… (PLTR) | 100 | 1,555.37 | +1455.4% |
| Apple Inc. (AAPL) | 100 | 231.19 | +131.2% |
Palantir Technologi… (PLTR) returned +453% over 5 years vs Apple Inc. (AAPL)'s +110%. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palantir Technologi… (PLTR) | $595M | $4.5B | +651.7% |
| Apple Inc. (AAPL) | $215.6B | $416.2B | +93.0% |
Apple Inc.'s revenue grew from $215.6B (2016) to $416.2B (2025) — a 7.6% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palantir Technologi… (PLTR) | -97.4% | 36.3% | +137.3% |
| Apple Inc. (AAPL) | 21.2% | 26.9% | +27.0% |
Apple Inc.'s net margin went from 21% (2016) to 27% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 9 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palantir Technologi… (PLTR) | 188.1 | 282.1 | +50.0% |
| Apple Inc. (AAPL) | 18.4 | 36.4 | +97.8% |
Palantir Technologies Inc. has traded in a 188x–398x P/E range over 3 years; current trailing P/E is ~218x. Apple Inc. has traded in a 13x–41x P/E range over 9 years; current trailing P/E is ~35x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palantir Technologi… (PLTR) | -0.89 | 0.63 | +170.8% |
| Apple Inc. (AAPL) | 2.08 | 7.46 | +258.7% |
Apple Inc.'s EPS grew from $2.08 (2016) to $7.46 (2025) — a 15% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Palantir Technologies Inc. generated $2B FCF in 2025 (+554% vs 2021). Apple Inc. generated $99B FCF in 2025 (+6% vs 2021).
PLTR vs AAPL: Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is PLTR or AAPL a better buy right now?
Apple Inc. (AAPL) offers the better valuation at 35.4x trailing P/E (31.1x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Apple Inc. (AAPL) a "Buy" — based on 109 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 — PLTR or AAPL?
On trailing P/E, Apple Inc. (AAPL) is the cheapest at 35.4x versus Palantir Technologies Inc. at 217.8x. On forward P/E, Apple Inc. is actually cheaper at 31.1x.
03Which is the better long-term investment — PLTR or AAPL?
Over the past 5 years, Palantir Technologies Inc. (PLTR) delivered a total return of +453.0%, compared to +110.5% for Apple Inc. (AAPL). 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 AAPL's +1027%. 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 — PLTR or AAPL?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Apple Inc. (AAPL) is the lower-risk stock at 1.28β versus Palantir Technologies Inc.'s 1.97β — meaning PLTR is approximately 54% more volatile than AAPL relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Palantir Technologies Inc. (PLTR) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 3% versus 167% for Apple Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which has better profit margins — PLTR or AAPL?
Palantir Technologies Inc. (PLTR) is the more profitable company, earning 36.3% net margin versus 26.9% for Apple Inc. — meaning it keeps 36.3% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: AAPL leads at 32.0% 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 PLTR or AAPL more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, Apple Inc. (AAPL) trades at 31.1x forward P/E versus 106.7x for Palantir Technologies Inc. — 75.5x 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 — PLTR or AAPL?
In this comparison, AAPL (0.4% yield) pays a dividend. PLTR does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.
08Is PLTR or AAPL better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Apple Inc. (AAPL) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 1.28), +1027% 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 (AAPL: +1027%, 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 PLTR and AAPL?
Both stocks operate in the Technology sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both. 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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