Meet the Newest Addition to the S&P 500: Palantir Technologies

Palantir Technologies (PLTR) has made a significant splash in the tech industry, and its recent addition to the S&P 500 index is a testament to its growth and potential. This article explores the factors that led to Palantir's inclusion in the prestigious index and discusses its future prospects.

Palantir's market capitalization and liquidity have been key factors in its acceptance into the S&P 500. At the time of its addition, Palantir's market cap was approximately $18 billion, meeting the S&P 500's requirement of at least $8.2 billion. Furthermore, Palantir's high liquidity, with at least 50% of its outstanding shares available for trading, also satisfied the index's criteria. This demonstrates that Palantir not only met but exceeded the S&P 500's standards for inclusion.

Palantir's profit history has also played a significant role in its acceptance into the S&P 500. The company had to meet the criteria of being profitable based on GAAP in the most recent quarter and over the preceding four quarters in aggregate. Palantir's profit history, marked by eight consecutive quarters of profitability, demonstrated its financial stability and growth potential, making it a strong candidate for the prestigious index.

Palantir's transition from government contracts to enterprise AI solutions has been a significant driver of its growth. The company's expertise in data mining and AI, honed through its work with U.S. intelligence and law enforcement, has been successfully applied to the enterprise sector. Palantir's Artificial Intelligence Platform (AIP) leverages company-specific data to develop tailored solutions, addressing real-world business problems. This strategy has proven successful, with Palantir closing 104 deals worth at least $1 million in Q3 2024, including 36 deals worth $5 million or more and 16 worth at least $10 million. The company's U.S. commercial revenue, including AIP, grew 54% year over year, while its customer count grew by 77%. This rapid growth in enterprise AI solutions has contributed to Palantir's overall revenue growth of 30% year over year and its eighth consecutive quarter of profitability, ultimately leading to its inclusion in the S&P 500.



Palantir's focus on generative AI has positioned it for future growth and market dominance. Its expertise in AI implementation, through solutions like the Artificial Intelligence Platform (AIP), has driven robust revenue and earnings growth, surging 845% since the dawn of generative AI. Palantir's unique go-to-market strategy, involving boot camps that pair customers with engineers, has proven successful, with many deals closed within weeks of a successful session. This strategy, coupled with its expanding customer base and accelerating remaining deal value (RDV), indicates a long runway for future growth. Despite its lofty valuation, Palantir's forward price/earnings-to-growth (PEG) ratio of 0.5 suggests it is undervalued, making it an attractive investment opportunity.

In conclusion, Palantir's addition to the S&P 500 is a well-deserved recognition of its growth and potential. The company's market capitalization, liquidity, profit history, and focus on enterprise AI solutions have all contributed to its success. As Palantir continues to innovate and expand its customer base, investors can expect to see strong performance from this exciting tech company.