Key Takeaways
- Co-founder Peter Thiel has registered to liquidate 2 million shares of Palantir ($PLTR) Class A stock, approximately $280M at the current $140 price point, via Merrill Lynch.
- The stock has posted gains across four consecutive trading days — marking its strongest performance streak since early December — fueled by defense sector momentum following U.S.-Israel military operations against Iran.
- The company maintains significant defense relationships, including a $10B contract with the U.S. Army and a $448M agreement with the Navy.
- Rosenblatt Securities launched coverage with a Buy recommendation and $150 price objective; UBS elevated its stance to Buy with a $180 target, highlighting robust AI sector demand.
- Short seller Michael Burry, maintaining his bearish position on PLTR, contended that the Anthropic AI situation demonstrates “stickiness is Claude’s tech, not Palantir’s.”
Co-founder Peter Thiel has registered with regulators to divest up to 2 million shares of Palantir Technologies (PLTR), representing approximately $280 million in value based on the $140 per share price level. The transaction will be facilitated by Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith, based on Securities and Exchange Commission documentation filed on March 2.
Palantir Technologies Inc., PLTR
Thiel’s previous divestiture occurred in October 2024. As the company’s chairman since establishing the firm in 2003, he continues to rank among its most significant individual stakeholders.
The filing comes at an interesting juncture. PLTR shares have advanced through four straight trading sessions — representing the longest positive run in approximately three months.
The upward momentum originated from coordinated U.S. and Israeli military actions targeting Iran, which elevated defense-related equities on speculation the regional tensions might persist for an extended period. Palantir emerged as one of Monday’s strongest performers within the S&P 500 index.
The company maintains substantial defense sector exposure. Its portfolio includes a $10 billion U.S. Army contract alongside a $448 million Navy engagement, positioning it to capitalize when military spending sentiment strengthens.
Analyst Community Grows More Optimistic
The previous week delivered two positive analyst revisions. Rosenblatt Securities launched coverage with a Buy recommendation and $150 price objective, characterizing Palantir as a “market-disrupting, uniquely positioned AI software leader.”
Rosenblatt additionally highlighted the recent price correction — with PLTR declining approximately 33% from its October peak — as creating an appealing accumulation opportunity.
UBS took an even more aggressive stance, elevating its rating to Buy from Neutral while establishing a $180 price target. The firm described it as a “premier growth story” operating at the convergence of artificial intelligence and data infrastructure investment, referencing solid demand signals from recent industry conversations.
PLTR currently commands a valuation around 110 times forward earnings estimates and exceeds 46 times forward revenue projections. Since its NYSE listing in September 2020, shares have surged more than 1,400%.
Burry Maintains Bearish Stance
Not all market participants share the optimistic outlook. Michael Burry, who revealed a short position in Palantir during the previous year, delivered additional critical commentary this week.
He commented on Washington’s determination to allow a six-month transition period for Anthropic’s Claude AI platform, despite identifying it as a supply-chain vulnerability. Burry contended the situation “shows the stickiness is Claude’s tech, not Palantir’s” — implying the fundamental AI architecture holds greater importance to defense operations than the surrounding software infrastructure.
Burry has previously expressed skepticism regarding Palantir’s financial reporting, highlighting that accounts receivable have expanded more rapidly than revenue during recent reporting periods. He’s also called attention to escalating expenses related to CEO Alex Karp’s private aviation usage.
Bob Lang, founder of trading platform Explosive Options, offered a more grounded take: “They do not build weapons, missiles or planes,” and noted that “the big contracts for Palantir are important but likely already in the price of the stock.”
Palantir has 2,291,470,751 shares outstanding. UBS holds a $180 price target on the stock, the highest among recent analyst updates.
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