ASTS vs. PLTR: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at ASTS and PLTR, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Overview
PLTR’s market capitalization of 304.04 billion USD is significantly greater than ASTS’s 15.96 billion USD, highlighting its more substantial market valuation.
With betas of 2.02 for ASTS and 2.64 for PLTR, both stocks show similar sensitivity to overall market movements.
| Symbol | ASTS | PLTR |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | AST SpaceMobile, Inc. | Palantir Technologies Inc. |
| Country | US | US |
| Sector | Technology | Technology |
| Industry | Communication Equipment | Software - Infrastructure |
| CEO | Abel Avellan | Alexander C. Karp |
| Price | 45.6 USD | 134.36 USD |
| Market Cap | 15.96 billion USD | 304.04 billion USD |
| Beta | 2.02 | 2.64 |
| Exchange | NASDAQ | NASDAQ |
| IPO Date | November 1, 2019 | September 30, 2020 |
| ADR | No | No |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of ASTS and PLTR by tracking the growth of an initial $10,000 investment in each. Use the tabs to select the desired time period.
Data is adjusted for dividends and splits.
Profitability
Return on Equity
ASTS
-76.72%
Communication Equipment Industry
- Max
- 30.07%
- Q3
- 8.07%
- Median
- 1.84%
- Q1
- -11.93%
- Min
- -31.65%
ASTS has a negative Return on Equity of -76.72%. This indicates the company is generating a loss for its shareholders, which can be a result of unprofitability or negative shareholder equity and is often a sign of financial distress.
PLTR
12.03%
Software - Infrastructure Industry
- Max
- 80.61%
- Q3
- 29.97%
- Median
- 2.84%
- Q1
- -8.35%
- Min
- -56.26%
PLTR’s Return on Equity of 12.03% is on par with the norm for the Software - Infrastructure industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.
Return on Invested Capital
ASTS
-19.41%
Communication Equipment Industry
- Max
- 11.59%
- Q3
- 6.61%
- Median
- 2.97%
- Q1
- -2.58%
- Min
- -13.18%
ASTS has a negative Return on Invested Capital of -19.41%. This indicates that its operations are failing to generate a profit on the total capital invested, signaling significant inefficiency or value destruction.
PLTR
6.67%
Software - Infrastructure Industry
- Max
- 39.31%
- Q3
- 11.97%
- Median
- 1.67%
- Q1
- -7.10%
- Min
- -34.29%
PLTR’s Return on Invested Capital of 6.67% is in line with the norm for the Software - Infrastructure industry, reflecting a standard level of efficiency in generating profits from its capital base.
Net Profit Margin
ASTS
-7,033.20%
Communication Equipment Industry
- Max
- 23.65%
- Q3
- 9.21%
- Median
- 2.46%
- Q1
- -8.56%
- Min
- -29.87%
ASTS has a negative Net Profit Margin of -7,033.20%, indicating the company is operating at a net loss as its expenses exceeded its revenues.
PLTR
18.32%
Software - Infrastructure Industry
- Max
- 46.46%
- Q3
- 14.65%
- Median
- 2.66%
- Q1
- -7.70%
- Min
- -35.45%
A Net Profit Margin of 18.32% places PLTR in the upper quartile for the Software - Infrastructure industry, signifying strong profitability and more effective cost management than most of its peers.
Operating Profit Margin
ASTS
-5,397.45%
Communication Equipment Industry
- Max
- 30.72%
- Q3
- 11.64%
- Median
- 5.79%
- Q1
- -2.28%
- Min
- -18.20%
ASTS has a negative Operating Profit Margin of -5,397.45%. This signifies the company is unprofitable at the operational level, as its core business expenses exceed its revenue.
PLTR
13.02%
Software - Infrastructure Industry
- Max
- 48.51%
- Q3
- 16.56%
- Median
- 4.48%
- Q1
- -6.43%
- Min
- -40.18%
PLTR’s Operating Profit Margin of 13.02% is around the midpoint for the Software - Infrastructure industry, indicating that its efficiency in managing core business operations is typical for the sector.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | ASTS | PLTR |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | -76.72% | 12.03% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | -23.81% | 8.47% |
| Return on Invested Capital (TTM) | -19.41% | 6.67% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | -7033.20% | 18.32% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | -5397.45% | 13.02% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | -486.80% | 80.01% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio
ASTS
10.62
Communication Equipment Industry
- Max
- 3.40
- Q3
- 2.59
- Median
- 1.62
- Q1
- 1.32
- Min
- 0.86
ASTS’s Current Ratio of 10.62 is exceptionally high, placing it well outside the typical range for the Communication Equipment industry. This indicates a very strong liquidity position, though such a high ratio may also suggest that the company is not using its assets efficiently to generate profits.
PLTR
6.49
Software - Infrastructure Industry
- Max
- 3.80
- Q3
- 2.25
- Median
- 1.51
- Q1
- 1.10
- Min
- 0.23
PLTR’s Current Ratio of 6.49 is exceptionally high, placing it well outside the typical range for the Software - Infrastructure industry. This indicates a very strong liquidity position, though such a high ratio may also suggest that the company is not using its assets efficiently to generate profits.
Debt-to-Equity Ratio
ASTS
0.02
Communication Equipment Industry
- Max
- 1.82
- Q3
- 1.00
- Median
- 0.53
- Q1
- 0.20
- Min
- 0.02
Falling into the lower quartile for the Communication Equipment industry, ASTS’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.02 points to a conservative financing strategy. This results in lower financial risk but potentially limits strategic investments compared to more leveraged competitors.
PLTR
0.05
Software - Infrastructure Industry
- Max
- 2.56
- Q3
- 1.12
- Median
- 0.33
- Q1
- 0.05
- Min
- 0.00
Falling into the lower quartile for the Software - Infrastructure industry, PLTR’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.05 points to a conservative financing strategy. This results in lower financial risk but potentially limits strategic investments compared to more leveraged competitors.
Interest Coverage Ratio
ASTS
-52.83
Communication Equipment Industry
- Max
- 16.12
- Q3
- 9.22
- Median
- 2.52
- Q1
- -0.75
- Min
- -12.07
ASTS has a negative Interest Coverage Ratio of -52.83. This indicates that its earnings were insufficient to cover even its operational costs, let alone its interest payments, signaling significant financial distress.
PLTR
--
Software - Infrastructure Industry
- Max
- 32.21
- Q3
- 5.24
- Median
- 0.95
- Q1
- -17.99
- Min
- -50.82
Interest Coverage Ratio data for PLTR is currently unavailable.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | ASTS | PLTR |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (TTM) | 10.62 | 6.49 |
| Quick Ratio (TTM) | 10.62 | 6.49 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (TTM) | 0.02 | 0.05 |
| Debt-to-Asset Ratio (TTM) | 0.01 | 0.04 |
| Net Debt-to-EBITDA Ratio (TTM) | 1.82 | -1.75 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | -52.83 | -- |
Growth
The following charts compare key year-over-year (YoY) growth metrics for ASTS and PLTR. These metrics are based on the companies’ annual financial reports.
Revenue Growth
Earnings Per Share (EPS) Growth
Free Cash Flow Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield
ASTS
0.00%
Communication Equipment Industry
- Max
- 4.72%
- Q3
- 0.38%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
ASTS currently does not pay a dividend, resulting in a yield of 0%. This is a common strategy for growth-focused companies that prioritize reinvesting earnings, though it may be less typical in mature, income-oriented sectors.
PLTR
0.00%
Software - Infrastructure Industry
- Max
- 4.07%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
PLTR currently does not pay a dividend, resulting in a yield of 0%. This is a common strategy for growth-focused companies that prioritize reinvesting earnings, though it may be less typical in mature, income-oriented sectors.
Dividend Payout Ratio
ASTS
0.00%
Communication Equipment Industry
- Max
- 91.96%
- Q3
- 26.44%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
ASTS has a Dividend Payout Ratio of 0%, indicating it does not currently pay a dividend. This is a common strategy for growth-oriented companies that reinvest all profits back into the business.
PLTR
0.00%
Software - Infrastructure Industry
- Max
- 48.68%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
PLTR has a Dividend Payout Ratio of 0%, indicating it does not currently pay a dividend. This is a common strategy for growth-oriented companies that reinvest all profits back into the business.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | ASTS | PLTR |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio
ASTS
-31.32
Communication Equipment Industry
- Max
- 44.37
- Q3
- 41.98
- Median
- 30.61
- Q1
- 23.44
- Min
- 2.14
ASTS has a negative P/E Ratio of -31.32. This occurs when a company has negative earnings (a net loss), making the ratio unsuitable for valuation analysis.
PLTR
552.96
Software - Infrastructure Industry
- Max
- 107.77
- Q3
- 54.40
- Median
- 28.10
- Q1
- 18.03
- Min
- 5.32
At 552.96, PLTR’s P/E Ratio is exceptionally high, exceeding the typical maximum for the Software - Infrastructure industry. This suggests the stock may be significantly overvalued compared to its peers and implies high market expectations that could be difficult to meet.
Forward P/E to Growth Ratio
ASTS
15.35
Communication Equipment Industry
- Max
- 15.97
- Q3
- 6.99
- Median
- 2.78
- Q1
- 0.66
- Min
- 0.05
The Forward PEG Ratio is often not a primary valuation metric in the Communication Equipment industry.
PLTR
19.10
Software - Infrastructure Industry
- Max
- 8.12
- Q3
- 3.94
- Median
- 2.13
- Q1
- 0.94
- Min
- 0.01
PLTR’s Forward PEG Ratio of 19.10 is exceptionally high for the Software - Infrastructure industry. This suggests its stock price is very high relative to its expected earnings growth, signaling significant overvaluation risk.
Price-to-Sales Ratio
ASTS
5,043.28
Communication Equipment Industry
- Max
- 6.38
- Q3
- 3.88
- Median
- 2.17
- Q1
- 1.15
- Min
- 0.37
With a P/S Ratio of 5,043.28, ASTS trades at a valuation that eclipses even the highest in the Communication Equipment industry. This implies the market has priced in exceptionally optimistic scenarios for future revenue growth, posing considerable valuation risk.
PLTR
97.61
Software - Infrastructure Industry
- Max
- 18.25
- Q3
- 9.05
- Median
- 4.77
- Q1
- 2.30
- Min
- 0.11
With a P/S Ratio of 97.61, PLTR trades at a valuation that eclipses even the highest in the Software - Infrastructure industry. This implies the market has priced in exceptionally optimistic scenarios for future revenue growth, posing considerable valuation risk.
Price-to-Book Ratio
ASTS
13.32
Communication Equipment Industry
- Max
- 14.42
- Q3
- 7.01
- Median
- 3.09
- Q1
- 1.38
- Min
- 0.41
ASTS’s P/B Ratio of 13.32 is in the upper tier for the Communication Equipment industry. This indicates that investors are paying a premium relative to the company’s net assets, a valuation that hinges on its ability to generate superior profits.
PLTR
58.18
Software - Infrastructure Industry
- Max
- 19.94
- Q3
- 10.91
- Median
- 6.33
- Q1
- 2.95
- Min
- 0.51
The P/B Ratio is often not a primary valuation metric for the Software - Infrastructure industry.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | ASTS | PLTR |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (P/E, TTM) | -31.32 | 552.96 |
| Forward PEG Ratio (TTM) | 15.35 | 19.10 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (P/S, TTM) | 5043.28 | 97.61 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (P/B, TTM) | 13.32 | 58.18 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (P/FCF, TTM) | -64.66 | 230.62 |
| EV-to-EBITDA (TTM) | -47.80 | 707.45 |
| EV-to-Sales (TTM) | 4858.60 | 97.37 |