BRK.A vs. PLTR: Berkshire Hathaway vs. Palantir Stock Comparison
How do Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A) and Palantir (PLTR) stack up? This page sets them side by side across company profile, performance and risk, profitability, growth, financial strength, dividends, and valuation, with selected fundamentals also measured against each stock's industry-group peers.
Company Profile
Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A) is classified in the Financials sector (Financial Services), whereas Palantir (PLTR) belongs to Information Technology (Software & Services) — their GICS classifications point to very different parts of the market.
Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A) has more than two decades of public-market history since March 17, 1980, whereas Palantir (PLTR) listed on September 30, 2020 and has a much shorter record to draw on.
| Profile Item | BRK.A | PLTR |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Berkshire Hathaway Inc. Class A | Palantir Technologies Inc. Class A Common Stock |
| Country/Region | United States | United States |
| GICS Sector | Financials | Information Technology |
| GICS Industry Group | Financial Services | Software & Services |
| GICS Industry | Financial Services | Software |
| GICS Sub-Industry | Multi-Sector Holdings | Application Software |
| Market Capitalization | 1,222.51 billion USD | 386.44 billion USD |
| Currency | USD | USD |
| Exchange | NYSE | Nasdaq |
| Listing Date | March 17, 1980 | September 30, 2020 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | Common Stock |
Price Performance
Cumulative Growth
Trailing Returns
Calendar-Year Returns
Performance Metrics
| Metric | BRK.A | PLTR |
|---|---|---|
| Total Return (1Y) | 13.87% | -4.94% |
| Total Return (3Y, Annualized) | 17.28% | 109.97% |
| Total Return (5Y, Annualized) | 14.57% | 47.47% |
Risk Profile
Drawdown History
Return Distribution
Risk Metrics
Palantir (PLTR) has an aggressive beta of 1.63, indicating higher sensitivity to broad-market moves, while Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A) is defensive at 0.56 and tends to be less market-sensitive — they sit on opposite ends of the beta spectrum.
Palantir (PLTR) is heavily traded at around 27.20M shares per day, whereas Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A) is thinly traded at only 206 — larger orders in the latter may face more price impact or wider spreads, depending on market conditions.
| Metric | BRK.A | PLTR |
|---|---|---|
| Volatility (1Y, Annualized) | 14.86% | 60.50% |
| Beta (5Y) | 0.56 | 1.63 |
| Max Drawdown (5Y) | -25.98% | -75.26% |
| Avg. Volume (3M) | 206 | 27.20M |
Risk-Adjusted Performance
Risk-Return Positioning
Risk-Adjusted Metrics
| Metric | BRK.A | PLTR |
|---|---|---|
| Sharpe Ratio (1Y) | 0.65 | -0.15 |
| Sortino Ratio (1Y) | 0.96 | -0.24 |
Profitability
ROE (TTM)
Palantir (PLTR) at 40.91% sits in the top ROE quartile, while Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A) at 12.12% is closer to the peer norm — stronger capital efficiency for PLTR.
BRK.A
Financial Services industry group
12.12%
- Max
- 44.78%
- Q3
- 21.85%
- Median
- 12.91%
- BRK.A
- 12.12%
- Q1
- 4.48%
- Min
- -18.71%
PLTR
Software & Services industry group
40.91%
- Max
- 53.85%
- PLTR
- 40.91%
- Q3
- 17.90%
- Median
- 6.59%
- Q1
- -9.59%
- Min
- -50.52%
Net Margin (TTM)
Palantir (PLTR) at 50.34% converts revenue to bottom-line profit above its industry’s benchmark range, while Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A) at 22.30% keeps roughly the typical share for its industry.
BRK.A
Financial Services industry group
22.30%
- Max
- 62.84%
- Q3
- 28.05%
- BRK.A
- 22.30%
- Median
- 15.36%
- Q1
- 4.82%
- Min
- -28.52%
PLTR
Software & Services industry group
50.34%
- PLTR
- 50.34%
- Max
- 41.17%
- Q3
- 15.28%
- Median
- 4.63%
- Q1
- -5.42%
- Min
- -33.17%
Operating Margin (TTM)
Palantir (PLTR) at 46.89% operates in the top operating margin quartile, ahead of Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A) at 32.56%, which runs around its industry’s norm.
BRK.A
Financial Services industry group
32.56%
- Max
- 107.33%
- Q3
- 55.90%
- BRK.A
- 32.56%
- Median
- 30.09%
- Q1
- 14.60%
- Min
- -44.34%
PLTR
Software & Services industry group
46.89%
- PLTR
- 46.89%
- Max
- 46.89%
- Q3
- 17.64%
- Median
- 8.73%
- Q1
- -2.13%
- Min
- -30.45%
Profitability Metrics
| Metric | BRK.A | PLTR |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM) | 12.12% | 40.91% |
| ROA (TTM) | 6.01% | 19.31% |
| Net Margin (TTM) | 22.30% | 50.34% |
| Operating Margin (TTM) | 32.56% | 46.89% |
| Gross Margin (TTM) | -- | 84.74% |
Growth
Revenue Growth
Palantir (PLTR) at 56.18% delivers above-range revenue growth, while Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A) at -3.23% falls into the bottom quartile — a wide split in revenue momentum.
EPS Growth
Palantir (PLTR) at 231.06% delivers above-range EPS growth, while Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A) at -24.78% falls into the bottom quartile — a wide split in earnings momentum.
Growth Metrics
| Metric | BRK.A | PLTR |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue Growth (YoY) | -3.23% | 56.18% |
| Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR) | 20.59% | 32.92% |
| EPS Growth (YoY) | -24.78% | 231.06% |
| EPS Growth (3Y CAGR) | -- | -- |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
Palantir (PLTR) shows current ratio of 7.10; Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A) doesn’t get one — Financial Services balance sheets aren’t split into current and non-current buckets, so short-term liquidity there is judged through regulatory measures instead.
BRK.A
Financial Services industry group
--
- BRK.A
- --
- Max
- --
- Q3
- --
- Median
- --
- Q1
- --
- Min
- --
PLTR
Software & Services industry group
7.10
- PLTR
- 7.10
- Max
- 5.11
- Q3
- 2.77
- Median
- 1.67
- Q1
- 1.01
- Min
- 0.03
Debt / Equity (MRQ)
Palantir (PLTR) shows debt-to-equity ratio of 0.02; for Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A) the ratio is set aside — in Financial Services, balance-sheet leverage is part of the business model itself, so capital-adequacy measures do the job this ratio does elsewhere.
BRK.A
Financial Services industry group
--
- BRK.A
- --
- Max
- --
- Q3
- --
- Median
- --
- Q1
- --
- Min
- --
PLTR
Software & Services industry group
0.02
- Max
- 2.52
- Q3
- 1.13
- Median
- 0.40
- Q1
- 0.07
- PLTR
- 0.02
- Min
- 0.00
Financial Strength Metrics
| Metric | BRK.A | PLTR |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | -- | 7.10 |
| Debt / Equity (MRQ) | -- | 0.02 |
| Net Debt / EBITDA | -- | -3.08 |
Dividends
Dividend Yield (TTM)
Neither Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A) nor Palantir (PLTR) pays a dividend this period — they may reinvest, use buybacks, or simply not return cash through dividends.
BRK.A
Financial Services industry group
0.00%
- Max
- 9.77%
- Q3
- 3.92%
- Median
- 1.09%
- BRK.A
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
PLTR
Software & Services industry group
0.00%
- PLTR
- 0.00%
- Max
- 0.00%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
Neither Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A) nor Palantir (PLTR) pays a dividend this period — they may reinvest, use buybacks, or simply not return cash through dividends.
BRK.A
Financial Services industry group
0.00%
- Max
- 241.07%
- Q3
- 97.36%
- Median
- 25.77%
- BRK.A
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
PLTR
Software & Services industry group
0.00%
- PLTR
- 0.00%
- Max
- 0.00%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
Dividend Metrics
| Metric | BRK.A | PLTR |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Valuation
P/E Ratio (TTM)
Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A) at 14.36 is near its industry’s usual P/E ratio, while Palantir (PLTR) at 112.94 sits in the richer quartile — PLTR needs stronger growth or earnings quality to justify the premium.
BRK.A
Financial Services industry group
14.36
- Max
- 45.85
- Q3
- 24.64
- Median
- 15.37
- BRK.A
- 14.36
- Q1
- 9.68
- Min
- 0.16
PLTR
Software & Services industry group
112.94
- PLTR
- 112.94
- Max
- 112.94
- Q3
- 60.32
- Median
- 32.91
- Q1
- 18.77
- Min
- 6.69
P/S Ratio (TTM)
Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A) at 3.18 prices around its industry’s typical P/S ratio, while Palantir (PLTR) at 53.02 clears its benchmark range — PLTR looks notably rich on sales.
BRK.A
Financial Services industry group
3.18
- Max
- 9.23
- Q3
- 4.57
- BRK.A
- 3.18
- Median
- 2.72
- Q1
- 1.28
- Min
- -0.55
PLTR
Software & Services industry group
53.02
- PLTR
- 53.02
- Max
- 17.91
- Q3
- 8.78
- Median
- 4.25
- Q1
- 2.23
- Min
- 0.02
P/B Ratio (MRQ)
Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A) at 1.72 sits near its industry’s typical P/B ratio, while Palantir (PLTR) at 34.41 prices above its benchmark range — PLTR looks rich relative to book.
BRK.A
Financial Services industry group
1.72
- Max
- 7.79
- Q3
- 3.63
- BRK.A
- 1.72
- Median
- 1.57
- Q1
- 0.81
- Min
- -0.39
PLTR
Software & Services industry group
34.41
- PLTR
- 34.41
- Max
- 16.63
- Q3
- 8.50
- Median
- 4.30
- Q1
- 1.92
- Min
- -3.90
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | BRK.A | PLTR |
|---|---|---|
| P/E Ratio (TTM) | 14.36 | 112.94 |
| P/S Ratio (TTM) | 3.18 | 53.02 |
| P/B Ratio (MRQ) | 1.72 | 34.41 |
| Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM) | -- | 0.69% |