FICO vs. PLTR: Fair Isaac vs. Palantir Stock Comparison
How do Fair Isaac (FICO) 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
Fair Isaac (FICO) and Palantir (PLTR) are both classified in the Application Software sub-industry within the broader Software industry, placing them in the closest GICS peer bucket.
Fair Isaac (FICO) has more than two decades of public-market history since July 22, 1987, whereas Palantir (PLTR) listed on September 30, 2020 and has a much shorter record to draw on.
| Profile Item | FICO | PLTR |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Fair Isaac Corp. | Palantir Technologies Inc. Class A Common Stock |
| Country/Region | United States | United States |
| GICS Sector | Information Technology | Information Technology |
| GICS Industry Group | Software & Services | Software & Services |
| GICS Industry | Software | Software |
| GICS Sub-Industry | Application Software | Application Software |
| Market Capitalization | 15.22 billion USD | 386.44 billion USD |
| Currency | USD | USD |
| Exchange | NYSE | Nasdaq |
| Listing Date | July 22, 1987 | September 30, 2020 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | Common Stock |
Price Performance
Cumulative Growth
Trailing Returns
Calendar-Year Returns
Performance Metrics
| Metric | FICO | PLTR |
|---|---|---|
| Total Return (1Y) | -58.54% | -4.94% |
| Total Return (3Y, Annualized) | -9.17% | 109.97% |
| Total Return (5Y, Annualized) | 12.31% | 47.47% |
Risk Profile
Drawdown History
Return Distribution
Risk Metrics
Palantir (PLTR) is heavily traded at around 27.20M shares per day, whereas Fair Isaac (FICO) sees a more moderate 759.34K — larger orders in the latter may require more patience and tighter control over order sizing.
| Metric | FICO | PLTR |
|---|---|---|
| Volatility (1Y, Annualized) | 63.29% | 60.50% |
| Beta (5Y) | 1.33 | 1.63 |
| Max Drawdown (5Y) | -75.13% | -75.26% |
| Avg. Volume (3M) | 759.34K | 27.20M |
Risk-Adjusted Performance
Risk-Return Positioning
Risk-Adjusted Metrics
| Metric | FICO | PLTR |
|---|---|---|
| Sharpe Ratio (1Y) | -0.99 | -0.15 |
| Sortino Ratio (1Y) | -1.20 | -0.24 |
Profitability
ROE (TTM)
Capital efficiency shows on one side only: Palantir (PLTR) earns 40.91% on shareholders’ equity, ranked against its industry; Fair Isaac (FICO) has no ROE this period.
FICO
Software & Services industry group
--
- Max
- 53.85%
- Q3
- 17.90%
- Median
- 6.59%
- Q1
- -9.59%
- Min
- -50.52%
- FICO
- --
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% keeps the most of each sales dollar — above its industry’s net margin range — and Fair Isaac (FICO) at 32.94% also retains a top-quartile share.
FICO
Software & Services industry group
32.94%
- Max
- 41.17%
- FICO
- 32.94%
- Q3
- 15.28%
- Median
- 4.63%
- Q1
- -5.42%
- Min
- -33.17%
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)
Both Fair Isaac (FICO) at 44.72% and Palantir (PLTR) at 46.89% convert sales into operating profit at a top-quartile rate, pointing to tighter cost discipline before financing and tax.
FICO
Software & Services industry group
44.72%
- Max
- 46.89%
- FICO
- 44.72%
- Q3
- 17.64%
- Median
- 8.73%
- Q1
- -2.13%
- Min
- -30.45%
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 | FICO | PLTR |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM) | -- | 40.91% |
| ROA (TTM) | 40.99% | 19.31% |
| Net Margin (TTM) | 32.94% | 50.34% |
| Operating Margin (TTM) | 44.72% | 46.89% |
| Gross Margin (TTM) | 86.13% | 84.74% |
Growth
Revenue Growth
Both companies are growing quickly, but Palantir (PLTR) at 56.18% is the standout with revenue growth above its industry range; Fair Isaac (FICO) at 27.33% also sits in the top quartile.
EPS Growth
Palantir (PLTR) at 231.06% clears its industry range for EPS growth, a much stronger earnings trajectory than Fair Isaac (FICO) at 36.85%, which is closer to a typical peer reading.
Growth Metrics
| Metric | FICO | PLTR |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue Growth (YoY) | 27.33% | 56.18% |
| Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR) | 18.76% | 32.92% |
| EPS Growth (YoY) | 36.85% | 231.06% |
| EPS Growth (3Y CAGR) | 28.97% | -- |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
Palantir (PLTR) at 7.10 carries current ratio above its industry’s typical mid-range, while Fair Isaac (FICO) at 0.99 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — different working-capital profiles, both worth examining.
FICO
Software & Services industry group
0.99
- Max
- 5.11
- Q3
- 2.77
- Median
- 1.67
- Q1
- 1.01
- FICO
- 0.99
- Min
- 0.03
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)
Only one side’s leverage can be read here: Palantir (PLTR) carries debt-to-equity ratio of 0.02 against its industry range, while Fair Isaac (FICO) reports no figure this period.
FICO
Software & Services industry group
--
- Max
- 2.52
- Q3
- 1.13
- Median
- 0.40
- Q1
- 0.07
- Min
- 0.00
- FICO
- --
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 | FICO | PLTR |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 0.99 | 7.10 |
| Debt / Equity (MRQ) | -- | 0.02 |
| Net Debt / EBITDA | 3.86 | -3.08 |
Dividends
Dividend Yield (TTM)
Neither Fair Isaac (FICO) nor Palantir (PLTR) pays a dividend this period — they may reinvest, use buybacks, or simply not return cash through dividends.
FICO
Software & Services industry group
0.00%
- FICO
- 0.00%
- Max
- 0.00%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 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 Fair Isaac (FICO) nor Palantir (PLTR) pays a dividend this period — they may reinvest, use buybacks, or simply not return cash through dividends.
FICO
Software & Services industry group
0.00%
- FICO
- 0.00%
- Max
- 0.00%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 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 | FICO | PLTR |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Valuation
P/E Ratio (TTM)
Fair Isaac (FICO) at 19.40 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.
FICO
Software & Services industry group
19.40
- Max
- 112.94
- Q3
- 60.32
- Median
- 32.91
- FICO
- 19.40
- Q1
- 18.77
- Min
- 6.69
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)
Fair Isaac (FICO) at 6.00 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.
FICO
Software & Services industry group
6.00
- Max
- 17.91
- Q3
- 8.78
- FICO
- 6.00
- Median
- 4.25
- Q1
- 2.23
- Min
- 0.02
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)
Fair Isaac (FICO) reports a negative P/B ratio of -3.90, meaning negative book equity — the multiple itself is not meaningful for valuation. Meanwhile Palantir (PLTR) reports 34.41, ranking against industry peers normally.
FICO
Software & Services industry group
-3.90
- Max
- 16.63
- Q3
- 8.50
- Median
- 4.30
- Q1
- 1.92
- FICO
- -3.90
- Min
- -3.90
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 | FICO | PLTR |
|---|---|---|
| P/E Ratio (TTM) | 19.40 | 112.94 |
| P/S Ratio (TTM) | 6.00 | 53.02 |
| P/B Ratio (MRQ) | -3.90 | 34.41 |
| Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM) | 6.54% | 0.69% |