Seek Returns

META vs. PLTR: Meta Platforms vs. Palantir Stock Comparison

How do Meta Platforms (META) 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

Meta Platforms (META) is classified in the Communication Services sector (Media & Entertainment), whereas Palantir (PLTR) belongs to Information Technology (Software & Services) — their GICS classifications point to very different parts of the market.

Company profile comparison for Meta Platforms (META) and Palantir (PLTR)
Profile ItemMETAPLTR
NameMeta Platforms Inc. Class A Common StockPalantir Technologies Inc. Class A Common Stock
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorCommunication ServicesInformation Technology
GICS Industry GroupMedia & EntertainmentSoftware & Services
GICS IndustryInteractive Media & ServicesSoftware
GICS Sub-IndustryInteractive Media & ServicesApplication Software
Market Capitalization1,560.05 billion USD386.44 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNasdaqNasdaq
Listing DateMay 18, 2012September 30, 2020
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

META
PLTR
GSPC
Loading price history…
Meta Platforms (META) vs. Palantir (PLTR), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past five years. Adjusted for dividends and splits.

Trailing Returns

Loading price history…
Trailing total returns for Meta Platforms (META) and Palantir (PLTR). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

Loading price history…
Calendar-year total returns for Meta Platforms (META) and Palantir (PLTR). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Meta Platforms (META) and Palantir (PLTR)
MetricMETAPLTR
Total Return (1Y)3.46%-4.94%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)26.39%109.97%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)14.05%47.47%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

META
PLTR
GSPC
Loading price history…
Meta Platforms (META) vs. Palantir (PLTR), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Drawdown from the running peak over the past five years. Each line shows the decline from its prior peak; 0% marks a new high.

Return Distribution

Loading price history…
Distribution of monthly total returns for Meta Platforms (META) and Palantir (PLTR). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Meta Platforms (META) and Palantir (PLTR)
MetricMETAPLTR
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)41.68%60.50%
Beta (5Y)1.261.63
Max Drawdown (5Y)-74.42%-75.26%
Avg. Volume (3M)20.91M27.20M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

Loading chart…
META and PLTR are plotted by 1-year volatility (risk) and 1-year return. Each dashed Capital Allocation Line uses that stock's own industry median.

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Risk-adjusted metrics for Meta Platforms (META) and Palantir (PLTR)
MetricMETAPLTR
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)-0.02-0.15
Sortino Ratio (1Y)-0.03-0.24

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both Meta Platforms (META) at 32.26% and Palantir (PLTR) at 40.91% sit in the top peer quartile for ROE, suggesting each generates more profit from shareholders’ equity than typical industry peers.

META

Media & Entertainment industry group

32.26%

Max
49.92%
META
32.26%
Q3
17.95%
Median
7.20%
Q1
-4.53%
Min
-26.31%

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%
Loading chart…
Meta Platforms (META) vs. Palantir (PLTR): A comparison of their ROE against their respective Media & Entertainment and Software & Services industry group benchmarks.

Net Margin (TTM)

Palantir (PLTR) at 50.34% keeps the most of each sales dollar — above its industry’s net margin range — and Meta Platforms (META) at 31.15% also retains a top-quartile share.

META

Media & Entertainment industry group

31.15%

Max
32.91%
META
31.15%
Q3
11.75%
Median
5.04%
Q1
-4.17%
Min
-25.14%

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%
Loading chart…
Meta Platforms (META) vs. Palantir (PLTR): A comparison of their net margin against their respective Media & Entertainment and Software & Services industry group benchmarks.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both Meta Platforms (META) at 35.41% 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.

META

Media & Entertainment industry group

35.41%

Max
40.16%
META
35.41%
Q3
18.72%
Median
8.63%
Q1
1.90%
Min
-22.08%

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%
Loading chart…
Meta Platforms (META) vs. Palantir (PLTR): A comparison of their operating margin against their respective Media & Entertainment and Software & Services industry group benchmarks.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Meta Platforms (META) and Palantir (PLTR)
MetricMETAPLTR
ROE (TTM)32.26%40.91%
ROA (TTM)14.58%19.31%
Net Margin (TTM)31.15%50.34%
Operating Margin (TTM)35.41%46.89%
Gross Margin (TTM)81.03%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; Meta Platforms (META) at 22.17% also sits in the top quartile.

Loading chart…
Meta Platforms (META) vs. Palantir (PLTR): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Palantir (PLTR) at 231.06% clears its industry range for EPS growth, a much stronger earnings trajectory than Meta Platforms (META) at -1.55%, which is closer to a typical peer reading.

Loading chart…
Meta Platforms (META) vs. Palantir (PLTR): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Meta Platforms (META) and Palantir (PLTR)
MetricMETAPLTR
Revenue Growth (YoY)22.17%56.18%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)19.89%32.92%
EPS Growth (YoY)-1.55%231.06%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)39.84%--

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Meta Platforms (META) at 1.90 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while Palantir (PLTR) at 7.10 sits above its industry’s typical mid-range — comfortable liquidity, though possibly with more idle current assets relative to peers.

META

Media & Entertainment industry group

1.90

Max
4.69
Q3
2.53
META
1.90
Median
1.52
Q1
0.95
Min
0.28

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
Loading chart…
Meta Platforms (META) vs. Palantir (PLTR): A comparison of their current ratio against their respective Media & Entertainment and Software & Services industry group benchmarks.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Palantir (PLTR) at 0.02 keeps leverage in the lower industry quartile, while Meta Platforms (META) at 0.42 runs a more typical debt-to-equity mix.

META

Media & Entertainment industry group

0.42

Max
3.65
Q3
1.69
Median
0.46
META
0.42
Q1
0.17
Min
0.00

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
Loading chart…
Meta Platforms (META) vs. Palantir (PLTR): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against their respective Media & Entertainment and Software & Services industry group benchmarks.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Meta Platforms (META) and Palantir (PLTR)
MetricMETAPLTR
Current Ratio (MRQ)1.907.10
Debt / Equity (MRQ)0.420.02
Net Debt / EBITDA0.28-3.08

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Palantir (PLTR) pays no dividend (yield 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile Meta Platforms (META) reports a yield of 0.35%, ranking against industry peers normally.

META

Media & Entertainment industry group

0.35%

Max
1.33%
Q3
0.65%
META
0.35%
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%
Loading chart…
Meta Platforms (META) vs. Palantir (PLTR): A comparison of their dividend yield against their respective Media & Entertainment and Software & Services industry group benchmarks.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Palantir (PLTR) pays no dividend (payout 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile Meta Platforms (META) reports a payout of 7.16%, ranking against industry peers normally.

META

Media & Entertainment industry group

7.16%

Max
71.43%
Q3
28.98%
META
7.16%
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%
Loading chart…
Meta Platforms (META) vs. Palantir (PLTR): A comparison of their payout ratio against their respective Media & Entertainment and Software & Services industry group benchmarks.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Meta Platforms (META) and Palantir (PLTR)
MetricMETAPLTR
Dividend Yield (TTM)0.35%0.00%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)7.16%0.00%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Meta Platforms (META) at 20.82 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.

META

Media & Entertainment industry group

20.82

Max
51.21
Q3
28.90
META
20.82
Median
17.98
Q1
11.53
Min
1.64

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
Loading chart…
Meta Platforms (META) vs. Palantir (PLTR): A comparison of their P/E ratio against their respective Media & Entertainment and Software & Services industry group benchmarks.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Both look expensive on sales: Meta Platforms (META) at 6.46 sits in the upper P/S ratio quartile, and Palantir (PLTR) at 53.02 prices even higher, above its industry range.

META

Media & Entertainment industry group

6.46

Max
7.43
META
6.46
Q3
3.82
Median
1.40
Q1
0.70
Min
0.00

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
Loading chart…
Meta Platforms (META) vs. Palantir (PLTR): A comparison of their P/S ratio against their respective Media & Entertainment and Software & Services industry group benchmarks.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Both look rich against book: Meta Platforms (META) at 5.73 sits in the upper P/B ratio quartile, and Palantir (PLTR) at 34.41 prices even higher, above its industry range.

META

Media & Entertainment industry group

5.73

Max
11.45
META
5.73
Q3
5.30
Median
1.84
Q1
0.77
Min
-2.61

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
Loading chart…
Meta Platforms (META) vs. Palantir (PLTR): A comparison of their P/B ratio against their respective Media & Entertainment and Software & Services industry group benchmarks.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Meta Platforms (META) and Palantir (PLTR)
MetricMETAPLTR
P/E Ratio (TTM)20.82112.94
P/S Ratio (TTM)6.4653.02
P/B Ratio (MRQ)5.7334.41
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)1.08%0.69%