Palantir shares opened 15% down on Monday: what happened?

Shares of Palantir Technologies Inc (NYSE: PLTR) opened nearly 15% down on Monday after the data analytics company reported an unexpected loss (adjusted) for its fiscal second quarter.

Palantir Q2 earnings snapshot

• Lost $176.7 million versus the year-ago $138.6 million
• Per-share loss of 9 cents was worse than last year’s 7 cents
• Swung to an adjusted per-share loss of one cent
• Revenue jumped 26% year-over-year to $473 million
• Consensus was 3 cents of EPS on $465.8 million in revenue
• Free cash flow (adj) of $314 million represented an 18% margin
• Commercial and U.S. government revenues were up 46% and 27%

CFO David Glazer attributed the weakness in numbers to “investments and marketable securities”. Stronger dollar also weighed on international business, he added. Palantir shares are now down nearly 50% for the year.

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Other notable figures in Palantir Q2 report

Other notable figures if the earnings report include commercial and U.S. government revenues that went up 46% and 27%, respectively. In the letter to shareholders, CEO Alexander Karp said:

We’re working towards a future where all large institutions in the United States and its allies abroad are running significant segments of their operations, if not their operations as a whole, on Palantir.

Wall Street, though, has a consensus “hold” rating on the stock; something to consider before buying Palantir shares.

Palantir shares slid on weak guidance

For the full financial year, Palantir Technologies now forecasts up to $1.902 billion in revenue, including $475 million it expects this quarter. In comparison, analysts had called for $500 million in Q3 and $1.957 billion for fiscal 2022 as a whole. The earnings press release reads:

This revised guidance excludes any new major U.S. government awards and we believe this to be the base case.