Palantir stock rises after UBS upgrade even as Nasdaq slides on AI jitters

27 February 2026

New York, Feb 27, 2026, 16:45 EST — After the bell

Palantir shares ended the day up 0.9%, with a small move higher showing up after the bell.
UBS bumped the stock up to “buy,” sticking with its $180 price target.
Rosenblatt started coverage with a buy rating, while volatility continued for software names.

Palantir Technologies Inc (PLTR.O) ended Friday up 0.9% at $137.19, with after-hours ticking slightly higher to $137.45, a 0.2% move. Trading volume topped 58.8 million shares, a pickup from the previous session.

This came with growth stocks under pressure. AI-linked plays and pricey software names have been trimmed by investors, who are figuring out which bets will keep their premium as rate cuts look less likely and the pace slows.

UBS bumped Palantir up to “buy” from “neutral” following the recent slide, sticking to its $180 price target. “At 50x our 2027 FCF estimates, Palantir shares are now very attractive,” analysts at the bank, led by Karl Keirstead, wrote. Free cash flow here refers to what’s left after covering operating costs and capital expenses. UBS noted competition from cloud majors, Databricks, and AI model vendors, but said its latest research hasn’t found “any material emerging competition.” https://www.investing.com/news/stock-market-news/ubs-raises-palantir-to-buy-as-shares-become-very-attractive-after-pullback-4531252

Rosenblatt Securities kicked off its coverage of Palantir on Friday with a buy rating and a $150 price target, according to a GuruFocus report. Analyst John McPeake landed on that target as valuation has become the main focus among Palantir’s analysts following the recent selloff.

Palantir’s data-analysis software, popular among governments and businesses for pulling together massive datasets and running models, has turned the stock into a high-beta stand-in for the “AI winners” crowd. That’s made recent upgrades hit with extra force.

Wall Street finished the session in the red on Friday, with the Nasdaq shedding 0.92% and the S&P 500 dropping 0.44%. Investors pointed to lingering concerns over AI disruption, tariffs, and geopolitics. “To wrap up the month of February, we were reminded there are still some cracks out there,” said Ryan Detrick, chief market strategist at Carson Group, in a Reuters piece that also flagged higher-than-expected inflation numbers. https://www.reuters.com/business/us-stock-futures-falter-ai-jitters-nasdaq-braces-steep-monthly-fall-2026-02-27/

Nvidia’s results came in, but didn’t deliver the spark bulls were hoping for—leaving the mood uneasy and traders shifting out of the more crowded AI trades. “It feels like an Nvidia hangover that’s specific to the AI space,” said Michael Green, chief strategist at Simplify Asset Management, on Thursday. https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/us-stock-futures-waver-nvidias-blockbuster-results-draw-muted-response-2026-02-26/

That upgrade aside, Palantir’s core risk remains: its valuation depends on the market betting that growth above 50% keeps going. Should those big pilots fail to convert into steady deals, or if cloud rivals ramp up pressure, the multiple could shrink quickly—particularly with rates elevated for an extended stretch.

Eyes will be on Palantir to see if shares keep up the momentum from the upgrade through Monday’s open—and beyond, into earnings season. Calendars show the next report is set for May 4 after the bell, though that’s not officially confirmed yet.

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Khadija Saeed is a financial markets reporter at TS2.tech. Her coverage ranges from stocks and technology to emerging industries and developments across global markets. She studied economics and finance at the London School of Economics and worked in market research before becoming a financial journalist. Follow Khadija Saeed on Google News.

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