Palantir Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ: PLTR) ended Wednesday’s regular session sharply lower, then steadied in early after-hours trading as investors weighed a familiar mix: powerful AI momentum on the one hand, and persistent valuation and “multiple reversion” risk on the other.
As of 4:30 p.m. ET on Dec. 17, PLTR traded at $177.69 in after-hours, up $0.40 (+0.23%) from the regular-session close of $177.29, according to Public’s consolidated after-hours data feed. [1]
That small after-hours uptick matters less than the broader story: Palantir’s stock just logged a significant down day after a strong run into year-end—at a time when the wider “AI trade” has shown signs of fatigue and investors have become more sensitive to the cost of building AI infrastructure at scale. [2]
Below is what today’s headlines, forecasts, and analysis suggest—and what investors should keep on their radar before the U.S. market opens Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025.
Palantir stock price after the bell: the key numbers from Dec. 17, 2025
Here’s where PLTR stood after the close:
- Regular-session close (4:00 p.m. ET): $177.29 [3]
- After-hours (as of 4:30 p.m. ET): $177.69 [4]
- After-hours range so far: $177.25 to $177.99 [5]
- Volume (reported for the session): about 42.52 million shares [6]
From a market-psychology standpoint, the “flat-ish” after-hours action suggests no major new company-specific headline hit immediately after the closing bell—and that tonight’s price discovery will likely stay tied to (1) broader AI/software sentiment, and (2) any premarket catalysts on Thursday.
Why Palantir stock fell today: three forces driving the move
1) A pullback in the AI trade is pressuring high-multiple winners
Palantir is one of the most visible “AI beneficiaries” in public markets—and that cuts both ways. When the AI complex rallies, PLTR often rides the wave; when the AI trade wobbles, high-multiple names can see fast, outsized drawdowns.
Today’s tape fit that pattern. Market commentary highlighted sharp declines across key AI-linked stocks, tied in part to concerns around the economics and financing of AI/data-center buildouts. [7]
2) Profit-taking after strong performance into late 2025
Even after today’s drop, Palantir remains dramatically higher over the year. Investors.com (IBD) noted the stock was still up more than 137% year-to-date (even with Wednesday’s decline). [8]
Barron’s similarly framed PLTR as a standout 2025 winner, citing roughly +142% year-to-date performance into this week’s action. [9]
When a stock has run that far, it doesn’t need “bad news” to fall—sometimes it just needs no fresh reason to keep paying a premium.
3) Valuation debate is back in the driver’s seat
Today’s analysis stream repeatedly returned to the same question: How much is too much for Palantir?
- Barron’s pointed to Palantir trading at nearly 190x forward earnings (FactSet), underscoring how much perfection is priced in. [10]
- IBD highlighted Mizuho’s view: execution has been “stunning,” but the valuation multiple is also “stunning,” raising the odds of a “multiple reversion” event at some point. [11]
- A Seeking Alpha commentary published today leaned even harder into the valuation critique, arguing that extremely high multiples require years of exceptional growth to justify today’s price. [12]
This is the key backdrop for Thursday: if the market mood shifts risk-off, expensive winners can get hit first.
Today’s most important PLTR headlines (and why they still matter after today’s selloff)
Accenture + Palantir partnership expansion: enterprise AI “go-to-market” ramps up
One of the most consequential near-term narratives for Palantir is not just “AI hype,” but distribution—how fast Palantir’s platforms spread through large enterprises.
On Dec. 16, Accenture and Palantir announced an expanded partnership and the launch of the Accenture Palantir Business Group. The stated aim is to help enterprises scale AI by integrating siloed data and moving toward “AI-powered decision making.” The announcement also says Palantir named Accenture a preferred global partner for enterprise reinvention.
Notably, the release says the group will be supported by more than 2,000 Palantir-skilled Accenture professionals plus Palantir forward-deployed engineers—and it calls out focus areas including data-center and AI infrastructure programs.
Why this matters for Thursday: Accenture reports earnings before the market opens (more below). Any commentary around AI demand, enterprise budgets, or the new Palantir business group could influence PLTR sentiment quickly—even if Palantir itself has no news.
“U.S. Tech Force” and the government AI angle
Palantir’s government footprint is always part of the bull case, and this week’s policy headlines fed that narrative.
- Barron’s cited optimism around a federal initiative dubbed the United States Tech Force, designed to modernize government technology and boost AI capacity—an area where Palantir is often seen as a beneficiary of increased government AI spending. [13]
- The Verge reported the Tech Force aims to recruit around 1,000 technology specialists to modernize government systems and accelerate AI adoption. [14]
This doesn’t guarantee new Palantir revenue. But it reinforces a market storyline: Washington is trying to move faster on AI modernization, and Palantir is frequently in the conversation when that happens. [15]
Analyst views today: bullish outliers vs. cautious consensus
Today’s coverage showed a striking dispersion in views:
- BofA reiterated a Buy and a $255 price target, with Barron’s describing the analyst’s conviction in Palantir’s momentum and enterprise-AI adoption story. [16]
- Mizuho kept a Neutral stance and a $205 target, praising momentum but flagging valuation as the central risk. [17]
- Barron’s also noted that only about 26% of analysts rate Palantir a Buy (FactSet), well below the S&P 500 average—again, largely because of valuation concerns. [18]
- Investing.com displayed an average 12‑month price target of 186.81 on its PLTR page. [19]
- MarketBeat’s snapshot showed a consensus that’s more cautious (a “Hold” consensus with a $172.28 target in its data). [20]
Takeaway: Palantir is not a “unanimous Street favorite.” It’s a momentum name with strong believers—and a large camp that thinks the stock already prices in years of best-case execution.
“Stock split” chatter is heating up—but it’s not a catalyst by itself
A theme appearing in retail-facing analysis today: whether Palantir could be “next” in the stock-split conversation after big gains and a high share price.
Motley Fool published a piece today framed around whether investors should buy Palantir ahead of a potential split. [21]
But it’s crucial to separate discussion from decision: there is no requirement for Palantir to split, and historically a split does not change fundamentals—it mainly changes the share count and price per share.
For context, Investing.com’s historical FAQ indicates Palantir has split 0 times. [22]
A quieter headline that still matters: insider trading filings
There was also fresh attention today on insider activity filings.
A Form 4–related report cited that an insider transaction involved exercising options and selling shares, and it referenced a preexisting Rule 10b5‑1 trading plan for that series of transactions. [23]
These filings are not always market-moving, but in high-valuation names they can influence sentiment—especially on down days—because they feed the ongoing debate about how insiders view the stock’s price.
Palantir forecasts: what the market expects next
Near-term fundamentals: Q4 expectations remain strong
IBD’s “Stock of the Day” write-up pointed to expectations for Palantir’s Q4 (December-ending quarter):
- Adjusted earnings expected to rise about 64% to $0.23 per share
- Revenue expected to rise about 60% to roughly $1.32 billion [24]
Whether Palantir beats those numbers is still weeks away—but this is exactly why valuation is so sensitive: when growth expectations are this high, the market demands consistent upside surprises.
Next earnings date: the calendar is approaching
Multiple market calendars estimate Palantir’s next earnings around Feb. 2, 2026 (timing unconfirmed), with at least one earnings calendar listing it as after market. [25]
Nasdaq’s earnings page also displays an estimate around 02/02/2026, noting it’s algorithmically derived. [26]
That’s not “tomorrow,” but it matters for positioning: once a stock is within a few weeks of earnings, options pricing and institutional rebalancing can start to change the character of day-to-day moves.
What to watch before the market opens tomorrow (Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025)
Here’s the practical premarket checklist for PLTR watchers.
1) Accenture earnings (and AI spending commentary)
Accenture is scheduled to report results and host a conference call at 8:00 a.m. ET on Dec. 18, with the earnings release issued before the call. [27]
Why PLTR investors should care: Accenture is now explicitly tied to Palantir through the newly launched business group. Any read-through on enterprise AI budgets, implementation timelines, or demand for data/AI modernization could affect how investors handicap Palantir’s 2026 trajectory. [28]
2) Key U.S. macro data at 8:30 a.m. ET
Macro risk still matters for expensive growth stocks.
Investing.com’s calendar lists U.S. Initial Jobless Claims scheduled for 8:30 a.m. ET on Dec. 18.
MarketChameleon’s economic calendar also flags 8:30 a.m. releases including items such as jobless claims and housing-related data. [29]
If the market reads macro data as “rates higher for longer” or “growth slowing,” the typical reaction is multiple compression—precisely the risk Palantir bears most.
3) Watch whether the AI selloff narrative deepens—or fades
If the broader AI complex stabilizes premarket, PLTR could open more orderly. If the market keeps focusing on AI infrastructure cost/funding concerns, it can remain a headwind for high-multiple AI beneficiaries. [30]
4) Technical setup: why today’s decline matters for short-term traders
IBD emphasized Palantir is in a chart-building phase, forming a cup base with a 207.52 buy point, and noted a developing handle could lower the entry reference toward 190.39. [31]
IBD also said the stock remained around key moving averages but was testing them with Wednesday’s decline. [32]
Whether you’re a technical trader or not, this matters because many systematic funds and momentum strategies respond to these levels—often amplifying moves.
5) After-hours liquidity is thin—don’t overread small moves
PLTR’s after-hours move into 4:30 p.m. ET was modest, and the range was narrow. [33]
That’s often a sign that Thursday’s premarket catalysts (Accenture + macro) are more likely to set the tone than anything happening in the first 30 minutes after the close.
Bottom line for Dec. 18: Palantir’s fundamentals are strong, but the stock is priced for “strong +”
Today’s after-the-bell picture is straightforward:
- No dramatic after-hours headline shock (so far). [34]
- The bigger driver is sentiment—specifically, whether markets continue to rotate away from the most expensive AI winners. [35]
- Thursday morning brings real catalysts before the open: Accenture earnings at 8:00 a.m. ET and macro data at 8:30 a.m. ET.
For long-term investors, the debate remains the same one dominating today’s coverage: Palantir’s execution vs. Palantir’s multiple—and which one wins next.
References
1. public.com, 2. www.marketwatch.com, 3. public.com, 4. public.com, 5. public.com, 6. public.com, 7. www.marketwatch.com, 8. www.investors.com, 9. www.barrons.com, 10. www.barrons.com, 11. www.investors.com, 12. seekingalpha.com, 13. www.barrons.com, 14. www.theverge.com, 15. www.barrons.com, 16. www.barrons.com, 17. www.investors.com, 18. www.barrons.com, 19. www.investing.com, 20. www.marketbeat.com, 21. www.fool.com, 22. www.investing.com, 23. www.stocktitan.net, 24. www.investors.com, 25. www.wallstreethorizon.com, 26. www.nasdaq.com, 27. newsroom.accenture.com, 28. newsroom.accenture.com, 29. marketchameleon.com, 30. www.marketwatch.com, 31. www.investors.com, 32. www.investors.com, 33. public.com, 34. public.com, 35. www.marketwatch.com
