Palantir stock slips in premarket as Karp’s college alternative grabs attention

Palantir Technologies shares fell $1.76, or 0.9%, to $186.95 in U.S. premarket trading on Monday. The data-analytics company ended Friday at $188.71.

NEW YORK, December 29, 2025, 06:45 ET — Premarket

  • Palantir shares were down about 0.9% in premarket trading, after falling 2.8% at Friday’s close.
  • A report detailed CEO Alex Karp’s new paid “Meritocracy Fellowship” aimed at high school graduates as an alternative to college.
  • Investors head into a holiday-shortened final week with Fed minutes and housing data on deck.

Palantir Technologies shares fell $1.76, or 0.9%, to $186.95 in U.S. premarket trading on Monday. The data-analytics company ended Friday at $188.71.

The move matters because Palantir has been one of 2025’s biggest winners, with its share price up about 150% for the year, leaving the stock more sensitive to shifts in risk appetite in the final sessions of the year.

It also puts a spotlight on valuation. Palantir is trading at roughly 437 times trailing earnings — the stock price relative to the company’s past 12 months of profit — according to StockAnalysis.com, a level that can amplify swings when sentiment turns.

Investors were also digesting a report on CEO Alex Karp’s latest push to challenge conventional credentials. Investopedia said Palantir paid 22 high school graduates about $5,400 a month this fall to forgo college and join a four-month training program with the potential for full-time engineering roles.

“American universities are broken,” Karp said, according to Investopedia. The report said Palantir has not confirmed how many fellows will ultimately receive job offers. Investopedia

Investopedia said Palantir is accepting applications for its next fellowship in New York City, running from August to December 2026.

Palantir’s dip came as U.S. stock index futures edged lower to start the holiday-shortened week, with tech and AI-linked names such as Nvidia and Oracle also down in premarket trading, a Reuters report said.

For Palantir, the next catalyst is still earnings and whether growth holds up against lofty expectations. Wall Street Horizon’s earnings calendar lists Feb. 2, 2026 as an “unconfirmed” after-market report date, meaning the company has not announced it and the date is forecast from past patterns. Wall Street Horizon

Analysts tracked by StockAnalysis.com have an average rating of “Hold,” with a 12-month price target of $171.74 — below the stock’s recent trading level. StockAnalysis.com

Macro data may shape the tape before the opening bell. The National Association of Realtors is due to release pending home sales for November at 10 a.m. ET on Monday, a report that can move rate expectations and, by extension, high-multiple growth stocks.

Investors are also watching minutes from the Federal Reserve’s December meeting on Tuesday and weekly jobless claims on Wednesday, Investopedia said in a weekly markets preview.

As background, Palantir’s stock has been supported this year by enthusiasm around demand for its AI-powered analytics software, especially from U.S. commercial customers and government agencies. In November, the company forecast fourth-quarter revenue above Wall Street estimates and raised its full-year outlook, Reuters reported.

Traders are watching whether the shares can stabilize after last week’s slide. StockAnalysis.com shows a 52-week trading range of $63.40 to $207.52, leaving the stock near the upper end of its yearly band even after the recent pullback.

Marcin Frąckiewicz

Marcin Frąckiewicz is the founder and CEO of TS2 Space, a satellite communications company working with customers worldwide. His experience spans satellite communications, telecommunications and technology ventures. He graduated from the Warsaw School of Economics (SGH) and writes about space technology, artificial intelligence, stocks and the technology companies and industries he follows. Follow Marcin Frąckiewicz on Google News, Facebook or LinkedIn.

Lloyds and Halifax Branch Closures 2026: Full List of 55 UK Bank Branches Shutting, Key Dates, and What Customers Can Do
Previous Story

Lloyds and Halifax Branch Closures 2026: Full List of 55 UK Bank Branches Shutting, Key Dates, and What Customers Can Do

GOOG stock ends lower as year-end tech trade cools — what Alphabet investors watch next
Next Story

GOOG stock ends lower as year-end tech trade cools — what Alphabet investors watch next