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Palantir Technologies Inc. (PLTR)·Q1 2025 Earnings Summary
Executive Summary
- Q1 2025 revenue rose 39% YoY to $884M and 7% QoQ, with GAAP EPS $0.08 and adjusted EPS $0.13; management raised FY 2025 revenue guidance to $3.890–$3.902B and U.S. commercial revenue guidance to ≥$1.178B, citing strong AIP demand .
- U.S. revenue grew 55% YoY to $628M, led by U.S. commercial +71% YoY to $255M and U.S. government +45% YoY to $373M; customer count reached 769 (+39% YoY) .
- Cash generation remained robust: Cash from operations $310M (35% margin), adjusted free cash flow $370M (42% margin); adjusted operating margin expanded to 44% .
- Results beat both prior guidance ($858–$862M) and Wall Street consensus for revenue ($862.1M*) and adjusted EPS ($0.129*)—management pointed to AIP-driven deal momentum and record U.S. commercial TCV ($810M) as catalysts .
- Narrative drivers for the stock: raised FY guidance, accelerating U.S. commercial adoption of AIP and AI agents, strong government momentum (Maven, Titan) and high Rule of 40 score (83%) .
What Went Well and What Went Wrong
What Went Well
- U.S. commercial inflection: revenue +71% YoY to $255M and +19% QoQ; record U.S. commercial TCV $810M (+183% YoY) and RDV $2.32B (+127% YoY) reflect rapid pipeline conversion and expansion .
- Margin strength: adjusted operating margin 44% (800 bps YoY expansion); Rule of 40 rose to 83 on sustained growth and profitability; CFFO $310M (35% margin); adjusted FCF $370M (42% margin) .
- Strategic momentum: management highlighted AIP “enterprise autonomy” and AI agents driving production outcomes; “Palantir is on fire… we’re going to do close to $4B in revenue” (CEO Karp) .
What Went Wrong
- International commercial softness: revenue declined 5% YoY and 11% QoQ to $141M due to European headwinds and Q4 one-time catch-up effects; focus remains on targeted growth in Asia/Middle East .
- Elevated SBC/taxes continue to weigh on GAAP margins; Q1 SBC $155M and employer payroll taxes $59M (though adjusted metrics exclude these) .
- Concentration in U.S. market: management acknowledged 90% of growth outside continental Europe and slower adoption in Europe; execution risk if U.S. demand normalizes .
Financial Results
Segment and Geography
KPIs
Consensus vs. Actuals
Values marked with * retrieved from S&P Global.
Guidance Changes
Earnings Call Themes & Trends
Management Commentary
- CEO: “Palantir is on fire… we’re going to do close to $4 billion in revenue… double the gold standard on the rule of 40” .
- CTO: “AIP has entered the next phase… enterprise autonomy… agents that make you 50x more productive” .
- CFO: “Revenue growth accelerated to 39% YoY… raising FY revenue midpoint to $3.896B… adjusted operating margin 44%” .
- CRO: “Unrelenting demand for AIP… U.S. commercial revenue grew 19% sequentially… closed $810M in U.S. commercial TCV” .
Q&A Highlights
- Budget meritocracy opportunity: Dan Ives asked about gaining share as DoD budgets become more merit-based; management expects lumpiness but strong outcomes where systems are pressure-tested and Palantir’s full-stack execution wins .
- Europe and Warp Speed: BofA’s Mariana Perez asked about applying Warp Speed to European rearmament; management sees opportunities but notes cultural/stack readiness differences; software-first hardware programs highlighted (Titan, classified initiatives) .
- Government accountability and disruption: In prior quarter Q&A, management framed competition as ending “forever software projects,” welcoming disruption that forces meritocratic, outcome-based decisions (implication: tailwinds to Palantir) .
Estimates Context
- Q1 2025 beat: Revenue $883.9M vs $862.1M consensus*; adjusted/primary EPS $0.13 vs $0.129*—a clean beat on both topline and EPS, with the “why” driven by AIP adoption, record U.S. commercial TCV, and broad U.S. government strength .
- Q2 2025 setup: Company guided revenue to $934–$938M and adjusted OpInc to $401–$405M, implying continued sequential growth; consensus (at the time) should adjust upward given Q1 beat and raised FY guide .
Values marked with * retrieved from S&P Global.
Key Takeaways for Investors
- The quarter delivered a significant revenue and EPS beat vs. both prior guidance and Street, powered by accelerating U.S. commercial AIP deployments and record contract activity—estimate revisions are likely to trend higher .
- Guidance raised across revenue, U.S. commercial, adjusted operating income, and adjusted FCF for FY 2025—management signals confidence in sustained demand and execution .
- Government momentum (Maven, Titan, NATO) provides durable multi-year visibility; commercial AI agents and Ontology capabilities differentiate Palantir on the “AI demand” side .
- International commercial (Europe) remains a drag; mix-shift to U.S. likely persists—watch for incremental wins in Asia/Middle East to offset .
- Strong cash generation and expanding adjusted margins underpin quality of growth (Rule of 40 = 83) and support ongoing buyback authorization ($918M remaining at Q1) .
- Tactical: Near-term stock catalysts include estimate revisions, incremental U.S. commercial wins, and government program expansions; monitor quarterly disclosures on TCV/RDV/RPO and AI agent adoption rates .
- Strategic: Palantir’s positioning as the operating system for enterprise AI—with agentic workflows and governance via Ontology—underwrites a medium-term thesis of durable, high-margin growth even as model commoditization accelerates .
Additional Q1 2025 press releases of note: partnership with xAI and TWG Global targeting an outcome-based, AI-agent workforce model for financial services (supports commercial momentum narrative) .