AAPL vs PLTR: how the two businesses compare

  • Bigger business: AAPL, with $416.2B of yearly revenue, about 93× PLTR's $4.5B.
  • More profitable: PLTR keeps 36 cents of each sales dollar as profit, against 27 cents at AAPL.
  • More cash from each sale: PLTR turns 48 cents of each sales dollar into operating cash flow, against 27 cents at AAPL.

From each company's latest annual SEC filing. Fiscal years can end on different dates.

Apple (AAPL) is the larger business by reported revenue: $416.2B in its fiscal year ended Sep 2025, about 93× PLTR's $4.5B (fiscal year ended Dec 2025). AAPL's net margin was 26.9% and PLTR's 36.3%. The SEC classifies them differently (Electronic Computers; Services-Prepackaged Software); what connects them is shared exposure to the Artificial intelligence research theme, not a common industry.

Figures come from each company's own SEC filings. This page compares the businesses; it is not a price target or a verdict.

Sector
Information Technology
SEC industry
Different
Separate classifications
Fiscal year ends
Different
AAPL September 26 · PLTR December 31
Reviewed
Feb 17, 2026

AAPL vs PLTR: quick comparison

Company factAAPLPLTR
CompanyApple Inc.Palantir Technologies Inc.
ExchangeNASDAQNASDAQ
HeadquartersCupertino, CaliforniaDenver, Colorado
Founded19762003
SEC industryElectronic ComputersServices-Prepackaged Software
Fiscal year-endSeptember 26December 31
Latest annual filing10-K · 2025-10-3110-K · 2026-02-17

AAPL vs PLTR: audited financials

  • Scale: AAPL's $416.2B of revenue is about 93× PLTR's $4.5B.
  • Net margin: PLTR kept 36.3% of revenue as net income versus 26.9% at AAPL.
  • Cash conversion: operating cash flow equalled AAPL 26.8% of revenue, or 1.00× net income; PLTR 47.7% of revenue, or 1.31× net income. A ratio well above 1× usually reflects non-cash charges or working-capital release; well below 1× can reflect working-capital build or non-cash gains.
  • Periods: the fiscal years end about 3 months apart (2025-09-27 for AAPL, 2025-12-31 for PLTR), so each figure reflects somewhat different demand and cost conditions.

AAPL: FY ending 2025-09-27 · PLTR: FY ending 2025-12-31. Figures as tagged in each issuer's SEC XBRL filing; fiscal calendars may not align.

Where AAPL and PLTR overlap, and where they don't

Overlap

  • Shared research theme: Artificial intelligence.

Differences

  • Different SEC industries: AAPL files as Electronic Computers; PLTR as Services-Prepackaged Software.
  • Offset fiscal calendars: AAPL's year ends September 26 and PLTR's December 31, about 3 months apart.
  • Only AAPL maps to Tariffs & trade.
  • Only PLTR maps to Wars & geopolitics.
  • Scale: AAPL reported about 93× the annual revenue of PLTR.
  • Profitability: net margin of 26.9% for AAPL versus 36.3% for PLTR.

Overlap is drawn from SEC classifications and Yield Theory research themes. It is not evidence that the companies sell to the same customers or compete product for product.

Apple Inc. (AAPL)

Apple designs consumer electronics, software, and services, led by the iPhone, Mac, and a growing high-margin services segment. It is one of the world's most valuable companies and a core holding in most large-cap and technology index funds.

Palantir Technologies Inc. (PLTR)

Palantir builds data-integration and analytics platforms used by defense agencies, intelligence services, and commercial enterprises. Its AI platform for operational decision-making has driven rapid growth in its commercial business.

What moves each company

Company-specific drivers maintained by Yield Theory. Use them to decide which filing deserves deeper work; they are not predictions.

What moves AAPL

  • iPhone demand, pricing, and the device upgrade cycle
  • Services growth and App Store economics
  • Gross margins, component costs, and supply-chain concentration
  • Product innovation and adoption of on-device AI

What moves PLTR

  • Growth and renewal of US and allied government contracts, including defense and intelligence work
  • Adoption speed of the Artificial Intelligence Platform (AIP) among commercial customers
  • Commercial revenue mix shift and net dollar retention outside of government
  • Valuation relative to growth, given the stock's premium multiple versus software peers

The investment question

You now know AAPL reports about 93× PLTR's revenue, and PLTR keeps more of each dollar as net income. Those are the facts. The investment question is what each share price already assumes about “iPhone demand, pricing, and the device upgrade cycle” at AAPL and “Growth and renewal of US and allied government contracts, including defense and intelligence work” at PLTR, and which evidence in the next filings would prove that assumption wrong.

Members-only research

What members are reading this month

The thesis, the numbers behind it, and what would break it. Full access is $39 a month.

Read the full research

SEC filing comparison and disclosure evidence

Start with primary filings because fiscal calendars and accounting presentation can make superficially similar quarters incomparable. AAPL's fiscal year ends September 26, while PLTR's ends December 31. Normalize the reporting periods before comparing growth, margins, capital intensity, or guidance.

The current verified House and Senate snapshot contains 153 matched transaction rows for AAPL and 50 matched transaction rows for PLTR. These delayed, range-based disclosures can identify a filing to inspect; they do not establish motive, conviction, or a real-time trading signal.

What this comparison cannot tell you

This page does not contain licensed live prices, a valuation model, earnings estimates, portfolio constraints, or a forecast of future returns. SEC classifications can be broad, company descriptions can lag strategic change, and the latest annual filing may predate a material acquisition or divestiture. Read subsequent quarterly and current reports before making a decision.

A stronger business is not automatically the better stock. Starting valuation, expectations, capital structure, cyclicality, dilution, and the probability of each thesis determine the investment outcome. Use this comparison to frame the work, then verify the numbers in the linked filings and current company disclosures.

AAPL vs PLTR FAQs

Are AAPL and PLTR direct competitors?

Not necessarily. Apple files as Electronic Computers and Palantir Technologies as Services-Prepackaged Software. The pair is compared because both map to the Artificial intelligence research theme, not because the filings show head-to-head competition.

Is AAPL or PLTR the bigger company by revenue?

Apple (AAPL) is the larger business by reported revenue: $416.2B in its fiscal year ended Sep 2025, about 93× PLTR's $4.5B (fiscal year ended Dec 2025). AAPL's net margin was 26.9% and PLTR's 36.3%. The SEC classifies them differently (Electronic Computers; Services-Prepackaged Software); what connects them is shared exposure to the Artificial intelligence research theme, not a common industry. Each figure is the annual amount tagged in the company's own SEC XBRL filing; market value depends on live prices, which this page does not publish.

Which is better, AAPL or PLTR?

There is no context-free winner. Compare the operating exposures, filing evidence, valuation, balance sheet, and risks against the specific thesis you are testing. This page deliberately does not turn a static profile into a buy or sell recommendation.

Does this AAPL vs PLTR comparison include live prices?

No. Yield Theory does not republish unlicensed real-time market data. The financial figures on this page are the audited annual numbers Apple Inc. and Palantir Technologies Inc. tagged in their SEC XBRL filings. Use a regulated broker or licensed quote provider for current prices and valuation multiples.

Where does the company information come from?

Company classifications, fiscal year-ends, and filing links come from the SEC EDGAR submissions API snapshot refreshed 2026-10-13. Business summaries and research themes are maintained by Yield Theory.

Data snapshot: SEC EDGAR submissions API, refreshed 2026-10-13. Independent educational research; not investment advice.

Which business differences matter to the investment thesis?

AAPL vs PLTR compares reported results. The reports below show how we connect operating evidence to an investment thesis, its assumptions, catalysts, and risks. $39/month or $249/year.

$39/mo or $249/yr · cancel future renewals anytime · sources included