Information Technology stock comparison

AAPL vs PLTR: which business are you actually underwriting?

Compare Apple Inc. with Palantir Technologies Inc. using their business models, SEC classifications, fiscal calendars, current primary filings, and the research questions that matter. This is a thesis framework—not a price target or automatic winner.
Sector
Information
Industry
Different SIC
Shared themes
1
Updated
2026-02-17

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

AAPL reported about 93.0× the revenue of PLTR in the latest audited fiscal year. On profitability, PLTR converted a larger share of revenue into net income (36.3% versus 26.9%). Scale and margin are starting facts for the thesis, not the verdict.

MetricAAPLPLTR
Revenue$416.2B$4.5B
Net income$112.0B$1.6B
Operating cash flow$111.5B$2.1B
Diluted EPS$7.46$0.63
Net margin26.9%36.3%

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.

How the businesses differ

Why this pair belongs in the comparison set

AAPL and PLTR have different SEC industry classifications, but both map to the maintained Artificial intelligence research theme inside the Information Technology sector. A shared classification or theme makes the pair useful for a defined research question; it does not mean the companies have identical products, economics, or risks.

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.

The useful starting point is not which ticker has performed better. It is whether the two companies convert the same economic forces into revenue and cash flow in the same way. AAPL is classified by the SEC as Electronic Computers, while PLTR is classified as Services-Prepackaged Software. The different industry codes are a warning against treating sector membership as proof of identical economics.

Members-only research

What members are reading this month

The thesis, the numbers behind it, and what would break it. Full access is $15 a month.

Read the full research

Which thesis does each company fit?

Use the distinction below to decide which filing deserves deeper work. It is a research routing rule, not a recommendation or prediction.

Study AAPL when…

  • 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

Study PLTR when…

  • 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

Shared research themes

Artificial intelligence

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 150matched transaction rows for AAPLand 50 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?

Apple Inc. and Palantir Technologies Inc. sit in the same Information Technology sector but have different SEC industry classifications. The comparison is most useful for portfolio role and sector exposure, not as a claim that every product competes directly.

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 2026-09-26. Business summaries and research themes are maintained by Yield Theory.

Data snapshot: SEC EDGAR submissions API, refreshed 2026-09-26. Independent educational research; not investment advice.

A comparison is the setup. The thesis is the call.

AAPL vs PLTR shows how the businesses differ. Membership is the monthly sourced view of who could benefit, what could break, and what evidence matters next. $15/month or $150/year.

$15/mo or $150/yr · cancel future renewals anytime · sources included