(Updated - February 6, 2024 4:10 AM EST)
Shares of Palantir (NYSE:PLTR) surged 20% in pre-market Tuesday after the company reported better-than-expected fourth-quarter revenue.
The software firm posted Q4 earnings per share (EPS) of $0.08, in line with the consensus estimates. Revenue came in at $608.4 million, while analysts were looking for $602.86 million.
The company reported a significant increase in its commercial revenue, which saw a growth of 32% on a year-over-year basis and a 13% rise compared to the previous quarter, amounting to $284 million.
Similarly, government revenue experienced an increase, growing by 11% year-over-year and 5% quarter-over-quarter to reach $324 million. Further, the company's customer base expanded substantially, with a 35% growth in customer count over the past year.
Palantir generated $301 million in cash from operations, which represents a 50% profit margin. Its adjusted free cash flow stood at $305 million, while the company's holdings in cash, cash equivalents, and short-term US treasury securities amounted to $3.7 billion.
Looking ahead, Palantir expects Q1 2024 revenue in the range of $612 million to $616 million, compared to $617.2 million expected by analysts.
Adjusted income from operations is anticipated to land between $196 million and $200 million,
For the full fiscal 2024, the software maker’s revenue is estimated to range between $2.65 billion and $2.68 billion, versus the consensus projection of $2.66 billion.
The stock lost two bears after both Citi and Jefferies raised their ratings, citing strong earnings and AIP platform inflection.
"PLTR delivered an impressive F4Q, led by backlog and US Commercial growth acceleration. The highlight was the introduction of FCF guidance, which was 34% above Street ests," analysts at Citi said in a note.
"We are impressed with AI Platform (AIP) ramping faster than our initial expectations and believe it's appropriate to upgrade shares to reflect the momentum."
Similarly, analysts at Citi raised the rating to Neutral and doubled the price target to $20 per share.