Microsoft vs Palantir Technologies (MSFT vs PLTR)
Side by side from their SEC filings: revenue, margins, growth, returns and valuation, plus short interest, insider activity and institutional ownership.
Microsoft is the larger company by revenue ($281.7B vs $4.5B) and market value ($2.9T vs $311.7B). Palantir Technologies has grown revenue faster over the last 4 fiscal years (+190.3% cumulative vs +67.6%). Microsoft runs the higher operating margin (45.6% vs 31.6%). Microsoft trades at the lower trailing P/E (23.4x vs 146.1x).
About Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation develops, licenses, and supports a wide range of software products, services, and devices. Its main offerings include operating systems like Windows, cloud-based services, artificial intelligence solutions, and platform-based ecosystems for developers and users. Microsoft serves both business and consumer markets globally, competing in areas such as personal computing, cloud infrastructure, and AI technologies.
About Palantir Technologies
Palantir Technologies Inc. develops software platforms that help organizations integrate their data, decisions, and operations at scale. Its main products include Gotham, Foundry, Apollo, and the Artificial Intelligence Platform (AIP), which serve government agencies and commercial enterprises across various industries. The company’s software supports data management, analytics, AI integration, and continuous software delivery in diverse environments worldwide.
Head to head (MSFT FY2025 vs PLTR FY2025)
| Metric | MSFTFY2025 | PLTRFY2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue | $281.72B | $4.48B |
| Revenue growth (YoY) | 14.9% | 56.2% |
| Gross margin | 68.8% | 82.4% |
| Operating margin | 45.6% | 31.6% |
| Net margin | 36.1% | 36.3% |
| Net income | $101.83B | $1.63B |
| Diluted EPS | $13.64 | $0.63 |
| FCF margin | 25.4% | 46.9% |
| ROE | 29.6% | 21.7% |
| Debt / equity | 0.1× | — |
| Market cap | $2.93T | $311.75B |
| P/E (TTM) | 23.4× | 146.1× |
Fundamentals are from each company’s SEC filings (MSFT FY2025, PLTR FY2025). P/E and market cap are derived from recent market prices and update daily.
Five-year trend (as reported)
| Revenue | FY2021 | FY2022 | FY2023 | FY2024 | FY2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MSFT | $168.09B | $198.27B | $211.91B | $245.12B | $281.72B |
| PLTR | $1.54B | $1.91B | $2.23B | $2.87B | $4.48B |
Peer standing
Where each company ranks among the 330 software companies, on the same scale. Each figure is ranked only against peers that report it. Percentiles describe position in the distribution, not a rating.
| Metric | MSFT | PLTR |
|---|---|---|
| Gross margin | 68.8%52nd percentile of 261 | 82.4%89th percentile of 261 |
| Operating margin | 45.6%99th percentile of 302 | 31.6%94th percentile of 302 |
| Net margin | 36.1%94th percentile of 306 | 36.3%95th percentile of 306 |
| FCF margin | 25.4%77th percentile of 283 | 46.9%99th percentile of 283 |
| Revenue growth (YoY) | +14.9%62nd percentile of 323 | +56.2%93rd percentile of 323 |
| ROE | 29.6%87th percentile of 283 | 21.7%81st percentile of 283 |
| P/E (TTM) | 23.4×47th percentile of 171 | 146.1×96th percentile of 171 |
| Short interest (days to cover) | 1.47d20th percentile of 329 | 1.87d26th percentile of 329 |
Short interest
| FINRA settlement data | MSFT | PLTR |
|---|---|---|
| Shares sold short | 89.1M | 87.3M |
| Change vs prior settlement | -6.4% | +14.2% |
| Days to cover | 1.47 | 1.87 |
| As of settlement | 2026-06-30 | 2026-06-30 |
Source: FINRA Consolidated Short Interest. FINRA is the owner and source of the FINRA-supplied data; republishing or redistributing it is not permitted. Not presented as a percentage of float. No FINRA endorsement of this product is implied.
Insider activity (last 90 days)
| Form 4 open-market activity | MSFT | PLTR |
|---|---|---|
| Buys | 0 | 0 |
| Sells | 4 ($10.5M) | 49 ($156.7M) |
Open-market purchases and sales reported on SEC Form 4 (grants, exercises and tax withholding excluded). For context, about 16% of covered companies saw any open-market insider buy in a 90-day window.
Held by the same investors
12 tracked 13F managers hold both Microsoft and Palantir Technologies as of their latest quarterly filings: AQR Capital Management, ARK Investment Management, Bridgewater Associates, Citadel Advisors, D. E. Shaw, Gotham Asset Management, Hound Partners, Millennium Management, Point72 Asset Management, Renaissance Technologies, Sands Capital Management, Two Sigma Investments. See which superinvestors hold your own portfolio with the smart money checker.
Go deeper
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Data sourced from SEC EDGAR (public domain). Figures are as-reported and may be unaudited or restated; verify against the source filings before relying on them. Comparisons are descriptive (higher or lower on a reported figure), not a rating or a recommendation. Informational only. Not investment advice.