ServiceNow (NOW) vs Palantir Technologies (PLTR)
Head-to-head comparison of performance, valuation, growth, profitability and dividends. Prices delayed 15 minutes; data as of Oct 8, 2026.
Summary
Palantir Technologies (PLTR) has outperformed ServiceNow (NOW) over the past year, gaining 6.6% versus a loss of 23.8%. Over five years, PLTR leads with a +708.8% price change compared with +3.9% for NOW. Palantir Technologies is the larger company by market cap ($466.48 billion vs $142.54 billion), about 3.3 times the size.
On valuation, ServiceNow trades at a lower forward P/E (27.5x vs 82.8x for Palantir Technologies). Palantir Technologies converts more of its revenue into profit, with a net margin of 36.3% versus 13.2%.
Summary generated from market data by MetaCap's automated system. Methodology
Relative performance
Percent change in share price from the first common trading day shown; excludes dividends.
Head-to-head
| Metric | NOW | PLTR |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $137.87 | $194.12 |
| Market cap | $142.54B | $466.48B |
| 1-day change | -0.07% | +1.07% |
| YTD return | -10.00% | +9.21% |
| 1-year return | -23.76% | +6.56% |
| 5-year return | +3.95% | +708.83% |
| P/E ratio (TTM) | 86.17 | 167.34 |
| Forward P/E | 27.54 | 82.81 |
| EPS (TTM) | $1.60 | $1.16 |
| Dividend yield | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Annual dividend | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Revenue (latest FY) | $13.28B | $4.48B |
| Revenue growth (YoY) | +20.88% | +56.18% |
| Net income (latest FY) | $1.75B | $1.63B |
| Gross margin | 77.53% | 82.37% |
| Operating margin | 13.74% | 31.59% |
| Net margin | 13.16% | 36.31% |
| 52-week high | $192.97 | $207.52 |
| 52-week low | $81.24 | $106.37 |
| Distance from 52-week high | -28.55% | -6.46% |
| Analyst consensus | strong_buy | buy |
| Avg. price target upside | +6.43% | +2.95% |
| Average volume | 17.92M | 33.60M |
| Shares outstanding | 1.03B | 2.30B |
| Employees | 29,187 | 4,401 |
| Sector | Technology | Technology |
| Industry | Computer Software: Prepackaged Software | Computer Software: Prepackaged Software |
Highlighted cells mark the higher value for growth, returns, margins and yield, and the lower value for P/E ratios. Highlighting is a mechanical comparison, not a recommendation.
Key differences
- Palantir Technologies is about 3.3 times larger than ServiceNow by market value ($466.48B vs $142.54B).
- PLTR has outperformed NOW by 30.3 percentage points over the past year.
- Palantir Technologies trades at a higher earnings multiple (167.3x vs 86.2x trailing P/E).
- Palantir Technologies is more profitable, keeping 36.3 cents of every revenue dollar as net income versus 13.2 cents for ServiceNow.
- Palantir Technologies grew revenue faster in its latest fiscal year (+56.18% vs +20.88%).
About ServiceNow
NOW stock →ServiceNow, Inc. provides cloud-based solution for digital workflows in the North America, Brazil, Europe, the Middle East and Africa, Asia Pacific, and internationally.
Technology · Computer Software: Prepackaged Software · 29,187 employees
About Palantir Technologies
PLTR stock →Palantir Technologies Inc. builds and deploys software platforms for the intelligence community to assist in counterterrorism investigations and operations in the United States, the United Kingdom, and internationally.
Technology · Computer Software: Prepackaged Software · 4,401 employees
NOW vs PLTR FAQ
Which is bigger, ServiceNow or Palantir Technologies?
Palantir Technologies (PLTR) is larger, with a market capitalization of $466.48B compared with $142.54B for ServiceNow (NOW).
Which stock has performed better over the past year, NOW or PLTR?
PLTR returned +6.56% over the past 12 months, compared with -23.76% for NOW (price return, excluding dividends). Past performance does not predict future results.
Which has the lower P/E ratio, NOW or PLTR?
NOW has the lower trailing P/E at 86.2, versus 167.3 for PLTR. A lower P/E is not by itself a sign of a better investment; it can reflect slower expected growth or higher risk.
Are ServiceNow and Palantir Technologies in the same industry?
Yes. Both are classified in the Computer Software: Prepackaged Software industry within the Technology sector.