Palantir Is "the Messi of AI"

Palantir’s stock rises 10.3% on Friday and jumps another 11.4% on Monday

Palantir Technologies is “the Messi of AI on the golden track to success,” Wedbush analyst Daniel Ives said, comparing the software maker to Argentine soccer star and Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi.

Palantir Technologies Inc. is at the forefront of the artificial-intelligence revolution, according to analyst firm Wedbush, which has initiated coverage of the software maker with an outperform rating and $25 price target.

Shares of Palantir rose 10.3% on Friday and jumped another 11.4% on Monday. The company’s stock has risen 209% this year, outpacing the S&P 500’s gain of 19.5%.

Palantir is “the Messi of AI on the golden track to success,” Wedbush analyst Dan Ives wrote in a note Friday, making a comparison to Argentine soccer star Lionel Messi, who is currently enjoying a stellar start to his MLS career at Inter Miami. “In a nutshell, we believe Palantir has built an AI fortress that is unmatched and poised to be a major player in this AI Revolution over the next decade.”

Ives also broke down what he describes as Palantir’s “the secret sauce,” writing: “Focusing on human-driven analysis by leveraging artificial intelligence, Palantir builds intelligent platforms for data management and security that enable users to address intricate questions without the need for statistical or computational expertise. The company works closely with customers to deploy products, optimize workflows, and produce operational results quickly while incorporating privacy-protective features.”

Palantir has clinched partnerships with a host of companies, including Microsoft Corp., Cloudflare Inc. and IBM Corp.

“We believe [Palantir] will capitalize on the expansion of new use cases over the next 6-12 months given its large partner ecosystem and extensive product capabilities, by servicing the rapidly increasing demand for enterprise-scale generative artificial intelligence,” Ives wrote. “This is early innings on a sum-of-the-parts AI story just on the cusp on monetizing this massive green field AI opportunity.”

One of a number of companies gaining steam with investors amid the AI wave, Palantir has been attracting attention recently. Earlier this month, Mizuho Securities raised its Palantir price target to $14 from $8 but kept a neutral rating for the stock.