Key Takeaways
- PLTR shares climbed 2.3% in pre-market hours to $131.05 on Monday, April 13.
- Donald Trump endorsed Palantir on Truth Social, highlighting its military and defense capabilities.
- ARK Invest acquired 85,485 shares of PLTR valued between $10.95 million and $11.15 million across five exchange-traded funds.
- ARKK led ARK’s buying activity with 46,455 shares, while ARKQ, ARKW, ARKF, and ARKX also increased holdings.
- Year-to-date, PLTR remains down 28% and currently trades at 99 times projected 2026 earnings.
Monday morning brought positive momentum to Palantir shares, fueled by dual catalysts: public backing from the former president and substantial buying from one of Wall Street’s most prominent innovation investors.
Pre-market trading saw PLTR advance 2.3% to reach $131.05 before regular hours began. This upward movement came even as broader market sentiment turned cautious — S&P 500 futures declined 0.6% amid investor anxiety over Trump’s directive ordering a U.S. Navy blockade in the Strait of Hormuz.
Palantir Technologies Inc., PLTR
Trump took to Truth Social on Friday with a message of support: “Palantir Technologies (PLTR) has proven to have great war fighting capabilities and equipment. Just ask our enemies!!!” This statement provided a boost to PLTR, helping offset losses during a trading session already pressured by market concerns surrounding Anthropic’s newest AI model release.
This isn’t Trump’s inaugural market-moving statement about the data analytics company, and market watchers expect additional commentary in the future.
Cathie Wood’s Firm Adds Significant PLTR Position
According to ARK Invest’s trading disclosure for April 11, the investment firm acquired 85,485 Palantir shares distributed across five separate ETFs. Based on prevailing prices, the aggregate purchase value ranged from approximately $10.95 million to $11.15 million.
The flagship ARKK fund accounted for the bulk of the transaction with 46,455 shares. Additional purchases included 15,127 shares for ARKQ, 11,865 for ARKW, 5,973 for ARKF, and 6,065 for ARKX.
Wood has maintained a consistently bullish outlook on Palantir over time. Given the stock’s significant retreat from previous peak levels, this buying activity appears to represent ARK capitalizing on weakness to expand a high-conviction holding.
Balancing the ledger, ARK divested 44,446 AMD shares valued near $10.52 million across its suite of ETFs. The firm also liquidated 75,389 Strata Critical Medical (SRTA) shares worth approximately $305,000, extending its exit from that investment.
Valuation Concerns Persist Despite Rally
Despite favorable news flow, Palantir continues facing significant headwinds in 2026. The stock has surrendered 28% of its value year-to-date, representing a dramatic reversal from the elevated levels achieved in late 2024.
The central debate among market participants centers on valuation metrics. Trading at 99 times forward 2026 earnings estimates, the stock embeds extraordinarily high growth expectations. Doubters question whether Palantir can achieve expansion rates sufficient to justify such premium multiples — particularly as artificial intelligence continues transforming the enterprise software sector where it competes.
This ongoing battle between robust government contract demand and stretched valuation multiples has characterized PLTR’s narrative throughout the current year.
Monday’s pre-market activity positioned PLTR near $131.05. ARK executed its share purchase at Friday’s closing price, which hovered around $128.
