PLTR vs IBM Stock Comparison
IBM currently leads PLTR in this stock comparison, with AIQ scores of 66 vs 60. The clearest difference is value, while PLTR has the stronger quality profile.
What is the main difference between PLTR and IBM?
IBM leads the current stock comparison as International Business Machines Corporation, with the clearest separation coming from value and the broader AIQ evidence mix.
AlgovestIQ AIQ Comparison
Palantir Technologies Inc. vs International Business Machines Corporation
IBM leads
IBM leads by 6 AIQ points, primarily on Value and Momentum, having only recently taken the lead back from PLTR.
Fragile: 3 of 6 evidence groups support IBM, the lead recently changed hands, and its current signal state is conflicted.
Palantir Technologies Inc.
International Business Machines Corporation
The Algovestiq AIQ Score currently favors IBM over PLTR, 66 versus 60 as of Oct 21, 2026. IBM's advantage is driven primarily by stronger value and momentum, while PLTR holds the stronger quality profile. IBM also shows the weaker technical structure relative to its 50-day moving average. 3 of 6 covered evidence groups favor IBM today, and the comparison is rated Fragile on stability: only 3 of 6 covered evidence groups agree. IBM lead: Reversed — PLTR led by 14 AIQ points 30 sessions ago; IBM now leads by 6.
Compare Palantir Technologies Inc. and International Business Machines Corporation across the Algovestiq AIQ Score, valuation, quality, momentum, risk, technicals and analyst expectations.
Performance over time
Total return with distributions reinvested, from daily closes.
Total return comparison
Growth of $10,000, distributions reinvested
Split-adjusted closes; each distribution is reinvested at the close on its ex-dividend date. Taxes and trading costs are not modeled.
Compare PLTR and IBM against another ticker
Open a multi-ticker workspace without changing this focused pair page.
AIQ Factor Divergence
Where the two separate, on the four dimensions behind the AIQ Score. Bars read outward from a shared zero: further from the centre is a wider gap.
- Value24 vs 67IBM +43
- Quality97 vs 61PLTR +36
- Momentum61 vs 79IBM +18
- Risk Resilience55 vs 51PLTR +4
3 of 6 evidence groups favor IBM. IBM’s edge is concentrated in value and momentum; PLTR keeps a meaningful quality edge.
What changed since the last close
Latest scored session 2026-10-20, compared against the prior scored session 2026-10-19.
Largest factor move: Momentum -2, not enough on its own to move the overall score.
No signal started or stopped since the prior session; its 5 active signals are unchanged.
Largest factor move: Momentum +2
New signals
- BB Upper Band Breach — bearish, volatility, short horizon
- Keltner Channel Breakout — bullish, volatility, short horizon
IBM's lead widened by 1 AIQ point in the latest session.
Deeper signal detail for each name lives on its own signals page — PLTR and IBM both carry a full feed there.
The central trade-off
IBM (International Business Machines Corporation): the stronger current systematic profile, led by value and momentum.
PLTR (Palantir Technologies Inc.): the counter-case, on quality, risk resilience, fundamentals — but at materially higher volatility, 43.2% against 25.3%.
Which one fits your objective
The same two names rank differently depending on what you are optimizing for. All six reads are shown at once — none of them is hidden behind a toggle.
Balanced
IBMIBM on the overall AIQ Score, which weights Quality and Value most heavily.
Growth
IBMIBM on combined revenue and EPS growth.
Value
IBMIBM on the peer-relative Value factor, by 43 points.
Momentum
IBMIBM on the Momentum factor, by 18 points.
Lower downside
PLTRPLTR on Risk Resilience, by 4 points.
Analyst upside
IBMIBM on implied upside to the consensus price target.
AIQ vs Wall Street
Where the systematic read and the analyst consensus line up — and where they do not.
| Measure | PLTR | IBM | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Implied upside to target | -3.5% | +4% | IBM has more room |
| Target dispersion | +95% | +66.9% | Lower is tighter analyst agreement |
| Consensus | Buy | Hold | Context, not a primary driver |
| Analysts covering | 14 | 14 | Higher coverage generally improves confidence |
Analyst targets are expectations, not predictions. Dispersion matters as much as the midpoint.
AIQ Agreement Matrix
3 of 6 covered evidence groups favor IBM. A wide gap backed by one group is a weaker case than a narrow gap backed by five.
| Evidence group | Favors | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| AIQ Score | IBM | 60 vs 66 |
| Fundamentals | PLTRon balance | revenue growth 18.6% vs 7.8%; EPS growth 22.2% vs 76.9%; TTM ROE 37.5% vs 33.5%; gross margin 84.8% vs 58.4%; operating margin 42.8% vs 17.9% — PLTR takes 4 of 5 decided legs, not all of them |
| Valuation | IBM | Value 24 vs 67 |
| Technicals | PLTR | Price vs 50-day 10% vs 8.3%; vs 200-day 26% vs -3.7% |
| Risk Resilience | PLTR | Risk Resilience 55 vs 51 |
| Analyst expectations | IBM | Target upside -3.5% vs 4% |
✓ agrees with the overall verdict · ✕ points the other way. Groups marked “not covered” lack data on one or both of PLTR and IBM and are excluded from the count.
AIQ Decision Stability
The conclusion is sensitive to small changes. Treat the lead as provisional and watch the flip conditions below.
- The AIQ gap is moderate at 6 points.
- Only 3 of 6 covered evidence groups agree. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
- The lead has already changed hands inside the comparison window. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
- The lead has swung materially session to session. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
- The leader is throwing conflicting signals. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
- Signal direction runs against the verdict: the leader is net-bearish while the laggard is net-bullish. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
- Analyst targets on the leader are widely dispersed. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
Stability combines the score gap, how broadly the evidence agrees, how steady the lead has been across daily snapshots, the current signal state on both names, and analyst dispersion on IBM.
How the comparison changed
120 daily snapshots · Jun 21 – Oct 20IBM lead: Reversed — PLTR led by 14 AIQ points 30 sessions ago; IBM now leads by 6.
- Today
- IBM +6
- 60 vs 66
- 7 sessions ago
- PLTR +2
- 65 vs 63
- 30 sessions ago
- PLTR +14
- 65 vs 51
- 90 sessions ago
- PLTR +9
- 66 vs 57
The lead changed hands 6 times in this window, most recently on Oct 19 when IBM moved ahead of PLTR.
AIQ Signal Divergence
Only the signals that bear on the head-to-head. A conflicted name is carrying bullish and bearish rules at the same time — the technical evidence is not pointing one way.
3 bullish / 1 bearish / 1 neutral, conflicted
Only PLTR
- Golden Cross Active — bullish, trend, long horizon (19.96%)
- ATR Expansion - Breakout Mode — neutral, volatility, short horizon (4.10%)
- EMA Ribbon Expansion Bullish — bullish, trend, medium horizon
- Uptrend Structure Active — bullish, trend, long horizon
- MACD Bearish Crossover — bearish, momentum, short horizon
2 bullish / 3 bearish, conflicted
Only IBM
- Death Cross Active — bearish, trend, long horizon (8.19%)
- BB Upper Band Breach — bearish, volatility, short horizon
- Keltner Channel Breakout — bullish, volatility, short horizon
- RSI Overbought — bearish, momentum, short horizon
- MACD Bullish Crossover — bullish, momentum, short horizon
IBM leads the comparison while carrying a conflicted signal state, which is one reason the stability rating is not higher.
Price vs model alignment
Whether the latest session's price move confirms what the model did over the same session, or contradicts it.
Neither the price nor the AIQ Score moved enough in the latest session to confirm or contradict the other (price +4.74%, AIQ 0 points).
Price and the AIQ Score both moved up over the latest session (price +3.94%, AIQ +1 points).
What would flip this result
A state, not a forecast. These are the specific, observable changes that would reverse the verdict — not a price prediction.
- 1PLTR closes the Value gap — currently 43 points behind, the largest single contributor to IBM's edge.
- 2PLTR generates a confirmed bullish trend signal it does not currently carry, such as MACD Bullish Crossover.
- 3IBM's conflicting signal state resolves bearish — it currently carries 2 bullish and 3 bearish rules at once.
- 4A regime shift changes factor weighting — Quality and Value carry the heaviest weights in the composite, so a rotation toward either would move the result most.
The full evidence
Every number behind the verdict. The leader is called above each group so you are not left to solve it from the table.
Fundamentals
PLTR leads on balance| Metric | PLTR | IBM |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue growth (YoY) | 18.6% | 7.8% |
| EPS growth (YoY) | 22.2% | 76.9% |
| Gross margin | 84.8% | 58.4% |
| Operating margin | 42.8% | 17.9% |
| Return on equity (TTM) | 37.5% | 33.5% |
| Debt to equity | 0.02 | 1.89 |
Performance
PLTR leads 4 of 6 windows| Metric | PLTR | IBM |
|---|---|---|
| 1 week (5 sessions) | -7.7% | 4.8% |
| 1 month (20 sessions) | 4.1% | 4.6% |
| 3 months (63 sessions) | 54.6% | 17.6% |
| 6 months (126 sessions) | 31.9% | -5.4% |
| Year to date | 8.4% | -18.3% |
| 1 year (252 sessions) | 8.1% | -12.3% |
Technicals
PLTR has the stronger structure| Metric | PLTR | IBM |
|---|---|---|
| RSI (14) | 54.8 | 76.1 |
| ADX (14) | 28.7 | 13.5 |
| Price vs 50-day | 10% | 8.3% |
| Price vs 200-day | 26% | -3.7% |
| Volatility (1M, annualized) | 43.2% | 25.3% |
Risk
PLTR is the more resilient| Metric | PLTR | IBM |
|---|---|---|
| Beta | 2.01 | 0.88 |
| Sharpe ratio | 0.36 | -0.13 |
| Sortino ratio | 0.61 | -0.15 |
| Max drawdown | -48.2% | -37.5% |
| Current drawdown | -7.9% | -26.5% |
| Annualized volatility | 60.8% | 48.9% |
| Value at risk (95%) | -6.1% | -3.4% |
Straight answers
Each answer is regenerated from the current snapshot, not written once and left to age.
Which is better, PLTR or IBM?
On the Algovestiq AIQ Score, IBM is the stronger of the two as of Oct 21, 2026, scoring 66 against PLTR's 60. The edge comes from value and momentum. PLTR is not without a case — it holds the better quality profile, which matters more if that is the objective you are optimizing for. This is a systematic score, not a recommendation: it ranks the two on the same evidence, it does not know your holding period or tax position.
Is PLTR or IBM the better buy right now?
IBM carries the stronger systematic profile as of Oct 21, 2026, and the comparison is rated Fragile — 3 of 6 covered evidence groups agree. A Fragile rating means the conclusion is sensitive: only 3 of 6 covered evidence groups agree. Treat the lead as provisional.
Why does the AIQ Score favor IBM over PLTR?
The composite weights Quality, Value, Momentum and Risk Resilience. IBM leads Value by 43 points; PLTR leads Quality by 36 points; IBM leads Momentum by 18 points. Where the two split, the factor with the larger weight carries the result.
Which has more analyst upside, PLTR or IBM?
Analyst price targets imply -3.5% upside for PLTR and +4% for IBM, so the Street currently favors IBM. The model and the Street agree here, which is a broader base of evidence than either alone. Analyst targets are expectations, not predictions, and dispersion matters as much as the midpoint.
Which is better value, PLTR or IBM?
IBM is the better-valued of the two on the peer-relative Value factor. IBM on the peer-relative Value factor, by 43 points. The Value factor reads valuation relative to sector peers and to the company's own fundamental quality, so it is not the same as simply having the lower multiple.
Which has stronger growth, PLTR or IBM?
IBM on combined revenue and EPS growth. Growth here is measured on reported revenue and earnings, not on forward estimates — it describes what the businesses have delivered, not what the Street expects next.
Which has stronger momentum, PLTR or IBM?
IBM on the Momentum factor, by 18 points. Momentum is one of the four weighted factors in the AIQ composite. It has documented persistence over three- to twelve-month horizons, which makes it a timing input rather than a reason to hold something indefinitely.
Which is riskier, PLTR or IBM?
PLTR is the more resilient of the two, so the other name carries the higher downside risk. PLTR on Risk Resilience, by 4 points. Risk Resilience is a weighted factor in the composite; position sizing usually responds to it more usefully than the buy/avoid decision does.
Is PLTR more profitable than IBM?
PLTR leads on the comparable margin measures — gross margin 84.8% vs 58.4%; operating margin 42.8% vs 17.9%; ttm roe 37.5% vs 33.5%.
Is IBM's lead over PLTR getting stronger or weaker?
IBM lead: Reversed — PLTR led by 14 AIQ points 30 sessions ago; IBM now leads by 6. This is measured from 120 daily comparison snapshots between 2026-06-21 and 2026-10-20. The lead has changed hands 6 times in that window, most recently on 2026-10-19, when IBM moved ahead of PLTR.
What would change the PLTR vs IBM verdict?
The result is a state, not a forecast, so it changes when the underlying evidence changes. Concretely: PLTR closes the Value gap — currently 43 points behind, the largest single contributor to IBM's edge; PLTR generates a confirmed bullish trend signal it does not currently carry, such as MACD Bullish Crossover; IBM's conflicting signal state resolves bearish — it currently carries 2 bullish and 3 bearish rules at once; a regime shift changes factor weighting — Quality and Value carry the heaviest weights in the composite, so a rotation toward either would move the result most.
What do the current signals say about PLTR and IBM?
PLTR: 3 bullish / 1 bearish / 1 neutral, conflicted. IBM: 2 bullish / 3 bearish, conflicted. A conflicted state means bullish and bearish rules are active on the same name at once — the technical evidence is not pointing one way, and a decision taken on it carries more timing risk. The most decision-relevant rule on PLTR is Golden Cross Active (bullish, long horizon). On IBM it is Death Cross Active (bearish, long horizon).
Compare PLTR and IBM with others
Continue your research
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How this comparison is scored
The Algovestiq AIQ Score composites four factors — Quality, Value, Momentum and Risk, each carrying a fixed weight. Sentiment is reported separately as SentimentPulse and is not folded into the composite. Scores refresh every trading day, and this page regenerates from the latest snapshot rather than being written once.
The verdict names a leader, states how broadly six independent evidence groups agree, and rates how durable that conclusion is given the score gap, its recent trajectory and the current signal state on both names.
How to use side-by-side comparison →This comparison is informational and educational, not investment advice. AIQ scores update daily; re-check after earnings, guidance or macro data that materially changes either name’s factor profile.