Palantir Technologies: IPO Chatter

October 31, 2016

I read “Why the Secretive Startup Palantir Is Seriously Considering an IPO.” The Fortune story appeared after the video interview became available and a transcript diffused. You may be able to access the information at this Wall Street Journal link, but you may have to pay to read the transcript.

Here’s what I noted in the Fortune write up:

  • An IPO allows employees to “cash out their shares at a fair price”
  • But Palantir may not go public and “do something on the private equity side”
  • An alternative is to “redistribute” profits

The Fortune article included this statement from Palantir’s CEO Alex Karp as well:

“I have f-cked up so many things at Palantir,” Karp said. “The one thing I have never screwed up is discriminated against anybody based on any variable that they would care about, and I’m very proud of that.”

I noted that none of the write ups about this interview mentioned that a decision from the US Army matter may be made as early as October 31, 2016. A positive decision will increase Palantir’s sales among the intelligence and law enforcement markets; for example, the French DGSI.

A negative decision may curtail Palantir’s growth in the intelligence and law enforcement sectors. Losing out on the DCGS opportunity means that Palantir may have to look to other markets to provide new opportunities for the company.

The question is, “Trick or treat for Palantir this Halloween?”

Stephen E Arnold, October 31, 2016

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