Stock Market Today, Feb. 23: Palantir Falls as Market Pullback and Governance Questions Weigh

Source Motley_fool

Palantir Technologies (NASDAQ:PLTR)develops data integration and analytics platforms for government and commercial clients. The company’s shares closed Monday at $130.63, down 3.43%. Investors responded to governance scrutiny, mixed institutional filings, and shifting views on AI-driven cybersecurity demand, and are keeping an close eye on how these issues affect Palantir’s long-term AI software positioning.


The company’s trading volume reached 52.2 million shares, which is nearly 18% above compared with its three-month average of 44.2 million shares. Palantir Technologies went public in 2020 and has grown 1275% since its IPO.

How the markets moved today

The S&P 500 (SNPINDEX:^GSPC) slipped 1.04% to finish Monday at 6,837, while the Nasdaq Composite (NASDAQINDEX:^IXIC) declined 1.13% to close at 22,627. Among data integration and analytics software peers, Snowflake (NYSE:SNOW) closed at $157.6, down 8.64%, as software valuations continued to reset across higher-growth names.

What this means for investors

Palantir dropped about 4% to 5% as news about tariffs and a cautious market mood put pressure on AI software stocks with higher valuations. This added to the recent volatility following the stock’s sharp decline from its recent highs.

Reports of a $17.2 million CEO jet reimbursement and about $3.05 million in insider sales brought more attention to Palantir. Recent 13F filings showed that while some institutions reduced their holdings, others increased them. These mixed signals highlight ongoing concerns about the company’s valuation and governance.

Earlier, analysts at HSBC and Northland Securities raised their price targets to $205 and $190, showing confidence in Palantir’s AI growth despite recent swings. Investors are now watching to see if new AI contract wins and continued support from institutions can help stabilize the stock if selling in high-growth software continues.

Should you buy stock in Palantir Technologies right now?

Before you buy stock in Palantir Technologies, consider this:

The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Palantir Technologies wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.

Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $424,262!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,163,635!*

Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 904% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 194% for the S&P 500. Don't miss the latest top 10 list, available with Stock Advisor, and join an investing community built by individual investors for individual investors.

See the 10 stocks »

*Stock Advisor returns as of February 23, 2026.

Eric Trie has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Palantir Technologies and Snowflake. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Disclaimer: For information purposes only. Past performance is not indicative of future results.
placeholder
Gold Surges Past $5,200 Amid Geopolitical Tensions and Dollar Weakness Gold prices hit an all-time high over $5,200 an ounce as geopolitical uncertainty and a weakening dollar drive strong demand for safe-haven assets. Other precious metals like silver and platinum also near record highs.
Author  Mitrade
Jan 28, Wed
Gold prices hit an all-time high over $5,200 an ounce as geopolitical uncertainty and a weakening dollar drive strong demand for safe-haven assets. Other precious metals like silver and platinum also near record highs.
placeholder
Solana Price Forecast: SOL approaches critical support as bearish outlook persistsSolana (SOL) is trading in the red, down 2% at press time on Thursday, aligning with the broader cryptocurrency market correction as the US Federal Reserve (Fed) kept the interest rates unchanged on Wednesday.
Author  Rachel Weiss
Jan 29, Thu
Solana (SOL) is trading in the red, down 2% at press time on Thursday, aligning with the broader cryptocurrency market correction as the US Federal Reserve (Fed) kept the interest rates unchanged on Wednesday.
placeholder
Gold Prices Surge Amid Rising U.S.-Iran Tensions, Driving Safe-Haven Demand to New HeightsGold prices rebounded Wednesday, climbing 0.9% to $4,995.60 an ounce as geopolitical tensions between the U.S. and Iran heightened demand for safe-haven assets, despite recent market volatility.
Author  Mitrade
Feb 04, Wed
Gold prices rebounded Wednesday, climbing 0.9% to $4,995.60 an ounce as geopolitical tensions between the U.S. and Iran heightened demand for safe-haven assets, despite recent market volatility.
placeholder
MicroStrategy (MSTR) Stock Barely Escapes Cost-Basis Scare — A 20% Price Swing Awaits?After weeks of heavy pressure, down over 12%, MicroStrategy stock is trying to stabilize. Bitcoin’s rebound near $79,000 at press time helped ease fears around the company’s average cost basis, which
Author  Beincrypto
Feb 04, Wed
After weeks of heavy pressure, down over 12%, MicroStrategy stock is trying to stabilize. Bitcoin’s rebound near $79,000 at press time helped ease fears around the company’s average cost basis, which
placeholder
3 Altcoins to Watch In The Second Week Of February 2026Altcoin momentum is picking up as renewed buying pressure returns to select high-beta tokens. After a period of consolidation and volatility, several charts are now flashing continuation signals and r
Author  Beincrypto
Feb 10, Tue
Altcoin momentum is picking up as renewed buying pressure returns to select high-beta tokens. After a period of consolidation and volatility, several charts are now flashing continuation signals and r
goTop
quote