Palantir jumps; Pentagon to adopt co's Maven AI targeting system
23/03/2026 16:12
** Palantir Technologies PLTR.N shares climbing 4.5% to $157.50 on Mon after Reuters exclusively reported late Fri the Pentagon will make its Maven AI system an official program of record ** Move will lock in long-term use and funding for PLTR's weapons-targeting technology across the U.S. military, streamlining its adoption and providing stable funding, per a letter reviewed by Reuters ** Maven AI system analyzes battlefield data from various sources to help identify targets for military strikes, but the co says humans remain responsible for final lethal decisions ** Piper Sandler, which rates PLTR 'overweight', says adoption signals the Pentagon's intention "to deploy Maven is growing and will likely be a staple of the command-and-control infrastructure for a long-time to come" ** PLTR shares, which hit over two-week high on Mon, rising alongside broader market rally after President Trump postpones military strikes on Iranian power plants .N ** ** At close on Fri, PLTR shares had gained about 10% since the beginning of the war against Iran ** With move on the session, stock down ~12% YTD, underperforming Nasdaq's .IXIC ~5% fall ** Avg rating of 29 analysts is "buy"; median PT of $199 implies ~26% upside to current levels, per LSEG data (Lance Tupper is a Reuters market analyst. The views expressed are his own) (Additional reporting by Rashika Singh) ((lance.tupper@tr.com 1-646-279-6380))