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Palantir Technologies Inc (NASDAQ:PLTR) has experienced its share of volatility, but after a strong run over the past few weeks, its recent selloff highlights a conflict for ETFs: is Palantir an AI star or a defense stalwart? The response is important, because what investors perceive about the company decides which ETFs take the biggest hit, and which emerge relatively unharmed.
Unlike a lot of pure-play AI names, Palantir has a bifurcated identity. On the one hand, it markets itself as a top artificial intelligence platform for businesses, attracting innovation-weight funds. On the other, it derives consistent revenues from long-term defense and government contracts and is thus a staple in some defense-focused ETFs.
That dual positioning has made Palantir one of those crossover stocks that are able to move the needle in several ETF strategies. When the stock moves up, both camps win. But when it drops, the dichotomy is apparent.
Speculative growth ETFs are taking the brunt of the hit. Perhaps most vulnerable, however, is the ARK Innovation ETF (BATS:ARKK), which has been a long-time believer in Palantir as part of its high-conviction trades on disruptive tech. Similarly, software- and AI-focused funds like the iShares Expanded Tech-Software Sector ETF (BATS:IGV) are also coming under pressure due to Palantir’s involvement in the general AI trade.
These funds ride on momentum and investor excitement surrounding AI, and when the story falters, Palantir’s decline pulls performance down.
Defense-focused ETFs, on the other hand, are much more protected. Vehicles such as the Global X Defense Tech ETF (NYSE:SHLD) or the iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF (BATS:ITA) hold Palantir, but the stock is supported by wider exposure to traditional defense names like Lockheed Martin Corp (NYSE:LMT) and Northrop Grumman Corp (NYSE:NOC).
In such portfolios, Palantir isn’t the headline performer, but rather one part of a larger, more stable defense narrative — making them less susceptible to sudden swings in the stock market.
For ETF investors, Palantir’s weak spot is a reminder that not all exposure is equal. Investing in an AI-themed fund provides you with concentrated exposure to Palantir as a “tech disruptor,” while defense ETFs water down its influence with more stable government contractors.
Briefly, Palantir’s dual purpose puts investors into a choice of lenses: do you take it as a speculative bet on AI, or within a broader defense allocation over the longer term? The recent sell-off indicates those routes can have different endings.
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