IDCC vs PLTR: How InterDigital and Palantir Technologies Compare (2026)

Same yardstick, side by side (as of August 2026). Valuation lined up like this is most meaningful for two names in the same corner of the market, which these are. Figures are approximate; verify before investing.

Reading it: IDCC is the cheaper of the two on forward earnings, but cheaper is not the same as better. Pair the valuation with growth (how far the forward P/E sits below the trailing P/E) and risk (beta) before you decide.

The metrics above tell you which is the marginally better business. The bigger risk for most people is not picking the slightly worse stock, it is over-concentrating. IDCC and PLTR share themes, so owning both, or adding either to what you already hold, can quietly push a large share of your portfolio into one bet.

This is the part a generic comparison page cannot answer, because it depends on what you own. Connect your brokerage and Walnut shows your real, combined IDCC and PLTR exposure, flags overlap with your existing positions, and tells you if adding one would tip you past a concentration you are comfortable with, read-only by default, with your login staying at your broker. Walnut is not an investment adviser.

InterDigital is a wireless and video technology research and patent licensing company. The company develops fundamental technology used in cellular standards (5G, 6G, prior generations), video coding standards (HEVC, VVC), and other communications and media technologies. The company contributes patents to standard-setting organizations and earns recurring licensing revenue from device manufacturers (smartphone OEMs, consumer electronics manufacturers) that implement those standards.

Full IDCC guide

Palantir Technologies provides data integration, analytics, and AI software to government and commercial customers. The company organizes around three main platforms. Gotham is the original government-focused platform used for intelligence, defense, and law enforcement analytics. Foundry is the commercial counterpart used for enterprise data integration and analytics. Apollo is the deployment platform that ships the above to customers' environments (cloud or on-premises). The newer Artificial Intelligence Platform (AIP) layers generative AI workflows on top of Gotham and Foundry data, allowing customers to build AI agents on their own proprietary data.

Full PLTR guide

Both fit overlapping themes, but they are not interchangeable. The useful comparison is which set of drivers and risks you want exposure to.

• IDCC drivers: 5G licensing scale-up; Video standards licensing expansion.
• PLTR drivers: AIP-driven commercial expansion; US government and defense.

A faster-growing, richer-valued name usually swings harder, so it suits a longer horizon and a higher tolerance for volatility; a steadier, more cash-generative business suits a more conservative or income-minded investor. The honest test is which set of risks you could hold through a drawdown: Licensing disputes can suspend royalty receipts during periods of litigation. For PLTR, the valuation reflects extraordinary expectations for AIP-driven growth and is among the highest in software.

Growth-minded investors who believe the theme has years to run tend to accept the richer multiple for more upside; value-minded investors lean toward the cheaper forward earnings and steadier profile. Pick IDCC if you believe its drivers more; PLTR if you believe its. Many investors hold both, but since they share themes, that is a concentrated bet, not diversification. Decide deliberately and check overlap. For the full detail, see the IDCC and PLTR guides.

IDCC. InterDigital's valuation reflects the high-margin licensing business model. P/E and earnings can be volatile due to lumpy licensing settlements; multi-year contracted licensing provides smoother underlying economics. Price-to-cash-flow may be more useful than trailing P/E.

PLTR. Palantir trades at one of the highest valuations in software by virtually any metric. The premium reflects the AIP-driven growth story, the durable government revenue base, and the rule-of-40 financials. The multiple is sensitive to any growth deceleration; downside risk is substantial if AIP momentum slows.

Headline figures (approximate, early 2026): IDCC shows revenue (ttm) ~$700 million, operating margin ~55% (licensing model), net income (ttm) ~$350 million, eps (ttm) ~$13.00; PLTR shows revenue (ttm) ~$3.5 billion, operating margin ~25% (non-GAAP); GAAP is lower, net income (ttm) ~$700 million (GAAP), eps (ttm) ~$0.30.

IDCC and PLTR are related but distinct: same themes, different businesses and risks. Neither wins in the abstract; the right pick is whichever thesis you actually believe, sized so you are not over-concentrated in one theme. Walnut can show your combined IDCC and PLTR exposure against your real portfolio. It is not an investment adviser.