Palantir CEO Lashes Out at Short Sellers Amid Market Volatility

Palantir Technologies Inc. co-founder Alex Karp launched a scathing critique against short sellers this week, accusing them of market manipulation. The CEO singled out Michael Burry, who recently disclosed short positions against Palantir and chipmaker Nvidia. "They're trying to screw the economy by attacking financials that help both investors and military partners," Karp told CNBC during two separate interviews.

The data analytics firm's stock remains up 135% year-to-date despite recent declines, with its valuation soaring past $420 billion. This places Palantir's forward earnings multiple near 220x—comparable to Tesla but far exceeding Nvidia's 33x and Meta's 22x multiples. Critics argue the valuation outstrips fundamentals, while management points to accelerating revenue growth.

The confrontation highlights growing tensions between growth companies and bearish traders in today's frothy markets. Karp's public challenge mirrors similar battles in crypto markets, where short squeezes frequently pit project founders against skeptical traders.