May 9 (Reuters) - $Palantir Technologies(PLTR.US)$ forecast second-quarter revenue below Wall Street expectations on Monday, indicating slowing sales growth, as the data analytics software firm ramps up its salesforce to sign more deals amid rising competition.
However, the company, known for its work with the U.S. Army and the Central Intelligence Agency, said it sees a "wide range" of potential upside to its forecast driven by opportunities arising from "developing geopolitical events", with the Ukraine war likely to boost defense spending by governments.
But slowing revenue growth at the software maker's government business, which rose 16% in the first quarter, also raised concerns.
On the Europe crisis, Chief Operating Officer Shyam Sankar said nothing as a result of the war is reflected in the first quarter, but Palantir has been working and investing in anticipation of contract awards from governments and expects "marginal impact" in the second quarter and more growth beyond that.
Analysts have raised concerns over Palantir's large dependence on government contracts and so, the company, which only provides its software to the United States and "its allies", has shifted its focus on signing more deals with commercial customers and has been ramping up its sales force.
The company posted first-quarter revenue of $446.4 million, above Refinitiv IBES estimates of $443.4 million, driven by strength in its U.S. commercial business. However, it forecast weaker margins on increased sales and marketing spend.
The company forecast adjusted operating margin of 20% for the current quarter, compared with 31% last year.
Net loss narrowed to $101.4 million, or 5 cents per share, from $123.5 million, or 7 cents per share, a year earlier.
The company forecast second-quarter revenue of $470 million, implying a growth of just 25% year-over-year, compared with 49% growth a year earlier. Analysts on average expected a revenue of $483.9 million.
(Reporting by Chavi Mehta in Bengaluru; Editing by Rashmi Aich)
路透5月9日電-$Palantir Technologies(PLTR.US)$週一，這家數據分析軟件公司預測第二季度營收低於華爾街預期，表明銷售增長放緩，因為在競爭日益激烈的情況下，這家數據分析軟件公司增加了銷售隊伍，以簽署更多交易。
然而，這家以與美國陸軍和中央情報局(CIA)合作而聞名的公司表示，它認為其預測存在“廣泛的潛在上行空間”，原因是“不斷髮展的地緣政治事件”帶來的機遇，烏克蘭戰爭可能會增加各國政府的國防開支。
但這家軟件製造商政府業務的收入增長放緩也引發了人們的擔憂。今年第一季度，該業務的收入增長了16%。
在談到歐洲危機時，首席運營官Shyam Sankar表示，第一季度沒有反映出戰爭的結果，但Palantir一直在工作和投資，以期獲得政府授予的合同，並預計第二季度將產生“微乎其微的影響”，此後將出現更多增長。
分析人士對Palantir對政府合同的嚴重依賴表示擔憂，因此，該公司已經將重點轉移到與商業客户簽署更多協議上，並一直在加大銷售力度。該公司只向美國及其“盟友”提供軟件。
該公司公佈第一季度營收為4.464億美元，高於Refinitiv IBES預期的4.434億美元，得益於其美國商業業務的強勁表現。然而，該公司預計，由於銷售和營銷支出增加，利潤率將下降。
該公司預計本季度調整後的營業利潤率為20%，而去年為31%。
淨虧損收窄至1.014億美元，合每股虧損5美分，上年同期為1.235億美元，合每股虧損7美分。
該公司預計第二季度營收為4.7億美元，這意味着同比僅增長25%，而去年同期的增幅為49%。分析師平均預期營收為4.839億美元。
(Chavi Mehta在孟加拉國報道；Rashmi Aich編輯)
