Palantir funnels earnings to US to avoid European taxes, report finds

Palantir, the Florida-based data analytics firm known for its high profit margins in the United States, is reportedly funneling earnings from its European operations to the U.S. to minimize its tax liabilities in Europe, according to a new report by the U.K.-based Centre for International Corporate Tax Accountability and Research. The findings suggest that while Palantir generates substantial revenue in Europe, nearly all of its pre-tax profits are being routed to the United States, significantly reducing its effective tax burden in the region. The report analyzed financial data from 2024 and revealed that Palantir’s European subsidiaries recorded just €440.5 million in annual revenue, yet their profit margins were dramatically lower compared to the U.S. In 2025, the company’s American operations achieved a profit margin of 47.7 cents per dollar of revenue, more than double the 22.5 cents recorded in 2024. Conversely, outside the U.S., the profit margin stood at a mere 6.3 percent, with some European subsidiaries reporting even lower figures, around 3 percent. According to the report, Palantir appears to intentionally structure its finances to shrink reported profits in Europe, thereby lowering its tax exposure. This practice, commonly referred to as “profit shifting,” involves transferring profits to jurisdictions with lower tax rates or favorable legal frameworks. While the report does not assert that these strategies are illegal, it highlights them as examples of corporate tax avoidance. Such tactics often include payments between subsidiaries for intellectual property, loans, or other forms of intercompany transactions designed to alter profit attribution. In Sweden, for instance, Palantir reported €13.7 million in revenue in 2024 but only €1.1 million in profit. With a corporate tax rate of 20 percent, this resulted in a tax liability of approximately €424,000. The low profit margin underscores the extent to which the company may be leveraging its global structure to optimize its tax position. During its Q2 earnings report, Palantir did not explicitly address its European operations. Instead, the company focused on its U.S. business, where revenue surged 115 percent year-on-year to $1.57 billion (approximately €1.36 billion). It also emphasized a 62 percent profit margin, highlighting the strength of its domestic operations. A U.K.-based spokesperson for Palantir stated that the majority of the company’s 2025 revenue and profitability stemmed from its U.S. business. They added that the company’s tax position in each jurisdiction reflects the level of economic activity and that it meets its tax obligations in all markets where it operates. This is not an isolated case. Other major U.S. technology firms have drawn similar scrutiny over their international tax strategies. In 2024, the European Court of Justice ruled that Apple must repay €13 billion in back taxes to Ireland, concluding that the company had received illegal state aid. Amazon faced allegations of receiving an unlawful tax advantage in Luxembourg, valued at around €250 million, though it eventually prevailed in the dispute. Microsoft, too, has been under investigation regarding its Irish subsidiary, which claimed tax residency in Bermuda to avoid paying millions in taxes to Ireland. Jan Willem Goudriaan, general secretary of the European Federation of Public Service Unions, a group supporting the Center for International Corporate Tax Accountability and Research, said that companies like Palantir, Amazon, and Microsoft prioritize minimizing their tax burdens, effectively diverting funds away from public services. He noted that businesses competing for public contracts should contribute fairly to the societies in which they operate. As regulatory bodies continue to scrutinize multinational corporations' tax practices, the pressure on firms like Palantir to justify their financial structures will likely intensify. Whether through formal audits, legal challenges, or public advocacy, the debate over fair taxation of global giants shows no signs of abating.