Intuit stock steadies near $400 as “AI scare trade” grips software sector

February 13, 2026
Intuit stock steadies near $400 as “AI scare trade” grips software sector

New York, Feb 13, 2026, 16:37 EST — After-hours

Intuit Inc (INTU.O) ticked up roughly 0.3% to $399.40 after hours on Friday. The stock swung between $389.55 and $407.27 during a volatile session, with trading volume touching around 4.9 million shares.

Investors keep hammering away at software stocks, pushing a broad “AI scare trade” that’s turned into a sell-off for companies seen as ripe for automation. Some names tried to find their footing late in the week, but it didn’t help Intuit, which has slid about 40% this year, according to Reuters. Workday, Salesforce, and others in the sector have also taken heavy hits, with growing doubts over how quickly new AI tools might disrupt long-established subscription models. “With fear driving market sentiment, investors remain in ‘sell first think later’ mode,” said Barclays equity strategist Emmanual Cau. 1

Stocks were split on Friday. Fresh figures showed U.S. consumer prices rose less than anticipated in January, prompting traders to boost bets on a Fed rate cut sometime this year. The S&P 500 eked out a 0.03% gain, but the Nasdaq dropped 0.23%, based on early numbers. “This is a good number,” said Peter Cardillo, chief market economist at Spartan Capital Securities, who noted signs of cooling inflation. 2

Intuit, the company behind TurboTax and QuickBooks, has been leaning into its AI narrative. Back on Feb. 11, it rolled out what it called an AI-powered construction edition for its Intuit Enterprise Suite—framing the new product as an “AI-native, end-to-end ERP” targeting the sprawling $2 trillion construction industry. The same construction features are being offered as a module for QuickBooks Online Advanced users. “Construction businesses are naturally complex,” said Ashley Still, executive vice president and general manager for mid-market at Intuit. 3

The company has set Sept. 17 for its annual Investor Day, planning to host the event at its Mountain View, California headquarters. A live webcast is scheduled as well. 4

Intuit’s fiscal Q2 earnings are up next for traders, due out after the bell on Feb. 26. Execs will kick off their conference call at 1:30 p.m. Pacific. 5

Investors now want to see if Intuit can hang onto its pricing power and keep customers loyal, as AI tools sweep across finance, tax, and back-office software. Its sharp year-to-date slide has turned the stock into a litmus test—does AI boost the biggest players, or erode their edges?

The risk is hard to ignore. Should management sound wary about tax-season demand, small business outlays, or intensified competition, the stock may take another hit. Investors are already trimming positions in software stocks lumped into the “AI-disrupted” bucket.

Broader rate-cut bets stay in focus for growth names in the next session, though Intuit’s real inflection point comes with its results call on Feb. 26 at 4:30 p.m. EST. 6

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