NEW YORK, Feb 18, 2026, 2:55 PM EST — Regular session
- Intuit climbed roughly 3.5% in afternoon trade, bouncing back after Tuesday’s drop.
- Software shares bounced back, tracking the rebound in tech after a stretch of AI-fueled swings earlier this month.
- Attention now turns toward Intuit, which is set to report its fiscal second-quarter results on Feb. 26.
Intuit Inc. shares moved up 3.5% to $392.42 in afternoon trading Wednesday. The previous close: $379.17. During the session, the stock has ranged from $375.74 to $398.07.
Why does the rebound matter? Intuit has been caught up in the broader “AI disruption” selloff, a wave that’s battered software players and firms with heavy reliance on subscription income. Shares have dropped roughly 40% this year, Reuters tallies show, with investors on edge right in the thick of U.S. tax season. Reuters
Technology shares bounced back, lifting U.S. stocks in morning trading, Reuters said. As of 11:25 a.m. ET, the Nasdaq climbed 1.31%, while the S&P 500 gained 0.86%. “Investors should not assume that all companies will win on the AI front,” Paul Stanley, chief investment officer at Granite Bay Wealth Management, cautioned. Reuters
Intuit—known for TurboTax, Credit Karma, QuickBooks, and Mailchimp—finds itself juggling its tax and small-business identity as investors rethink software pricing power in light of AI’s rise.
Investors won’t have to wait long for the next key event. Intuit drops fiscal Q2 numbers on Feb. 26, with its conference call set for 4:30 p.m. ET.
The rebound in the stock isn’t putting the central debate to rest. Investors remain divided: do rapidly advancing AI tools fundamentally alter the business model for leading software names, or are they just tacking on new bells, whistles—and expenses? “Calling the bottom during a crash in sentiment like this is very, very challenging,” said Dave Harrison Smith, chief investment officer and head of technology investing at Bailard. Reuters
Intuit steps up on Feb. 26, and traders are tuning in for updates on the company’s outlook—especially any clues about tax software and small-business tool demand. The backdrop: macro news and AI chatter have been drowning out single-stock narratives all month.
