New York, February 26, 2026, 18:09 (EST) — Trading after the bell.
- Booking finished the day 2.1% higher, but slipped a bit after the bell.
- This week, Morgan Stanley bumped up the stock, citing “agentic” AI as a major swing factor.
- All eyes on the March record date, with the early-April stock split drawing close.
Booking Holdings Inc. finished Thursday’s session up 2.1%, settling at $4,250.26. After hours, the stock edged down 0.8% to $4,215.10. 1
This was the third day in a row Booking shares have climbed, yet the stock still trailed behind some rivals’ bigger swings. Expedia Group surged 7%, Trip.com dropped 2.6%. Trading volume for Booking hit 742,339 shares—more than twice its 50-day average, per MarketWatch data. 2
Morgan Stanley bumped Booking up to overweight from equal-weight on Tuesday, trimming its price target to $5,500 from $6,150. Analyst Brian Nowak still sees Booking as a “key driver of travel,” even as new “agentic” tools enter the picture. 3
This is significant: “agentic” tools—AI that handles travel planning from start to finish—are prompting a fresh dilemma for the industry. Will travelers continue turning first to online travel agencies, or skip them entirely and book directly with airlines, hotels, and other providers? The outcome could determine how much Booking needs to shell out to attract visitors.
Booking’s catch for shareholders hasn’t gone unnoticed. Last week, the company announced a $10.50 per-share cash dividend, set for March 31 for holders registered by March 6. Management projects its ongoing transformation program will unlock roughly $550 million in yearly cost savings by the close of 2026. CEO Glenn Fogel pointed to “advancing our use of Generative AI” as part of Booking’s push to reinvest in the business. 4
This split falls into the broader near-term plan. By slicing shares 25-for-1, the company would lift the count and drop the per-share price, though the total value stays untouched. With Thursday’s finish, the math lands the post-split sticker at roughly $170 per share—assuming no fresh market swing.
Investor jitters are still in play. On their latest earnings call, Booking execs flagged “slightly lower” average daily rates and noted stays are getting shorter. Those details hint at consumers tightening up on discretionary spending. 5
Then there’s the question of competition in paid search. Travel sites are constantly bidding for prime spots and clicks, so when traffic moves, margins aren’t far behind. That’s why analysts keep returning to the impact AI could have on the earliest stage of booking travel.
Hard deadlines lie ahead. Booking’s Feb. 18 filing set March 6 as the record date—shareholders then get 24 extra shares for every one they own. Distribution comes after the April 2 close, and split-adjusted trading kicks off when markets open April 6. 6
