New York, Feb 21, 2026, 13:06 ET — Market closed.
- Shares of Booking bounced back Friday, recovering after Thursday’s steep AI-driven selloff.
- Traders are now penciling in a stock split and an increased dividend payment.
- Monday’s open is up next. Investors remain split over just how quickly AI could upend travel search.
Shares of Booking Holdings Inc ended Friday up roughly 1.7%, finishing at $4,076.79 as the stock steadied following a turbulent week for the Booking.com and Priceline parent.
Monday’s scene looks tricky. Booking’s travel numbers are holding up and it’s sending cash back to shareholders, but the company finds itself tangled in a debate over generative AI. The key issue: could these tools grab that crucial “first click” and steer travelers away from online travel agencies?
For traders, that debate just got real. BKNG trades in the four digits, swings wide on a daily basis, and sentiment shifts hit the tape in a hurry.
Shares slid 6.1% Thursday, tracking a broader dip in U.S. stocks as renewed worries about artificial intelligence’s potential fallout took hold. This came despite Booking posting a quarterly profit that beat estimates.
Booking reported a 16% bump in fourth-quarter revenue, landing at $6.35 billion, with gross bookings also up 16% to $43.0 billion. Adjusted earnings per share came in at $48.80, a non-GAAP number. For the first quarter, the company is calling for gross bookings growth of 14% to 16%. The quarterly dividend goes up to $10.50 per share, payable March 31. Booking also bought back $2.1 billion worth of stock during the quarter. “These results highlight the strength of our platform and the discipline of our execution,” CEO Glenn Fogel said. SEC
Booking’s CFO, Ewout Steenbergen, is steering the AI conversation back to the balance sheet. With generative AI now handling more tasks, he says customer service costs per reservation are down roughly 10%. “We’re encouraged by the tangible results,” Steenbergen said. Expedia isn’t sitting still either. CEO Ariane Gorin told investors, “We’re experimenting aggressively,” as the company works to maintain a presence in fast-evolving AI-powered search and browsing. CFO Dive
There’s also the mechanical factor: a stock split. With shares hovering near $4,000, splitting them may shift who’s willing to buy a standard lot—even though the company’s earnings power stays exactly the same.
With Friday’s closing level as the benchmark, a 25-for-1 split would slash the headline share price to about $163. Market capitalization stays put—just the denomination per share shifts.
Still, there’s a risk shadowing the stock. Should AI agents begin handling travel searches and bookings directly—skipping Booking’s platforms—the company could get squeezed on traffic, marketing returns and take rates all at once, especially if cost-conscious travelers start pulling back.
Traders are eyeing the broader travel sector for clues. If AI jitters persist, expect nerves to hit related stocks; a relief bounce, though, could favor names touting “cash return” angles—dividends, buybacks, that sort of thing.
The split’s timeline looks brisk. According to a filing, shareholders on record by March 6 are set to get 24 extra shares per existing one. Distribution happens right after the April 2 close, with trading on the new split basis kicking off at the open April 6.
