When Booking Holdings (NASDAQ: BKNG) recently traded near $5,840 per share before pulling back, the travel technology giant’s elevated price underscored a familiar challenge for retail investors: accessibility. This dynamic often precedes stock split announcements, as companies seek to broaden their investor base without changing underlying value.
Five publicly traded companies stand out as the most likely split candidates in 2026, each combining an elevated share price with strong financial performance.
1. MercadoLibre
MercadoLibre (NASDAQ: MELI) tops the list at about $1,997, making it the highest-priced major growth stock without a split history. The Latin American e-commerce and fintech leader posted Q3 2025 revenue of $7.41 billion, up 39% year-over-year. Total payment volume surged 41% to $71.2 billion, while gross merchandise volume climbed 28% to $16.5 billion.
With a market cap of $101.2 billion and only 50.7 million shares outstanding, MercadoLibre’s structure creates significant per-share pricing. The stock has gained 1,910% over the past decade from $99.33 in February 2016, with analyst targets averaging $2,807, positioning it as the most likely near-term split candidate.
2. AutoZone
AutoZone (NYSE: AZO) trades near $3,745 and has famously not split in over 30 years. The auto parts retailer generated $6.24 billion in Q4 2025 revenue and repurchased 117,000 shares for $446.7 million in the quarter. With only 16.6 million shares outstanding and a market cap of $62.3 billion, its buyback strategy continually reduces share count, pushing prices higher.
CEO Phil Daniele struck a “cautiously optimistic” tone on DIY and commercial sales growth, with 141 net new stores opened in Q4. The stock has surged 390% over 10 years from $765 in 2016. AutoZone’s historical resistance to splits makes this a contrarian pick, but the sheer price level may eventually force reconsideration.
3. Costco
Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ: COST) trades near $988, approaching four-digit territory for the first time since its last split in 2000. The 26-year gap mirrors patterns that often precede corporate action on share accessibility.
Costco reported Q1 FY2026 revenue of $67.31 billion, with comparable sales up 6.4%, digitally enabled sales surging 20.5%, and membership renewal rates at 89.7%. The stock has climbed 681% over the past decade from $126.54 in 2016, with analyst targets averaging $1,046 suggesting further upside that could push management toward a split decision.
4. Meta Platforms
Meta Platforms (NASDAQ: META | META Price Prediction) trades at around $645, having reached a 52-week high of $796. The social media giant has never split its stock despite a market cap of $1.63 trillion.
Q4 2025 revenue hit $59.89 billion, up 23.78% year-over-year, while EPS reached $8.88, beating estimates of $8.39. Operating cash flow surged 29.39% to $36.21 billion. With 2.19 billion shares outstanding, $26.26 billion in 2025 share buybacks, and guidance for $115 billion to $135 billion in 2026 capital expenditures, Meta has the financial flexibility to execute a split.
5. Microsoft
Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) trades at approximately $398 per share. While lower than others on this list, it hasn’t split since February 2003, a 23-year gap representing the longest drought in the company’s nine-split history.
Q2 FY2026 revenue reached $81.27 billion, up 16.72% year-over-year, with Microsoft Cloud revenue hitting $51.5 billion, growing 26%. Azure grew 39%, reflecting dominance in AI-driven cloud workloads. With a market cap of $2.96 trillion, 7.43 billion shares outstanding, and the stock up 759% over the past decade from $46.32 in 2016, analyst targets averaging $596 suggest upside that could prompt a split.
The Split Catalyst
These five companies share characteristics that historically precede stock splits: elevated share prices that create accessibility barriers, strong financial performance supporting continued appreciation, and large market capitalizations providing operational flexibility. While splits do not change fundamental value, they can broaden investor bases and improve trading liquidity. As share prices climb on strong execution, management teams may increasingly view splits as tools to maintain retail investor participation in their growth stories.
Top Gaining Stocks
Top Losing Stocks
