Micron Stock Inches Closer to $1,000 Per Share, but Time Is Running Out for a Stock Split in 2026

For those who have owned Micron Technology (NASDAQ: MU) stock since the start of the year, the last month alone has offered a wild ride. On July 29, shares sank to a closing price of $739. That's seemingly based on several factors converging, ranging from potential profit-taking to fears of cheaper artificial intelligence (AI) models emerging from China to increased competition to fears of memory makers losing margin power and returning to boom-or-bust cycles as supply catches up to demand created by AI.

Since July 29, however, the stock price has rebounded, closing at $971.66 on Aug. 14. That may have some investors wondering whether it will cross the $1,000 threshold and whether a Micron stock split is possible by the end of 2026.

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Splitting Micron stock

From a technical perspective, it would be possible for Micron to split its stock before the end of the year. For example, on Feb. 18, the travel and restaurant reservation company Booking Holdings announced a 25-for-1 stock split. Less than two months later, on April 6, it completed the split. Another example is Carvana, which announced a 5-for-1 stock split on March 13 and completed it on May 7. As with Booking, the split was finalized in less than two months.

There's no golden rule that a split will be conducted in less than two months, but these are just recent examples. As we're in mid-August, if Micron wants to split its stock, it's getting close to the wire, but a split could be completed before the end of 2026.

That said, even if it's feasible, that doesn't mean it's likely.

Avoiding the volatility of stock splits

There is paperwork and legal fees involved in a stock split, which offers a reason a company may want to avoid conducting one. But a bigger reason could be that the company is worried about the volatility a split announcement may create.

According to 40 years of research data from Bank of America, shared by Statista, companies that split their stocks saw an average total return of 25.4% in the 12 months following a split announcement, which was more than twice the S&P 500's return during the same period.

On the surface, that may sound positive. Still, that's just the average total return, and a split can attract traders and investors who know that bit of history and are interested in capitalizing on potential short-term opportunities. Then, when they reach the percentage gain they are looking for, they could sell, thereby pressuring the stock price lower. That's why not conducting a split could be viewed as a benefit for long-term shareholders, as it keeps the potential volatility from a stock split at bay.

Given how close we are to the end of 2026, as well as the recent price swings, it appears unlikely a Micron stock split would be completed by December. For long-term investors, what's more important than a stock split will be Micron offering updates on the multi-year contracts it's locking in. That will help offset concerns that it will still be stuck in a boom-or-bust cycle when the supply of memory and storage products finally catches up with demand.

Bank of America is an advertising partner of Motley Fool Money. Jack Delaney has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Booking Holdings and Micron Technology. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.