Why Did Garmin Stock Soar Today?

By Howard Smith – Feb 18, 2026 at 10:19AM ESTKey PointsGarmin expects sales and earnings to keep growing in 2026.Management is seeking a 17% dividend boost. Garmin has over $4 billion in cash and equivalents. We’re bullish on these 10 stocks ›NYSE: GRMNGarminMarket Cap$42BToday's Changeangle-down(10.46%) $22.69Current Price$239.67Price as of February 18, 2026 at 10:45 AM ETThere was a lot for investors to like about Garmin's latest earnings report.Investors are sending Garmin (GRMN +10.46%) shares soaring today after the company reported a record year. Not only did the maker of GPS-enabled wearables and devices finish the year with record revenue across all five segments, but management also predicts more to come. The solid report sent shares up over 18% before the stock settled 16.4% higher as of 9:51 a.m. ET. Image source: Garmin. Cash and dividends Fourth-quarter revenue jumped 17% year over year, helping the company grow sales by 15% for the whole year. That compares with the company's initial guidance of 9% revenue growth in 2025. Garmin again told investors to expect 9% revenue growth this year. Considering the overachievement in 2025, however, that again might be too conservative. The fitness category led fourth-quarter revenue growth at 42%. All segments are doing well for the company, which helps explain investor enthusiasm today. There could be more room for the stock to move higher, too. Even with today's jump, Garmin's price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio based on 2026 expectations is under 27. If one assumes management is again being conservative, that metric will continue to drop throughout 2026. ExpandNYSE: GRMNGarminToday's Change(10.46%) $22.69Current Price$239.67Key Data PointsMarket Cap$42BDay's Range$238.84 - $256.7252wk Range$169.26 - $261.69Volume43KAvg Vol1MGross Margin58.73%Dividend Yield1.59% Investors can be patient and collect more income along the way. The company is recommending a 17% dividend increase for this year. Garmin also established a new, $500 million share repurchase authorization. That replaces the existing $300 million plan that had just $56 million remaining. The company is also sitting on a fortress-like balance sheet, with over $4 billion in cash and equivalents and no debt. It's not hard to see why the stock is soaring today. Read NextFeb 13, 2026 •By Micah ZimmermanShould You Buy Garmin Stock Before Feb. 18?Nov 10, 2025 •By Howard SmithGarmin Stock Sank 13% Last Month. Here's Why It's a Great Time to BuyOct 29, 2025 •By Howard SmithWhy Did Garmin Stock Tank Today?Sep 9, 2025 •By Demitri KalogeropoulosMy 2 Favorite Stocks to Buy Right NowJul 30, 2025 •By Howard SmithWhy Garmin Stock Sank After Earnings TodayJul 24, 2025 •By Royston Yang3 Stocks That Could Turn $1,000 Into $5,000 by 2030About the AuthorHoward Smith is a contributing Motley Fool stock market analyst covering technology and industrial stocks. Prior to The Motley Fool, Howard spent nearly 30 years supervising quality and operations in the steel industry, mostly with leading steel company Nucor. He holds a bachelor’s degree in metallurgical engineering from Lafayette College and a master’s degree in environmental engineering from Johns Hopkins University.TMFBuilt2LastStocks MentionedGarminNYSE: GRMN$239.67 (+10.46%) $+22.69*Average returns of all recommendations since inception. Cost basis and return based on previous market day close.