Home Depot (HD), McDonald's (MCD), and Comcast (CMCSA) are among the companies tha🙈t have exec🌜uted the most stock splits.
A 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:stock split is a corporate action that increases the number of a company's outstanding shares by dividing each existing share into two or more shares. The result is a lower share price but the same 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:market capitalization, and the value of each shareholder's total holding remains the same.
Here, w𒆙e look at some well-known companies with many stock splits.
Key Takeaways
- Stock splits are a strategy companies use to increase the number of outstanding shares while reducing the price per share, making shares more affordable for individual investors and increasing liquidity in the market.
- Splits do not fundamentally change a company's overall value or market capitalization.
- Splits can also signal positive expectations from a company's management.
- Comparing the stock split histories and outcomes of multiple companies can provide greater clarity about market trends and investor sentiment.
澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:1. Home Depot, Inc. (HD)
Home Depot carried out splits pretty often in the years after it went public. It has had 13 splits in less than two decades. The frequency of splits, particularly in the 1980s and 1990s, reflects Home Depot's significant growth as it expanded retail operations across the U.S. while the seeds of the housing boom were planted.
- December 1999: Three-for-two split
- June 1998: Two-for-one split
- June 1997: Three-for-two split
- March 1993: Four-for-three split
- June 1992: Three-for-two split
- June 1991: Three-for-two split
- June 1990: Three-for-two split
- June 1989: Three-for-two split
- September 1987: Three-for-two split
- June 1983: Two-for-one split
- November 1982: Two-for-one split
- April 1982: Five-for-four split
- January 1982: Three-for-two split
An original share bought before the first spl🥀it in 1982 would have grown to about 342 shares.
澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:2. McDonald's Corporation (MCD)
Since going public in 1965, the global fast-food giant has executed 12 stock splits:
- February 1999: Two-for-one split
- June 1994: Two-for-one split
- June 1989: Two-for-one split
- June 1987: Three-for-two split
- June 1986: Three-for-two split
- September 1984: Three-for-two split
- September 1982: Three-for-two split
- May 1972: Two-for-one split
- May 1971: Three-for-two split
- May 1969: Two-for-one split
- May 1968: Two-for-one split
- March 1966: Three-for-two split
If an investor had bought one share of MCD before the first recorded split in March 1966, that share would have grown to about 648 shares. This extensive split history demonstrates the company's long-term growth.
澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:3. Comcast Corporation (CMCSA)
The media and telecom conglomerate Comcast has also had 12 splits over its tenure:
- February 2017: Two-for-one split
- February 2007: Three-for-two split
- May 1999: Two-for-one split
- February 1994: Three-for-two split
- October 1989: Three-for-two split
- April 1988: Three-for-two split
- December 1986: Three-for-two split
- June 1985: Three-for-two split
- September 1984: Three-for-two split
- January 1983: Three-for-two split
- April 1981: Three-for-two split
- May 1980: Three-for-two split
The frequency of splits, particularly in the 1980s and 1990s, reflects Comcast's significant growth as it expanded its cable and media operations. An original share bought before the first split in 1980 would have grown to about 231 shares.
What Stock Splits Mean for Your Portfolio
The main benefit of stock splits is increased affordability. By lowering the price per share, splits make a company's stock more accessible to a broader range of investors who may have been previously priced out of the market. This allows more people to participate in a company's growth. The split should lead to improved 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:liquidity and higher trading ♐volume since more investors can buy and sell the stock at a lower price.
For the company, higher liquidity can result in more efficient 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:price discovery and a more stable market for its shares. For investors, improved liquidity means they can more 🎶easily enter or exit positions in the stock as needed.
Stock splits also have a psychological impact on investors. Many view stock splits as a positive signal about a company's prospects, as the decision to split is often made when a company's management believes the company is performing well and has potential for continued growth. This can boost investor confidence and generate positive sentiment around the stock. However, a stock split doesn't fundamentally change the underlying value of the company or its shares.
There are also some drඣawbacks. One downside may bജe an increase in volatility in the short term, as more frequent trading and more significant price swings may occur while investors adjust to the new price structure. Still, splits are often regarded as positive, and shares usually have a temporary boost.
The Bottom Line
The decision to split a stock depends on various factors, such as the company's share price, growth prospects, and overall market conditions. While stock splits can make shares more accessible to a broader range of investors, they do not fundamentally change the value of the company or its underlying financials.
Investors should consider stock splits as part of a company's overall financial strategy and analyze them with other key metrics, such as earnings growth, revenue, and cash flow.