A stock split involves increasing the number of outstanding shares of a corporation, proportionally decreasing the price of each share. For example, in a two-for-one scenario, an investor holding 100 shares at $100 per share before the split will own 200 shares at $50 per share after the split. The total value of the holding remains consistent immediately following the adjustment.
This corporate action can make a company’s shares more accessible to a broader range of investors, potentially increasing liquidity. Historically, companies have used stock splits to signal confidence in future growth prospects, though this is not always the case. While it doesn’t fundamentally alter the intrinsic worth of the company, it can affect investor perception and trading dynamics.