Stock splits | What to know about your investment | Fidelity (2024)

FAQs

Stock splits | What to know about your investment | Fidelity? ›

Stock splits: What you need to know. A stock split doesn't change the value of your investment. If you own the stock of a company that executes a stock split, the details of your position change, but the total value of your position does not.

Key Takeaways. In a stock split, a company divides its existing stock into multiple shares to boost liquidity. Companies may also do stock splits to make share prices more attractive. For shareholders, the total dollar value of their investment remains the same because the split doesn't add real value.

It depends on whom you ask. Some analysts say stocks that split tend to outperform the broad market S&P 500 index in the 12 months following the split announcement. Others say a stock split isn't a reliable indicator of whether a stock's value will increase or decrease over time.

For example, if a company you invest in issues a 2-for-1 split, you'd receive one extra share for each share that you already own. So if you own 1 share of a company worth $100, you'd then own 2 shares worth $50 each, for a total of $100.

A good way of allocation is to subtract your age from 100 – this should be the percentage of stocks in your portfolio. For example, a 30-year-old could keep 70% in stocks with 30% in bonds. On the other hand, a 60-year-old should reduce risk exposure. Hence, the stock-to-bond allocation should be 40:60.

A stock split isn't worthless and it doesn't impact a company's fundamental position. It will therefore not create additional value. Some compare a stock split to cutting a piece of cake. If the dessert tastes horrible, it doesn't matter whether it has been cut into 10 pieces or 20 pieces.

While the number of shares owned changes after a stock split, the split itself does not change your investment value.

From time to time, stock splits are followed by a bump in stock performance—but not always. Is the split worth it? – Stock splits have no tangible impact on a company's total value—they simply create more shares at more affordable prices.

You have two basic options. You can buy the shares beforehand while the price per share remains high. You will likely hope to profit from a rise in the share value with the excitement surrounding the stock. You can also elect to wait until after the split and then take advantage of the lower price per share.

Unlike issuing new shares, a stock split does not dilute the ownership interests of existing shareholders. For example, if you own 100 shares of a company that trades at $100 per share and the company declares a two-for-one stock split, you will own 200 shares at $50 per share immediately after the split.

Is a 100% stock dividend the same as a stock split? ›

Generally, the dividend is provided by the company to its shareholders in two ways, either in cash or in additional stock. Stock dividend is a distribution of additional shares of a company's stock to existing shareholders whereas a stock split is done to divide the existing shares into multiple shares.

In this case, you sold 100 shares of ABCD stock for $40 each, which gives you a selling price of $4000. You originally purchased these shares for $33 each, which gives you a purchase price of $3300. The capital gain is calculated by subtracting the purchase price from the selling price: $4000 - $3300 = $700.

So, if you owned 5,000 shares of stock at a price of 10 cents per share worth a total of $500 before the reverse split, you would own 25 shares at a price of $20 each after the reverse split, maintaining that total value of $500. The amount of money you have invested doesn't change, just the number of shares you own.

Indeed, a good mix of equities (yes, even at age 70), bonds and cash can help you achieve long-term success, pros say. One rough rule of thumb is that the percentage of your money invested in stocks should equal 110 minus your age, which in your case would be 40%. The rest should be in bonds and cash.

If you are a moderate-risk investor, it's best to start with a 60-30-10 or 70-20-10 allocation. Those of you who have a 60-40 allocation can also add a touch of gold to their portfolios for better diversification. If you are conservative, then 50-40-10 or 50-30-20 is a good way to start off on your investment journey.

The 2% rule is a risk management principle that advises investors to limit the amount of capital they risk on any single trade or investment to no more than 2% of their total trading capital. This means that if a trade goes against them, the maximum loss incurred would be 2% of their total trading capital.

That said, many stocks have shown strong performance after a split. In other words, selling your shares of a stock prior to a split isn't always the best decision – unless, of course, you're not well-positioned to continue holding the stock.

A stock split increases the number of shares outstanding and lowers the individual value of each share. While the number of shares outstanding change, the overall market capitalization of the company and the value of each shareholder's stake remains the same.

One way is to buy shares of the company before the reverse split occurs with the plan to sell them soon afterwards. This can be profitable if the company's stock price increases after the split. Another way to make money from a reverse stock split is to short sell the stock of the company.