Glossary
Stock split
Dividing each share into several, with no change in what the company is worth.
A stock split divides each existing share into more shares. In a four-for-one split, one share becomes four and the price per share drops to about a quarter. Each holder owns the same part of the company as before, and the company’s value doesn’t change.
Apple split its stock four-for-one on Aug 28, 2020, six years after a seven-for-one split. Filings after a split restate earlier per-share figures, which is why an old 10-K and a new one can show different EPS for the same year. The Apple history page lines the figures up both ways.
A reverse split works the other way, combining shares into fewer, higher-priced ones.
Longer explainer: Stock splits
Related terms: Earnings per share (EPS), Stock buyback
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Disclosures
- Editor holdings
- The editor holds no position in any company named on this page. As of Nov 11, 2026.
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- Sources
- The SEC filings linked next to each figure.
- Last updated
- Nov 11, 2026
General education, the same for every reader. Not a recommendation to buy, sell or hold any security, and it doesn’t consider your situation.