Ch 14 Distributions to Shareholders: Dividends and Repurchases
49. Which of the following statements is CORRECT?
Back before the SEC was created in the 1930s, companies would declare reverse splits in order to boost their
stock prices. However, this was determined to be a deceptive practice, and it is illegal today.
Stock splits create more administrative problems for investors than stock dividends, especially determining the
tax basis of their shares when they decide to sell them, so today stock dividends are used far more often than
stock splits.
When a company declares a stock split, the price of the stock typically declines⎯by about 50% after a 2-for-1
split⎯and this necessarily reduces the total market value of the equity.
If a firm’s stock price is quite high relative to most stocks⎯say $500 per share⎯then it can declare a stock split
of say 10-for-1 so as to bring the price down to something close to $50. Moreover, if the price is relatively
low⎯say $2 per share⎯then it can declare a “reverse split” of say 1-for-25 so as to bring the price up to
somewhere around $50 per share.
When firms are deciding on the size of stock splits⎯say whether to declare a 2-for-1 split or a 3-for-1 split, it is
best to declare the smaller one, in this case the 2-for-1 split, because then the after-split price will be higher
than if the 3-for-1 split had been used.
FMTP.EHRH.17.14.13 – LO: 14–13
United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
United States – AK – DISC: Dividend policy
United States – OH – Default City – TBA
Stock dividends and stock splits
TYPE: Multiple Choice: Conceptual
Multiple Choice
FMTP.EHRH.17.14.13 – LO: 14–13
United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
United States – AK – DISC: Dividend policy
United States – OH – Default City – TBA
Stock splits
TYPE: Multiple Choice: Conceptual
8/26/2015 10:46 AM
8/26/2015 10:46 AM