The Motley Foolยท2025-07-08 07:06Core Insights - The stock market is experiencing a dual trend of excitement around artificial intelligence (AI) and stock splits, with stock splits gaining significant attention [1][2] Stock Split Overview - A stock split allows a company to adjust its share price and outstanding share count without affecting its market capitalization or operational performance [2] - Reverse splits are generally viewed negatively by investors, often associated with struggling companies trying to avoid delisting [3] - Forward splits are favored by investors as they make shares more affordable, potentially leading to better operational performance [5] Historical Performance - Companies that have executed forward splits since 1980 have averaged a 25.4% return in the year following the announcement, significantly outperforming the S&P 500's 11.9% average return over the same period [6] Potential Candidates for Stock Splits - Costco and Netflix are being considered as potential candidates for stock splits in 2025, with Costco's share price nearing $1,000 and Netflix's around $1,300 [8][10] - Both companies have not conducted a stock split in many years, raising investor interest [9][10] Costco's Position - Costco's management does not currently see the necessity for a stock split, citing the prevalence of fractional-share purchases as a reason [12][14] - The company will continue to evaluate the situation but has no immediate plans for a split [13][15] Netflix's Position - Netflix is unlikely to announce a stock split due to the high percentage of shares held by institutional investors (80.2%), who do not require lower nominal prices [17][18] - Retail investor ownership at nearly 20% is not low enough to create urgency for a split, unlike other companies with even lower retail ownership [19]