The Motley Fool·2025-07-15 07:06Core Insights - The article discusses the trend of stock splits among companies, highlighting their significance in the current investment landscape alongside the AI revolution [2][5]. Group 1: Stock Split Overview - Stock splits are a method for publicly traded companies to adjust their share price and outstanding share count without affecting market capitalization or operational performance [2]. - Forward stock splits are generally viewed positively by investors, as they often indicate a company's strong performance and affordability for retail investors [5][7]. - Companies that have enacted forward splits have historically outperformed the S&P 500 in the year following the announcement [5]. Group 2: Fastenal - Fastenal executed a 2-for-1 forward split on May 21, 2025, marking its ninth split since its IPO in August 1987, with shares increasing by nearly 137,000% since then [7][8]. - The company's success is attributed to its innovative inventory solutions, such as internet-connected vending machines, which enhance revenue and client relationships [8]. - Fastenal's performance is cyclical, benefiting from economic growth, which allows for expanded sales and deeper business ties in the industrial sector [9][10]. - Despite a high valuation at 36 times consensus EPS for 2026, Fastenal's strong sales growth and higher-margin solutions position it for future gains [11]. Group 3: O'Reilly Automotive - O'Reilly Automotive completed a 15-for-1 forward split on June 9, 2025, following a cumulative share price increase of nearly 56,300% since its IPO in April 1993 [14][18]. - The company benefits from macroeconomic trends, such as the increasing average age of vehicles, which drives demand for auto parts and maintenance [15]. - O'Reilly's hub-and-spoke distribution model enhances its efficiency, ensuring rapid delivery of over 153,000 items to customers [16]. - The aggressive share-repurchase program has resulted in nearly $26 billion spent to buy back 59.4% of outstanding shares since 2011, boosting EPS [17]. Group 4: Interactive Brokers Group - Interactive Brokers executed a 4-for-1 forward split on June 17, 2025, marking its first split since going public in May 2007, with shares rising approximately 610% since then [19][20]. - The company has seen significant growth in key performance indicators, including a 32% increase in customer accounts and a 50% rise in daily active revenue trades [22]. - Despite a valuation of 29 times forward-year earnings, the strong growth across all KPIs positions Interactive Brokers favorably for long-term performance [23].