It's fair to say that last month's stock splits for Apple (AAPL -0.35%) and Tesla Motors (TSLA -1.11%) were a success. Apple and Tesla shares rose roughly 30% and 60% respectively in the weeks following their split announcements, and they both shot higher on Monday after their splits went into effect.
If you're a publicly traded with a stock price in triple or even quadruple digits what are you waiting for? Come on in. The water's fine. You're going to see a lot of companies go this route, particularly tech darlings or establishments with strong consumer-facing businesses. Let's go over a few of the copycats that could jump on the stock split bandwagon as early as this month.
Image source: Getty Images.
Chipotle Mexican Grill
Apple and Tesla have avid fan bases, and the same can be said about Chipotle Mexican Grill (CMG 2.41%). The burrito roller has been rolling itself since it brought in Taco Bell's chief to run the show in early 2018, more than quadrupling in value over that time. We're now in four figures on the stock price.
Chipotle knows that it doesn't need a low stock price to succeed in this era with zero-commission trading and fractional shares, but after seeing Tesla and Apple take after announcing their splits it makes sense to follow. Chipotle's bouncing back strong from COVID-19, and the pandemic has helped fortify its digital initiatives that will only grow in the future.
Amazon.com
The world's largest online retailer currently commands the third highest stock price on a U.S. exchange. It's not a good or necessary look for CEO Jeff Bezos. The richest man in the world gets a lot of heat from some social groups given his massive wealth, why keep a stock price approaching $3,500 to make it all seem even more out of reach?
Keith Noonan offers a good argument for Amazon.com (AMZN 3.43%) to be the next tech giant to split its shares. Amazon dominates the e-tail turf, and it would become a more popular investment among its shoppers if it had a stock price that was as accessible as its competitive pricing on products and services.
Alphabet
Google's parent company is another stock needlessly trading in the quadruple figures. The search and online services giant hasn't been as hot over the past year as Tesla, Apple, and most of the other names on this list but Alphabet's (GOOG 9.96%) (GOOGL 10.22%) lofty share will stand out like a sore thumb if other tech companies start following Apple's lead.
Google's revenue slowed in 2019 to its slowest growth since 2015, and analysts see the top-line increase slowing to mid-single digits in 2020. A stock split won't spark accelerating revenue, but it could renew interest in the shares.
Shopify
Shopify (SHOP 1.11%) joined the four-figure club for the first time this summer, and it's not likely to give up that status anytime soon. The e-commerce platform has become a popular choice for new and established businesses looking for a more intuitive way to sell things online.
As the newest of the publicly traded companies on this list -- with just five years on the market -- we don't have a good read on Shopify's willingness to consider a stock split. It's not like Amazon that split its shares three times during the sudsy dot-com bubble days of 1998 and 1999.
One thing for sure is that growth is on a tear at Shopify. Revenue in its latest quarter nearly doubled, soaring 97% on a 119% year-over-year pop in gross merchandise volume. If Shopify is confident that its growth will continue to impress it doesn't have a lot to lose in declaring a stock split.
MercadoLibre
We travel from Shopify in Canada to MercadoLibre (MELI 3.09%) in Latin America to wrap up the list of stocks that are ripe for a stock split. MercadoLibre also finds itself in the four figures when it comes to its stock price.
MercadoLibre started out as a modest platform to allow merchants to connect with customers, but the ecosystem has broadened into payment, fulfillment, and other related offerings. As MercadoLibre's wingspan has grown so has its tech prowess as well as its share price.
Chipotle, Amazon, Alphabet, Shopify, and MercadoLibre don't have to split obviously. Their share prices are high because they have been successful growth stocks, and a zero-sum stock split shouldn't be a high priority. However, since the trend is now fashionable it could lead investors to question the companies with high price points that don't go this route. You don't want your confidence questioned, so it's just a matter of time before some if not all of these stocks announce splits of their own.
