Which is worth more: a $100 bill or 400 quarters? Well, from a purely monetary perspective, there is none -- they have the same intrinsic value. Yet, their practical values are not equal. After all, paying a sizable bill with small change is hardly the way to win friends at the local pub. Similarly, a $100 bill won't do you much good at a vending machine that only accepts $1, $5, or $10 bills.
In other words, having the right denomination matters -- and the same is true with stocks.
When a company splits its stock, the company's overall value doesn't change -- it's just divided differently. Even though stock splits don't change a company's underlying fundamentals, they can shift retail investors' perceptions of a stock, often making it more appealing.
With that in mind, let's review how five high-profile stocks have performed since their historic stock splits.
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1. Tesla
First up is Tesla (TSLA +1.62%). Tesla performed a 3-for-1 stock split on Aug. 25, 2022.
Tesla stock traded slightly under $300 per share in the wake of the split. They now trade at about $400 per share. Consequently, the stock is up approximately 37%, equating to a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.3% since the split. That's slightly below the S&P 500, which has generated a CAGR of 16.5% over the same period.
Looking ahead, with its stock trading at $400 per share, some investors are wondering whether another stock split is on the horizon for the company.
2. Alphabet
Next, there's Alphabet (NASDAQ: GOOG, GOOGL). Alphabet, the parent company of Google, last performed a stock split on July 15, 2022. Alphabet shares split 20-for-1, reducing the per-share price from more than $2,250 to around $113.
In the intervening years, Alphabet stock has vastly outperformed the benchmark S&P 500, delivering a staggering total return of 167% versus 84% for the index. Its CAGR of 30.1% is nearly double the S&P 500's 18.2%.
Of all the stocks on this list, Alphabet has performed the best since its split. Will it continue to roll on, or will the company's massive artificial intelligence (AI) investments weigh on the stock going forward?
3. Netflix
On the other side of the ledger, there's Netflix (NFLX +1.48%). The streaming giant is the most recent company on this list to deliver a stock split. The company performed a 10-for-1 split on Nov. 17, 2025, just about five months ago. The price of a single Netflix share fell from over $1,000 to about $110.
However, since the split, the company and its stock have faced turmoil. Netflix entered an expensive bidding war with rival Paramount Skydance for Warner Bros. Discovery. Paramount ended up winning the fight, but both companies -- and their stocks -- came away with some bruises.
Shares of Netflix are down 10% since its stock split. Yet, the stock is up about 20% since it lost its fight with Paramount -- indicating how much the market disliked the Warner Bros. deal in the first place.
At any rate, some investors are asking whether Netflix can continue to grow revenue through price increases, or whether consumers will balk at increased monthly costs.
4. Amazon
Next, we turn to Amazon (AMZN 1.25%). On June 6, 2022, the company carried out its first split in more than 20 years. Amazon performed a 20-for-1 split, reducing the price of a single share from about $2,500 to $125.
Since then, Amazon stock has moved largely in tandem with the S&P 500. Shares have advanced by 71%, which closely mirrors the S&P 500's 73% rally over the same period.
Looking ahead, Amazon is working on innovative projects, including bipedal robots and Amazon Leo -- the company's satellite internet service meant to rival SpaceX's Starlink.
5. Nvidia
Finally, we come to Nvidia (NVDA 4.12%). The world's largest company by market cap split its stock on June 10, 2024, executing a 10-for-1 stock split. The price of a single share dropped from about $1,200 to $120.
Overall, Nvidia stock has outperformed the broader market, as measured by the S&P 500, since its split. Shares are up about 46%, as compared to 29% for the benchmark index.
Clearly, the AI revolution has propelled Nvidia to become the largest company in the world, but can the company maintain its enormous market share amid rising competition in the AI chip market?
