On April 3, Google (GOOG +0.56%) will finally go through with its 2-for-1 stock split, which has been two years in the making. With the incredible run Google has had since it went public, its shares are now trading for well over $1,000 apiece, so a split makes sense at these levels. But Google's will be no ordinary stock split.
On Friday's edition of Stock of the Day, host Erin Kennedy and Motley Fool analyst Brendan Mathews take a look at what makes this split unique. Google will essentially be offering a stock dividend, creating a new class of shares called Class C and issuing one Class C share for every share of Class A or Class B that shareholders currently own. Class A shares carry one shareholder vote, Class B carries 10, and Class C shares have no voting rights. The reason for the new Class C shares was to be able to split the stock without further diluting the voting rights of Google insiders, who own the bulk of Class B shares.
So should investors be concerned about this abnormal split? Brendan doesn't think so. While it may not be the most shareholder-friendly move, he trusts Google's leadership to manage well on behalf of shareholders and isn't particularly concerned here.
