A Stock Split Primer

It seems that the only thing greater than the hype surrounding stock splits these days is the sheer amount of misinformation floating around out there. Consider me your personal pool boy standing by with skimmer in hand to strain the waters so you can get a clearer view of what stocks splits are, what they aren't, how they work and what they mean to you as an investor.

From a technical standpoint, splits are about as exciting as getting change for a $100 bill from your corner bank teller. The whole process is simply a way for corporations to keep their stock price within a certain trading range so shares don't end up selling for $50K a pop, like Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A), as they grow over time. ...