GameStop 4-for-1 stock split: here’s everything you need to know

GameStop announced it will hold its first stock split for 15 years in the aftermath of its meteoric rally last year. Take a look at what the split will mean for shareholders and how it will affect the GameStop share price.

GameStop 4-for-1 stock split

GameStop announced on Wednesday 8 July that its directors had approved a 4-for-1 split of the company’s class A common stock. This means GME investors will receive three additional shares – in the form of a special dividend – for every single share they own.

After the news was announced, GameStop shares opened up 10%.

When is the GameStop stock split?

The GameStop stock split will take place on 21 July, and the stock will start trading on a split-adjusted basis the following day. In order to qualify for the split, you’ll have to be a recorded shareholder on 18 July.

Why is GameStop conducting a stock split?

GameStop is conducting a stock split to put its shares back within the reach of individual investors following the Reddit-fuelled spike in its price last year.

GameStop gained the public’s attention in 2021 in what was dubbed the ‘meme stock’ phenomenon. Retail investors drove the company’s share price up from around the $5 mark to nearly $160 in order to short squeeze institutional investors who had been betting against the company.

Although the GME share price has fallen down from its high, it still trades at $128 as of July 11. Splitting GameStop shares will mean that the overall value of shareholders’ investments will stay the same, but the price per share will be decreased. This can help create more liquidity and demand for the stock among retail investors.

Learn how to read an earnings report.

How might a stock split impact GME shares

Research from Bank of America suggests that stock splits have historically been bullish for companies that complete them and that they tend to outperform the wider market during the 12 months after the split has happened. 

(BofA Global Research)

How to trade the GameStop stock split

You can speculate on how the stock split will impact GameStop shares with City Index in just four easy steps:

1. Open a City Index account, or log in if you’re already a customer
2. Search for ‘GameStop’ in our award-winning platform
3. Choose your position and size, and your stop and limit levels
4. Place the trade

Or you can try out your stock split trading strategy risk free by signing up for our demo trading account.

Other upcoming stock splits

GameStop is just one of a few tech stocks that are having stock splits this year, such as:

• Amazon – the retail giant announced plans for a 20-for-1 stock split to be completed later this year. See our guide to Amazon’s stock split
• Alphabet – which is expected to complete a 20-for-1 stock split in July this year. Find out more about Google's stock split
• Tesla – shareholders are expected to vote on whether to split Tesla stock at the next shareholder meeting in August. Find out more about Tesla’s stock split