Does a reverse stock split make you money?
As previously noted, the reverse split itself doesn't result in any change in the value of an investor's position in a stock because the smaller number of post-split shares is offset by the proportionally higher per-share price. However, a reverse split can certainly change investor perception of the company.
If you own 50 shares of a company valued at $10 per share, your investment is worth $500. In a 1-for-5 reverse stock split, you would instead own 10 shares (divide the number of your shares by five) and the share price would increase to $50 per share (multiply the share price by five).
Reverse stock splits do not impact a corporation's value, although they usually are a result of its stock having shed substantial value. The negative connotation associated with such an act is often self-defeating as the stock is subject to renewed selling pressure.
One way is to buy shares of the company before the reverse split occurs with the plan to sell them soon afterwards. This can be profitable if the company's stock price increases after the split. Another way to make money from a reverse stock split is to short sell the stock of the company.
A reverse stock split has no immediate effect on the company's value, as its market capitalization remains the same after it's executed. However, it often leads to a drop in the stock's market price as investors see it as a sign of financial weakness.
The reverse stock split doesn't cause investors to lose money by itself, but the move can signal to investors that the company is in financial trouble, which can lead to a sell-off. This will lower the value of the stock price, and stockholders will lose money.
A reverse stock split may be used to reduce the number of shareholders. If a company completes a reverse split in which 1 new share is issued for every 100 old shares, any investor holding fewer than 100 shares would simply receive a cash payment.
Reverse Splits Aren't All Bad
Sometimes companies decide to reverse split their shares just because they want to offer their shares at reasonable prices to attract new shareholders. There are examples of stocks that have prospered after doing so, including Citigroup (C).
Among the 1206 firms conducting a reverse stock split, we find that, within five years of the reverse split, 138 or about 11% are acquired by another company while 568 or about 47% enter bankruptcy or fail to meet listing standards.
Several of these studies allude to the notion that reverse stock splits might attract short selling activity. Kadiyala and Vetsuypens (2002) suggest that if reverse stock splits enhance liquidity, as documented in Han (1995), both the risk of a short squeeze and the opportunity cost of a short sale are lowered.
What is a 1 for 1000 reverse stock split?
For example, if most shareholders of a stock own fewer than 1,000 shares, the company can do a 1:1,000 reverse split and squeeze out the investors who own fewer shares by paying them for their holdings. Those shareholders would either have to accept that price or buy more shares to total 1,000.
As a result of the reverse stock split, every 23 shares of the Company's Common Stock will automatically be combined into one share of Common Stock.
What is the impact of the reverse stock split on the warrants? The number of shares of common stock issued subject to warrants will automatically be proportionately decreased by the split ratio and the exercise price or conversion ratio will automatically be proportionately increased by the same split ratio.
The AMC reverse split happened on August 24. AMC shareholders who owned 100 shares before the split had 10 shares after the split. APE shares were converted into AMC shares on August 25. A shareholder owning 100 shares of APE effectively traded them in for 10 shares of AMC.
The 1-for-30 reverse stock split will automatically convert 30 shares of the Company's common stock into one new share of common stock.
Disadvantages of a Stock Split
The company wanting to split their stock must pay a great deal to have no movement in its over market capitalization value. A stock split isn't worthless, but it doesn't impact the fundamental position of a company and therefore doesn't create additional value.
That said, many stocks have shown strong performance after a split. In other words, selling your shares of a stock prior to a split isn't always the best decision – unless, of course, you're not well-positioned to continue holding the stock.
The cost basis per share remains the same. The split and reverse split have no impact on the cost basis per share.
| Issuer Company | Symbol | Stock Split Date |
|---|---|---|
| Sunshine Capital Ltd | SCL | Mar 11, 2024 |
| Manorama Industries Ltd | MANORAMA | Mar 08, 2024 |
| Sunshine Capital Ltd | SCL | Mar 08, 2024 |
| Capri Global Capital Limited | CGCL | Mar 05, 2024 |
FINRA does not approve reverse splits, but it does process reverse stock splits as part of its functions related to company corporate actions in the OTC market. OTC companies must submit notice to FINRA 10 days prior to the record/effective date of the corporate action.
How to calculate stock price after reverse split?
The post-reverse split share price is calculated by multiplying by the number of shares consolidated into one share, which is ten in our illustrative scenario. Initially, the market value of your equity is worth $180.00 (200 Shares × $0.90), and after the reverse split, they are still worth $180.00 (20 Shares × $9.00).
It's basically a draw, and the value of your investment won't change. However, investors generally react positively to stock splits, partly because these announcements signal that a company's board wants to attract investors by making the price more affordable and increasing the number of shares available.
On August 24, 2023, AMC Entertainment Holdings (AMC) completed a 1-for-10 reverse stock split. That means that for every 10 shares owned, AMC stakeholders were issued one new share. If they previously had 100 shares, they now had just 10 shares. In other words, the total share count was been reduced by 10 times.
Reverse splits also can diminish or force out small investors, who may not have enough shares to be consolidated. For example, if a company decided on a 1-for-50 reverse split, any holders of fewer than 50 shares wouldn't be offered a fractional new share. They would instead be paid cash for their shares.
While a standard forward stock split is generally considered bullish, a reverse stock split is typically considered bearish.
