Microsoft announces 2-for-1 stock split

June 2024 Editor's Note: This news article is from 1998 and is unrelated to recent stock split discussions. To stay up to date on all Microsoft-related news, including any upcoming stock split announcements, bookmark our Microsoft / Windows page and consider subscribing to our ITPro Today newsletter.

Microsoft Corporation announced on Monday that its Board of Directors approved a 2-for-1 stock split of its common shares. This means that shareholders will receive one additional common share for each share held on record as of February 6, 1998.

"We continue to hear from investors that they would like the stock price to be more accessible, and we hope this split will address that interest," said Microsoft's CFO Greg Maffei. "We're pleased that customers continue to find our products compelling and innovative, and we will work hard to continue focusing on building technologies that enhance our customers' productivity, enjoyment, and creativity."

Upon completion of the stock, Microsoft will have approximately 2.4 billion common shares outstanding, compared to about 1.2 billion currently