We recently published a list of 10 Stocks That May Be Splitting Soon. In this article, we are going to take a look at where Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY) stands against the other stocks that may be splitting soon.

Understanding Stock Splits

A stock split is when a company literally splits its stocks – it divides its existing shares into multiple new shares. This increases the number of shares outstanding without changing the company’s overall value while making the stock more affordable and accessible to smaller investors.

A company’s board of directors determines the ratio of a stock split. This can range from a common 2-for-1 split, and go as far as 100-for-1, or more. For instance, in a 2-for-1 split, each existing share is divided into two new shares. The price per share is reduced by half, but the total market capitalization remains unchanged. So, a stock split can increase liquidity and potentially attract more investors, by giving 2 shares valued at $50, instead of 1 at $100, and the company’s market cap is not impacted.

As the share price adjusts downward, dividends per share will also be adjusted to maintain the same total dividend payout. Similarly, all things tied to the share price are adjusted according to the split. However stock splits are non-dilutive, so existing shareholders’ voting rights remain unchanged.

Stock splits aren’t just beneficial to small investors trying to buy shares in big companies, they can also benefit companies by allowing them to repurchase shares at a lower price. But in one way or another, the eventual goal is to enhance a stock’s appeal to investors and make it more accessible to retail or individual investors.

At the end of the day, a stock split does not inherently create additional value for a company, a good company remains a good company after a stock split. Similarly, a bad company remains a bad company. A temporary reduction in share price followed by higher investor interest might cause the stock to surge in the short run, but no meaningful impact should be expected in the long run.

Experts Weight In on The Market Situation Right Now

We’ve seen a range of high-profile stock splits in 2024, especially in the semiconductor space. They seem to be the new cool thing to do for every company. However, these moves should be treated as no more than just making shares more accessible to smaller investors, and value investors should focus on fundamentals when they’re contemplating their next best idea.

The markets have been on a wild ride, all thanks to AI. The valuations have gotten out of hand, but we’ve also seen some corrections. Analysts are expecting earnings growth of 15% in 2025 along with rate cuts of up to 225 basis points. The Fed is expected to deliver its first cut in September after hiking interest rates constantly and holding them higher for longer. Jeff Krumpelman, the chief investment strategist at Mariner Wealth Advisors, and Julie Biel, the chief market strategist at Kayne Anderson Rudnick, recently appeared together on CNBC to discuss these dynamics and both had similar but contrasting opinions.

Krumpelman expressed optimism, citing strong fundamentals and improving economic indicators, particularly inflation. He believes we’re not in a recessionary scenario and sees potential for the S&P 500 to reach 6,000 by mid-2025, driven by solid earnings growth, healthy guidance, and projected GDP growth of 1.5% to 2.0%. Here’s what he said:

“We look at the individual stocks, we find a broadening market, and we find general health in terms of earnings growth and valuation. So, we’re optimistic and constructive.”

Biel, on the other hand, raised concerns about potential risks related to high valuations making stocks more fragile. She emphasized that the last time the market was this optimistic was back in 1984, just once in modern history. Biel remained cautiously optimistic and pointed to the $1 trillion in credit card debt and rising delinquency rates.

Most successful companies have a history of stock splits, but their share prices consistently return to levels where another split is warranted. Yet it is a widely practiced phenomenon and investors globally anticipate such moves from big companies to improve trust. In this context, we’re going to talk about the top 10 stocks that may be splitting soon.

Why are we interested in the stocks that hedge funds pile into? The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly newsletter’s strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 275% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 150 percentage points (see more details here).

Eli Lilly And Co. (NYSE:LLY)

Share Price as of August 30: $940.20

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 100

Eli Lilly And Co. (NYSE:LLY) is an American pharmaceutical company with offices in 18 countries, known for developing and manufacturing a range of prescription drugs for various medical conditions. Some of its products include insulin, antidepressants, and treatments for cancer, diabetes, and autoimmune diseases, sold in over 125 countries.

The company has a very strong position among investors, with 100 hedge funds holding long positions as of June 30. The highest stake has a value of $4,426,141,743 and is held by Fisher Asset Management.

The company has a history of stock splits with 4 2-for-1 splits implemented in the late 1900s. Considering that its share price soared by 71.57% in one year, it might just be time for another stock split.

Eli Lilly And Co. (NYSE:LLY) is focused on manufacturing expansion and is increasing global access to Lilly medicines. In Q2, revenue grew 35.98%, with a total value of $11.30 billion, and new products generating nearly $3.5 billion. The earnings per share were $3.92.

US demand for Mounjaro and Zepbound remains strong, and despite early-year prescription volatility, supply improvements are promising. Non-incretin growth was 17% globally and 25% in the US. Lilly is adding 11 new obesity treatments and investing $5.3 billion in Indiana manufacturing.

Since 2020, the company has invested over $18 billion in US and European facilities, and now production is ramping up, including at Concur North Carolina, which starts in late 2024.

Recent milestones include Kisunla’s Alzheimer’s approval, Jaypirca’s Japan approval, tirzepatide’s submissions for sleep apnea, and positive Phase 3 results in heart failure and obesity.

In July, it agreed to acquire Morphic, which develops oral therapies for chronic diseases. At the same time, management announced that Zepbound’s new doses were coming.

Its strong financial performance, innovative drug pipeline, and strategic investments position it as a leading player in the healthcare market. Revenue guidance is up $3 billion for the full year 2024.

Baron Health Care Fund stated the following regarding Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY) in its Q2 2024 investor letter:

“Shares of global pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY) increased on continued investor enthusiasm around GLP-1 drugs for diabetes and obesity. We remain shareholders. Lilly’s Mounjaro/Zepbound not only offers superb blood sugar control for diabetics but can drive 20%-plus weight loss and likely improve cardiovascular outcomes in both diabetic and non-diabetic obese patients. Lilly is developing next generation drugs, including retatrutide, which drives approximately 25% weight loss, and orforglipron, a daily pill that produces approximately 15% weight loss. In the U.S. alone, there are 32 million Type 2 diabetics and an additional 105 million obese patients who we estimate would qualify for GLP-1 drugs. Although supply and access are limited near term, we think GLP-1 drugs will become standard of care for both diabetes and obesity and will become a $150 billion-plus category. We see Lilly setting a high efficacy bar and capturing significant long-term market share. We think the adoption of GLP-1s will drive Lilly to triple total revenue by 2030.”

Overall LLY ranks 1st on our list of stocks that may be splitting soon. While we acknowledge the potential of LLY as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that AI stocks hold great promise for delivering high returns and doing so within a shorter timeframe. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than LLY but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.

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Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.