In stock-market investing, what does a stock split increase while leaving total value unchanged at the split?

In stock-market investing, a stock split increases the number of shares while leaving total value unchanged at the split.

In a two-for-one split, each existing share becomes two shares, and the price per share is adjusted approximately by half. An investor who owned 10 shares before the split would own 20 afterward, while the total market value would initially be intended to remain approximately the same. The company’s ownership percentages also remain unchanged.

A split can make an individual share price appear more accessible and can increase the number of shares available for trading. It does not by itself create new economic value, raise earnings, or change an investor’s proportional ownership. Market prices can later move because of supply, demand, expectations, and other information.

A reverse stock split works in the opposite direction by combining shares and increasing the price per share proportionally. Both types are accounting and share-structure actions, not automatic changes to the underlying business value.