KEY POINTS
  • Before the Alphabet rebrand in 2015, Google effectively split its stock with the introduction of a third class of shares.
  • Alphabet stock has doubled in less than two years, and the new split would make it more affordable for more people.

Google parent Alphabet said its board approved plans for a 20-for-1 stock split on Tuesday as part of the technology company's quarterly earnings statement. Alphabet stock rose more than 9% in after-market trading following the news.

The move comes a year and a half after Apple most recently split its stock, giving three shares for each share that people owned. Alphabet and Apple are among the few technology companies that have seen their market capitalizations stretch into the trillions, as investors opted for profitable growth.