GameStop Plans 4-For-1 Split
The meme stock saga continues.
The meme stock saga continues.
GameStop’s stock split is finally happening.
The company announced plans to split its stock four-for-one later this month, sending shares higher after the market closed on Wednesday. Shareholders of record at the close of business on July 18 will receive three additional shares for every share owned via a stock dividend. The additional shares will be distributed on July 21, and GameStop (ticker: GME) stock will begin trading on a split-adjusted basis on July 22.
GameStop stockholders in June voted in favour of expanding the company’s share authorisation to one billion from 300 million in order to facilitate a split. The company said in March that the higher authorisation would allow it to implement a split and “provide flexibility for future corporate needs.”
Shares of GameStop rose 5% to US$123.25 in after-hours trading even though stock splits don’t make a company more valuable, given that they are akin to cutting a pie into smaller slices. If GameStop split at its recent after-hours levels, it would trade at $30.81.
That is around the US$30 pre-split price target Wedbush analyst Michael Pachter assigns the stock, which he rates at Underperform. “Makes it more affordable for unsuspecting rubes who haven’t yet lost all of their money,” Pachter told Barron’s via email when asked about the split.
The stock has traded as high as $255.69 in the past 12 months, but it is still up significantly from its 2020 levels. Even the potential post-split number is well above where GameStop shares were trading before Chewy co-founder Ryan Cohen announced a stake and launched a campaign that kicked off the company’s meme-fueled run in January 2021. GameStop stock has fallen 20% in 2022, compared with a 19% drop for the S&P 500 index.
Cohen became the chairman of GameStop’s board a year ago. The company has added executives and employees with technology, e-commerce, and blockchain backgrounds to help turn things around as the business battles the shift to sales of videogames online rather than in stores.
Following the board and management shake-up, the company invested in fulfilment and customer-care efforts, as well as expanding its offerings to include more computer supplies and TVs. It is also launching a marketplace for nonfungible tokens. Experts, like Pachter, are sceptical such blockchain efforts will benefit the stock.
Reprinted by permission of Barron’s. Copyright 2021 Dow Jones & Company. Inc. All Rights Reserved Worldwide. Original date of publication: July 7, 2022.
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New research suggests spending 40 percent of household income on loan repayments is the new normal
Requiring more than 30 percent of household income to service a home loan has long been considered the benchmark for ‘housing stress’. Yet research shows it is becoming the new normal. The 2024 ANZ CoreLogic Housing Affordability Report reveals home loans on only 17 percent of homes are ‘serviceable’ if serviceability is limited to 30 percent of the median national household income.
Based on 40 percent of household income, just 37 percent of properties would be serviceable on a mortgage covering 80 percent of the purchase price. ANZ CoreLogic suggest 40 may be the new 30 when it comes to home loan serviceability. “Looking ahead, there is little prospect for the mortgage serviceability indicator to move back into the 30 percent range any time soon,” says the report.
“This is because the cash rate is not expected to be cut until late 2024, and home values have continued to rise, even amid relatively high interest rate settings.” ANZ CoreLogic estimate that home loan rates would have to fall to about 4.7 percent to bring serviceability under 40 percent.
CoreLogic has broken down the actual household income required to service a home loan on a 6.27 percent interest rate for an 80 percent loan based on current median house and unit values in each capital city. As expected, affordability is worst in the most expensive property market, Sydney.
Sydney
Sydney’s median house price is $1,414,229 and the median unit price is $839,344.
Based on 40 percent serviceability, households need a total income of $211,456 to afford a home loan for a house and $125,499 for a unit. The city’s actual median household income is $120,554.
Melbourne
Melbourne’s median house price is $935,049 and the median apartment price is $612,906.
Based on 40 percent serviceability, households need a total income of $139,809 to afford a home loan for a house and $91,642 for a unit. The city’s actual median household income is $110,324.
Brisbane
Brisbane’s median house price is $909,988 and the median unit price is $587,793.
Based on 40 percent serviceability, households need a total income of $136,062 to afford a home loan for a house and $87,887 for a unit. The city’s actual median household income is $107,243.
Adelaide
Adelaide’s median house price is $785,971 and the median apartment price is $504,799.
Based on 40 percent serviceability, households need a total income of $117,519 to afford a home loan for a house and $75,478 for a unit. The city’s actual median household income is $89,806.
Perth
Perth’s median house price is $735,276 and the median unit price is $495,360.
Based on 40 percent serviceability, households need a total income of $109,939 to afford a home loan for a house and $74,066 for a unit. The city’s actual median household income is $108,057.
Hobart
Hobart’s median house price is $692,951 and the median apartment price is $522,258.
Based on 40 percent serviceability, households need a total income of $103,610 to afford a home loan for a house and $78,088 for a unit. The city’s actual median household income is $89,515.
Darwin
Darwin’s median house price is $573,498 and the median unit price is $367,716.
Based on 40 percent serviceability, households need a total income of $85,750 to afford a home loan for a house and $54,981 for a unit. The city’s actual median household income is $126,193.
Canberra
Canberra’s median house price is $964,136 and the median apartment price is $585,057.
Based on 40 percent serviceability, households need a total income of $144,158 to afford a home loan for a house and $87,478 for a unit. The city’s actual median household income is $137,760.
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