On May 27, 2011, the Board of Directors of Cerner Corporation approved a 2-for-1 stock split of the company’s common stock in the form of a 100 percent stock dividend. Each shareholder of record on June 15, 2011 will receive one additional share of common stock for each share held as of market close on that date. The distribution date for the new shares will be June 24, 2011.
A. A 2-for-1 split means the shareholder will have twice as many shares as he or she had before the stock split, at half the market price. Here’s an example: Assume a shareholder owns 100 shares of CERN as of the record date at a market price of $120.00/share, that shareholder’s total value is $12,000. After the split, the shareholder would have 200 shares of stock, with a market price of $60.00/share. The shareholder’s total investment value in CERN remains the same at $12,000 until the stock price moves up or down.
A. The decision to split the stock was made by Cerner Corporation’s Board of Directors, based on a desire to make the company’s stock more accessible to a broader range of investors.
A. There are several key dates:
- The Record Date – June 15, 2011 - determines which shareholders are entitled to receive additional shares due to the split. If you own common shares on the record date, your shares will be subject to the stock split.
- The Mailing or Payment Date – June 24, 2011 - is the date when shareholders of record are mailed notification of the shares subject to split; and
- The Ex-split Date – June 27, 2011 - is the date when Cerner Corporation common shares will trade on NASDAQ at the new split-adjusted price.
A. This is the fifth time the company has split the stock since Cerner Corporation went public in December 1986. Below are the dates of the stock splits (dates reflect first day of trading at split-adjusted price).
- May 12, 1992
- March 1, 1993
- August 7, 1995
- January 10, 2006
- June 27, 2011
If you hold shares in a brokerage account, the additional shares will automatically be deposited to your brokerage account. Registered shareholders will not receive a stock certificate. Instead, if you hold paper certificates now, the additional shares you receive as a result of the stock split are being distributed through the Direct Registration System (DRS). This means that you have full ownership of your shares without the responsibility of holding the actual certificates. A Direct Registration Transaction Advice (DRTA) will be mailed to you by Computershare, our transfer agent, and is your confirmation; it indicates the number of additional shares you own as a result of the split. Keep it with your existing stock certificates and other important documents as a record of your ownership.
If you currently hold shares in your name as a registered shareholder, you will be notified at the address Computershare, our stock transfer agent, has on file. To verify your address you can contact Computershare (see below for contact information).
A. Existing stock certificates are still valid. Do not destroy them. You may deposit your existing certificate(s) to a DRS account at Computershare or in a brokerage account, or you may continue to physically hold them and be responsible for their safekeeping.
Mailing/Transfer Agent Details for Registered Shareholders (Not applicable to shares held in a brokerage account)
How do I contact the Stock Transfer Agent?. If you have any questions about:
- Change of address
- Lost stock certificates
- Transfer of stock to another person
- Additional administrative services
You can reach Computershare (Cerner Corporation’s stock transfer agent) by:
Internet: www.computershare.com
Phone: (800) 884-4225 or (781) 575-2879
Regular Mail: P.O. Box 43078
Providence, RI 02940-3078
Overnight Delivery: 250 Royall Street Canton, MA 02021