Coca-Cola’s stock splits: history (& prospects) explained

First split: 4/25/1927 (technically a 1-for-1 stock dividend)

Decades with most splits: 1960s and 1990s (3 splits each)

In honor of America's 250th birthday, Coca-Cola (KO) published a sponsored feature in The Atlantic , making a bold yet plausible claim: The most American thing in your home may actually be your 6-pack of Coke.

It's an argument rooted in the beverage giant's remarkable history of staying power — and accessibility.

During the Great Depression, Coca-Cola kept its prices stable at 5 cents a bottle and continued spending on advertising even as other companies pulled back.

When World War II began, it built bottling plants overseas to fulfill company president Robert Woodruff's promise that American servicemembers could find a Coke no matter where they were in the world. By the end of the war, U.S. soldiers had consumed more than 5 billion bottles.

And during the socially turbulent Vietnam War era, Coke produced its famous "Hilltop" commercial, featuring hundreds of young people singing in harmony, united by their love of soda. The song topped the charts and further embedded Coke in the cultural zeitgeist.

Through both changing times and tastes, Coca-Cola has demonstrated its staying power, and its focus on accessibility has remained constant.

That philosophy extends to Wall Street as well.

Coca-Cola has been publicly traded since 1919, making it one of the market's most enduring stocks. It is also one of the best-known long-term value investments: Berkshire Hathaway, founded by famed value investor Warren Buffett , has owned shares since 1988.

In fact, Buffett's affection for the company runs so deep that he once even described himself as " one-quarter Coca-Cola ," and Berkshire remains the company's largest shareholder today.

Coca-Cola has split its stock multiple times over its century-plus tenure on Wall Street, transforming one share into many while helping keep share prices accessible to investors.

So how many times has Coca-Cola split its stock — and could another split be coming? Here's a detailed look at Coke's stock splits.

It's been more than a decade since Coca-Cola last split its stock. The last time it conducted a stock split was in 2012, when it split its shares 2-for-1. Shareholders of record as of July 27, 2012, received their additional shares on August 10, 2012.

At the time, the company had enjoyed years of growth, and its shares were trading around $75. Coca-Cola said the split would put its stock price in a range that was more attractive to investors — particularly individual investors — and potentially broaden the market for its shares.