Jan 16, 2003 · REDMOND, Wash., Jan. 16, 2003 — Microsoft Corp. today announced that its Board of Directors declared an annual dividend and approved a two-for-one split on Microsoft common stock. The annual dividend of $0.16 per share pre-split ($0.08 post-split) is payable March 7, 2003, to shareholders of record at the close of business on Feb. 21, 2003. Questions about Splitting Common Stock on the Series 7 ... If Microsoft had never split its stock (which it has already done nine times), a round lot would cost investors about $750,000 at the time of this writing. When a company splits its stock, the number of authorized shares needs to be changed on the corporate charter. Forward splits of common stock.