Identifying, Analyzing, and Explaining the Effects of a Stock Split

On September $1,$ Apstein Company has $300,000$ shares of $$9$ par value $($$$148$ market value$)$ common

stock that are issued and outstanding. Its balance sheet on that date shows the following account bal$-$

ances relating to its common stock.

On September $2,$ Apstein splits its stock $3-$for$-2$ and reduces the par value to $$6$ per share.

a$.$ How many shares of common stock are issued and outstanding immediately after the stock split?

b$.$ What is the dollar balance of the common stock account immediately after the stock split?

c$.$ What is the likely reason that Apstein Company split its stock?