Great Western announced a 5-for-2 stock split.

Directors of Beverly Hills-based Great Western Financial Corp., the holding company for Great Western S&L;, also voted a 50% increase in the cash dividend. The first-quarter dividend of 45 cents per common share will be paid on a pre-split basis and will be distributed on May 28 to stockholders of record May 14. The additional shares resulting from the 5-for-2 split of the company’s 45 million shares of common stock will also be distributed May 28.