Zim, in a reverse split a stock that sells for $23.06 becomes a stock selling for 69.18 but if you had 300 shares before the split, you have 100 shares after the split. Penny stocks often do that and everyone I follow that has done it, goes down in price. I do not like reverse splits.
As for spin offs, I generally get a notice in the mail. I sure do miss paper certificates. Keeping track of the stock gets harder and harder. I figure that when I die, the state will eventually get part of mine.