The NASDAQ OMX Group, Inc. (Nasdaq:NDAQ) announced today the results of the annual re-ranking of the NASDAQ-100 Index (Nasdaq:NDX), which will become effective prior to market open on Monday, December 19, 2011.
"The NASDAQ-100 Index continues to be one of the most widely watched indexes in the world," said NASDAQ OMX Executive Vice President John Jacobs. "More than $400 billion in global assets are linked to the NASDAQ-100 Index and through this objective re-ranking process it continually offers exposure to some of the world's innovative companies in a variety of sectors including technology, health care and biotechnology, and consumer goods and services."
The following five securities will be added to the Index: Avago Technologies Limited (Nasdaq:AVGO), Fossil, Inc. (Nasdaq:FOSL), Rangold Resources Limited (Nasdaq:GOLD), Hansen Natural Corporation (Nasdaq:HANS), and Nuance Communications, Inc. (Nasdaq:NUAN).
The NASDAQ-100 Index is composed of the 100 largest non-financial stocks listed on The NASDAQ Stock Market(R) and dates to January 1985 when it was launched along with the NASDAQ Financial-100 Index(R), which is comprised of the 100 largest financial stocks on NASDAQ(R). These indexes act as benchmarks for financial products such as options, futures, and funds. The NASDAQ-100 is re-ranked each year in December, timed to coincide with the quadruple witch expiration Friday of the quarter.
On a cumulative price return basis, the NASDAQ-100 Index has returned 1736% since inception, although past performance is not indicative of future performance.
The NASDAQ-100 Index is the basis of the PowerShares QQQ Trust (Nasdaq:QQQ) which aims to provide investment results that, before expenses, correspond with the performance of the NASDAQ-100 Index. In addition, options, futures and structured products based on the NASDAQ-100 Index and the PowerShares QQQ Trust trade on various exchanges.
As a result of the re-ranking, the following five securities will be removed from the Index: FLIR Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq:FLIR), Illumina, Inc. (Nasdaq:ILMN), NII Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq:NIHD), QIAGEN N.V. (Nasdaq:QGEN), and Urban Outfitters, Inc. (Nasdaq:URBN).
About NASDAQ OMX Global Index Group
NASDAQ OMX Global Index Group is engaged in the design, development, calculation, licensing, and marketing of NASDAQ OMX Indexes. NASDAQ OMX Global Index Group specializes in the development of indexes focusing on NASDAQ OMX's brand themes of innovation, technology, growth, and globalization. NASDAQ OMX Global Index Group also provides custom index services and design solutions as a third-party provider to selected financial organizations. For more information about NASDAQ OMX indexes, visit www.nasdaq.com/indexes.
About NASDAQ OMX Group
The NASDAQ OMX Group, Inc. is the world's largest exchange company. It delivers trading, exchange technology and public company services across six continents, with approximately 3,500 listed companies. NASDAQ OMX offers multiple capital raising solutions to companies around the globe, including its U.S. listings market, NASDAQ OMX Nordic, NASDAQ OMX Baltic, NASDAQ OMX First North, and the U.S. 144A sector. The company offers trading across multiple asset classes including equities, derivatives, debt, commodities, structured products and exchange-traded funds. NASDAQ OMX technology supports the operations of over 70 exchanges, clearing organizations and central securities depositories in more than 50 countries. NASDAQ OMX Nordic and NASDAQ OMX Baltic are not legal entities but describe the common offering from NASDAQ OMX exchanges in Helsinki, Copenhagen, Stockholm, Iceland, Tallinn, Riga, and Vilnius. For more information about NASDAQ OMX, visit http://www.nasdaqomx.com. Please follow NASDAQ OMX on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/nasdaqomx) and Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/nasdaqomx).
To learn more about the criteria for inclusion to the NASDAQ-100, visit NASDAQ-100 Index
Notes to editors:
NASDAQ(R), NASDAQ-100(R), NASDAQ-100 Index(R), NASDAQ-100 Index Tracking Stock(R) and QQQ(R) are registered trademarks of The NASDAQ OMX Group, Inc. (collectively, with its affiliates "NASDAQ OMX") and are licensed for use by Invesco PowerShares Capital Management LLC. PowerShares QQQ has not been passed on by NASDAQ OMX as to its legality or suitability, and is not issued or sold by NASDAQ OMX. NASDAQ OMX makes no warranties and bears no liability with respect to PowerShares QQQ.
Company Briefs:
The following is brief information on the five companies to be added to the NASDAQ-100 Index. Securities listed on the NASDAQ Stock Market that meet the eligibility criteria were ranked by market capitalization using the NASDAQ Official Closing Price (NOCP) as of the end of October and total shares outstanding filed in public SEC documents through the end of November or, in the case of American depositary receipts, the information is received from depositary banks.
Avago Technologies Limited, headquartered in Singapore, had a market capitalization of approximately $8.3 billion at the time of ranking. For more information on the company please visit their website at www.avagotech.com.
Fossil, Inc., headquartered in Richardson, Texas, had a market capitalization of $6.5 billion at the time of ranking. For more information on the company please visit their website at www.fossil.com.
Rangold Resources Limited, headquartered in the Channel Islands, had American Depositary Receipts with a market capitalization of $6.3 billion at the time of ranking. For more information on the company please visit their website at www.randgoldresources.com.
Hansen Natural Corporation, headquartered in Corona, California, had a market capitalization of approximately $7.9 billion at the time of ranking. For more information on the company please visit their website at www.hansens.com.
Nuance Communications, Inc., headquartered in Burlington, Massachusetts, had a market capitalization of approximately $8 billion at the time of ranking. For more information on the company please visit their website at www.nuance.com.
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