The NASDAQ OMX Group, Inc.(Nasdaq:NDAQ) announced that following the close of trading on Tuesday, October 21, the company will be added to the membership of the S&P 500 Index, aligning the company with America's most prominent corporations.
With "leading companies in leading industries" as the guiding principal for S&P 500 inclusion, the index is widely considered to be the single best gauge of the U.S. equities market.
"NASDAQ OMX's selection to the S&P 500 recognizes the company's growth and evolution as a leading global financial services company," said NASDAQ OMX Group CEO Robert Greifeld. "We are pleased that the selection committee has recognized our success and that we are aligned with a distinguished list of corporate America's most formidable companies."
Since Mr. Greifeld was appointed CEO of NASDAQ in 2003, the company has transformed itself from a domestic equities market into a leading global exchange and technology provider. NASDAQ OMX's stock has returned 244% to investors over the last three years, net revenues have grown 213%, and since going public in 2005 the company's market capitalization has risen from $710 million to over $6 billion today.
