10-KPeriod: FY2021

NASDAQ, INC. Annual Report, Year Ended Dec 31, 2021

Filed February 23, 2022For Securities:NDAQ

Summary

Nasdaq, Inc. reported robust performance in its 2021 10-K filing, demonstrating growth across its key business segments. The company successfully integrated the acquisition of Verafin, significantly boosting its Anti-Financial Crime Technology offering within Market Technology. Investment Intelligence also saw strong growth, driven by increased asset under management in ETFs tracking Nasdaq indices and expansion in its analytics solutions. Corporate Platforms benefited from a strong listings market, particularly in the U.S. IPO space, and continued growth in its IR & ESG services. The company also highlighted strategic initiatives such as its partnership with AWS to migrate North American exchanges to the cloud, aiming to enhance agility and scalability. Despite a slight decrease in Market Services revenue primarily due to the divestiture of its U.S. Fixed Income business, overall revenues and earnings per share showed significant year-over-year increases, reflecting the company's diversified business model and strategic focus on high-growth areas.

Financial Highlights

57 data points
Beta

Revenue

$5.89B

58.1% Gross Margin

Net Income

$1.19B

20.2% Net Margin

EPS (Diluted)

$2.35

Total Assets

$20.11B

Cash & Equivalents

$393.00M

Free Cash Flow

$920.00M

Financial Statements
Beta
Revenue$5.89B
Cost of Revenue$2.47B
Gross Profit$3.42B
Operating Expenses$1.98B
Operating Income$1.44B
Interest Expense$125.00M
Net Income$1.19B
EPS (Basic)$2.38
EPS (Diluted)$2.35
Shares Outstanding (Basic)497.70M
Shares Outstanding (Diluted)505.09M

Key Highlights

  • 1Nasdaq reported a 17.8% increase in revenues less transaction-based expenses, reaching $3.42 billion in 2021, driven by strong performance in Market Technology, Investment Intelligence, and Corporate Platforms.
  • 2The acquisition of Verafin in February 2021 significantly boosted the Market Technology segment, particularly in Anti-Financial Crime Technology, with revenues in this sub-segment growing by 90.0%.
  • 3Investment Intelligence revenues grew by 19.8% to $1.076 billion, largely propelled by a 41.7% increase in Index revenues due to higher AUM in Nasdaq-indexed ETPs and strong performance in its Analytics business.
  • 4Corporate Platforms experienced a 26.1% revenue increase in Listing Services, benefiting from a strong U.S. IPO market where Nasdaq captured 73% of all IPOs in 2021, and a 5.6% rise in IR & ESG Services.
  • 5Strategic investments in technology include a multi-year partnership with Amazon Web Services (AWS) to migrate North American exchanges to the cloud, enhancing scalability and agility.
  • 6The company repurchased approximately $984 million in common stock under its share repurchase program during the quarter ended December 31, 2021, demonstrating a commitment to returning capital to shareholders.
  • 7Nasdaq continued its focus on ESG initiatives, expanding its ESG services and solutions and achieving carbon neutrality for the fourth consecutive year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nasdaq's revenue growth in 2021 was primarily driven by the strong performance in its Market Technology segment, bolstered by the acquisition of Verafin and growth in surveillance solutions. The Investment Intelligence segment also contributed significantly, fueled by higher assets under management in index-tracking ETFs and increased demand for analytics solutions. The Corporate Platforms segment benefited from a robust listing market, particularly for IPOs, and growth in investor relations and ESG services.

The acquisition of Verafin in February 2021 had a substantial positive impact, particularly on the Market Technology segment. It significantly expanded Nasdaq's Anti-Financial Crime Technology offering, leading to a 90.0% revenue increase in that sub-segment. The acquisition also contributed to an overall increase in headcount and operating expenses, but was a key strategic move to enhance Nasdaq's position in a high-growth area.

Nasdaq is strategically migrating its North American exchanges to the cloud through a partnership with Amazon Web Services (AWS). This move is intended to enhance operational agility, scalability, and resilience. The partnership also aims to support market infrastructure clients with more flexible cloud options, enabling them to adapt to evolving industry dynamics.

Nasdaq demonstrated a continued commitment to ESG in 2021. They achieved carbon neutrality for the fourth consecutive year, expanded their ESG services and solutions for clients (including advisory programs and data platforms), and were recognized for diversity and inclusion efforts. Nasdaq also acquired a majority stake in Puro.earth, a marketplace for carbon removal, further integrating ESG into its business offerings.