10-QPeriod: Q2 FY2021

NASDAQ, INC. Quarterly Report for Q2 Ended Jun 30, 2021

Filed August 4, 2021For Securities:NDAQ

Summary

Nasdaq, Inc. reported solid financial results for the second quarter and first six months of 2021. Revenue growth was primarily driven by strong performance in the Market Technology and Investment Intelligence segments, boosted by the recent acquisition of Verafin and increased demand for data and analytics. The company also saw positive contributions from its Corporate Platforms segment, largely due to increased listing services. While Market Services revenue saw a slight decline year-over-year due to lower cash equity trading volumes, the segment's profitability improved. Nasdaq continued to return capital to shareholders through dividends and a significant share repurchase program, including an Accelerated Share Repurchase (ASR) agreement, signaling confidence in its financial position and future prospects. The company also completed the divestiture of its U.S. Fixed Income business, allowing it to focus on its core technology and analytics offerings.

Financial Highlights

56 data points
Beta

Revenue

$1.41B

59.9% Gross Margin

Net Income

$341.00M

24.2% Net Margin

EPS (Diluted)

$0.68

Total Assets

$17.98B

Cash & Equivalents

$390.00M

Free Cash Flow

$34.00M

Financial Statements
Beta
Revenue$1.41B
Cost of Revenue$566.00M
Gross Profit$846.00M
Operating Expenses$470.00M
Operating Income$376.00M
Interest Expense$33.00M
Net Income$341.00M
EPS (Basic)$0.69
EPS (Diluted)$0.68
Shares Outstanding (Basic)492.26M
Shares Outstanding (Diluted)499.31M

Key Highlights

  • 1Total revenues less transaction-based expenses increased by 21.0% to $846 million for the three months ended June 30, 2021, and by 21.2% to $1,697 million for the six months ended June 30, 2021.
  • 2Net income attributable to Nasdaq increased by 41.5% to $341 million for the three months ended June 30, 2021, and by 43.9% to $639 million for the six months ended June 30, 2021.
  • 3Diluted earnings per share rose by 41.4% to $2.05 for the three months ended June 30, 2021, and by 43.4% to $3.83 for the six months ended June 30, 2021.
  • 4The Market Technology segment revenue grew by 39.3% year-over-year for the quarter, significantly boosted by the acquisition of Verafin.
  • 5The company repurchased approximately $248 million of its common stock during the three months ended June 30, 2021, and authorized an increase to its share repurchase program to $1.5 billion.
  • 6Nasdaq completed the sale of its U.S. Fixed Income business in June 2021, recognizing a pre-tax gain of $84 million.
  • 7Equity method investment income, primarily from OCC, increased significantly, contributing positively to net income.

Frequently Asked Questions

Revenue growth was primarily driven by strong performance in the Market Technology segment, significantly boosted by the acquisition of Verafin, and growth in the Investment Intelligence segment, including market data and index revenues. The Corporate Platforms segment also contributed positively with increased listing services.

The acquisition of Verafin in February 2021 had a substantial positive impact, particularly on the Market Technology segment's revenue, which grew by 87.9% for the quarter. The acquisition also contributed to the increase in operating expenses, notably in compensation and benefits, and merger and strategic initiatives.

Nasdaq is actively returning capital to shareholders through regular cash dividends and a robust share repurchase program. The company increased its share repurchase authorization to $1.5 billion and entered into an Accelerated Share Repurchase (ASR) agreement, signaling confidence in its financial health and commitment to shareholder value.

The sale of the U.S. Fixed Income business aligns with Nasdaq's corporate strategy to concentrate resources and capital on its core strengths as a technology and analytics provider to the global capital markets. The company recognized an $84 million pre-tax gain from this divestiture.