Skip to main content

NASDAQ, INC.

For the period ended Mar 31, 2026. Filed Apr 24, 2026.

View on SEC.gov

About this filing

A company's report for each of its first three quarters. The financial statements are not audited. It shows how the business has moved since the last annual report, and what management says changed.

Mar 31, 2026 · Filed Apr 24, 2026

NDAQ$107.12+0.3%Stored close · as of Nov 6, 2026

What changed in Management’s Discussion and Analysis?

Read the current filing

Previous report: 10-Q

Period ended 2025-09-30; filed 2025-10-23.

0001628280-25-046006

Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

Current report: 10-Q

Period ended 2026-03-31; filed 2026-04-24.

0001628280-26-027105

Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

The baseline is this issuer’s latest earlier reporting period of the same form that was filed before the current report. A previous 10-Q is a different quarter, not a year-over-year comparison. Amendments are excluded.

Compared 201 previous paragraphs and 712 current paragraphs.

54 unchanged; 114 reworded; 232 added; 31 removed; 2 previous and 312 current paragraphs rearranged.

Tables are not compared: 31 previous and 28 current tables excluded. Dates, whitespace, punctuation and numbering changes are ignored; changes to financial figures remain significant.

A changed paragraph is not evidence that risk increased or decreased. An unchanged paragraph does not establish that risk stayed the same.

Added paragraphs (232)

Current report

the technology, data, and advanced analytics that enable our

Current report

clients to capture opportunities, navigate risk, and strengthen

Current report

•Nasdaq extended its listing leadership with 7 of the top 10

Current report

over the last twelve months including $6 billion in the first

Current report

conditions, the accelerated pace of technological change, the

Current report

quarter of 2026 compared with the same period in 2025 led to

Current report

usage, increased annual listings revenues due to new listings,

Showing the first 40 of 232 passages. Open the source sections for the rest.

Removed paragraphs (31)

Previous report

Nasdaq is a global technology company serving corporate clients, investment managers, banks, brokers, and exchange operators as they navigate and interact with the global capital markets and the broader financial system. We aspire to deliver world-leading platforms that improve the liquidity, transparency, and integrity of the global economy. Our diverse offering of data, analytics, software, exchange capabilities, and client-centric services enables clients to optimize and execute their business vision with confidence.

Previous report

•Nasdaq delivered a strong quarter in Listing Services, highlighting the Company’s continued market leadership and welcomed U.S. operating companies that raised $6.0 billion in proceeds.

Previous report

•Index had $17 billion in net inflows in the third quarter and a record $91 billion in net inflows over the last twelve months. End of period ETP AUM reached $829 billionand average ETP AUM over the third quarter was $777 billionat quarter-end, an all-time high. Nasdaq launched 30 new Index products in the third quarter, including 18 international products and 13 in the institutional insurance annuity space.

Previous report

•The Financial Technology segment delivered 12% ARR growth, reflecting an increase in new clients, cross-sells and upsells.

Previous report

•Market Services delivered record U.S. equity derivatives revenue and volumes. Within our U.S. derivatives business, Nasdaq Index options volumes also achieved record levels in the third quarter.

Previous report

•In September, Nasdaq’s Closing Cross set a new daily notional value record.

Previous report

The following tables present revenues from our Financial Technology segment:

Previous report

Financial Crime Management Technology revenues increased for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2025 compared with the same periods in 2024 primarily due to higher subscription revenues from new sales and price increases to existing clients, and new client contracts.

Previous report

The following tables present revenues from our U.S. Tape plans business:

Previous report

U.S. Tape plans revenues decreased for the three months ended September 30, 2025 compared with the same period in 2024 primarily due to lower audit revenue collection, partially offset by higher usage volume. The increase for the nine months ended September 30, 2025 compared with the same period in 2024 was primarily due to higher one-time industry-wide adjustments and higher usage volume.

Previous report

Occupancy expense increased for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2025 compared with the same periods in 2024 primarily due to colocation data center growth.

Previous report

Regulatory expense increased for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2025 compared with the same periods in 2024 primarily due to an increase in CAT operating fees and the change in classification of these costs, as described above.

Previous report

Restructuring charges decreased for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2025 compared with the same periods in 2024 primarily due to the completion of our divisional realignment program in September 2024.

Previous report

Interest income increased for the nine months ended September 30, 2025 compared with the same period in 2024 primarily due to a higher average cash balance.

Previous report

•Adenza purchase accounting adjustment: During the third quarter of 2024, as part of finalizing the purchase accounting of the Adenza acquisition, a one-time revenue reduction of $32 million was recorded, reflecting the net impact of the accounting change on AxiomSL subscription revenue from the date of the Adenza acquisition. For the nine months ended September 30, 2024, we excluded the reduction of $34 million as this relates to the prior year's impact of this change from our non-GAAP results. We did not exclude the $2 million offsetting impact of this change as it is related to the 2024 results.

Previous report

◦For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2025, and September 30, 2024, these costs included Adenza integration costs and other strategic initiative costs. For the nine months ended September 30, 2024, these costs were partially offset by the recognition of a termination fee due to Nasdaq in the second quarter of 2024, related to the termination of the then proposed divestiture of our Nordic power futures business. For the nine months ended September 30, 2025, these costs included a repayment of this fee due to the sale of the Nordic power futures business to another buyer, as designated in the settlement agreement.

Previous report

•Other items: We have excluded certain other charges or gains, including certain tax items, that are the result of other non-comparable events to measure operating performance. We believe the exclusion of such amounts allows management and investors to better understand the ongoing financial results of Nasdaq. Other significant items include:

Previous report

◦Pension settlement charge: For the nine months ended September 30, 2024, we recorded a pre-tax charge as a result of settling our U.S. pension plan. The plan was terminated and partially settled in 2023, with final settlement occurring during the first quarter of 2024. The pre-tax charge is recorded in compensation and benefits expense in the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income.

Previous report

•decreased Section 31 fees payable due to decrease in fee rate and timing of payment,

Previous report

•reclassification of 2026 Notes to short-term debt, partially offset by the repayment of the 2025 Notes and the partial repayment of the 2026 Notes,

Previous report

Net cash used in financing activities for the nine months ended September 30, 2025 primarily relates to a decrease in default funds and margin deposits of $847 million, repayments of debt including the repayment of our 2025 Notes for $400 million, the partial repayment of our 2028, 2034 and 2052 Notes for $257 million and the partial repayment of our 2026 Notes for $69 million, dividend payments to our shareholders of $448 million, repurchases of common stock of $330 million and payments related to employee shares withheld for taxes of $63 million, partially offset by proceeds received from employee stock activity and other issuances of $28 million.

Previous report

Net cash used in financing activities for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 related to a decrease in default funds and margin deposits of $1,320 million, dividend payments to our shareholders of $403 million, repayment of the 2023 Term Loan of $340 million, repayments of our commercial paper, net, of $291 million, repurchases of common stock of $145 million and payments related to employee shares withheld for taxes of $56 million, partially offset by proceeds received from employee stock activity and other issuances of $21 million.

Previous report

In the third quarter of 2025, we repurchased an aggregate principal amount of $69 million of our 2026 Notes. In the second quarter of 2025, we repaid in full the 2025 Notes for an aggregate of $400 million. In the first quarter of 2025, we repurchased an aggregate principal amount of $279 million of our 2028, 2034 and 2052 Notes, for a net purchase price of $257 million, excluding accrued interest.

Previous report

Nasdaq has contractual obligations to make future payments under debt obligations by contract maturity, operating lease payments, and other obligations. The following table summarizes material cash requirements for known contractual and other obligations as of September 30, 2025, and the estimated timing thereof.

Previous report

•Debt obligations by contractual maturity include both principal and interest obligations. For our Euro Notes, interest is calculated on an actual basis while all other debt obligations were primarily calculated on a 365-day basis at the contractual fixed rate multiplied by the aggregate principal amount as of September 30, 2025. See Note 8, “Debt Obligations,” to the condensed consolidated financial statements for further discussion.

Previous report

•Operating lease obligations represent our undiscounted operating lease liabilities as of September 30, 2025, as well as legally binding minimum lease payments for leases signed but not yet commenced. See Note 15, “Leases,” to the condensed consolidated financial statements for further discussion of our leases.

Previous report

•Purchase obligations primarily represent minimum outstanding obligations due under software license agreements. The balance as of September 30, 2025 is primarily comprised of our multi-year Amazon Web Services partnership contract, which we expanded and extended in the first quarter of 2025. This contract will benefit both our Financial Technology and Market Services segments, including their modernization. The expansion of this contract is not expected to increase our cloud expense compared to our expectation over the short term or the life of the contract, and preserves flexibility beyond our forecast.
Reworded paragraphs (114)

Previous wording

The following discussion and analysis of the financial condition and results of operations of Nasdaq should be read in conjunction with our condensed consolidated financial statements and related notes included in this Form 10-Q.

Previous wording

Certain percentages and per share amounts herein may not sum or recalculate due to rounding.

Previous wording

We manage, operate and provide our products and services in three business segments: Capital Access Platforms, Financial Technology and Market Services.

Current wording

We manage, operate and provide our products and services in

Previous wording

Our business performance can be positively or negatively impacted by a number of factors, including general economic conditions, the geopolitical environment, current or expected inflation, interest rate fluctuations, the threat or imposition of broad-based tariffs, market volatility, changes in investment patterns and priorities, regulatory changes, pandemics and other factors that are generally beyond our control. For example, higher overall U.S. trading volumes in the first nine months of 2025, as compared to the same period in 2024, has led to an increase in our U.S. Equity Derivative Trading and U.S. Cash Equity Trading revenues. Market factors also contributed to higher valuations in Nasdaq indices. The impact of global uncertainty due to tariff policies has caused some delays in IPOs; however, the expectation of a lower cost of capital, U.S. economic resilience and certain deregulation efforts have created more investor confidence in new issuances. To the extent that global or national economic conditions weaken and result in slower growth or recessions, or we experience an extended U.S. federal government shutdown, our business may temporarily be negatively impacted.

Previous wording

The following tables summarize our financial performance for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2025 compared to the same periods in 2024. For a detailed discussion of our results of operations, see “Segment Operating Results” below.

Previous wording

In countries with currencies other than the U.S. dollar, revenues and expenses are translated using monthly average exchange rates. Impacts on our revenues less transaction-based expenses and operating income associated with fluctuations in foreign currency are discussed in more detail under “Item 3. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk.”

Previous wording

ARR for a given period is the current annualized value derived from subscription contracts with a defined contract value. This excludes contracts that are not recurring, are one-time in nature, or where the contract value fluctuates based on defined metrics. ARR is currently one of our key performance metrics to assess the health and trajectory of our recurring business. ARR does not have any standardized definition and is therefore unlikely to be comparable to similarly titled measures presented by other companies. ARR should be viewed independently of revenue and deferred revenue and is not intended to be combined with or to replace either of those items. For AxiomSL and Calypso recurring revenue contracts, the amount included in ARR is consistent with the amount that we invoice the customer during the current period. Additionally, for AxiomSL and Calypso recurring revenue contracts that include annual values that increase over time, we include in ARR only the annualized value of components of the contract that are considered active as of the date of the ARR calculation. We do not include the future committed increases in the contract value as of the date of the ARR calculation. ARR is not a forecast and the active contracts at the end of a reporting period used in calculating ARR may or may not be extended or renewed by our customers.

Previous wording

The following chart summarizes our quarterly annualized SaaS revenues for Solutions, which comprises our Capital Access Platforms and Financial Technology segments, for September 30, 2025 and 2024 (in millions):

Previous wording

The following charts present our Capital Access Platforms, Financial Technology and Market Services segments as a percentage of our total revenues, less transaction-based expenses.

Previous wording

The following tables present revenues and ARR from our Capital Access Platforms segment:

Previous wording

The following tables present key drivers from our Data & Listing Services business:

Previous wording

•The number of total listed companies on The Nasdaq Stock Market for the nine months ended September 30, 2025 and 2024 included 1,000 and 712 ETPs, respectively.

Current wording

•The number of total listed companies on The Nasdaq Stock

Previous wording

•IPOs, new listings (which includes IPOs) and total listed companies for exchanges that comprise Nasdaq Nordic and Nasdaq Baltic represent companies listed on the Nasdaq Nordic and Nasdaq Baltic exchanges and companies listed on the alternative markets of Nasdaq First North.

Current wording

•IPOs, new listings (which includes IPOs) and total listed

Previous wording

Data & Listing Services revenues increased for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2025 compared with the same periods in 2024 due to new listings, an increase in data net sales and usage, and pricing, partially offset by delistings and lower amortization of prior period initial listing fees.

Previous wording

Index revenues increased for the three months ended September 30, 2025 compared with the same period in 2024 primarily due to higher average AUM in exchange traded products linked to Nasdaq indices, partially offset by lower revenues on derivatives contracts linked to the Nasdaq-100 index. Index revenues increased for the nine months ended September 30, 2025 compared with the same period in 2024 due to higher average AUM in exchange traded products linked to Nasdaq indices and growth in revenues due to higher trading volume on derivatives contracts linked to the Nasdaq-100 Index. This increase was partially offset by a $16 million one-time item recognized in the first quarter of 2024 related to a legal settlement to recoup revenue.

Previous wording

The following table presents key drivers from our Index business:

Previous wording

The following table presents key drivers from our Workflow & Insights business:

Previous wording

Workflow & Insights revenues increased for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2025 compared with the same periods in 2024 due to an increase in analytics revenues, largely driven by eVestment and Nasdaq Alternative Data sales growth.

Current wording

Workflow & Insights revenues increased in the first quarter

Previous wording

The following table presents key drivers for our Financial Crime Management Technology business:

Previous wording

The following table presents key drivers for our Regulatory Technology business:

Current wording

The following table presents key drivers for our Regulatory

Previous wording

Regulatory Technology revenues increased for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2025 compared with the same periods in 2024 primarily due to increased subscription revenue from new sales and price increases to existing clients, and revenue from new clients from our AxiomSL and Surveillance product offerings. Revenues also increased as compared to the same periods in 2024 due to a one-time revenue reduction recognized in the third quarter of 2024 related to a purchase accounting adjustment. See Note 3, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers,” to the condensed consolidated financial statements for discussion on the measurement period adjustment.

Previous wording

The following table presents key drivers for our Capital Markets Technology business:

Previous wording

Capital Markets Technology revenues increased for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2025 compared with the same periods in 2024. The increase for both periods was primarily due to an increase in our trade management services business due to data center growth. The increase for these periods is also attributable to higher subscription revenues from new sales and price increases to existing clients, as well as revenues from new clients from our Calypso business. For the nine months ended September 30, 2025 the increase was also driven by price increases and upsells in our market technology business.

Previous wording

The following tables present net revenues by product from our Market Services segment:

Previous wording

The following tables present total revenues, transaction-based expenses, and total revenues less transaction-based expenses as well as key drivers from our U.S. Equity Derivative Trading business:

Current wording

The following table presents total revenues, transaction-based

Previous wording

Section 31 fees are recorded as U.S. equity derivative and U.S. cash equity trading revenues with a corresponding amount recorded in transaction-based expenses. We are assessed these fees from the SEC and pass them through to our customers in the form of incremental fees. Pass-through fees can increase or decrease due to rate changes by the SEC, our percentage of the overall industry volumes processed on our systems, and differences in actual dollar value traded. Section 31 fees decreased for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2025 compared with the same periods in 2024 primarily due to a rate change by the SEC in the second quarter of 2025. Since the amount recorded in revenues is equal to the amount recorded as Section 31 fees, there is no impact on our net revenues.

Previous wording

U.S. equity derivative trading revenues and U.S. equity derivative trading revenues, net increased for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2025 compared with the same periods in 2024 primarily due to higher industry trading volumes, partially offset by lower capture and lower matched market share executed on Nasdaq’s exchanges.

Previous wording

Cash equity trading revenues and cash equity trading revenues, net increased for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2025 compared with the same periods in 2024 primarily due to higher U.S. and European industry trading volumes, partially offset by lower overall U.S. matched market share executed on Nasdaq's exchanges and lower capture.

Previous wording

Transaction rebates, in which we credit a portion of the execution charge to the market participant, increased for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2025 compared with the same periods in 2024 primarily due to higher industry trading volumes.

Previous wording

The following tables present total revenues, transaction-based expenses, and total revenues less transaction-based expenses as well as key drivers and other metrics from our Cash Equity Trading business:

Current wording

as well as key drivers and other metrics from our Cash Equity

Previous wording

See the discussion above for an explanation of Section 31 fees for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2025 as compared with the same periods in 2024.

Previous wording

Transaction rebates increased for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2025 compared with the same periods in 2024 primarily due to higher U.S. industry volumes, partially offset by lower overall U.S. matched market share executed on Nasdaq’s exchanges. For The Nasdaq Stock Market and Nasdaq PSX, we credit a portion of the per share execution charge to the market participant that provides the liquidity, and for Nasdaq BX, we credit a portion of the per share execution charge to the market participant that takes the liquidity.

Current wording

Stock Market and Nasdaq PSX, we credit a portion of the per

Previous wording

In the preceding tables, Other includes Nordic fixed income trading & clearing, Nordic derivatives and Canadian cash equities trading.

Previous wording

Other includes Nordic fixed income trading and clearing, Nordic derivatives and Canadian cash equities trading. The following tables present revenues from these businesses:

Previous wording

In the preceding tables, Other is presented net of Canadian cash equity transaction rebates of $7 million and $5 millionfor the three months ended September 30, 2025 and 2024, respectively, and $20 million and $16 millionfor the nine months ended September 30, 2025 and 2024, respectively.

Previous wording

Other revenues increased for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2025 compared with the same periods in 2024 due to an increase in Nordic derivatives revenues and Canadian cash equity revenues.

Previous wording

For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2025 and 2024, Other revenues include revenues related to our Nordic power futures business. See Note 4, "Divestitures," for further discussion.

Showing the first 40 of 114 pairs. Open the source sections for the rest.

Rearranged current paragraphs (312)

Current report — wording carried from elsewhere

Financial Condition and Results of Operations

Current report — wording carried from elsewhere

condition and results of operations of Nasdaq should be read

Current report — wording carried from elsewhere

in conjunction with our condensed consolidated financial

Current report — wording carried from elsewhere

statements and related notes included in this Form 10-Q.

Current report — wording carried from elsewhere

sum or recalculate due to rounding.

Current report — wording carried from elsewhere

three business segments: Capital Access Platforms, Financial

Current report — wording carried from elsewhere

impacted by a number of factors, including general economic

Current report — wording carried from elsewhere

geopolitical environment, current or expected inflation,

Current report — wording carried from elsewhere

interest rate fluctuations, the threat or imposition of broad-

Current report — wording carried from elsewhere

based tariffs, market volatility, changes in investment

Current report — wording carried from elsewhere

patterns and priorities, regulatory changes, pandemics and

Current report — wording carried from elsewhere

other factors that are generally beyond our control. For

Current report — wording carried from elsewhere

example, higher overall U.S. trading volumes in the first

Current report — wording carried from elsewhere

equities revenues. Market factors also contributed to higher

Current report — wording carried from elsewhere

Index derivatives. To the extent that global or national

Current report — wording carried from elsewhere

economic conditions weaken and result in slower growth or

Current report — wording carried from elsewhere

recessions, our business may be negatively impacted.

Current report — wording carried from elsewhere

same period in 2025. For a detailed discussion of our results

Current report — wording carried from elsewhere

of operations, see “Segment Operating Results” below.

Current report — wording carried from elsewhere

revenues and expenses are translated using monthly average

Current report — wording carried from elsewhere

exchange rates. Impacts on our revenues less transaction-

Current report — wording carried from elsewhere

based expenses and operating income associated with

Current report — wording carried from elsewhere

fluctuations in foreign currency are discussed in more detail

Current report — wording carried from elsewhere

under “Item 3. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures

Current report — wording carried from elsewhere

derived from subscription contracts with a defined contract

Current report — wording carried from elsewhere

value. This excludes contracts that are not recurring, are one-

Current report — wording carried from elsewhere

time in nature, or where the contract value fluctuates based

Current report — wording carried from elsewhere

on defined metrics. ARR is currently one of our key

Current report — wording carried from elsewhere

performance metrics to assess the health and trajectory of our

Current report — wording carried from elsewhere

recurring business. ARR does not have any standardized

Current report — wording carried from elsewhere

definition and is therefore unlikely to be comparable to

Current report — wording carried from elsewhere

similarly titled measures presented by other companies. ARR

Current report — wording carried from elsewhere

should be viewed independently of revenue and deferred

Current report — wording carried from elsewhere

revenue and is not intended to be combined with or to replace

Current report — wording carried from elsewhere

either of those items. For AxiomSL and Calypso recurring

Current report — wording carried from elsewhere

revenue contracts, the amount included in ARR is consistent

Current report — wording carried from elsewhere

with the amount that we invoice the customer during the

Current report — wording carried from elsewhere

current period. Additionally, for AxiomSL and Calypso

Current report — wording carried from elsewhere

recurring revenue contracts that include annual values that

Current report — wording carried from elsewhere

increase over time, we include in ARR only the annualized

Showing the first 40 of 312 passages. Open the source sections for the rest.

Rearranged previous paragraphs (2)

Previous report — wording carried elsewhere

See Note 8, “Debt Obligations,” to the condensed consolidated financial statements for further discussion of our debt obligations.

Previous report — wording carried elsewhere

See Note 8, “Debt Obligations,” to the condensed consolidated financial statements for further discussion of our debt obligations.