Bradley Peterson Sells 13,000 Shares of Nasdaq (NASDAQ:NDAQ) Stock

Nasdaq, Inc. (NASDAQ:NDAQ) EVP Bradley Peterson sold 13,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, July 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $92.61, for a total value of $1,203,930.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president owned 128,293 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $11,881,214.73. The trade was a 9.20% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website.

Nasdaq Price Performance

Shares of NDAQ stock opened at $95.55 on Thursday. The business’s fifty day moving average is $87.65 and its 200 day moving average is $88.34. The company has a quick ratio of 1.01, a current ratio of 1.01 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.71. The stock has a market cap of $53.41 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 27.86, a PEG ratio of 1.30 and a beta of 0.99. Nasdaq, Inc. has a twelve month low of $76.55 and a twelve month high of $101.79.

Nasdaq (NASDAQ:NDAQ) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 23rd. The financial services provider reported $1.07 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.98 by $0.09. Nasdaq had a return on equity of 18.38% and a net margin of 22.60%.The business had revenue of $2.53 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.46 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $0.85 earnings per share. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 14.9% on a year-over-year basis. Research analysts expect that Nasdaq, Inc. will post 4.13 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Nasdaq Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, September 25th. Investors of record on Friday, September 11th will be given a dividend of $0.31 per share. This represents a $1.24 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.3%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, September 11th. Nasdaq’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 36.15%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of brokerages have weighed in on NDAQ. Morgan Stanley reaffirmed an “overweight” rating and set a $120.00 target price on shares of Nasdaq in a research note on Friday, July 24th. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “buy (b)” rating on shares of Nasdaq in a report on Monday, July 20th. Raymond James Financial reiterated an “outperform” rating and issued a $113.00 price target (up from $111.00) on shares of Nasdaq in a research note on Thursday, July 9th. Loop Capital set a $113.00 price objective on Nasdaq in a research report on Friday, April 24th. Finally, Wall Street Zen raised Nasdaq from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Sunday, May 3rd. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, nine have given a Buy rating and one has given a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and a consensus target price of $109.73.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Nasdaq

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. MV Capital Management Inc. purchased a new stake in Nasdaq in the fourth quarter worth about $28,000. SOA Wealth Advisors LLC. purchased a new stake in Nasdaq in the 4th quarter worth approximately $34,000. Nemes Rush Group LLC purchased a new stake in Nasdaq in the 4th quarter worth approximately $35,000. Uniplan Investment Counsel Inc. bought a new stake in Nasdaq during the 4th quarter worth approximately $35,000. Finally, Fideuram Asset Management Ireland dac purchased a new position in Nasdaq during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $37,000. 72.47% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Key Stories Impacting Nasdaq

Here are the key news stories impacting Nasdaq this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Zacks upgraded Nasdaq to “Strong Buy” from “Hold,” adding a favorable near-term catalyst and signaling improved expectations for the financial technology and exchange operator. Zacks.com
• Positive Sentiment: Nasdaq’s latest results showed strong operating momentum: quarterly earnings per share reached $1.07, exceeding the $0.98 consensus estimate, while revenue rose 14.9% year over year to $2.53 billion. Analysts expect approximately $4.13 in full-year EPS.
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst sentiment remains constructive. Nasdaq has an average rating of “Buy” and an average price target of $109.73, implying additional upside from recent trading levels; TD Cowen and Raymond James recently raised their targets to $105 and $113, respectively.
• Positive Sentiment: The company declared a quarterly dividend of $0.31 per share, equivalent to $1.24 annually and a yield of roughly 1.3%. A broader rally in financial stocks and fintech-related companies, including a record high for the XLF financial-sector ETF, may also be supporting the sector backdrop. Financial Sector ETF Hits Record High on Fintech Gains
• Neutral Sentiment: Institutional investors own approximately 72.5% of Nasdaq’s outstanding shares, providing a substantial base of professional ownership, although recent changes in institutional positions were relatively small.
• Negative Sentiment: Insiders disclosed multiple sales. President Pc Nelson Griggs sold 17,787 shares worth approximately $1.66 million across July 24 and July 27, reducing his position by roughly 7.8% overall. EVP Bradley J. Peterson also sold 13,000 shares valued at about $1.20 million, cutting his holdings by 9.2%. These transactions can create short-term selling pressure, although both executives retain significant stakes. Nasdaq Insider Selling Report

Nasdaq Company Profile

Nasdaq, Inc is a global financial technology company that operates one of the world’s leading electronic securities exchanges and provides a broad array of products and services to capital markets participants. Its core activities include operating the Nasdaq Stock Market and other trading venues, developing and supplying market technology and matching engines to exchanges and trading firms, licensing market data and indices, and offering clearing, trade execution and post-trade solutions. The company also provides market surveillance, risk management and regulatory technology used by exchanges and regulators.

Founded in 1971 by the National Association of Securities Dealers (NASD) as the first electronic stock market, Nasdaq has evolved into a diversified marketplace and technology provider.