Nasdaq, Inc. reports developments across its market infrastructure, index, data, listings and financial technology businesses. Company news commonly covers monthly trading volumes, quarterly volume and listings statistics, earnings releases, dividend announcements, and operating trends in divisions such as Financial Technology.
Nasdaq updates also include changes to the Nasdaq-100 Index and other Nasdaq Global Indexes, trading halt and resumption notices from The Nasdaq Stock Market, and corporate governance or capital-structure matters. Its financial technology activities include solutions tied to capital management, financial crime and regulatory compliance software.
The Board of Directors of Nasdaq has declared a quarterly dividend of $0.49 per share on the company's outstanding common stock. This dividend is payable on March 26, 2021, to shareholders of record on March 12, 2021. Future dividend declarations and payment dates are subject to approval by the Board. Additionally, Nasdaq cautions that forward-looking statements regarding future performance may involve risks and uncertainties, including changes in economic conditions and business models.
Nasdaq, Inc. (NDAQ) reported a strong performance for 2020, with net revenues of $2,903 million, up 15% year-over-year. Fourth quarter revenues reached $788 million, marking a 22% increase compared to Q4 2019. Both GAAP diluted EPS and non-GAAP diluted EPS rose by 21% and 24%, respectively. The company announced its acquisition of Verafin, enhancing its anti-financial crime operations. Nasdaq also generated over $1 billion in free cash flow.
2021 non-GAAP operating expense guidance is set between $1,550 to $1,620 million, reflecting growth factors.
Nasdaq (NDAQ) has appointed Jeremy Skule as Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer. In this expanded role, he will head the Global Strategy Organization, focusing on strategic planning, mergers and acquisitions, and innovations in data and technology. Skule, who joined Nasdaq in 2012, previously led global rebranding initiatives and significant strategic pivots. CEO Adena Friedman praised Skule's impact on the company's progress, while Skule expressed excitement about upcoming opportunities as Nasdaq enhances its strategy in the technology and listings sectors.
The Nasdaq Stock Market (Nasdaq: NDAQ) announced the resumption of trading for Generations Bancorp NY, Inc. (Nasdaq: GBNY) as of January 15, 2021, at 8:15 a.m. ET. Trading was previously halted on January 14, 2021, at 5:10:16 p.m. ET. For further inquiries about Generations Bancorp, contact the company directly or refer to its symbol on the Nasdaq website.
The Nasdaq Stock Market (Nasdaq: NDAQ) announced a trading halt for Generations Bancorp NY, Inc. (Nasdaq: GBNY) at 17:10:16 ET on January 14, 2021. The halt was due to a request for 'additional information' from the company, following a last sale price of $10.01. Trading will remain suspended until Generations Bancorp fully complies with Nasdaq's information request.
On January 13, 2021, Nasdaq's Political Action Committee announced a suspension of political donations for several months following the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. The PAC will cease contributions to officials who objected to the Electoral College certification. Nasdaq emphasizes its commitment to fostering an inclusive future and addressing the nation's challenges.
In 2020, Nasdaq's European Markets achieved significant growth with 79 listings, including 45 IPOs that raised EUR 2.9 billion, a notable increase from 34 IPOs in 2019. The secondary market also thrived, raising EUR 12.1 billion. The successful transition to virtual IPOs and the attraction of companies across Europe reinforced Nasdaq's position as the leading market for small and mid-cap companies. A highlight was AstraZeneca's move from NYSE to Nasdaq, aimed at benefiting from index inclusion and cost efficiencies.
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On January 12, 2021, Nasdaq (NDAQ) released its monthly and quarterly volume reports for December 2020. The report highlighted record trading volumes in specific asset classes and the highest number of IPOs in decades, resulting in better-than-expected revenues for Q4 2020. However, incremental expenses of $20 million were noted due to performance-linked compensation. Additionally, a single customer project was projected to incur $25 million in losses over 13 years, leading to an increase in non-GAAP operating expenses by approximately $45 million above previous guidance.
Nasdaq announced that it led all exchanges in total equity options trading volume for 2020, marking its 11th consecutive year at the forefront. With 365 million trades and 2.58 billion contracts processed, this represented a 52% increase over 2019, making it the most active year since options became tradeable in 1973. The spike in options trading was largely attributed to volatility surrounding the U.S. elections and COVID-19, which increased retail participation. Nasdaq's technology enhanced price discovery and risk transfer for investors.