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NDAQ Outperforms Industry, Trades at Premium: How to Play the Stock
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Key Takeaways
Nasdaq shares have gained 45.8% in the past year compared with the industry's growth of 25%.
For 2025, NDAQ expects Capital Access Platforms revenue growth in the range of 5% to 8% over the medium term.
Nasdaq aims to reach 40-50% SaaS revenues as a percentage of total revenues by 2025.
Shares of Nasdaq, Inc. (NDAQ - Free Report) have gained 45.8% in the past year, outperforming its industry, the Finance sector and the Zacks S&P 500 composite’s growth of 25%, 18.8% and 10.1%, respectively.
NDAQ has outperformed its peers, including Cboe Global Markets, Inc. (CBOE - Free Report) , Intercontinental Exchange Inc. (ICE - Free Report) and CME Group Inc. (CME - Free Report) , which have gained 37.1%, 26.2% and 42.4%, respectively, in the past year.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
NDAQ has a market capitalization of $51.57 billion. The average volume of shares traded in the last three months was 3.4 million.
NDAQ Trading Above 50-Day and 200-Day Moving Averages
Shares of Nasdaq are trading above the 50-day and 200-day simple moving averages (SMAs) of $83.72 and $78.72, indicating solid upward momentum. SMA is a widely used technical analysis tool to predict future price trends by analyzing historical price data. Shares of Nasdaq hit a 52-week high of $90.82 on July 9.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Optimist Analyst Sentiment on NDAQ
Two of the 12 analysts covering the stock have raised estimates for 2025, and one analyst has raised the same for 2026 over the past 30 days. Thus, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2025 and 2026 earnings has moved up 0.3% and 0.2%, respectively, in the past 30 days.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
NDAQ’s Expensive Valuation
Based on the forward 12-month price-to-book ratio, Nasdaq is currently trading at 26.5X, above its industry average of 26.32X.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
NDAQ’s Growth Projection Encourages
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Nasdaq’s 2025 earnings per share indicates a year-over-year increase of 13.4%. The consensus estimate for revenues is pegged at $5.05 billion, implying a year-over-year improvement of 8.7%.
The consensus estimate for 2026 earnings per share and revenues indicates an increase of 11.6% and 6.8%, respectively, from the corresponding 2025 estimates.
The long-term earnings growth is expected to be 12.1%, better than the industry average of 10%. NDAQ has an impressive Growth Score of B. This style score helps analyze the growth prospects of a company.
Earnings Surprise History
Nasdaq surpassed earnings estimates in each of the last four quarters, the average being 4.75%.
Nasdaq’s Favorable Return on Capital
Return on equity in the trailing 12 months was 15.3%, better than the industry average of 14.1%. This highlights the company’s efficiency in utilizing shareholders’ funds.
Also, the return on invested capital (ROIC) has been increasing over the last few quarters as the company raised its capital investment over the same time frame, reflecting NDAQ’s efficiency in utilizing funds to generate income. ROIC in the trailing 12 months was 6.8%, better than the industry average of 5.7%.
What's Aiding NDAQ's Performance?
Nasdaq’s growth strategy focuses on generating more revenues from high-growth Market Technology and Investment Intelligence segments, forward R&D spending on higher-growth products, expansion of its Anti-Financial Crime clientele and innovations.
The company expects strong growth from its index and analytics businesses and moderate growth in its exchange data products across U.S. and Nordic equities. For 2025, Nasdaq continues to expect Capital Access Platforms to deliver revenue growth within its medium-term growth outlook range of 5% to 8% with subdivision revenue growth expected to be consistent with prior comments provided in January and Financial Technology to deliver revenue growth within its medium-term growth outlook range of 10-14% and total Solutions revenue growth of 8% to 11% over the medium term.
NDAQ has an impressive inorganic story, providing it with direct access to the Canadian equities market, expanding its technology offerings, and enhancing its market surveillance techniques.
Nasdaq noted that the anti-fin crime space has a total addressable market of $12.5 billion. Nasdaq aims to achieve 40-50% SaaS revenues as a percentage of total revenues this year.
End Notes
Nasdaq is set to grow on impressive organic growth, an increasing on-trading revenue base and strategic buyouts to capitalize on market opportunities. Nasdaq is investing in proprietary data, migrating markets and SaaS solutions to capitalize on the growth opportunities in the cryptocurrency markets.
NDAQ’s dividend story is impressive. It has steadily increased its dividend each year and will continue to do so to achieve a dividend payout ratio of 35-38% by 2027.
Higher return on capital, favorable growth estimates, as well as attractive valuations, should continue to benefit NDAQ over the long term. Investors should refrain from buying this Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) stock now, given its premium valuation. Instead, they should wait for a better entry point to optimize returns. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
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NDAQ Outperforms Industry, Trades at Premium: How to Play the Stock
Key Takeaways
Shares of Nasdaq, Inc. (NDAQ - Free Report) have gained 45.8% in the past year, outperforming its industry, the Finance sector and the Zacks S&P 500 composite’s growth of 25%, 18.8% and 10.1%, respectively.
NDAQ has outperformed its peers, including Cboe Global Markets, Inc. (CBOE - Free Report) , Intercontinental Exchange Inc. (ICE - Free Report) and CME Group Inc. (CME - Free Report) , which have gained 37.1%, 26.2% and 42.4%, respectively, in the past year.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
NDAQ has a market capitalization of $51.57 billion. The average volume of shares traded in the last three months was 3.4 million.
NDAQ Trading Above 50-Day and 200-Day Moving Averages
Shares of Nasdaq are trading above the 50-day and 200-day simple moving averages (SMAs) of $83.72 and $78.72, indicating solid upward momentum. SMA is a widely used technical analysis tool to predict future price trends by analyzing historical price data. Shares of Nasdaq hit a 52-week high of $90.82 on July 9.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Optimist Analyst Sentiment on NDAQ
Two of the 12 analysts covering the stock have raised estimates for 2025, and one analyst has raised the same for 2026 over the past 30 days. Thus, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2025 and 2026 earnings has moved up 0.3% and 0.2%, respectively, in the past 30 days.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
NDAQ’s Expensive Valuation
Based on the forward 12-month price-to-book ratio, Nasdaq is currently trading at 26.5X, above its industry average of 26.32X.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
NDAQ’s Growth Projection Encourages
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Nasdaq’s 2025 earnings per share indicates a year-over-year increase of 13.4%. The consensus estimate for revenues is pegged at $5.05 billion, implying a year-over-year improvement of 8.7%.
The consensus estimate for 2026 earnings per share and revenues indicates an increase of 11.6% and 6.8%, respectively, from the corresponding 2025 estimates.
The long-term earnings growth is expected to be 12.1%, better than the industry average of 10%. NDAQ has an impressive Growth Score of B. This style score helps analyze the growth prospects of a company.
Earnings Surprise History
Nasdaq surpassed earnings estimates in each of the last four quarters, the average being 4.75%.
Nasdaq’s Favorable Return on Capital
Return on equity in the trailing 12 months was 15.3%, better than the industry average of 14.1%. This highlights the company’s efficiency in utilizing shareholders’ funds.
Also, the return on invested capital (ROIC) has been increasing over the last few quarters as the company raised its capital investment over the same time frame, reflecting NDAQ’s efficiency in utilizing funds to generate income. ROIC in the trailing 12 months was 6.8%, better than the industry average of 5.7%.
What's Aiding NDAQ's Performance?
Nasdaq’s growth strategy focuses on generating more revenues from high-growth Market Technology and Investment Intelligence segments, forward R&D spending on higher-growth products, expansion of its Anti-Financial Crime clientele and innovations.
The company expects strong growth from its index and analytics businesses and moderate growth in its exchange data products across U.S. and Nordic equities. For 2025, Nasdaq continues to expect Capital Access Platforms to deliver revenue growth within its medium-term growth outlook range of 5% to 8% with subdivision revenue growth expected to be consistent with prior comments provided in January and Financial Technology to deliver revenue growth within its medium-term growth outlook range of 10-14% and total Solutions revenue growth of 8% to 11% over the medium term.
NDAQ has an impressive inorganic story, providing it with direct access to the Canadian equities market, expanding its technology offerings, and enhancing its market surveillance techniques.
Nasdaq noted that the anti-fin crime space has a total addressable market of $12.5 billion. Nasdaq aims to achieve 40-50% SaaS revenues as a percentage of total revenues this year.
End Notes
Nasdaq is set to grow on impressive organic growth, an increasing on-trading revenue base and strategic buyouts to capitalize on market opportunities. Nasdaq is investing in proprietary data, migrating markets and SaaS solutions to capitalize on the growth opportunities in the cryptocurrency markets.
NDAQ’s dividend story is impressive. It has steadily increased its dividend each year and will continue to do so to achieve a dividend payout ratio of 35-38% by 2027.
Higher return on capital, favorable growth estimates, as well as attractive valuations, should continue to benefit NDAQ over the long term.
Investors should refrain from buying this Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) stock now, given its premium valuation. Instead, they should wait for a better entry point to optimize returns. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.