NDAQ Q3 Earnings & Revenues Top Estimates, Expense View Tweaked

Core Insights - Nasdaq reported third-quarter 2025 adjusted earnings per share of 88 cents, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 4.8% and showing an 18.9% year-over-year improvement driven by higher revenues across three divisions and organic growth [1][8] Financial Performance - Nasdaq's net revenues reached $1.3 billion, marking a 15% increase year over year, with organic net revenue growth at 11%, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 1.7% [2] - Annualized Recurring Revenue (ARR) grew 10% year over year to $3 billion, with organic growth at 9% [2] - Annualized SaaS revenues increased by 12%, accounting for 38% of ARR [2] Segment Performance - Capital Access Platforms' adjusted revenues were $546 million, up 9% year over year, driven by higher revenues across all business lines [3] - Financial Technology revenues adjusted to $457 million, reflecting a 23.2% increase, also supported by higher revenues from all business lines [3] - Solutions business revenues rose 15% year over year to $1 billion, fueled by strong growth in Index and Financial Technology [3] Operating Expenses and Income - Market Services' net revenues increased 7.4% year over year to $303 million, exceeding estimates [4] - Adjusted operating expenses were $583 million, up 7.4% from the previous year, reflecting increased investments in technology and personnel [4] - Adjusted operating income rose 14.9% year over year to $732 million, with an operating margin of 56%, expanding 200 basis points [5] Cash Flow and Capital Deployment - Nasdaq had cash and cash equivalents of $697 million as of September 30, 2025, an 11.9% increase from the end of 2024 [6] - Long-term debt decreased by 4.6% to $8.7 billion [6] - The company returned $155 million to shareholders through dividends and repurchased $115 million of common stock in the third quarter [7] Guidance and Outlook - Nasdaq raised its 2025 expense outlook to a range of $2.305 billion to $2.335 billion, reflecting ongoing investments in technology and talent [8][10] - The board approved a dividend of 27 cents per share, payable on December 19, 2025 [9]