OREANDA-NEWS. December 11, 2017. Nasdaq (Nasdaq:NDAQ) today announced the results of the annual re-ranking of the NASDAQ-100 Index® (Nasdaq:NDX), which will become effective prior to market open on Monday, December 18, 2017.

The following five companies will be added to the Index: ASML Holding N.V. (Nasdaq:ASML), Cadence Design Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq:CDNS), Synopsys, Inc. (Nasdaq:SNPS), Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (Nasdaq:TTWO) and Workday, Inc. (Nasdaq:WDAY).

The NASDAQ-100 Index is composed of the 100 largest non-financial companies listed on The NASDAQ Stock Market® and dates to January 1985 when it was launched along with the NASDAQ Financial-100 Index®, which is comprised of the 100 largest financial stocks on NASDAQ®. These indexes act as benchmarks for financial products such as options, futures, and funds. The NASDAQ-100 is re-ranked each year in December, timed to coincide with the quadruple witch expiration Friday of the quarter.

On a cumulative price return basis, the NASDAQ-100 Index has returned almost 3,731% since inception, although past performance is not indicative of future performance.

The NASDAQ-100 Index is the basis of the PowerShares QQQ Trust (Nasdaq:QQQ) which aims to provide investment results that, before expenses, correspond with the NASDAQ-100 Index performance. In addition, options, futures and structured products based on the NASDAQ-100 Index and the PowerShares QQQ Trust trade on various exchanges.

As a result of the re-ranking, the following six companies will be removed from the Index: Akamai Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq:AKAM), Discovery Communications Series A (Nasdaq:DISCA), Discovery Communications Series C (Nasdaq:DISCK), Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. (Nasdaq:NCLH), Tractor Supply Company (Nasdaq:TSCO) and Viacom Inc. (Nasdaq:VIAB).

About Nasdaq Global Indexes

Nasdaq Global Indexes has been creating innovative, market-leading, transparent indexes since 1971. Today, our index offering spans geographies and asset classes and includes diverse families such as the Dividend and Income (includes Dividend Achievers), Dorsey Wright, Fixed Income (includes BulletShares®), Global Equity, Green Economy, Nordic and Commodity indexes. We continuously offer new opportunities for financial product sponsors across a wide-spectrum of investable products and for asset managers to measure risk and performance. Nasdaq also provides exchange listing, custom index and design solutions to financial organizations worldwide.

About Nasdaq

Nasdaq (Nasdaq:NDAQ) is a leading global provider of trading, clearing, exchange technology, listing, information and public company services. Through its diverse portfolio of solutions, Nasdaq enables customers to plan, optimize and execute their business vision with confidence, using proven technologies that provide transparency and insight for navigating today's global capital markets. As the creator of the world's first electronic stock market, its technology powers more than 90 marketplaces in 50 countries, and 1 in 10 of the world's securities transactions. Nasdaq is home to approximately 3,900  total listings with a market value of approximately $12 trillion. To learn more, visit: http://business.nasdaq.com

Company Briefs:
The following is brief information about the four companies to be added to the NASDAQ-100 Index. 

ASML Holding N.V. develops, produces, markets, sells, and services advanced semiconductor equipment systems with a focus on lithography related systems primarily in the Netherlands, the United States, and Asia.

Cadence Design Systems, Inc. provides electronic design automation software, emulation and prototyping hardware, system interconnect, and analysis worldwide.

Synopsys, Inc. provides software, intellectual property and services used by designers across the entire silicon to software spectrum, from engineers creating advanced semiconductors to software developers ensuring the quality and security of their applications.