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Global financial markets were ravaged by the rapid spread of the pandemic in the first quarter. But the market volatility benefited exchange operators such as Nasdaq, which make most of their money from clearing and settling trades.
The company’s adjusted net income rose to $251 million, or $1.50 per share, in the first quarter ended March 31, from $204 million, or $1.22 per share, a year earlier.
Revenue at it market services unit – the biggest business – jumped 21%, boosted by “historic” trading volumes, mainly in the second half of the first quarter.
The unit oversees transactions, clearing and settlements.
Nasdaq’s non-trading businesses, which provide a broad range of news and information used by traders, reported a 7% rise in revenue.
Since taking the helm of the company in 2017, chief executive officer Adena Friedman has expanded Nasdaq’s focus beyond traditional exchange functions to higher-growth opportunities in technology and analytics, and sold off less-profitable units.
Overall net revenue rose 11% to $701 million during the quarter.
Nasdaq also said it refinanced certain bonds to lower interest costs and eliminated near-term bond maturities, as well as boosted liquidity by drawing from its existing revolving credit facility to ensure short-term funding needs were insulated from volatile money markets.
