MicroStrategy must perform today for its NASDAQ 100 snapshot

One of the most recognizable indices tracking public companies in the US, the Nasdaq-100, will perform its eligibility snapshot today. Nasdaq’s committee will use trading data through 4pm today in New York to evaluate companies looking to enter the index during its annual rebalancing event, including Michael Saylor’s bitcoin acquisition company, MicroStrategy (MSTR).

Today is a significant event for MicroStrategy’s ravenous community of leveraged bitcoin investors who have encouraged the company to gobble up nearly 3% of bitcoin’s supply. At press time, they seem to be doing everything they can to help; MSTR is trading over 6% higher today with a market capitalization exceeding $92 billion.

Second only to Standard & Poor’s’ renowned S&P 500 index and besting the popularity of Dow Jones’ antiquating Industrial Average index, the Nasdaq-100 tracks the value of the 100 largest Nasdaq-listed, non-financial companies.

Although that final, non-financial requirement has introduced a bit of doubt into the minds of MicroStrategy investors, the company is otherwise well-positioned to qualify for inclusion.

MicroStrategy has Nasdaq-100 eligibility but must pass committee review

Nasdaq requires constituents of its index to meet Security Eligibility Criteria, and MicroStrategy satisfies almost all of them.

• MicroStrategy stock has its primary US listing exclusively on the Nasdaq Global Select Market or the Nasdaq Global Market.
• It has not filed for bankruptcy, nor would it be otherwise ineligible.
• MicroStrategy has registered 3-month continuous trading on Nasdaq with average daily traded value of at least $5 million.
• The company has a free float of at least 10%.
• Its market capitalization ranks well among existing Nasdaq-100-listed companies.

Regarding uncertainty of Nasdaq-100’s non-financial requirement, the strict definition offers some solace. Although MicroStrategy’s software business has dwindling importance relative to its seemingly financial services-like business of bitcoin asset management, it is probably not technically classified as a Financial company.

Read more: What happens if MicroStrategy can’t sell enough bitcoin to repay lenders?

To be strictly eligible as a Nasdaq-100 constituent, the Industry Classification Benchmark (ICB) operated by FTSE International Limited must not classify the company’s stock as belonging to the Financial Industry. Although MicroStrategy does not currently have this designation, ultimate discretion about Nasdaq-100 inclusion is left to a manual committee review.

The annual reconstitution of Nasdaq-100 is a major event that will have significant implications for investors. This year could be the first time a major stock index and its associated passive flows benefit a company holding nearly 2% of all circulating bitcoin. If Nasdaq’s committee votes for MicroStrategy’s addition to its Nasdaq 100 index, it will announce its decision on December 13, 2024 after 4pm New York time.

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