Stock Markets February 25, 2026

Nasdaq Lifts Solutions Revenue Target, Stock Tick Up on Investor Day Update

Exchange operator raises medium-term Solutions growth outlook and outlines AI efficiency plan while holding expense guidance steady

By Sofia Navarro NDAQ
Nasdaq Lifts Solutions Revenue Target, Stock Tick Up on Investor Day Update
NDAQ

Nasdaq raised its medium-term Solutions revenue growth target and provided division-level detail at its Investor Day, prompting a modest share price increase. The company increased the Capital Access Platforms revenue target, kept Financial Technology guidance intact, reaffirmed 2026 expense expectations, and unveiled an AI-driven productivity initiative aimed at $100 million in run-rate savings by year-end 2027. Nasdaq also reported ETP assets under management and reiterated cross-sell ambitions following the Adenza acquisition.

Key Points

  • Nasdaq raised medium-term Solutions revenue growth guidance to 9-12% from 8-11%, driven by a stronger outlook for Capital Access Platforms and steady Financial Technology expectations - impacts exchange and financial technology sectors.
  • Capital Access Platforms growth target increased to 6-10% from 5-8%; Financial Technology remains at 10-14% - relevant to fintech and data-services markets.
  • Company announced an AI productivity program targeting $100 million in run-rate expense savings by year-end 2027 while reaffirming 2026 non-GAAP operating expense guidance of $2.455 billion to $2.535 billion - pertinent to cost management and operating-margin outlook.

Nasdaq, Inc. saw its shares gain 1.5% Wednesday after management raised its medium-term revenue growth outlook for its Solutions segment. The company disclosed the revised guidance during its Investor Day presentation and provided additional detail on division-level expectations and cost plans.

At the center of the update was an upward revision to the Solutions revenue growth range - now pegged at 9-12%, up from the prior 8-11%. Nasdaq said the change reflected a stronger view for its Capital Access Platforms business and steady prospects for Financial Technology. The company left its medium-term expense growth guidance unchanged at 5-8% and reconfirmed its 2026 expense outlook.

More granular targets were provided for key operating units. Capital Access Platforms was upgraded to a 6-10% revenue growth target, rising from the previous 5-8% range. Financial Technology retains its medium-term revenue goal of 10-14%. Nasdaq noted that these three-to-five-year targets assume a stable market backdrop.

On the cost side, Nasdaq outlined an AI productivity program designed to generate $100 million in run-rate expense efficiencies by the end of 2027. Management plans to integrate AI capabilities across the company platform and within client-facing solutions, naming Verafin, eVestment, AxiomSL, Calypso, and Surveillance as areas for deployment.

The company reaffirmed its 2026 non-GAAP operating expense guidance at a range of $2.455 billion to $2.535 billion.

Nasdaq also reported progress on commercial integration following the Adenza acquisition, saying its Financial Technology division completed 42 cross-sell wins through year-end 2025. The firm reiterated its expectation to meet or exceed a $100 million cross-sell run-rate revenue goal by year-end 2027.

Additional metrics disclosed included Nasdaq Index business ETP assets under management of $882 billion as of December 31, 2025.

Looking ahead, Nasdaq said it intends to move to 23/5 trading and to introduce tokenization of equities later this year, actions that remain subject to regulatory approval.


Overall, the Investor Day focused on revenue trajectory, targeted expense efficiency through AI, and strategic initiatives across trading hours and tokenization, with management maintaining its near-term expense framework while ramping medium-term growth assumptions for specific Solutions businesses.

Risks

  • The three-to-five-year revenue outlook is conditioned on a stable market backdrop, which introduces sensitivity to market volatility - affects exchange operations and asset-management-related revenues.
  • Plans to transition to 23/5 trading and to introduce tokenization of equities are subject to regulatory approval, creating execution and timing uncertainty - impacts trading operations and digital-asset initiatives.
  • Achievement of the AI productivity target and the $100 million cross-sell run-rate revenue goal by year-end 2027 depends on successful integration and deployment across platforms, posing execution risk for Financial Technology and client solutions.

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