The Nasdaq has four sets of listing requirements. Each company must meet at least one of the four requirement sets, as well as the main rules for all companies.1?
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Major stock exchanges, like the NASDAQ, are exclusive clubs—their reputations rest on the companies they trade.
The NASDAQ has four sets of listing requirements.
Each company must meet at least one of the four requirement sets, as well as the main rules for all companies.
In addition to these requirements, companies must meet all of the criteria under at least one of the following standards.
A company has four ways to get listed on the NASDAQ, depending on the underlying fundamentals of the company.
Listing Requirements for All Companies
Each company must have a minimum of 1,250,000 publicly traded shares outstanding upon listing, excluding those held by officers, directors, or any beneficial owners of more than 10% of the company.
The regular bid price of shares of the company's stock at the time of listing must be at least $4.00. However, a company may qualify under a closing price alternative of $3.00 or $2.00 if the company meets varying requirements.
There must be at least three (or four depending on the criteria) market makers for the stock. For companies using the $3 or $2 criteria, only two market makers may be required. Each listing firm is also required to follow NASDAQ corporate governance rules 4350, 4351, and 4360.
Companies must also have at least 450 round lot (i.e., 100 shares or more) shareholders, 2,200 total shareholders, or 550 total shareholders with 1.1 million average trading volume over the past 12 months.
As of 2020, a company must pay a $25,000 application fee before its stock can even be considered for listing, and it can expect to pay between $150,000 and $295,000 in entry fees if successful.
In addition to these requirements, companies must meet all of the criteria under at least one of the following standards.