NASDAQ Announces the Annual Re-Ranking of the NASDAQ-100 Index
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NASDAQ Announces the Annual Re-ranking of the NASDAQ-100 Index New York, NY—The Nasdaq Stock Market, Inc. ("NASDAQ;" OTCBB:NDAQ) announced today the annual re-ranking of the NASDAQ-100 Index®, effective with the market open on Monday, December 22, 2003. "The NASDAQ-100 Index is the basis for some 400 financial products worldwide, and continues to be one of the world's most widely followed indicators of financial market activity," said John L. Jacobs, chief executive officer of NASDAQ Financial Products Services, Inc. "The index includes companies which are recognized leaders across a wide variety of business sectors." The following eight issues will be added to the NASDAQ-100 Index: Marvell Technology Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:MRVL), Garmin Ltd. (NASDAQ:GRMN), Career Education Corporation (NASDAQ:CECO), Lam Research Corporation (NASDAQ:LRCX), Level 3 Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ:LVLT), Intersil Corporation (NASDAQ:ISIL), ATI Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ:ATYT) and Research in Motion Limited (NASDAQ:RIMM). The NASDAQ-100 Index is composed of the 100 largest non-financial stocks 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. Generally, the NASDAQ-100 is re-ranked each year in December, timed to coincide with the quadruple witch expiration Friday of the quarter. Shares of each company in the Index are included in the NASDAQ-100 Index Tracking Stock (QQQ), which is an exchange-traded fund (ETF) that trades like a stock. Based on the year-to-date average daily trading volume as of November 30, 2003, it is the world's most actively traded ETF and the most actively traded listed security in the U.S. QQQ represents ownership in the Nasdaq-100 TrustSM. The Trust holds a portfolio of equity securities that comprise the NASDAQ-100 Index and aims to provide investment results that, before expenses, generally correspond to the price and yield performance of the NASDAQ-100 Index. Since its inception in March 1999, the Trust's total assets have grown to over $21 billion. For more information about the NASDAQ-100 Index, including eligibility criteria, visit www.nasdaq-100.com. As a result of the re-ranking of the NASDAQ-100 Index, the following eight companies will be removed: ADC Telecommunications, Inc. (NASDAQ:ADCT), Brocade Communications Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:BRCD), CIENA Corporation (NASDAQ: CIEN), LM Ericsson Telephone Company (NASDAQ: ERICY), Human Genome Sciences, Inc. (NASDAQ:HGSI), ICOS Corporation (NASDAQ: ICOS), Monster Worldwide Inc. (NASDAQ:MNST) and, RF Micro Devices, Inc. (NASDAQ:RFMD). Companies that are removed from the Index may rejoin it at a later time. This year, Lam Research Corporation (NASDAQ:LRCX) and Level 3 Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ:LVLT) are again becoming components of the Index. NASDAQ is the world's largest electronic stock market. With over 3,300 companies, it lists more companies and, on average, trades more shares per day than any other U.S. market. It is home to category-defining companies that are leaders across all areas of business including technology, retail, communications, financial services, media and biotechnology. For more information about NASDAQ, visit the NASDAQ Web site at www.NASDAQ.com or the NASDAQ NewsroomSM at www.nasdaq.com/newsroom. To learn more about the criteria for inclusion to the NASDAQ-100, visit the NASDAQ-100 Web site. Notes to editors: The Trustee for the NASDAQ-100 Trust is required to adjust the composition of the Trust within three business days before or after the effective date of a change to the composition of the NASDAQ-100 Index. The NASDAQ-100 Index Tracking Stock is subject to risks similar to those of stocks, including those regarding short selling and margin account maintenance. An investor cannot invest directly in the Index. Index performance does not reflect the fees, expenses or taxes associated with investing in the NASDAQ-100 Index Tracking Stock. An investor should carefully consider investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses before investing. For this and more complete information about NASDAQ-100 Index Tracking StockSM, a unit investment trust, obtain a prospectus from your broker, or call 888-627-3837 or visit our Web site at www.nasdaq-100.com. Read it carefully before you invest. While there is no assurance that the performance of the NASDAQ-100 Index can be fully matched, the NASDAQ-100 Index Tracking Stock is designed to provide investment results that generally correspond to the performance of the NASDAQ-100 Index before fees, expenses and taxes. Past performance is not indicative of future performance. ALPS Distributors, Inc., a registered broker-dealer, is distributor for the Trust. The sponsor of the NASDAQ-100 Trust, a unit investment trust, is NASDAQ Financial Products Services, Inc. ("NFPS"), a wholly owned subsidiary of The Nasdaq Stock Market, Inc. ("NASDAQ," and collectively with its affiliates except NFPS, the "Corporations"). Investment returns and principal value will fluctuate so that an investor's shares, when redeemed or sold, may be worth more or less than the original cost. "NASDAQ" and related marks are trademarks or service marks of NASDAQ and have been licensed for use for certain purposes by NFPS. The NASDAQ-100 Index is comprised and calculated by NASDAQ without regard to the NASDAQ-100 Index Tracking Stock. The Corporations make no warranty, express or implied, and bear no liability with respect to NASDAQ-100 Index Tracking Stock. The Corporations and NFPS make no warranty, express or implied, and bear no liability with respect to the NASDAQ-100 Index, its use or any data included therein. The Corporations do not guarantee the accuracy or the completeness of the Index, or any data used to calculate the index, or determine the index components. Company briefs: The following are brief descriptions of the eight companies added to the NASDAQ-100 Index in descending order based on market capitalization: Marvell Technology Group, Ltd. is a global semiconductor provider of complete broadband communications and storage solutions. The company's diverse product portfolio includes switching, transceiver, communications controller, wireless and storage solutions that power the entire communications infrastructure, including enterprise, metro, home and storage networking. The Hamilton, Bermuda, company had a market capitalization of $5.6 billion at the time of ranking. Garmin Ltd. provides navigation, communications, and information devices, most of which are enabled by Global Positioning System (GPS) technology. The Company designs, develops, manufactures, and markets hand-held, portable, and fixed mount GPS-enabled products and other navigation, communications, and information products under the GARMIN brand name. The George Town, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands, company had a market capitalization of $5.4 billion at the time of ranking. Career Education Corporation provides private, for-profit postsecondary education in the United States, Canada, France, the United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates. The Company's schools offer a variety of doctoral degree, master's degree, bachelor's degree, associate degree, and non-degree programs, with a core curricula of information technologies, visual communication and design technologies, business studies, culinary arts and health education. The Hoffman Estates, Illinois, company had a market capitalization of $5.4 billion at the time of ranking. Lam Research Corporation manufactures, markets, and services semi-conductor processing equipment used in the making of integrated circuits. The Company's products are used to deposit special films on a silicon wafer and etch away portions of various films to create a circuit design. Lam sells its products around the world. The Fremont, California, company had a market capitalization of $3.8 billion at the time of ranking. Level 3 Communications, Inc. is an international communications and information services company. The company offers a wide range of communications services over its 22,500 mile broadband fiber optic network including Internet Protocol (IP) services, broadband transport and infrastructure services, colocation services, and patented Softswitch managed modem and voice services. The Broomfield, Colorado, company had a market capitalization of $3.6 billion at the time of ranking. Intersil Corporation designs and manufactures high performance analog semiconductors. The company's products address three industry markets: flat panel displays, optical storage (CD and DVD recordable) and power management. The Milpitas, California, company had a market capitalization of $3.6 billion at the time of ranking. ATI Technologies Inc. supplies three-dimensional graphics and multimedia technology. The Company designs, manufactures, and markets multimedia solutions and graphics components for personal computers. ATI supplies video and two dimensional/three dimensional graphics accelerators to original equipment manufacturers and retail customers. The Markham, Ontario, Canada, company had a market capitalization of $3.5 billion at the time of ranking. Research In Motion Limited designs, manufactures, and markets wireless consumer and business-to-business electronic technology for the worldwide mobile personal communications market. The Company's products include two-way interactive pagers, wireless personal computer card adapters, software connectivity tools, and embedded wireless radios. The Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, company had a market capitalization of $3.5 billion at the time of ranking. Media Contacts: Wayne Lee 301.978.4875.