NASDAQ OMX Group (NDAQ)

Declines in the IPO market have an adverse effect on our revenues.

Stagnation or decline in the IPO market impacts the number of our new listings on The Nasdaq Stock Market, and thus our related revenues. We recognize revenue from new listings on a straight-line basis over an estimated six-year service period. As a result of the decline in the IPO market from 2000-2002, our deferred revenues associated with those years will be lower than our recent deferred revenue associated with the years immediately preceding that period. Our new IPO listings decreased from 148 in 2004 to 126 in 2005.

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The Sarbanes-Oxley Act, commonly known as SOX, may dampen IPO activity. SOX requires Nasdaq and other U.S. markets and exchanges to impose corporate governance requirements on all listed companies. Additionally, Section 404 of SOX requires all of our listed companies to complete an internal control audit, which many companies find to be burdensome and costly. SOX has particularly received a significant amount of focus among international companies. International exchanges, such as the London Stock Exchange, and Deutsche Börse are not required to impose these requirements on their listed companies and, as a result, are becoming more significant competitors, particularly for international issuers. The LSE’s “AIM” market, which has minimal listing standards, has recently received significant attention as an alternative listing venue. We may have trouble attracting and maintaining listings of foreign based companies in light of this competition.