Nasdaq Earnings Beat and Institutional Push Outpace 435th Trading Volume Rank in Volatile Market Momentum

On August 7, 2025, Nasdaq (NDAQ) closed down 0.11% at $96.56, with a trading volume of $0.27 billion, ranking 435th in market activity. Institutional investors increased stakes in the company, including Cetera Investment Advisers, which boosted holdings by 32.2% to 35,991 shares valued at $2.73 million. Nasdaq reported Q2 earnings of $0.85 per share, exceeding analyst estimates of $0.78, with revenue rising 12.7% year-over-year to $1.31 billion. The company also announced a quarterly dividend of $0.27 per share, yielding 1.1% annually.

Insider transactions included the sale of shares by executives Jeremy Skule and Bradley J. Peterson, reducing their ownership by 2.22% and 9.39%, respectively. Institutional ownership remains strong at 72.47%, with firms like Principal Financial Group and USA Financial Formulas increasing positions. Analyst activity highlighted upgraded ratings, including a $104 price target from Piper Sandler, while others maintained “buy” or “outperform” recommendations.

A backtested strategy of purchasing the top 500 high-volume stocks and holding for one day yielded a 166.71% return from 2022 to 2025, outperforming the benchmark by 137.53%. This underscores liquidity-driven momentum in volatile markets, where Nasdaq’s elevated trading volumes and institutional activity align with short-term performance drivers.