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Investing January 25, 2001
NASDAQ Moves Closer to Major Restructuring
Jan. 25, 2001 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - The NASDAQ stock
market has moved a step closer to its planned reorganization
and re-capitalization which was overwhelmingly supported by
the NASD membership in an April 2000 vote.
Reported by Charles Epstein
In an action today, the Nasdaq and the NASD raised over $180 million in the second phase of its private placement, making this transaction the fourth largest equity offering in December 2000, according to the exchange.
Combined, Phase I and Phase II raised $516 million-$326 million for Nasdaq and $190 million for the NASD.
The two phases combined would be the fourth largest reported private equity transaction for 2000. If all of the warrants sold in both phases are fully exercised, the NASD will receive an additional $627 million over the next five years and approximately 60 percent of Nasdaq will be in the hands of over 2,900 investors.
“With the completion of this extended and careful restructuring process, the NASD will be able to focus solely on its historical role of industry self-regulation, financially strengthened and properly independent,” said Robert Glauber, NASD’s CEO and President. “We will now be better positioned to deliver the tough and fair regulation on which investors rely, with the efficiency the firms and markets we oversee have a right to expect.”
Glauber said that once exchange registration is granted, the NASD has committed to vote those Nasdaq shares over which it has control “in a manner proportional to the votes cast by the other Nasdaq shareholders.”
Glauber also said the NASD intends to sell off its remaining minority Nasdaq position “expeditiously in an orderly fashion and subject to market conditions.”