Major stock exchanges, like the Nasdaq, are exclusive clubs—their reputations rest on the companies they trade. As such, the Nasdaq won't allow just any company to be traded on its exchange. Only companies with a solid history and top-notch management behind them are considered.

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

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.2

Standard No. 1: Earnings

The company must have aggregate pre-tax earnings in the prior three years of at least $11 million, in the previous two years at least $2.2 million, and no single year in the prior three years can have a net loss.

Standard No. 2: Capitalization With Cash Flow

The company must have a minimum aggregate cash flow of at least $27.5 million for the past three fiscal years, with no negative cash flow in any of those three years. Also, its average market capitalization over the prior 12 months must be at least $550 million, and revenues in the previous fiscal year must be $110 million, minimum.

Standard No. 3: Capitalization With Revenue

Companies can be removed from the cash flow requirement of the second standard if its average market capitalization over the past 12 months is at least $850 million and revenues over the prior fiscal year are at least $90 million.

Standard No. 4: Assets With Equity

Companies can eliminate the cash flow and revenue requirements, and decrease its marketing capitalization requirements to $160 million if their total assets total at least $80 million and their stockholders' equity is at least $55 million.

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