For example, Baidu and BiliBili, both China-based companies, are listed on the Nasdaq exchange and are included in the Nasdaq Composite. The Nasdaq Composite includes common shares of stock, American Depository Receipts (ADRs), limited liability companies, limited partnership interests, or units of beneficial interest. Security types that are generally ineligible for the index include Nasdaq-listed closed-end funds, convertible debentures, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), preferred stocks, rights, warrants, units and other derivative securities.
How the Nasdaq Composite Index Works
The Nasdaq Composite Index is an index weighted by market capitalization, or value, of the companies with shares on the Nasdaq exchange. This means the amount of each component in the index is determined by the size of the component’s market capitalization at the end of each trading day. So companies with a greater market capitalization have a greater impact on the overall index value. The weight of each index component is determined using the following formula: Weight = (Component Market Capitalization / Total Index Market Capitalization) X 100
Nasdaq Composite Composition
The Nasdaq Composite is known for being a technology-heavy index, but it also follows stocks in other sectors as well. As of Nov. 5, 2021, the Nasdaq Composite Index had a 10-year annual return of 29.02%. At that time, the industry weights of its individual securities were:
- Apple Inc.
- Microsoft Corp.
- Alphabet, Inc.
- Meta Platforms Inc.
Nasdaq Composite Index vs. Nasdaq-100
The Nasdaq Composite Index has some similarities and differences with the Nasdaq-100 Index. The Nasdaq-100, a speciality index that debuted in 1985, is a collection of 102 securities issued by the 100 largest non-financial U.S. and international companies listed on the Nasdaq stock exchange, excluding financial stocks. So, they are influenced by the same major companies, but the Nasdaq-100 does not track nearly as many stocks. An investor in a mutual fund or ETF that tracks the Nasdaq-100 will be investing in fewer companies than one who invests in a fund or ETF that tracks the Nasdaq Composite Index. The easiest way to invest in a way that achieves the results of the Nasdaq Composite Index is through a mutual fund or exchange-traded fund (ETF) that passively tracks the index. These assets are available through brokerages. Read the prospectus carefully to make sure the investment you’re considering tracks the index you want to follow—for example, the Nasdaq Composite Index or the Nasdaq-100 Index.
