NEW YORK, June 12, 2006 (PRIMEZONE) -- The Nasdaq Stock Market, Inc. (Nasdaq:NDAQ) today announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire PrimeZone Media Network, a privately held, Los Angeles-based firm specializing in press release newswire and multimedia services.
This transaction will enable NASDAQ(R) to offer PrimeZone's comprehensive suite of information distribution and multimedia services as part of its Investor Relations and Corporate Communications suite.
"PrimeZone will enable NASDAQ to provide news distribution and media targeting services to public and private companies," said Bruce Aust, executive vice president of NASDAQ. "The acquisition of PrimeZone is another example of NASDAQ partnering with the best-in-class service providers for its companies. This transaction reinforces our strategy to maximize the value companies receive from NASDAQ."
"NASDAQ and Shareholder.com are great companies with a strong heritage of providing the highest quality financial services to publicly traded companies. PrimeZone's newswire and multimedia distribution will fit well within the NASDAQ family. We are excited about this next logical step for our company," said Tom Madden, CEO of PrimeZone.
PrimeZone's information distribution and investor relations services will be integral to the suite of services offered by NASDAQ's Corporate Client Group. This acquisition follows NASDAQ's first quarter acquisition of Shareholder.com, a leading investor relations service provider; the January 2005 acquisition of The NASDAQ Insurance Agency, a full-service corporate insurance broker specializing in Directors and Officers liability insurance; the creation of Independent Research Network, a joint venture with Reuters to provide public companies with research coverage; and the September 2005 purchase of Carpenter Moore, management liability insurance specialists.
About PrimeZone Media Network
PrimeZone operates one of the world's leading full-text press release, photo, and multimedia distribution services. Utilizing the latest in communications technology, PrimeZone's multi-channel delivery network provides real-time, simultaneous access to key audiences around the globe, including daily newspapers, wire services, online services, databases, trade publications, institutional and individual investors, and consumers. PrimeZone offers a suite of investor relations services including EDGAR filings, IR websites, photos, webcasts, teleconferences, as well as targeting and measurement services to thousands of customers worldwide.
About NASDAQ
NASDAQ(R) is the largest electronic screen-based equity securities market in the United States. With approximately 3,200 companies, it lists more companies and, on average, trades more shares per day than any other U.S. market. It is home to category-defining companies that are leaders across all areas of business including technology, retail, communications, financial services, transportation, media and biotechnology industries. For more information about NASDAQ, visit the NASDAQ Web site at www.nasdaq.com or the NASDAQ Newsroom at www.nasdaq.com/newsroom/
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
The matters described herein may contain forward-looking statements that are made pursuant to the Safe Harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements involve a number of risks, uncertainties or other factors beyond the control of The NASDAQ Stock Market, Inc., which could cause actual results to differ materially from historical results, performance or other expectations and from any opinions or statements expressed or implied with respect to future periods. These factors include, but are not limited to, NASDAQ's ability to implement its strategic initiatives, economic, political and market conditions and fluctuations, government and industry regulation, interest rate risk, U.S. and global competition, and other factors detailed in the Company's annual report on Form 10-K, and periodic reports filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. We undertake no obligation to release any revisions to any forward-looking statements.