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Nasdaq NEWS RELEASE • • • NASDAQ REPORTS FIRST QUARTER 2021 RESULTS ; DELIVERS 21 % INCREASE IN REVENUE COMPARED TO PRIOR YEAR First quarter 2021 net revenues ' were $ 851 million , an increase of 21 % over the first quarter of 2020. Compared to the prior year period , Solutions segments² revenues increased 22 % while Market Services revenues increased 20 % . Annualized Recurring Revenue ( ARR ) ³ was $ 1,760 million in the first quarter of 2021 , an increase of 21 % from the prior year period . First quarter 2021 GAAP diluted earnings per share of $ 1.78 increased 46 % compared to $ 1.22 in the first quarter of 2020. First quarter 2021 non - GAAP4 diluted earnings per share of $ 1.96 increased 31 % from $ 1.50 in the first quarter of 2020 . Nasdaq advanced its strategic positioning by completing the acquisition of Verafin , establishing the company as a leading anti - financial crime technology provider . Also in the first quarter of 2021 , Nasdaq agreed to sell its U.S. Fixed Income business , which will allow the company to concentrate resources on its technology , analytics and ESG opportunities . The company is announcing a 10 % increase to the quarterly dividend , to $ 0.54 per share , and returned $ 243 million of cash to investors in the first quarter of 2021 , including $ 162 million in share repurchases . NEW YORK , April 21 , 2021 - Nasdaq , Inc. ( Nasdaq : NDAQ ) today reported financial results for the first quarter of 2021 . First quarter 2021 net revenues were $ 851 million , an increase of $ 150 million , or 21 % , from $ 701 million in the prior year period . Net revenues reflected a $ 118 million , or 17 % , positive impact from organic growth , an $ 18 million increase from the impact of favorable changes in FX rates and a $ 14 million increase from the inclusion of revenues from acquisitions . " I am pleased with how our team delivered for clients against an incredibly dynamic capital markets backdrop , reflecting record trading and listing results as well as strong growth across our Solutions segments , " said Adena Friedman , President and CEO , Nasdaq . " We continue to execute against key secular growth opportunities , as illustrated by strong momentum in our institutional investor analytics solutions , as well as by the broad - based growth in total company ARR compared to the prior year period . We are also making fundamental progress in Nasdaq's strategic repositioning this year , with the close of the Verafin acquisition , and the consequent expansion of our addressable market and long - term performance potential . " GAAP operating expenses were $ 486 million in the first quarter of 2021 , an increase of $ 60 million from $ 426 million in the first quarter of 2020. The increase of $ 60 million primarily relates to an $ 18 million 1