The world's largest stock exchange.
8-14 months
$2M-$5M
Premium
Large-cap, established companies
Financial requirements
Governance requirements
Public float requirements
SEC filing
Underwriter review
Marketing
Listing
NYSE requires higher thresholds than NASDAQ: $100M market cap OR $100M revenues, $2M positive net income (last fiscal year or average of last 3 years), minimum $110M public float, 2,000+ public shareholders, $100M trading volume, and $4 minimum bid price. Additionally, companies must demonstrate $2M working capital if unprofitable, meet stringent corporate governance standards, and have diverse board with independent audit/compensation committees. NYSE focuses on established, profitable companies with proven business models and strong financial performance.
NYSE is the world's largest exchange by market cap ($30T+ vs NASDAQ $20T+), attracting large established companies and multinational corporations. NYSE emphasizes stability, profitability, and corporate governance over growth potential. Listings tend to be older, larger companies (Financial Services, Healthcare, Industrials) compared to NASDAQ's tech/growth focus. Ticker symbols are 1-3 letters on NYSE vs 4-5 on NASDAQ. Trading is traditionally floor-based (though electronic now). Valuations on NYSE tend to be more conservative (lower multiples) reflecting mature business profiles.
NYSE is preferred by: mature, profitable companies wanting stability/prestige (NYSE perceived as more established), industrial/financial/pharma companies (less tech-focused investor base), international companies seeking US credibility, and companies targeting conservative institutional investors (pensions, funds). NYSE listing provides strong brand recognition globally and attracts long-term buy-and-hold investors. Downsides include stricter profitability requirements (harder for growth-stage), higher costs ($2M-$5M vs $1M-$3M for NASDAQ), and longer timeline. Most high-growth companies prefer NASDAQ for faster path and higher multiples.