TASE Implements R&D Committee Recommendations:Launches TA Tech-Elite Index

Press Release
06/04/2014
 
In its 3.4.2014 meeting, the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange (TASE) Board of Directors approved the launch of the TA Tech-Elite index, which will comprise the shares of the leading Technology and Biomed companies. The new index includes companies with a free float of at least 25% and a market cap of at least NIS 400 million. The minimum market cap required from IPO companies for fast track entrance into the index is set at NIS 200 million. The number of constituents in the index is not limited, while the weight cap of a single constituent is set at 10%. It is anticipated that this new index will also be part of the new “Israeli High-tech” index, which will be calculated by an international index vendor and is expected to serve as the underlying asset for various index-tracking products, enabling greater exposure of Israel’s high tech industry among foreign investors. There are currently 34 companies eligible for inclusion in the TA Tech-Elite index, 23 of which are Technology companies and 11Biomed companies. The cumulative float-adjusted market cap of these companies exceeds NIS 45 billion.
The index is scheduled for launch on 11 May 2014.
 
The launch of this index constitutes the first step in implementing the recommendations of the Committee to Promote Investment in Public Companies Engaged in R&D, which examined ways to encourage the listing of technology companies on TASE.
 
Along with the launch of the new index the board also decided to expand the TA BlueTech-50 index into the TA-BlueTech index, a composite share price index comprising all constituents of the TA-Technology and TA-Biomed indices, without limitations on the number of index constituents, starting 15 June 2014 (the upcoming rebalancing date for TASE share price indices). It is expected that 7 companies, with a combined market cap of NIS 950 million will join the TA-BlueTech index as a result of this revision.

Robby Goldenberg, Senior Vice President and Head of the Trading and Derivatives Department remarked: “The launch of the TA Tech-Elite index is yet another measure undertaken by TASE to broaden the spectrum of financial products it offers the public, in accordance with market needs. The new index is expected to focus attention on large technology and biomed companies, render the listing of high tech companies on TASE more compelling and improve the liquidity of high tech shares.”
 
According to Hani Shitrit, Senior Vice President, Head of the Economic Department and the person chairing the Committee to Promote Investment in Public Companies Engaged in R&D, “The Israel Securities Authority and TASE have started to implement the committee’s recommendations and are currently initiating the required legislative amendments.” The launch of the TA Tech-Elite index, the “Israeli High-tech” index and the promotion of market research on listed companies will improve market efficiency and increase the exposure of institutional, retail and foreign investors to Israeli high tech companies.”
 

A list of potential TA Tech-Elite constituents follows:
 
No.
TASE ID NO.
Company Name
 Market Cap
Free Float
Weight
1
273011
Nice
                      9,069
                        8,565
10.00%
2
1129543
Opko Health
                    12,678
                        6,518
10.00%
3
1081124
Elbit Systems
                      9,062
                        4,903
10.00%
4
1082544
EZchip Semiconducters
                      2,599
                        2,392
6.35%
5
1123017
LivePerson
                      2,266
                        1,630
4.33%
6
1085208
Compugen
                      1,674
                        1,610
4.28%
7
260018
Ormat
                      3,011
                        1,540
4.09%
8
1099654
Allot Communications
                      1,626
                        1,482
3.94%
9
1094119
Kamada
                      1,868
                        1,379
3.66%
10
1106855
Mazor Robotics
                      1,670
                        1,290
3.43%
11
1105055
Evogene
                      1,680
                        1,274
3.38%
12
1082692
Silicom
                      1,550
                        1,180
3.14%
13
1095819
Perion Network
                      2,583
                        1,000
2.66%
14
1120609
Protalix
                      1,571
                           946
2.51%
15
1082379
Tower Semiconductor
                      1,481
                           929
2.47%
16
1084557
Nova Measuring Instruments
                      1,083
                           895
2.38%
17
256016
Formula Systems
                      1,568
                           838
2.23%
18
1121730
Pluristem        Therapeutics
                          833
                           770
2.05%
19
1082965
Audiocodes
                          962
                           681
1.81%
20
1087659
Sapiens International
                      1,325
                           676
1.80%
21
1082312
Magic Software Enterprises
                      1,222
                           672
1.78%
22
1126226
Photomedex
                      1,126
                           654
1.74%
23
445015
Matrix IT
                      1,231
                           610
1.62%
24
1100718
Brainsway
                          872
                           523
1.39%
25
749077
Elron Electronic Industries
                      1,010
                           497
1.32%
26
1082510
Gilat Satellite Networks
                          739
                           461
1.22%
27
1104280
Clal Biotechnology Industries
                      1,477
                           431
1.15%
28
1085166
Ceragon Networks
                          548
                           430
1.14%
29
1084698
Hilan
                          617
                           322
0.85%
30
1122381
Redhill Biopharma
                          434
                           314
0.83%
31
1091065
Maytronics
                          823
                           283
0.75%
32
1091651
Arad
                          768
                           230
0.61%
33
1102458
Medical Itamar
                          420
                           224
0.60%
34
161018
One Software Technologies
620
194
0.51%
                    72,066
                     46,342
 
100%