The Lux Security + Tech Index Methodology
A spotlight on the companies improving American resiliency and safety.
Index description
A spotlight on the companies improving American resiliency and safety.
The Lux Security + Tech Index is designed to track the performance of companies that are primarily engaged and involved in the defense, security, and technology industries based on analysis of the products and services offered by those companies (including traditional aerospace & defense and cyber security companies).
Thesis
Technology is rapidly transforming multi-domain fighting for armed forces and civilian actors, with attention increasingly focused on the emerging critical realms of cyberspace and outer space. Cyberattacks are quickly growing in both volume and damages, forcing defenders to invest more heavily in cutting-edge software solutions driven by machine learning and artificial intelligence. Meanwhile, aerospace and defense companies increasingly need better solutions to protect space-based assets as satellites and other orbital vehicles have become the linchpin of modern digital economies.
The Lux Security + Tech index seeks to capture this secular theme by identifying companies that are combining the most advanced science and technology to build necessary defensive solutions across all domains of security, including in aerospace & defense, cybersecurity, network security and hardware. As a result of their innovations, these businesses can buttress the comprehensive defenses of individuals, companies and governments against sophisticated cybercriminals and advanced persistent threat state actors. That ensures companies compete on an even terrain in a fair marketplace, and countries can compete over their positive innovations rather than their pernicious tactical targeting.
Industry or sector eligibility
A security must be involved in some aspect of the security industry which Lux broadly defines as aerospace & defense, cybersecurity, network security, defense technology, and endpoint protection.
A security must be engaged in: developing intelligence-based hardware and software technology designed to solve critical challenges in the national security sector, building virtual and augmented reality algorithms, computer vision, sensor fusion, optics, and automation to monitor threats and improve surveillance, enabling transformational defense capabilities, and providing products and services aimed at protecting organizations from cyberthreats
Per GECS industry coding, these companies are more than likely classified as Consumer Cyclical - Auto Manufacturers, Communication Services - Telecommunication Services, Aerospace & Defense, Construction - Engineering & Infrastructure, Industrial Distribution, Industrial Products, Transportation, Software, Hardware - Communication Equipment, and Scientific & Technical Instruments.
We exclude most if not companies categorized as Asset Management, Communications Equipment, Healthcare Plans, Household & Personal Products, Insurance - Brokers, Medical Care Facilities, Medical Distribution, REIT - Healthcare Facilities, Medical Devices, Medical Instruments & Supplies, Software - Application,Specialty Retail, Drug Manufacturers - General, Drug Manufacturers - Specialty +Generic,and Biotechnology per GECS Industry coding.
All companies in the index must be publicly traded securities that meet the following conditions:
Eligible security criteria
Geography | Must have a HQ based in the United States |
Exchange | Must be listed on either NYSE or NASDAQ exchange |
Market Capitalization | Each security’s market capitalization must, on average, maintain no less than $500m USD during the 3 months prior to index inception, or during the quarterly rebalancing period. |
Liquidity | Each security must have a three-month Average Daily Dollar Trading Volume (ADDTV) of at least $500k USD. |
Float | At least 25% of a security’s total shares outstanding must be publicly available for trading (float shares). |
Seasoning | Securities should be publicly traded for at least 90 days before becoming eligible for inclusion in this index. |
Additional eligibility requirements
- Eligible security types generally include common stocks, ordinary shares and depositary shares.
- Only long positions are permitted.
- One security per issuer is permitted. If an issuer has multiple securities, the security with the highest three-month average daily dollar trading volume (ADDTV) will generally be considered for possible inclusion in the Index.
- A security must be listed on an Index Eligible Global Exchange.
- If, at reconstitution, Lux becomes aware that an issuer or security will soon undergo a fundamental change that makes it ineligible, it will be removed from consideration. This includes entering into a definitive merger or acquisition agreement or other pending arrangement that would make it ineligible for Index inclusion, or a filing of bankruptcy or similar protection from creditors.
Index operations
Index calendar
Reconstitution | Schedule | Lux selects constituents quarterly in December, March, June and September. |
Reference dates | The eligibility criteria are applied using market data as of market close at the end of the first Friday during January, April, July, and October respectively. | |
Announcement dates | Index Reconstitution changes are announced after market close on the second Friday during January, April, July, and October respectively. | |
Effective dates | Index Reconstitution changes become effective at market open on the trading day after the second Friday in January, April, July, and October respectively. | |
Rebalancing | Schedule | The Index is rebalanced quarterly in conjunction with the Index Reconstitution in January, April, July, and October. |
Reference dates | The Index Rebalance uses market data as of market close at the end of the first Friday during January, April, July, and October, respectively. | |
Announcement dates | Index Rebalance changes are announced after market close on the second Friday during January, April, July, and October respectively. | |
Effective dates | Index Rebalance changes become effective at market open on the trading day after the second Friday in January, April, July, and October respectively. |
Constituent selection
Constituent selection process
All securities that meet the applicable eligible security criteria are included in the Index.
Constituent Weighting
Constituent weighting scheme
The Index is a free float market capitalization equally weighted index.
The quarterly Reconstitution is carried out by the Lux Security + Tech Index committee. The potential index constituents are provided for final verification, and changes are made accordingly to index membership.
Securities that meet the applicable eligibility criteria are included in the index.
In addition, for a security to be considered as a new addition to the Index, the security must:
Have grown annual revenue at least 10% for each of the last two full fiscal years (can exclude 2020 due to COVID).
For a security to stay in the Index, the security must:
Have grown annual revenue at least 7% in at least one of the last two fiscal years.
For securities that have fallen below the $500M market cap threshold (calculated as average mkt cap during the quarter) during rebalance sessions, are given a 1 quarter curing period for evaluation and recovery above $500M before removal.
Index maintenance
Deletion policy
If, at any time during the year other than the Index Reconstitution(s), an Index Security that no longer meets the Eligibility Criteria, or is otherwise determined to have become ineligible for inclusion in the Index, it is removed from the Index. This includes circumstances where an Index Security is determined to be ineligible for continued inclusion in the Index due to bankruptcy, delisting, or a definitive agreement that would likely result in the security no longer being Index eligible. We plan to reference Nasdaq’s Corporate Actions and Events Manual – Equities for detailed handling of the aforementioned event types.
Replacement policy
Index securities deleted at any time during the year other than the Index Reconstitution(s) are not replaced.
Corporate actions
In the interim periods between scheduled index reconstitution events, individual Index securities may be the subject to a variety of corporate actions and events that require maintenance and adjustments to the Index. Specific treatment of each type of corporate action or event is described in Nasdaq Corporate Actions and Events Manual – Equities, which is incorporated herein by reference.
In certain cases, corporate actions and events are handled according to the weighting scheme or other index construction techniques employed. Wherever alternate methods are described, the Index will follow the “Non-Market Cap Corporate Action Method.”
Index share adjustments
Other than as a direct result of corporate actions, the index does not normally experience share adjustments between scheduled index rebalance and reconstitution events.
Additional information
Announcements
Lux announces Index-related information via the Lux Security + Tech website at https://www.gothematic.com/idx/luxst.
For more information on the general Index Announcement procedures, please refer to the Lux Index Methodology Policy.
Holiday Schedules
The Index is calculated Monday through Friday and follows US market holiday schedules (NYSE | NASDAQ).
Unexpected market closures
For information on Unexpected Market Closures, please refer to the Lux Index Methodology Policy.
Calculation types
For information on the Index calculation types as well as the mathematical approach used to calculate the Index(es), please refer to the Calculation Manual – Equities & Commodities.
Recalculation and restatement policy
For information on the Recalculation and Restatement Policy, please refer to the Lux Index Recalculation Policy.
Data sources
For information on data sources and the classification of dividends and associated tax rates, please refer to the Nasdaq Index Methodology Policy.
Contact information
For any questions regarding an Index, please contact Thematic at index@gothematic.com.
Index dissemination
Index values and weightings information are available through Lux Security + Tech website at https://www.gothematic.com/idx/luxst.
For more detailed information regarding Index Dissemination, see the Lux Index Methodology Policy.
Index calculation and dissemination schedule
The Index is calculated five (5) days a week, Monday through Friday, starting with the earliest time zone (Asia/Tokyo) and closing with the latest time zone (America/New York), 12:30:01 Japan Standard Time to 17:16:00 Eastern Time.
Website
For further information, please refer to Lux Security + Tech website at https://www.gothematic.com/idx/luxst.
Governance
Index governance
All Lux Indexes follow the same governance structure. For a detailed list of this information, please see the Lux Index Methodology Policy.
Lux Index Management Committee
The Lux Index Management Committee approves all new Index Methodologies. This committee is comprised of full-time professional members of Lux. The committee meets regularly, and reviews items including, but not limited to, pending corporate actions that may affect Index constituents, statistics comparing the composition of the indexes to the market, companies that are being considered as candidates for addition to an Index, and any significant market events.
For a detailed overview of the Index Management Committee, please see the Lux Index Methodology Policy.
Internal reviews of methodology
For a detailed description on internal reviews of the Methodology, please see the Lux Index Methodology Policy.
Communication with stakeholders and consultations
For a detailed description on Consultations and Communications with Stakeholders, please see the Lux Index Methodology Policy.
Index cessation
Lux has a documented procedure that is followed for Index Cessation that includes termination/retirement of an Index or Index Family.
For more information, please refer to the Lux Index Cessation Policy.
Discretionary adjustment
This Index Methodology was created by Lux to achieve the aforementioned objective of measuring the underlying purpose of each Index governed by this methodology document. Any deviations from this methodology are made in the sole judgment and discretion of Lux so that the Index continues to achieve its objective.
For more information on potential adjustments including Calculation and Pricing Disruptions, Expert Judgment, and Unexpected Reconstitution/Rebalances, please refer to the Lux Index Methodology Policy.
Glossary of Terms Used in This Document
For the glossary of key terms, please refer to the Lux Index Methodology Policy.
Disclaimer
Lux may, from time to time, exercise reasonable discretion as it deems appropriate in order to ensure Index integrity, including but not limited to, quantitative inclusion criteria. Lux may also, due to special circumstances, if deemed essential, apply discretionary adjustments to ensure and maintain the high quality of the index construction and calculation. Lux does not guarantee that any Index accurately reflects future market performance.
Neither Lux Security + Tech, nor any of their affiliates, makes any recommendation to buy or sell any security or any representation about the financial condition of any company. Investors should undertake their own due diligence and carefully evaluate companies before investing. The information contained herein is provided for informational and educational purposes only, and nothing contained herein should be construed as investment advice, either on behalf of a particular security or an overall investment strategy. Advice from a securities professional is strongly advised. All Rights Reserved.
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