SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Dec. 12, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- The S&P 500^® Dividend Aristocrats^® index was named Index Product of the Year at the William F. Sharpe Indexing Achievement Awards, presented at the annual IMN's Global Indexing & ETFs conference in Scottsdale, Arizona.

The S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats, launched in 2005, is designed to measure the performance of large cap, blue chip companies within the S&P 500 that have increased dividends every year for at least 25 years. The constituents are equally weighted and well diversified across all sectors capturing sustainable dividend income and capital appreciation potential.

"We are pleased to receive this award in recognition for having the most significant impact on the index industry over the previous twelve months," says Alex Matturri, Chief Executive Officer at S&P Dow Jones Indices. "We launched the S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats over nine years ago when we anticipated the growing importance of equity based dividend strategies, part of our robust factor-based index family. This award is a result of our continued focus in developing innovative, relevant and lasting index-based solutions."  

This award follows S&P DJI's recent receipt of prestigious industry awards around the globe including ETF Index Provider of the Year in Asia in Asia Asset Management magazine's Best of the Best Awards, Index Innovation of the Year Asia Award in Structured Products Asia Awards 2014 and Best Islamic Index Provider 2014 in Islamic Finance News Awards Best Services Providers Poll.

The S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats index also serves as the basis for this year's ETF Product of the Year Award given to ProShares S&P 500^® Dividend Aristocrats ETF (NOBL).

For more information, please visit: www.spdji.com.

About S&P Dow Jones Indices

S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC, a part of McGraw Hill Financial, is the world's largest, global resource for index-based concepts, data and research. Home to iconic financial market indicators, such as the S&P 500® and the Dow Jones Industrial Average®, S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC has over 115 years of experience constructing innovative and transparent solutions that fulfill the needs of investors. More assets are invested in products based upon our indices than any other provider in the world. With over 1,000,000 indices covering a wide range of asset classes across the globe, S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC defines the way investors measure and trade the markets. To learn more about our company, please visit www.spdji.com.  

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SOURCE S&P Dow Jones Indices