ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, June 01, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Syntec Optics (NASDAQ:OPTX), a leading innovator in defense tech, space tech, and biomedical tech, announced today that it has been selected for inclusion in the Russell 3000® Index as part of the 2026 annual reconstitution. This inclusion will become effective after the U.S. market closes on June 26, 2026. Syntec is set to be added to the widely followed U.S. equity index family.

Inclusion in the Russell 3000® Index typically means membership in either the large-cap Russell 1000® Index or the small-cap Russell 2000® Index. When the company is added to the Russell 3000, it automatically becomes part of these benchmark indexes and the corresponding Growth or Value style sub-indexes, based on its fundamental metrics.

Investors can follow updates expected from FTSE Russell on June 5, June 12, and June 18.

A Milestone for Institutional Visibility

"Our preliminary inclusion in the Russell 3000 Index is a definitive milestone that reflects the operational and financial efforts we have made. It signals that we can meet minimum price, volume, and market-cap thresholds, opening the opportunity for active small-cap mutual funds and ETFs to finally build positions," said Dean Rudy, Chief Financial Officer at Syntec Optics. "Our strategy, grounded in fundamentals and deep-tech frontier products, can broaden our exposure within the institutional investment community for long-term shareholder value."

Strategic Impact of Index Inclusion

Inclusion in the Russell U.S. Indexes serves as a critical catalyst for publicly traded companies by introducing them to a vast network of institutional capital:

Benchmark Authority: The Russell U.S. Indexes are widely utilized by institutional investors and investment managers worldwide for index funds and as the primary benchmarks for active investment strategies.
Large Asset Base: According to FTSE Russell, approximately $10.6 trillion in investment assets are currently benchmarked against the Russell U.S. indexes.
Long Position Inflows: Membership historically expands a company's shareholder base to include mutual funds and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) that track the index.

The final, fully validated list of index members is scheduled to be implemented at the opening of the U.S. equity markets on Monday, June 29, 2026. For more information on the Russell indexes reconstitution process, please visit the FTSE Russell website at www.ftserussell.com.

About Syntec Optics

Syntec Optics Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:OPTX), headquartered in Rochester, NY, is one of the largest custom and diverse end-market optics and photonics manufacturers in the United States. Operating for over two decades, Syntec Optics runs a state-of-the-art facility with extensive core capabilities across various optics manufacturing processes, both horizontally and vertically integrated, to provide a competitive advantage for mission-critical OEMs. As more products become light-enabled, Syntec Optics continues to add new product lines, including recent Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite optics for communications, AI data-center power, and reconnaissance, multi-spectral optics for deep tech, as well as display and sensing for Artificial Intelligence-driven defense AR/VR systems. According to SPIE, across the entire field of optics and photonics, the monetary value of all light-enabled products and related services accounts for over 15% of worldwide economic output (nearly $16 trillion of the total $106 trillion value of all finished goods and services produced worldwide in 2023). To learn more, visit www.syntecoptics.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains certain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act") and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All statements other than statements of historical fact contained in this press release, including any statements as to the intended use of net proceeds from the public offering, are forward-looking statements. Some of these forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking words, including "may," "should," "expect," "intend," "will," "estimate," "anticipate," "believe," "predict," "plan," "targets," "projects," "could," "would," "continue," "forecast" or the negatives of these terms or variations of them or similar expressions. All forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties, and other factors (some of which are beyond the control of Syntec Optics), which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements are based upon estimates, forecasts and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by Syntec Optics and its management, as the case may be, are inherently uncertain and many factors may cause the actual results to differ materially from current expectations which include, but are not limited to: 1) risk outlined in any prior SEC filings; 2) ability of Syntec Optics to successfully increase market penetration into its target markets; 3) the addressable markets that Syntec Optics intends to target do not grow as expected; 4) the loss of any key executives; 5) the loss of any relationships with key suppliers including suppliers abroad; 6) the loss of any relationships with key customers; 7) the inability to protect Syntec Optics' patents and other intellectual property; 8) the failure to successfully execute manufacturing of announced products in a timely manner or at all, or to scale to mass production; 9) costs related to any further business combination; 10) changes in applicable laws or regulations; 11) the possibility that Syntec Optics may be adversely affected by other economic, business and/or competitive factors; 12) Syntec Optics' estimates of its growth and projected financial results for the future and meeting or satisfying the underlying assumptions with respect thereto; 13) the impact of any pandemic, including any mutations or variants thereof and the Russian/Ukrainian or Israeli conflict, and any resulting effect on business and financial conditions; 14) inability to complete any investments or borrowings in connection with any organic or inorganic growth; 15) the potential for events or circumstances that result in Syntec Optics' failure to timely achieve the anticipated benefits of Syntec Optics' customer arrangements; and 16) other risks and uncertainties set forth in the sections entitled "Risk Factors" and "Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements" in prior SEC filings. These filings identify and address other important risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events and results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Nothing in this press release should be regarded as a representation by any person that the forward-looking statements set forth herein will be achieved or that any of the contemplated results of such forward-looking statements will be achieved. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date they are made. Syntec Optics does not give any assurance that Syntec Optics will achieve its expected results. Syntec Optics does not undertake any duty to update these forward-looking statements except as otherwise required by law.

For further information, please contact:

Investor Relations

InvestorRelations@syntecoptics.com

SOURCE: Syntec Optics Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:OPTX)

Syntec Optics (Nasdaq: OPTX) Announces Inclusion in Russell 3000 Index