When it comes to stocks, the S&P 500 (^GSPC 0.52%) is the place to see and be seen. In 2013, by my estimate, 17 companies were given the honor of being selected, including Facebook (META 1.04%), General Motors (GM 1.09%), and General Growth Properties (GGP) -- see the table below for a complete list. Fool contributor John Maxfield discusses the prerequisites for being selected in the following video and the impact this has on a company's share price

Date

Added

Removed

Reason for Removal

April 30

Regeneron Pharmaceuticals

MetroPCS Communications

Merged with T-Mobile USA, dropping public float below 50% threshold

May 8

The Macerich Co.

Coventry Health Care

Acquired by Aetna

May 23

Kansas City Southern

Dean Foods

Equity interest in WhiteWave Foods spun off, making Dean Foods "more representative of the midcap market space"

June 6

General Motors

H.J. Heinz Co.

Acquired by Berkshire Hathaway

June 21

Zoetis

First Horizon National

Insufficient market capitalization

June 28

News Corp

Apollo Education Group

Insufficient market capitalization

July 8

Nielsen Holding

Sprint Nextel

Deal with Japan's SoftBank dropped public float below 50% threshold

Sept. 10

Delta Airlines

BMC Software

Acquired by private equity firm Bain Capital

Sept. 20

Vertex Pharmaceuticals

Advanced Micro Devices

Insufficient market capitalization

Sept. 20

Ametek

Science Applications International Corp.

Split into two companies: SAIC and Leidos Holdings

Oct. 28

Transocean

Dell

Taken private by founder-led buyout

Nov. 1

Michael Kors

NYSE Euronext

Acquired by Intercontinental Exchange

Nov. 29

Allegion

J.C. Penney

Insufficient market capitalization

Dec. 9

General Growth Properties

Molex

Acquired by privately held Koch Industries

Dec. 20

Alliance Data Systems

Abercrombie & Fitch

Insufficient market capitalization

Dec. 20

Mohawk Industries

JDS Uniphase

Insufficient market capitalization

Dec. 20

Facebook

Teradyne

Insufficient market capitalization

Source: S&P Dow Jones Indices.