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CME Group Q3 Earnings Surpass Estimates, Revenues Rise Y/Y
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Key Takeaways
CME's Q3 revenues rose 13% to $1.73 billion, while adjusted EPS increased 12.7% to $3.02.
Record average daily volume climbed 16.3% to 29.4M contracts, with growth across all major product lines.
CME returned $1B to shareholders through $465 million in dividends and $524 million in share repurchases.
CME Group Inc. (CME - Free Report) reported third-quarter 2026 adjusted earnings per share of $3.02, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 1.3%. The bottom line increased 12.7% year over year.
Quarterly results reflected higher clearing and transaction fees, market data and information services, as well as higher trading volumes.
CME Group’s revenues of $1.73 billion increased 13% year over year. The year-over-year increase was primarily due to higher clearing and transaction fees, market data and information services, and other factors. The top line beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 1.2%.
Total expenses rose 5.5% year over year to $595.9 million, attributable to higher technology, depreciation and amortization, licensing and other fee agreements, and other expenses.
Operating income increased 17.3% from the prior-year quarter to $1.14 billion.
Average daily volume (ADV) was a record 29.4 million contracts, up 16.3% year over year. ADV increased across Interest rates, Equity indexes, Foreign exchange, Energy, Agricultural commodities, and Metals product lines. The total average rate per contract was 67.9 cents.
Financial Update
As of Sept. 30, 2026, CME Group had $23.3 billion of cash and marketable securities, down 48.7% from the 2025-end level. As of Sept. 30, 2026, long-term debt was $3.4 billion, up 0.1% from 2025-end. As of Sept. 30, 2026, CME had shareholders' equity worth $26.5 billion, down 7.5% from the end of 2025.
Capital Deployment
CME Group paid out $1 billion in dividends during the third quarter of 2026, with $465 million in regular quarterly dividends and $524 million in share repurchases.
Intercontinental Exchange Inc. (ICE - Free Report) is set to report third-quarter 2026 results on Oct. 29, before market open. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for third-quarter earnings per share is pegged at $1.97, suggesting an increase of 15.2% from the year-ago quarter’s reported figure.
ICE’s earnings beat estimates in each of the last four quarters.
Cboe Global Markets, Inc. (CBOE - Free Report) is set to report third-quarter 2026 results on Oct. 30, before market open. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for third-quarter earnings per share is pegged at $3.40, suggesting an increase of 27.3% from the year-ago quarter’s reported figure.
CBOE’s earnings beat estimates in each of the last four quarters.
Nasdaq, Inc. (NDAQ - Free Report) is set to report third-quarter 2026 results on Oct. 22, before market open. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for third-quarter earnings per share is pegged at $1.02, suggesting an increase of 15.9% from the year-ago quarter’s reported figure.
NDAQ’s earnings beat estimates in each of the last four quarters.
View the Zacks #1 Rank List
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CME Group Q3 Earnings Surpass Estimates, Revenues Rise Y/Y
Key Takeaways
CME Group Inc. (CME - Free Report) reported third-quarter 2026 adjusted earnings per share of $3.02, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 1.3%. The bottom line increased 12.7% year over year.
Quarterly results reflected higher clearing and transaction fees, market data and information services, as well as higher trading volumes.
CME Group Inc. Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise
CME Group Inc. price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | CME Group Inc. Quote
Performance in Detail
CME Group’s revenues of $1.73 billion increased 13% year over year. The year-over-year increase was primarily due to higher clearing and transaction fees, market data and information services, and other factors. The top line beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 1.2%.
Total expenses rose 5.5% year over year to $595.9 million, attributable to higher technology, depreciation and amortization, licensing and other fee agreements, and other expenses.
Operating income increased 17.3% from the prior-year quarter to $1.14 billion.
Average daily volume (ADV) was a record 29.4 million contracts, up 16.3% year over year. ADV increased across Interest rates, Equity indexes, Foreign exchange, Energy, Agricultural commodities, and Metals product lines. The total average rate per contract was 67.9 cents.
Financial Update
As of Sept. 30, 2026, CME Group had $23.3 billion of cash and marketable securities, down 48.7% from the 2025-end level. As of Sept. 30, 2026, long-term debt was $3.4 billion, up 0.1% from 2025-end. As of Sept. 30, 2026, CME had shareholders' equity worth $26.5 billion, down 7.5% from the end of 2025.
Capital Deployment
CME Group paid out $1 billion in dividends during the third quarter of 2026, with $465 million in regular quarterly dividends and $524 million in share repurchases.
Zacks Rank
CME Group currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Upcoming Releases
Intercontinental Exchange Inc. (ICE - Free Report) is set to report third-quarter 2026 results on Oct. 29, before market open. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for third-quarter earnings per share is pegged at $1.97, suggesting an increase of 15.2% from the year-ago quarter’s reported figure.
ICE’s earnings beat estimates in each of the last four quarters.
Cboe Global Markets, Inc. (CBOE - Free Report) is set to report third-quarter 2026 results on Oct. 30, before market open. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for third-quarter earnings per share is pegged at $3.40, suggesting an increase of 27.3% from the year-ago quarter’s reported figure.
CBOE’s earnings beat estimates in each of the last four quarters.
Nasdaq, Inc. (NDAQ - Free Report) is set to report third-quarter 2026 results on Oct. 22, before market open. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for third-quarter earnings per share is pegged at $1.02, suggesting an increase of 15.9% from the year-ago quarter’s reported figure.
NDAQ’s earnings beat estimates in each of the last four quarters.