Summary
CME Group Inc. reported solid financial performance for the nine months ended September 30, 2018, with total revenues increasing by 12% to $3.07 billion and net income growing by 40% to $1.58 billion compared to the same period in 2017. This growth was driven by a 12% increase in clearing and transaction fees, largely due to higher contract volumes, particularly in interest rate, equity, and foreign exchange products, reflecting increased market volatility. The company also saw strong performance in market data and information services, with revenues up 10%. Operationally, expenses increased by 15% year-over-year, primarily due to foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations, increased professional fees related to the NEX acquisition and litigation, and impairment charges. Despite these increased costs, the company maintained a strong operating margin of 63.7%. CME Group's liquidity remains robust, with cash from operating activities increasing significantly. The company also successfully closed its acquisition of NEX Group plc on November 2, 2018, a strategic move expected to enhance its global derivatives marketplace offering.
Financial Highlights
46 data points| Revenue | $904.20M |
| Operating Expenses | $354.30M |
| Operating Income | $549.90M |
| Net Income | $411.80M |
| EPS (Basic) | $1.21 |
| EPS (Diluted) | $1.21 |
| Shares Outstanding (Basic) | 339.59M |
| Shares Outstanding (Diluted) | 341.04M |
Key Highlights
- 1Total revenues for the first nine months of 2018 rose 12% to $3.07 billion, compared to $2.74 billion in the prior year period.
- 2Net income increased by 40% to $1.58 billion for the first nine months of 2018, up from $1.12 billion in the same period of 2017.
- 3Clearing and transaction fees grew 12% to $2.63 billion for the nine months ended September 30, 2018, driven by a 14% increase in total contract volume.
- 4Market data and information services revenue increased by 10% to $319.4 million for the first nine months of 2018.
- 5Operating expenses increased 15% year-over-year, partly due to foreign currency fluctuations and professional fees related to the NEX acquisition and litigation.
- 6The company completed its acquisition of NEX Group plc on November 2, 2018, a significant strategic development.
- 7Cash flow from operating activities saw a substantial increase of 50% for the first nine months of 2018, indicating strong operational cash generation.