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Cboe Global Markets, Inc.: Q3 FY2025 earnings call

What management said about Q3 FY2025, from the documents filed with the SEC on 31 October 2025: press release. Guidance figures: 2 raised, 3 lowered, 1 new, 1 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Record quarterly net revenue and EPS: Net revenue was a record $605.5 million, up 14 percent. Diluted EPS was a record $2.85, up 38 percent, and adjusted diluted EPS was a record $2.67, up 20 percent. Source
  • Derivatives rose on options volume records: Derivatives net revenue rose 15 percent, tied by management to multiple quarterly options volume records. Management called it a third consecutive quarter of record net revenue. Source
  • Sales process for Australia and Canada: The company is starting a sales process for Cboe Australia and Cboe Canada. The document gives no timing for the process. Source
  • Corporate listings exited, costs cut: The company is exiting U.S. and European Corporate Listings and reducing costs at U.S. and European ETP Listings, Cboe Europe Derivatives and several smaller Risk and Market Analytics businesses. Source
  • Options net revenue up 19 percent: Options net revenue was a record $380.8 million, up 19 percent, with net transaction and clearing fees and market data fees both higher. Source
  • Futures net revenue down 22 percent: Futures net revenue was $29.6 million, down 22 percent, as futures ADV fell 27 percent and net transaction and clearing fees fell 28 percent. Source
  • Options volume up 26 percent: Total options average daily volume rose 26 percent, with multi-listed options ADV up 31 percent and index options ADV up 15 percent. Source
  • Operating expenses up on compensation: Total operating expenses were $235.2 million, up $10.6 million from $224.6 million, mainly on higher compensation tied to relative company performance. Source

“This strategic realignment of our business portfolio and human capital ensures Cboe is well positioned to succeed in a dynamic and evolving market and supports our long-term vision to be a global derivatives leader.”

Craig Donohue, Cboe Global Markets Chief Executive Officer

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Organic total net revenue growth Source2025 full yearlow double-digit to mid-teensRaised from high single-digit
Data Vantage organic net revenue growth Source2025 full yearhigh single-digit to low double-digitRaised from mid to high single-digit
Adjusted operating expenses Source2025 full year$827 to $842 millionLowered from $832 to $847 million
Depreciation and amortization expense, excluding acquired intangible amortization Source2025 full year$50 to $54 millionLowered from $53 to $57 million
Effective tax rate on adjusted earnings Source2025 full year28.5 to 30.5 percentKept
Capital expenditures Source2025 full year$73 to $83 millionLowered from $75 to $85 million
Annualized run-rate impact of business review Sourceannualized run-rate, using 2025 guided ranges as baselineroughly 3% reduction in net revenue; approximate 8-10% reduction in adjusted operating expensesNew

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance raised: Organic total net revenue growth guidance for 2025 was raised to low double-digit to mid-teens. Source
  • Guidance raised: Data Vantage organic net revenue growth guidance for 2025 was raised to high single-digit to low double-digit. Source
  • Guidance lowered: Adjusted operating expense guidance for 2025 was lowered to $827 to $842 million. Source
  • Guidance lowered: Depreciation and amortization guidance for 2025 was lowered to $50 to $54 million. Source
  • Guidance lowered: Capital expenditure guidance for 2025 was lowered to $73 to $83 million. Source
  • Guidance kept: The effective tax rate on adjusted earnings guidance for 2025 was reaffirmed at 28.5 to 30.5 percent. Source
  • New guidance: An annualized run-rate estimate of the business review's effect on net revenue and adjusted operating expenses was given. Source
  • New: The company began a sales process for Cboe Australia and Cboe Canada as part of its business review. Source
  • New: The company is exiting U.S. and European Corporate Listings and reducing costs in several listings, derivatives and analytics businesses. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Record quarterly net revenue and EPS: Net revenue was a record $605.5 million, up 14 percent. Diluted EPS was a record $2.85, up 38 percent, and adjusted diluted EPS was a record $2.67, up 20 percent. Source
  • Year-to-date growth in revenue and EPS: Year-to-date net revenue grew 14 percent and adjusted diluted EPS grew 17 percent against the first three quarters of 2024. Source
  • Derivatives rose on options volume records: Derivatives net revenue rose 15 percent, tied by management to multiple quarterly options volume records. Management called it a third consecutive quarter of record net revenue. Source
  • Cash and spot and Data Vantage grew: Cash and Spot Markets net revenue rose 14 percent and Data Vantage net revenue grew 12 percent, both year over year. Source

Business realignment

  • Portfolio refocused on core strengths: After a comprehensive review, the company is realigning its portfolio to sharpen its focus on core strengths and emerging growth areas. Source
  • Sales process for Australia and Canada: The company is starting a sales process for Cboe Australia and Cboe Canada. The document gives no timing for the process. Source
  • Corporate listings exited, costs cut: The company is exiting U.S. and European Corporate Listings and reducing costs at U.S. and European ETP Listings, Cboe Europe Derivatives and several smaller Risk and Market Analytics businesses. Source
  • Immaterial effect on 2025 figures: Management anticipates the actions will have an immaterial effect on 2025 total organic net revenue growth and adjusted operating expense guidance. Source

“We believe these businesses are well positioned for future growth under new ownership,”

Chris Isaacson, Cboe Global Markets Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer

Segments and regions

  • Options net revenue up 19 percent: Options net revenue was a record $380.8 million, up 19 percent, with net transaction and clearing fees and market data fees both higher. Source
  • North American Equities revenue up 6 percent: N.A. Equities net revenue was a record $103.5 million, up 6 percent, on higher access and capacity fees and market data fees, partly offset by lower transaction fees. Source
  • Europe and APAC revenue up 24 percent: Europe and APAC net revenue was $69.1 million, up 24 percent, or 19 percent in constant currency. Cboe European Equities market share rose to 25.4 percent. Source
  • Futures net revenue down 22 percent: Futures net revenue was $29.6 million, down 22 percent, as futures ADV fell 27 percent and net transaction and clearing fees fell 28 percent. Source
  • Global FX volume and revenue up: Global FX net revenue was $22.5 million, up 13 percent. ADNV traded on the Cboe FX platform was $49.9 billion, up 3 percent. Source

Volumes and mix

  • Options volume up 26 percent: Total options average daily volume rose 26 percent, with multi-listed options ADV up 31 percent and index options ADV up 15 percent. Source
  • Options revenue per contract fell: Total options revenue per contract declined 6 percent, as index options made up a lower share of total options volume. Source
  • Canadian equities share declined: Canadian Equities market share fell to 12.5 percent from 14.6 percent a year earlier. Source

“Cboe produced a third consecutive quarter of record net revenue to drive record diluted EPS and adjusted diluted EPS”

Jill Griebenow, Cboe Global Markets Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer

Costs, margins and tax

  • Operating expenses up on compensation: Total operating expenses were $235.2 million, up $10.6 million from $224.6 million, mainly on higher compensation tied to relative company performance. Source
  • Adjusted expenses rose $6.2 million: Adjusted operating expenses were $210.2 million, up $6.2 million, on higher compensation and benefits and depreciation and amortization. Source
  • Operating margin higher year on year: Operating margin was 61.2 percent against 57.8 percent. Adjusted operating margin was 65.3 percent against 61.7 percent. Source
  • Effective tax rate up modestly: The effective tax rate was 30.1 percent against 29.3 percent a year earlier. The rate on adjusted earnings was 30.4 percent against 29.2 percent. Source

Capital, cash and shareholder returns

  • Cash balance rose to $1.5 billion: Cash and cash equivalents were $1,496.7 million and adjusted cash was $1,497.0 million at September 30, 2025. Source
  • Total debt stood at $1.44 billion: Total debt was $1,442.4 million at September 30, 2025. Source
  • Dividends paid, no buybacks in quarter: The company paid $75.7 million in cash dividends, or $0.72 per share, and made no share repurchases in the third quarter. Source
  • Repurchase authority remaining: About $614.5 million remained under existing repurchase authorizations at quarter end. Source

Coming up, as management said on 31 October 2025

  • Sales process for Australia and Canada: The company is beginning a sales process for Cboe Australia and Cboe Canada. No closing date is given in the document. Source
  • Transition with regulators and customers: Management said it will work with regulators and customers in both countries to manage the transition of the sold businesses. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Total Company options ADV Source18,775 thousand
Multi-listed options ADV Source13,911 thousand
Index options ADV Source4,864 thousand
Total industry options ADV Source60,798 thousand
Total options market share Source30.9%
Futures ADV Source200.7 thousand
Global FX ADNV Source$49.9 billion
Cboe Clear Europe trades cleared Source329,293.1 thousand
U.S. Equities exchange market share Source9.8%
Cboe European Equities market share Source25.4%

Risks management discussed

  • Demand: Cboe U.S. Equities exchange market share fell to 9.8 percent as industry off-exchange share rose; Cboe off-exchange block share was 16.6 percent. Source
  • Demand: Futures net transaction and clearing fees fell 28 percent in the quarter, as futures trading volume dropped. Source
  • Financial: The company recorded a $4.5 million impairment of assets in the quarter related to Cboe Japan, and $21.6 million year to date. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Not stated: The annualized run-rate estimate includes the previously announced wind-down of Cboe's Japanese equities business. The document gives no status update on it. Source

Other quarters

Summarised with AI from the documents the company filed with the SEC. Every point is checked against the filing before it is shown: management’s own words word for word, figures against the line or table row they come from. A point that fails the check is left out. Source opens the filing at that line.