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Cboe Global Markets, Inc.: Q1 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q1 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 1 May 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 2 raised, 1 lowered, 1 new, 4 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Net revenue and EPS reached records: Net revenue was $728.9 million, up 29 percent. Diluted EPS of $3.66 rose 54 percent, and adjusted diluted EPS of $3.70 rose 48 percent. Source
  • Options net revenue rose a third: Options net revenue was $467.6 million, up $115.2 million or 33 percent. Total options ADV rose 10 percent, and multi-listed revenue per contract rose 21 percent. Source
  • Index options volumes drove the gain: Index options ADV rose 29 percent and multi-listed ADV rose 4 percent; total options revenue per contract rose 19 percent on a mix shift toward index options. Source
  • Operating margin widened to 69.4 percent: Operating income was $505.6 million, a 69.4 percent margin versus 62.6 percent; adjusted operating margin was 72.4 percent, up from 66.0 percent. Source
  • Operating expenses rose on bonus accruals: Total operating expenses were $223.3 million, up $12.0 million; adjusted operating expenses were $200.9 million, up $8.5 million, from higher compensation and benefits. Source
  • Realignment aims at core businesses: Management said the realignment increases focus and investment in the core businesses that drive earnings. Source
  • Workforce to fall about 20 percent: Earlier sales, wind-downs and optimization, combined with the realignment, are expected to reduce the workforce by about 20 percent. Source

“As evidenced by our record results, we are executing these changes from a position of strength.”

Craig Donohue, Chief Executive Officer of Cboe Global Markets

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Organic total net revenue growth Source2026 fiscal yearlow double-digit to mid-teensRaised from mid single-digit
Data Vantage organic net revenue growth Source2026 fiscal yearlow double-digitRaised from mid to high single-digit
Adjusted operating expenses Source2026 fiscal year$838 to $853 millionLowered from $864 to $879 million
Expense savings from realignment actions Source2026 fiscal yearroughly $20 to $25 millionNew
Amortization of acquired intangible assets excluded from guidance Source2026 fiscal year$63 millionKept
Depreciation and amortization expense, excluding acquired intangibles Source2026 fiscal year$56 to $60 millionKept
Effective tax rate on adjusted earnings Source2026 fiscal year27.5 to 29.5 percentKept
Capital expenditures Source2026 fiscal year$73 to $83 millionKept

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance raised: Organic total net revenue growth target for 2026 moved up from mid single-digit to low double-digit to mid-teens. Source
  • Guidance raised: Data Vantage organic net revenue growth target for 2026 moved up from mid to high single-digit to low double-digit. Source
  • Guidance lowered: Adjusted operating expense guidance for 2026 reduced to $838 to $853 million from $864 to $879 million. Source
  • New guidance: Expense savings of roughly $20 to $25 million from the additional realignment actions added to 2026 guidance. Source
  • New: Company reached a definitive agreement to sell Cboe Canada and Cboe Australia, after divestiture plans announced in October 2025. Source
  • New: Company announced a realignment of its organization into more agile teams, as the next phase of its strategic realignment. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Net revenue and EPS reached records: Net revenue was $728.9 million, up 29 percent. Diluted EPS of $3.66 rose 54 percent, and adjusted diluted EPS of $3.70 rose 48 percent. Source
  • Net income allocated to holders rose: Net income allocated to common stockholders was $384.1 million, up 54 percent from $249.4 million in the first quarter of 2025. Source
  • Derivatives and Data Vantage grew: Derivatives business up 32 percent on record index options volumes; Data Vantage grew 19 percent year over year, per the CFO. Source
  • Cash and spot revenue rose on activity: Cash and Spot Markets net revenue rose 34 percent, which the CFO linked to market activity. Source

Segments and regions

  • Options net revenue rose a third: Options net revenue was $467.6 million, up $115.2 million or 33 percent. Total options ADV rose 10 percent, and multi-listed revenue per contract rose 21 percent. Source
  • Index options volumes drove the gain: Index options ADV rose 29 percent and multi-listed ADV rose 4 percent; total options revenue per contract rose 19 percent on a mix shift toward index options. Source
  • North American Equities net revenue rose: N.A. Equities net revenue was $111.2 million, up 18 percent. Exchange market share was 9.8 percent, down from 10.5 percent a year earlier. Source
  • Europe and APAC revenue grew: Europe and APAC net revenue was $84.9 million; in constant currency it was $76.7 million, up 20 percent year over year. Source
  • Futures net revenue increased: Futures net revenue was $35.8 million, up $3.0 million or 9 percent from the first quarter of 2025, with ADV up 14 percent. Source
  • Global FX revenue reached a record: Global FX net revenue was a record $29.4 million, up 38 percent. ADNV traded was $70.4 billion, up 36 percent, and net capture rose to $2.87 per million dollars. Source

“We are pleased with the strong start to the year and remain focused on producing durable shareholder returns in the quarters ahead.”

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

Data Vantage and products

  • Data Vantage revenue increased: Data Vantage revenue was $181.3 million against $152.5 million a year earlier, with access and capacity and market data fees within it. Source
  • Options market data and access fees rose: Options market data fees were 31 percent higher and access and capacity fees 21 percent higher than in the first quarter of 2025. Source
  • Europe clearing settlement volume up: Cboe Clear Europe net settlement volume reached 3,931.2 thousand shares, up 23 percent after netting of settlements. Source

Costs, margins and tax

  • Operating margin widened to 69.4 percent: Operating income was $505.6 million, a 69.4 percent margin versus 62.6 percent; adjusted operating margin was 72.4 percent, up from 66.0 percent. Source
  • Operating expenses rose on bonus accruals: Total operating expenses were $223.3 million, up $12.0 million; adjusted operating expenses were $200.9 million, up $8.5 million, from higher compensation and benefits. Source
  • Effective tax rate fell on resolutions: Effective tax rate was 25.2 percent versus 28.4 percent, mainly from resolving uncertain tax positions with state and local authorities. Adjusted rate was 27.5 percent. Source
  • Cost of revenues fell on regulatory fees: Cost of revenues fell to $543.9 million from $629.8 million; regulatory fees cost of revenues was nil versus $153.1 million, while liquidity payments rose to $446.1 million. Source

“I have never been as excited about the road ahead as I am now as we continue to build long-term value for shareholders through disciplined execution and focused investment efforts.”

Craig Donohue, Chief Executive Officer of Cboe Global Markets

Trading volumes and demand

  • Industry options volume rose: Total industry options ADV was 68,894 thousand, up from 58,444 thousand in the first quarter of 2025. Source
  • Off-exchange touched volume grew: Off-exchange touched-share ADV was 249.2 million, up from 90.6 million, with ATS block market share reported at 17.0 percent on a one-month lag. Source
  • European industry volumes rose 21 percent: Industry European equities volumes rose 21 percent, and Cboe European Equities ADNV rose 25 percent year over year. Source

Capital, cash and returns

  • Cash and debt at quarter end: Cash and cash equivalents were $2,134.4 million at March 31, 2026; total debt was $1,443.4 million, with $649.5 million shown as current. Source
  • Dividends and buyback in the quarter: Cash dividends totaled $75.8 million, or $0.72 per share. The company repurchased about 161 thousand shares for $45.1 million, at an average price of $280.20. Source
  • Repurchase authority still available: About $569.4 million remained under existing share repurchase authorizations at March 31, 2026, compared with $614.5 million at December 31, 2025. Source
  • Margin deposits balance grew: Margin deposits, default fund and interoperability fund rose to $3,443.9 million from $1,618.2 million at year end, matched by an equal current liability. Source

Strategy and realignment

  • Realignment aims at core businesses: Management said the realignment increases focus and investment in the core businesses that drive earnings. Source
  • Talent added in emerging areas: Management plans to invest more resources, adding talent in financial and economic event markets and tokenization initiatives. Source
  • Global sales and investor education expansion: Management also plans to broaden sales, marketing and investor education efforts globally. Source

People and leadership

  • Workforce to fall about 20 percent: Earlier sales, wind-downs and optimization, combined with the realignment, are expected to reduce the workforce by about 20 percent. Source
  • CEO reflects on first year: CEO Craig Donohue said the decisive steps taken in his first twelve months are moving the company closer to realizing its full potential. Source
  • CEO sign-on awards adjusted out: A $0.6 million adjustment relates to CEO sign-on awards granted in 2025 with a $6.0 million grant value, subject to three-year cliff vesting. Source

Coming up, as management said on 1 May 2026

  • Further guidance updates to come: 2026 guidance will be updated as further realignment actions are announced. Source
  • Clearing services to be scaled: Management plans to add talent in emerging areas and scale clearing services in the U.S. and Europe. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Total Company Options ADV (thousands) Source20,076
Multi-listed and index options ADV (thousands) Source13,940 multi-listed; 6,136 index
Total options market share Source29.1 %
Total options RPC Source$0.343
U.S. equities industry ADV (billions of shares) Source20.0
Cboe European Equities market share Source25.5 %
European Equities ADNV (euros, billions) Source€17.3
Futures ADV (thousands) Source283.3
Global FX ADNV ($, billions) Source70.4

Risks management discussed

  • External: Management said significant changes in trading volume, expenses, tax laws or rates, and other items could materially affect the 2026 tax rate expectation. Source
  • Financial: Management said some GAAP measures are uncertain, mainly acquisition-related revenues and costs, so certain guidance cannot be reconciled to GAAP. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Not stated: Company announced continued execution of the strategic realignment to strengthen core businesses and enable greater investment. Source
  • Not stated: Capital expenditure guidance for 2026 was reaffirmed at $73 to $83 million. Source
  • Not stated: Divestiture plans announced in October 2025 for Cboe Canada and Cboe Australia are included in 2026 guidance. 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.