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CME Group Inc.: Q3 FY2025 earnings call

What management said about Q3 FY2025, from the documents filed with the SEC on 22 October 2025: press release. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Revenue and operating income reported: Revenue was $1.5 billion and operating income $972.6 million, against $1,584.4 million and $1,024.2 million in the third quarter of 2024. Revenue was $1,692.0 million in the second quarter of 2025. Source
  • Net income and EPS, reported and adjusted: Net income was $908.0 million, with diluted EPS of $2.49, against $2.50 a year earlier. Adjusted net income was $1.0 billion and adjusted diluted EPS $2.68, against $2.68 in the prior-year quarter. Source
  • Average daily volume declined from prior quarter: Average daily volume was 25.3 million contracts, down from 28.3 million in the third quarter of 2024 and 30.2 million in the second quarter of 2025. Management called it the second-highest third-quarter ADV. Source
  • Market data revenue reached a record: Market data and information services revenue was $202.5 million, up from $178.2 million a year earlier. Management called the $203 million figure a record. Second quarter 2025 was $198.1 million. Source
  • Adjusted operating income fell year on year: Adjusted operating income was $1,051.0 million, against $1,095.7 million in the third quarter of 2024. The release lists the items excluded in its reconciliation. Source
  • Clients used markets across asset classes: Management said global clients kept relying on CME Group markets across all asset classes to navigate risk and pursue opportunities, amid ongoing uncertainty in the quarter. Source
  • Cash and debt at quarter end: The company had $2.6 billion in cash, including $200 million deposited with the Fixed Income Clearing Corporation, and $3.4 billion of debt. Balance sheet cash and equivalents were $2,446.8 million. Source
  • Dividends paid over first nine months: Dividends paid in the first nine months of 2025 were approximately $3.5 billion, against approximately $3.0 billion for the first six months as stated in the second-quarter release. Source

“Global clients continued relying on CME Group markets across all asset classes as they sought to navigate risk and pursue opportunities amid ongoing uncertainty in Q3,”

Terry Duffy, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, CME Group

What changed from last quarter

  • New: Management named a new partnership with FanDuel as a means of expanding access for market users. The documents mention no earlier partnership of this kind. Source

Results and trading volume

  • Revenue and operating income reported: Revenue was $1.5 billion and operating income $972.6 million, against $1,584.4 million and $1,024.2 million in the third quarter of 2024. Revenue was $1,692.0 million in the second quarter of 2025. Source
  • Net income and EPS, reported and adjusted: Net income was $908.0 million, with diluted EPS of $2.49, against $2.50 a year earlier. Adjusted net income was $1.0 billion and adjusted diluted EPS $2.68, against $2.68 in the prior-year quarter. Source
  • Adjusted results level with last year: Management said adjusted net income and adjusted EPS were on par with last year's third quarter. Source
  • Average daily volume declined from prior quarter: Average daily volume was 25.3 million contracts, down from 28.3 million in the third quarter of 2024 and 30.2 million in the second quarter of 2025. Management called it the second-highest third-quarter ADV. Source

Products and venues

  • Interest rates were the largest product line: Interest rates averaged 13.4 million contracts a day, down from 14.9 million a year earlier. Equity indexes averaged 6.3 million, against 7.4 million. Energy, agriculture, metals and FX were smaller. Source
  • Open outcry and privately negotiated volume: Open outcry averaged 989 thousand contracts a day and privately negotiated 915 thousand, against 1,096 thousand and 994 thousand in the third quarter of 2024. Source
  • Trading days matched the prior year: The quarter had 64 trading days, the same count as the third quarter of 2024, and 62 in the second quarter of 2025. Source

“Looking ahead, we remain focused on delivering efficiencies, new products and expanded access for market users, including through our new partnership with FanDuel and 24/7 trading in our cryptocurrency futures and options.”

Terry Duffy, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, CME Group

Revenue lines and pricing

  • Clearing and transaction fees declined: Clearing and transaction fees were $1,227.9 million, against $1,297.1 million in the third quarter of 2024. Other revenue was $107.2 million, against $109.1 million. Source
  • Average rate per contract rose: Average rate per contract was $0.702, against $0.666 a year earlier and $0.690 in the second quarter of 2025. Source
  • Market data revenue reached a record: Market data and information services revenue was $202.5 million, up from $178.2 million a year earlier. Management called the $203 million figure a record. Second quarter 2025 was $198.1 million. Source

Costs and operating income

  • Total expenses and compensation rose: Total expenses were $565.0 million, against $560.2 million a year earlier. Compensation and benefits were $237.6 million, against $218.8 million. Source
  • Licensing costs fell year on year: Licensing and other fee agreements expense was $81.6 million, against $97.6 million in the third quarter of 2024. Nine-month licensing expense was $274.4 million. Source
  • Adjusted operating income fell year on year: Adjusted operating income was $1,051.0 million, against $1,095.7 million in the third quarter of 2024. The release lists the items excluded in its reconciliation. Source

Client demand and access

  • Clients used markets across asset classes: Management said global clients kept relying on CME Group markets across all asset classes to navigate risk and pursue opportunities, amid ongoing uncertainty in the quarter. Source
  • Expanded access cited as a priority: Management said it remains focused on efficiencies, new products and expanded access for market users. Source
  • FanDuel partnership named as new access: Management named a new partnership with FanDuel and 24/7 trading in cryptocurrency futures and options as ways to expand access. Source

Capital, cash and dividends

  • Cash and debt at quarter end: The company had $2.6 billion in cash, including $200 million deposited with the Fixed Income Clearing Corporation, and $3.4 billion of debt. Balance sheet cash and equivalents were $2,446.8 million. Source
  • Dividends paid over first nine months: Dividends paid in the first nine months of 2025 were approximately $3.5 billion, against approximately $3.0 billion for the first six months as stated in the second-quarter release. Source
  • Cumulative dividends since 2012 policy: Dividends returned to shareholders since the variable dividend policy began in early 2012 total over $29.5 billion, up from $29.1 billion in the second-quarter release. Source

Non-operating items and taxes

  • Investment income offset by other expense: Investment income was $1,548.7 million, against $1,026.8 million. Other non-operating expense was $1,396.6 million, against $920.0 million. The release says the deferred compensation change is offset within investment income. Source
  • Income tax provision rose modestly: Income tax provision was $269.0 million, against $264.1 million, on income before income taxes of $1,177.0 million, against $1,176.9 million. Source
  • Net income attributable to common shareholders: Net income attributable to common shareholders of CME Group was $896.6 million, against $901.3 million a year earlier. Source

Coming up, as management said on 22 October 2025

  • Call archive kept for two months: An archived recording of the call will be available for up to two months after the call. Source
  • 24/7 cryptocurrency trading planned: Management listed 24/7 trading in cryptocurrency futures and options among its focus areas, with no date given. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
CME Group ADV, thousand contracts per day Source25,322
Trading days Source64
Average rate per contract Source$0.702
Market data revenue Source$203 million

Risks management discussed

  • Demand: Management pointed to ongoing uncertainty in the quarter as the backdrop for client trading across asset classes. 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.