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Intercontinental Exchange, Inc.: Q4 FY2025 earnings call

What management said about Q4 FY2025, from the documents filed with the SEC on 5 February 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 8 new. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Full-year GAAP and adjusted EPS grew: Adjusted diluted EPS was $6.95, up 14%. Record operating income was $4.9 billion, up 14%, and record adjusted operating income was $6.0 billion, up 10%. Source
  • Fourth-quarter revenue rose 8%: Fourth-quarter GAAP diluted EPS was $1.49, against $1.21 a year earlier; adjusted diluted EPS was $1.71, against $1.52. Net income attributable to ICE was $851 million. Source
  • Exchange net revenue rose 9%: Fourth-quarter exchange net revenues were $1.4 billion, up 10% year-over-year, with transaction revenue, net up 10% and recurring revenue up 11%. Source
  • Section 31 fees fell to $412 million: Section 31 fees were $412 million for 2025, against $679 million in 2024; none were recorded in the fourth quarter, against $242 million a year earlier. Source
  • Transaction revenue grew 10%: Transaction revenue, net was $4.9 billion for 2025, up 10%; recurring revenue was $5.1 billion, up 5%. Fourth-quarter transaction revenue was $1.2 billion, up 10%. Source
  • Adjusted free cash flow up 16%: Adjusted free cash flow was $4.2 billion for 2025, up 16%. Free cash flow was $3.87 billion, against $3.86 billion in 2024. Source
  • Returned $2.4 billion to stockholders: Share repurchases and dividends paid through the fourth quarter were $1.3 billion and over $1.1 billion, respectively. Source
  • 2026 operating expense range guided: 2026 operating expenses are guided to $5.010 to $5.075 billion GAAP and $4.075 to $4.140 billion non-GAAP; first-quarter GAAP operating expenses are $1.245 to $1.255 billion. Source

“We saw record volumes across our exchange complex, our fixed income franchise continued to scale, and our mortgage technology business finished the year with renewed strength.”

Jeff Sprecher, ICE Chair & Chief Executive Officer

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Operating expenses, GAAP Source2026 full year$5.010 - $5.075 billionNew
Operating expenses, non-GAAP Source2026 full year$4.075 - $4.140 billionNew
Operating expenses, GAAP Sourcefirst quarter 2026$1.245 - $1.255 billionNew
Operating expenses, non-GAAP Sourcefirst quarter 2026$1.010 - $1.020 billionNew
Non-operating expense Sourcefirst quarter 2026$180 - $185 millionNew
Capital expenditures Source2026 full year$740 - $790 millionNew
Effective tax rate, GAAP and non-GAAP Source2026 full year24% - 26%New
Weighted average shares outstanding Sourcefirst quarter 2026568 - 574 millionNew

What changed from last quarter

  • New guidance: Guidance for 2026 revenue growth in exchange, fixed income and data services, and mortgage technology was given. The prior release gave only 2025 and fourth-quarter 2025 guidance. Source
  • New guidance: Guidance for 2026 operating expenses, capital expenditures, tax rate and share count, and first-quarter 2026 operating expenses and non-operating expense, was given. Source

Full-year and fourth-quarter results

  • Twentieth consecutive year of record revenues: Management said 2025 was the 20th consecutive year of record revenues. The company reported 2025 net revenues of $9.9 billion, up 7% year over year. Source
  • Full-year GAAP and adjusted EPS grew: Adjusted diluted EPS was $6.95, up 14%. Record operating income was $4.9 billion, up 14%, and record adjusted operating income was $6.0 billion, up 10%. Source
  • Fourth-quarter revenue rose 8%: Fourth-quarter GAAP diluted EPS was $1.49, against $1.21 a year earlier; adjusted diluted EPS was $1.71, against $1.52. Net income attributable to ICE was $851 million. Source
  • Full-year operating margin reached 50%: Full-year operating margin was 50%, against 46% in 2024. Adjusted operating margin was 60%, against 59%, and fourth-quarter operating margin was 49%. Source

Segment results

  • Exchange net revenue rose 9%: Fourth-quarter exchange net revenues were $1.4 billion, up 10% year-over-year, with transaction revenue, net up 10% and recurring revenue up 11%. Source
  • Exchange operating margin was 74%: Exchange operating expenses were $1.4 billion for 2025. Adjusted operating margin was 75%, and the fourth-quarter operating margin was 73%. Source
  • Fixed income and data services up 5%: Fixed income and data services operating margin was 39%, or 45% adjusted, for 2025. Recurring revenue was $2.0 billion, up 6%; transaction revenue was $463 million, up 1%. Source
  • Mortgage technology GAAP margin was 1%: Mortgage technology revenue was $2.1 billion, up 4%, with recurring revenue of $1.6 billion, up 1%. Adjusted operating margin was 41%; the GAAP figure includes acquisition-related amortization. Source

“We maintained a balanced approach to leverage, ending the year well within our target leverage range, enabling us to reinvest in our network, while also returning $2.4 billion to shareholders.”

Warren Gardiner, ICE Chief Financial Officer

Product and data lines

  • Energy revenue grew 16%: Energy was the largest exchange product line in 2025, at $2.2 billion, up 16% (15% in constant currency). Fourth-quarter energy revenue rose 15% to $548 million. Source
  • Data and connectivity up 9%: Data and connectivity services revenue within exchanges was $1.0 billion for 2025, up 9%. Fourth-quarter data and connectivity services rose 16% to $266 million. Source
  • Fixed income data and analytics up 5%: Fixed income data and analytics revenue was $1.2 billion for 2025, up 5% (4% in constant currency). Data and network technology rose 9% to $722 million. Source
  • Origination and closing revenue grew: Origination technology revenue was $738 million, up 4%, and closing solutions was $223 million, up 10% for 2025. Servicing software rose 3% to $871 million. Source

Costs and margins

  • Adjusted expenses rose to $3.9 billion: Compensation and benefits were $1.96 billion for 2025, against $1.91 billion. Adjusted operating expenses were $3.9 billion, against $3.8 billion in 2024. Source
  • Section 31 fees fell to $412 million: Section 31 fees were $412 million for 2025, against $679 million in 2024; none were recorded in the fourth quarter, against $242 million a year earlier. Source
  • Cash liquidity payments and routing rose: Cash liquidity payments, routing and clearing were $2.3 billion for 2025, against $1.8 billion in 2024, and $638 million in the fourth quarter. These sit within transaction-based expenses. Source
  • Acquisition amortization slightly lower: Depreciation and amortization was $1.56 billion for 2025. Acquisition-related intangible amortization was $993 million, against $1.01 billion, and is excluded from adjusted operating expenses. Source

“As we look ahead to 2026, we remain focused on disciplined investment, operational rigor, and enhancing the value we deliver to our customers and shareholders.”

Warren Gardiner, ICE Chief Financial Officer

Demand and transaction volumes

  • Transaction revenue grew 10%: Transaction revenue, net was $4.9 billion for 2025, up 10%; recurring revenue was $5.1 billion, up 5%. Fourth-quarter transaction revenue was $1.2 billion, up 10%. Source
  • Mortgage transaction revenue up 13%: Mortgage technology transaction revenue was $527 million for 2025, up 13%; fourth-quarter transaction revenue was $141 million, up 20%. Source
  • CDS clearing revenue declined: Fourth-quarter CDS clearing revenue was $72 million, down 5%; for 2025 it was $338 million, down 1%. Fixed income execution rose 8% to $125 million for the year. Source

Capital, cash and shareholder returns

  • Adjusted free cash flow up 16%: Adjusted free cash flow was $4.2 billion for 2025, up 16%. Free cash flow was $3.87 billion, against $3.86 billion in 2024. Source
  • Returned $2.4 billion to stockholders: Share repurchases and dividends paid through the fourth quarter were $1.3 billion and over $1.1 billion, respectively. Source
  • Cash and debt at year-end: Unrestricted cash was $837 million, against $850 million at September 30, 2025; debt was $19.6 billion, against $19.0 billion at that date. Source

2026 guidance framework

  • Segment revenue growth guided: For 2026, exchange and fixed income and data services recurring revenue are guided to mid-single-digit growth, and mortgage technology revenue to low-to-mid single digits. Source
  • 2026 operating expense range guided: 2026 operating expenses are guided to $5.010 to $5.075 billion GAAP and $4.075 to $4.140 billion non-GAAP; first-quarter GAAP operating expenses are $1.245 to $1.255 billion. Source
  • Capex, tax rate, share count guided: 2026 capital expenditures are guided to $740 million to $790 million, the effective tax rate to 24% to 26%, and first-quarter weighted average shares to 568 to 574 million. Source
  • First-quarter non-operating expense guided: First-quarter non-operating expense is guided to $180 million to $185 million, covering interest income, interest expense and net other income or expense. Source

Strategy and investment

  • Focus on innovation and durable growth: Management said it remains focused on innovation, durable growth and long-term value creation for shareholders as it enters 2026. Source
  • Modernizing infrastructure with automation: Management said the company continued to modernize critical financial infrastructure with technology and automation across exchanges, fixed income and mortgage technology. Source
  • Capitalized software spending rose: Capitalized software development costs were $418 million for 2025, against $346 million; capital expenditures were $373 million, against $406 million. Source

Risks management discussed

  • External: Management referred to operating with discipline in a dynamic macro environment. Source
  • Financial: The GAAP effective tax rate may diverge from the 2026 guidance because of items outside normal business, which are adjusted out of non-GAAP results. 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.