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Marketaxess Holdings Inc.: Q3 FY2025 earnings call

What management said about Q3 FY2025, from the documents filed with the SEC on 7 November 2025: press release. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Revenue rose 1% in the quarter: Total revenues were $208.8 million, up 1%, including about $3.5 million of RFQ-hub revenue and a $1.3 million foreign currency effect. Source
  • Net income and EPS declined slightly: Net income was $68.3 million, down 4%. Diluted EPS was $1.84, down 3% from $1.90. The quarter had no notable items. Source
  • Credit commission revenue declined 2%: Total credit commission revenue was $164.9 million, down 2%, driven by a 7% fall in U.S. credit commissions. Source
  • Portfolio trading ADV rose 20%: Total portfolio trading ADV rose 20% to $1.4 billion. U.S. credit portfolio ADV reached a record $1.1 billion, up 16%. Market share rose about 210 basis points year to date. Source
  • Expenses rose 3% including RFQ-hub: Total expenses were $123.2 million, up 3%, including about $2.9 million of RFQ-hub expenses and a $1.0 million foreign currency effect. Source
  • Credit fee per million fell 6%: Average credit variable fee per million was $140, down 6%, which the company attributed principally to protocol mix. Rates fee per million was $4.21, up 1%. Source
  • Total trading ADV fell 4%: Total trading ADV was $38.8 billion, down 4%. Credit ADV rose 3% to $14.5 billion, while rates ADV fell 8% to $24.3 billion. Source

“A return to lower levels of volatility and tighter credit spreads in the third quarter, combined with historic levels of new issuance in September, dampened our market share and revenue growth in U.S. credit.”

Chris Concannon, CEO of MarketAxess

What changed from last quarter

  • New: Mid-X, a new dealer-initiated solution, launched in September 2025 for U.S. credit. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Revenue rose 1% in the quarter: Total revenues were $208.8 million, up 1%, including about $3.5 million of RFQ-hub revenue and a $1.3 million foreign currency effect. Source
  • Net income and EPS declined slightly: Net income was $68.3 million, down 4%. Diluted EPS was $1.84, down 3% from $1.90. The quarter had no notable items. Source
  • Services revenue reached a record: Services revenue was a record $28.7 million, up 9%, across information, post-trade and technology services. Source
  • Year-to-date EPS excluding notable items: Year-to-date revenue was $636.9 million, up 4%. Year-to-date GAAP diluted EPS was $4.14. Excluding notable items, it was $5.70. Source

Segments and regions

  • Credit commission revenue declined 2%: Total credit commission revenue was $164.9 million, down 2%, driven by a 7% fall in U.S. credit commissions. Source
  • Emerging markets and eurobonds grew: Combined emerging markets and eurobonds commission revenue rose 11%, which the company described as reflecting product and geographic diversification. Source
  • Rates commissions fell 6%: Rates commission revenue was $6.6 million, down 6%, on an 8% decline in rates ADV, partly offset by a 1% rise in fee per million. Source
  • Other commissions rose on RFQ-hub: Other commission revenue was a record $8.6 million, up 77%, including about $3.2 million from RFQ-hub, acquired in 2Q25. Source

“Outside of U.S. credit, our revenue growth profile is strong, and we delivered 10% growth including the addition of RFQ-hub.”

Chris Concannon, CEO of MarketAxess

Products and client channels

  • Client block trading volume grew: Client-initiated block trading ADV grew 10%, with 20% growth in emerging markets and 58% growth in eurobonds. Source
  • Portfolio trading ADV rose 20%: Total portfolio trading ADV rose 20% to $1.4 billion. U.S. credit portfolio ADV reached a record $1.1 billion, up 16%. Market share rose about 210 basis points year to date. Source
  • Dealer-initiated ADV rose 18%: Dealer-initiated ADV increased 18% to $1.5 billion. Year-to-date U.S. credit dealer-initiated ADV is up 29% against full-year 2024. Source
  • Mid-X launched for U.S. credit: The company said Mid-X, its dealer-initiated solution, was launched in September for U.S. credit and that it is focused on growing it. Source

Costs and expenses

  • Expenses rose 3% including RFQ-hub: Total expenses were $123.2 million, up 3%, including about $2.9 million of RFQ-hub expenses and a $1.0 million foreign currency effect. Source
  • Compensation and technology costs grew: Employee compensation and benefits were $60.0 million, up 3%. Technology and communications rose 8% to $20.0 million. Clearing costs fell 10%. Source
  • No notable items this quarter: Second quarter included $4.0 million of repositioning charges, mainly severance, and a $0.6 million acquisition-related charge. The third quarter had none.

“We have made tangible progress across our new initiatives which we believe will help drive market share and revenue growth in U.S. credit in the quarters ahead.”

Chris Concannon, CEO of MarketAxess

Margins, pricing and tax

  • Credit fee per million fell 6%: Average credit variable fee per million was $140, down 6%, which the company attributed principally to protocol mix. Rates fee per million was $4.21, up 1%. Source
  • EBITDA margin reached 51.5%: EBITDA was $107.6 million, with an EBITDA margin of 51.5%, up 100 basis points from the second quarter and 70 basis points from a year earlier. Source
  • Effective tax rate rose to 27.1%: The effective tax rate was 27.1%, up from 23.0%, mainly from current-period accruals for an uncertain tax position reserve set up in 1Q25. Source
  • Other income rose on lower FX losses: Other income was $8.1 million, up from $5.8 million, aided by a tax credit and lower FX losses. Interest income fell 16% to $5.9 million. Source

Demand and trading volumes

  • Total trading ADV fell 4%: Total trading ADV was $38.8 billion, down 4%. Credit ADV rose 3% to $14.5 billion, while rates ADV fell 8% to $24.3 billion. Source
  • U.S. government bond ADV declined: U.S. government bond ADV was $23.1 billion, down 9%, the main driver of the rates decline. Source
  • High-grade down, high-yield up: High-grade credit ADV was $6.6 billion, down 7%. High-yield ADV was $1.3 billion, up 5%. Emerging markets ADV rose 14% to $3.8 billion. Source
  • Nine-month ADV up 21%: Year-to-date total trading ADV was $43.5 billion, up 21%, from $35.8 billion a year earlier. Source

Capital, cash and shareholder returns

  • Cash and investments below year-end: Cash, equivalents, corporate bonds and Treasuries totaled $630.6 million, down from $698.6 million at December 31, 2024. No credit facility borrowings were outstanding. Source
  • Free cash flow increased: Free cash flow was $111.8 million in the quarter, up from $86.3 million. Year to date it was $271.8 million, up from $214.8 million. Source
  • Share repurchases continued: The company repurchased 239,026 shares for $45.3 million in the third quarter. $105.0 million remained under the authorization at October 31, 2025. Source
  • Quarterly dividend of $0.76 declared: The board declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.76 per share, payable December 3, 2025, to holders of record on November 19, 2025. Source

Headcount and strategic channels

  • Headcount rose to 896: Employee headcount was 896 at September 30, 2025, up from 881 at both June 30, 2025 and September 30, 2024. Source
  • Progress across three channels: The company reported progress across its client-initiated, portfolio trading and dealer-initiated channels, which it described as its three strategic channels. Source
  • U.S. credit block ADV year to date: Year-to-date U.S. credit block trading ADV is 19% above full-year 2024 levels. U.S. credit portfolio trading ADV is up 43% against full-year 2024. Source

Coming up, as management said on 7 November 2025

  • Dividend payment date: The $0.76 quarterly dividend is payable December 3, 2025, to holders of record on November 19, 2025. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Total trading ADV Source$38,831 million
Total credit ADV Source$14,535 million
Total rates ADV Source$24,296 million
Total portfolio trading ADV Source$1.4 billion
U.S. credit portfolio trading ADV Source$1.1 billion
Dealer-initiated ADV Source$1.5 billion
U.S. high-yield portfolio trading estimated market share Source22.6%
Client-initiated block trading ADV growth Source10%
Credit average variable fee per million Source$140
Rates average variable fee per million Source$4.21

Risks management discussed

  • Demand: Lower volatility and tighter credit spreads in the quarter dampened U.S. credit market share and revenue growth. Source
  • External: Historic levels of new issuance in September were cited as a factor in lower U.S. credit market share. Source
  • Financial: Total credit fee per million declined on protocol mix, both year over year and quarter over quarter. Source
  • Financial: Current-period accruals for the uncertain tax position reserve raised the effective tax rate. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Met: Management said Mid-X was launched in September 2025 for U.S. credit. 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.