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Marketaxess Holdings Inc.: Q1 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q1 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 7 May 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 1 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Record revenue up 12%: Total revenues were $233.4 million, up 12%. The total included about $3.4 million from currency and about $4.7 million of RFQ-hub revenue. Source
  • Diluted EPS of $2.20: Diluted EPS was $2.20 on net income of $78.1 million, against $0.40 a year earlier. Excluding notable items, EPS was $2.25, up 20%. Source
  • Revenue outside U.S. credit up 20%: Revenue outside U.S. credit grew 20%, with emerging markets and eurobonds variable transaction revenue each at record levels, reflecting the international products. Source
  • Operating margin 43.2%: Operating margin was 43.2%, up about 80 basis points. Excluding notable items it was 44.2%, up about 180 basis points. Source
  • Total trading ADV up 16%: Total trading ADV rose 16% year over year, over 61 U.S. trading days in each period. Source
  • AI to drive new solutions: Management said accelerating AI use will help deliver new trading and unique data solutions to clients. Source

“We delivered record levels of trading volume, commission revenue and services revenue, driven by increased volatility and heightened demand for our differentiated liquidity from our global client network.”

Chris Concannon, CEO of MarketAxess

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Expenses excluding notable itemsfull year 2026$530.0 million to $545.0 million
Effective tax ratefull year 202624.0% to 26.0%
Capital expendituresfull year 2026$65.0 million to $75.0 million
Quarterly cash dividend Sourcepayable June 3, 2026$0.78 per shareKept

What changed from last quarter

  • Ended: The $300 million accelerated stock repurchase was completed; the prior release described it as commenced and not yet settled. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Record revenue up 12%: Total revenues were $233.4 million, up 12%. The total included about $3.4 million from currency and about $4.7 million of RFQ-hub revenue. Source
  • Diluted EPS of $2.20: Diluted EPS was $2.20 on net income of $78.1 million, against $0.40 a year earlier. Excluding notable items, EPS was $2.25, up 20%. Source
  • Notable items totalled $2.2 million: Notable items were $2.2 million pre-tax: $1.5 million of repositioning severance tied to management changes and $0.7 million of other legal expenses, a $0.05 EPS effect. Source

Segments and regions

  • Revenue outside U.S. credit up 20%: Revenue outside U.S. credit grew 20%, with emerging markets and eurobonds variable transaction revenue each at record levels, reflecting the international products. Source
  • Rates commission at record: Rates commission revenue reached a record $9.0 million, up 29%. Fee per million in rates rose 11%, and rates commission rose 33% from 4Q25 levels. Source
  • Other commission up 104%: Other commission revenue reached a record $10.7 million, up 104%, including about $4.3 million from RFQ-hub, majority control of which was acquired in 2Q25. Source

“Our new initiatives are also continuing to gain traction across our three strategic channels with record levels of ADV across block trading, portfolio trading and dealer-initiated activity.”

Chris Concannon, CEO of MarketAxess

Products and customers

  • Credit commission record, up 9%: Total credit commission revenue reached a record $183.8 million, up 9% from the prior year and up 11% from 4Q25 levels. Source
  • Credit volume up 17%: Total credit ADV rose 17% compared with the prior year, driven by growth in market volumes. Source
  • Credit fixed fees little changed: Credit fixed-distribution fees were $33.4 million, against $33.3 million a year earlier. Source
  • Services revenue record, up 10%: Services revenue reached a record $29.9 million, up 10%, combining information, post-trade and technology services. Source
  • Information services up 12%: Information services revenue of $14.4 million rose 12%, mainly from net new contract revenue and $0.5 million of currency impact. Source
  • Technology services up 19%: Technology services revenue of $3.9 million rose 19% on RFQ-hub connectivity fees. Post-trade services rose 5% to $11.6 million. Source

Costs and people

  • Expenses up 10%: Total expenses were $132.5 million, up 10%, including about $3.4 million of RFQ-hub expenses and a $2.2 million currency effect. Excluding notable items, expenses rose 8%. Source
  • Compensation and technology costs rose: Employee compensation and benefits rose 13% to $70.2 million, and technology and communications rose 13% to $20.4 million. Source
  • Headcount at 859: Headcount was 859 at March 31, 2026, down from 869 at December 31, 2025 and 870 at March 31, 2025. Source

“Our accelerating use of AI will help us deliver new trading and unique data solutions to our clients.”

Chris Concannon, CEO of MarketAxess

Margins, pricing and tax

  • Operating margin 43.2%: Operating margin was 43.2%, up about 80 basis points. Excluding notable items it was 44.2%, up about 180 basis points. Source
  • EBITDA margin 52.1%: EBITDA was $121.7 million, a 52.1% margin, against 51.5% in the prior-year quarter. Source
  • Credit fee per million fell 5%: Total credit fee per million fell 5% to $132, from protocol and product mix, partly offset by the higher duration of U.S. high-grade bonds traded. Source
  • Effective tax rate 24.8%: The effective tax rate was 24.8%, against 84.3% a year earlier, when notable items included a $54.9 million reserve for uncertain tax positions. Source

Trading volume and channels

  • Total trading ADV up 16%: Total trading ADV rose 16% year over year, over 61 U.S. trading days in each period. Source
  • Block trading volume up 35%: Block trading ADV rose 35%, with record U.S. credit, emerging markets and eurobonds block volumes up 27%, 47% and 45%. Source
  • Portfolio trading up 51%: Portfolio trading ADV rose 51%, with record U.S. high-grade, U.S. high-yield and emerging markets portfolio ADV up 36%, 78% and 69%. Source
  • Dealer-initiated ADV up 3%: Dealer-initiated ADV rose 3%, with Mid-X ADV up 168% to record levels. Source

Cash, capital and returns

  • Cash balance fell to $537.4M: Cash, equivalents, corporate bonds and Treasury investments were $537.4 million at March 31, 2026, down from $678.9 million at December 31, 2025. Source
  • Credit facility borrowings reduced: Borrowings were $157.0 million at March 31, 2026, against $220.0 million at year-end, and $137.0 million at April 30, 2026. Source
  • Other income fell to $3.0M: Other income was $3.0 million against $7.8 million, from lower interest income and higher interest expense, partly offset by a tax credit. Source
  • Quarterly dividend at $0.78: Dividends declared were $0.78 per share, against $0.76 a year earlier. Source
  • $205.0M of buyback authority remains: $205.0 million remained under the Board's share repurchase authorizations as of April 30, 2026. Source

Strategy and investment

  • AI to drive new solutions: Management said accelerating AI use will help deliver new trading and unique data solutions to clients. Source
  • Network and data advantage widened: Management said the MarketAxess advantage strengthened through a larger global network, deeper differentiated liquidity and a wider data and analytics moat. Source
  • Initiatives gaining traction across channels: Management said new initiatives continued to gain traction across the three strategic channels. Source

Coming up, as management said on 7 May 2026

  • Dividend payment on June 3: The $0.78 quarterly dividend is payable June 3, 2026 to holders of record at the close of business on May 20, 2026. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Block trading ADV Source$6.6 billion (record)
Portfolio trading ADV Source$1.9 billion (record)
Dealer-initiated ADV Source$1.9 billion (record)
Total trading ADV Source$49.8 billion
Total credit ADV Source$18.6 billion
Total rates ADV Source$31.2 billion
Mid-X ADV change Source+168% year over year
Firms using the platform Sourceapproximately 2,100

Risks management discussed

  • External: Lower interest rates reduced interest income, which lowered other income. Source
  • Financial: Borrowings used with cash on hand to fund the ASR added interest expense. Source
  • Demand: Credit fee per million fell on protocol and product mix. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Met: The previously disclosed $300.0 million ASR reached final settlement on February 4, 2026, with 359,782 additional shares delivered. 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.