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Virtu Financial, Inc.: Q2 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q2 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 30 July 2026: press release. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Trading income drove revenue growth: Trading income, net rose 31.2% to $856.7 million, and total revenues rose 19.0% to $1,190.0 million. Market Making accounted for most of the trading income. Source
  • Normalized Adjusted EPS rose to $1.82: Normalized Adjusted Net Income rose 19.4% to $291.5 million. Normalized figures assume all vested and unvested Virtu Financial Units are exchanged for Class A common stock. Source
  • Market Making revenue grew sharply: Market Making total revenues rose to $1,009.2 million from $786.6 million, and its Adjusted Net Trading Income rose to $579.9 million from $451.5 million. Source
  • Compensation costs rose sharply: Employee compensation and payroll taxes rose to $216.7 million from $136.2 million. Share-based compensation rose to $33.4 million from $22.6 million. Source
  • Margins fell year on year: GAAP net income margin was 23.9% against 29.3%. Adjusted EBITDA margin, measured on Adjusted Net Trading Income, was 60.8% against 65.1%. Source
  • Short-term borrowings increased sharply: Short-term borrowings, net rose to $353.9 million from $12.4 million at December 31, 2025. Long-term borrowings, net were $2,025.9 million against $2,039.5 million. Source

“Management believes that this measurement is useful for comparing general operating performance from period to period.”

Virtu Financial, Inc., press release

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Quarterly cash dividend Sourcedividend payable September 15, 2026; record date September 1, 2026$0.24 per share

What changed from last quarter

  • New: On July 14, 2026 the company began marketing $400 million of incremental term loans, which would raise the term loan balance to $1,930 million. The July 30 release does not say whether they closed.

Results and growth drivers

  • Trading income drove revenue growth: Trading income, net rose 31.2% to $856.7 million, and total revenues rose 19.0% to $1,190.0 million. Market Making accounted for most of the trading income. Source
  • Net income slightly below prior year: Net income was $284.9 million against $293.0 million a year earlier. Diluted EPS was $1.63 against $1.65. Source
  • Normalized Adjusted EPS rose to $1.82: Normalized Adjusted Net Income rose 19.4% to $291.5 million. Normalized figures assume all vested and unvested Virtu Financial Units are exchanged for Class A common stock. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA rose 18.2%: Adjusted EBITDA increased to $436.8 million from $369.4 million, with the Adjusted EBITDA margin at 60.8% against 65.1%. Source
  • Final results match preliminary estimates: The July 14 preliminary estimates showed net income of $285 million and Adjusted EBITDA of $437 million. Final figures of $284.9 million and $436.8 million round to the same amounts.

Segments and regions

  • Market Making revenue grew sharply: Market Making total revenues rose to $1,009.2 million from $786.6 million, and its Adjusted Net Trading Income rose to $579.9 million from $451.5 million. Source
  • Execution Services revenue declined: Execution Services total revenues fell to $173.5 million from $214.5 million. The prior-year figure included a gain on the sale of the RFQ-hub, which the reconciliation lists at $67.0 million. Source
  • Execution commissions and technology grew: Execution Services commissions, net and technology services rose to $163.6 million from $139.4 million. Its Adjusted Net Trading Income rose to $138.0 million from $116.3 million. Source
  • Corporate other income increased: Corporate other, net was $7.3 million in the second quarter of 2026, against negative $1.5 million a year earlier. Corporate reports no trading income. Source

“Virtu expects its results of operations for the quarter ended June 30, 2026 to reflect:”

Virtu Financial, Inc.

Costs, margins and pricing

  • Operating expenses rose to $847.4 million: Total operating expenses rose to $847.4 million from $652.6 million, while income before income taxes and noncontrolling interest was $342.6 million against $347.0 million. Source
  • Compensation costs rose sharply: Employee compensation and payroll taxes rose to $216.7 million from $136.2 million. Share-based compensation rose to $33.4 million from $22.6 million. Source
  • Order flow and interest costs increased: Brokerage, exchange, clearance fees and payments for order flow, net, rose to $259.0 million from $202.1 million. Interest and dividends expense rose to $205.3 million from $165.2 million. Source
  • Margins fell year on year: GAAP net income margin was 23.9% against 29.3%. Adjusted EBITDA margin, measured on Adjusted Net Trading Income, was 60.8% against 65.1%. Source

Cash, debt and balance sheet

  • Cash and debt at June 30: Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash totaled $1,133.0 million. Total long-term debt outstanding had an aggregate principal amount of $2,051.1 million. Source
  • Short-term borrowings increased sharply: Short-term borrowings, net rose to $353.9 million from $12.4 million at December 31, 2025. Long-term borrowings, net were $2,025.9 million against $2,039.5 million. Source
  • Trading assets grew: Trading assets at fair value rose to $14,886.2 million from $10,551.6 million at December 31, 2025. Trading liabilities rose to $13,569.6 million from $9,105.3 million. Source
  • Equity and total assets rose: Total equity was $2,325.0 million against $1,973.4 million at December 31, 2025. Total assets were $27,477.1 million against $20,150.7 million. Source

Shareholder returns and ownership

  • Noncontrolling interest took most income share: Noncontrolling interest took $134.0 million of net income, leaving $150.9 million for common stockholders, against $151.2 million a year earlier. Source
  • Ownership split between Class A and LLC: At June 30, 2026 Virtu Financial, Inc. held 58.1% of Virtu Financial LLC interests, and non-controlling interests held 41.9%. Source
  • Basic weighted share count rose: Basic weighted average common shares rose to 87.6 million from 85.5 million. Weighted average adjusted shares were 159.9 million against 160.0 million. Source

Reporting, measures and timing

  • Preliminary estimates were unreviewed: Preliminary second-quarter estimates were released July 14, ahead of the July 30 results. The auditor had not compiled, examined or performed procedures on them.
  • Normalized measures use 24% tax rate: Normalized figures apply an effective tax rate of approximately 24%, consistent across all periods presented. Source
  • Earnings call held July 30: The company hosted a conference call on the second quarter results at 7:00 a.m. ET on July 30, 2026, with an audio webcast on its investor relations site. Source

Coming up, as management said on 30 July 2026

  • Form 10-Q filing deadline: Consolidated financial statements and related notes were to be filed on Form 10-Q on or before August 10, 2026.
  • Dividend payment date: The $0.24 dividend is payable September 15, 2026 to holders of record on September 1, 2026. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Average daily Adjusted Net Trading Income$11.6 million

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.