CME Group Inc.

CME Group Inc.

CMEยทNASDAQ

$252.64

+0.84%
Financial ServicesFinancial - Data & Stock Exchanges

CME Group Inc., together with its subsidiaries, operates contract markets for the trading of futures and options on futures contracts worldwide. It offers futures and options products based on interest rates, equity indexes, foreign exchange, agricultural commodities, energy, and metals, as well as fixed income products. The company also provides clearing house services, including clearing, settling, and guaranteeing futures and options contracts, and cleared swaps products traded through its exchanges; and trade processing and risk mitigation services. In addition, the company offers a range of market data services, including real-time and historical data services. It serves professional traders, financial institutions, institutional and individual investors, corporations, manufacturers, producers, governments, and central banks. The company was formerly known as Chicago Mercantile Exchange Holdings Inc. and changed its name to CME Group Inc. in July 2007. CME Group Inc. was founded in 1898 and is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois.

At a Glance

Live Snapshot
Market Cap$91.55B
EPS11.1800
P/E Ratio24.28
Earnings Date07/22/2026

Intrinsic Alpha Methodology

Thesis Lenses

Signal ยท Driver ยท Risk

Signal

High confidence

Valuation multiple is elevated (P/E 24.3).

Valuation inputs: P/E 24.3, earnings yield +4.1%, momentum +0.8%.

If multiples stay elevated while momentum fades, downside repricing risk rises.

Driver

High confidence

Return profile is soft (ROE +14.1%, ROIC +1.6%).

Profitability stack: net margin +62.0%, ROE +14.1%, ROIC +1.6%.

Quality deterioration often appears in margins before it shows up in headline EPS.

Risk

High confidence

Risk profile is balanced but has notable pressure points to monitor.

Risk factors: liabilities/assets +85.5%, momentum +0.8%, net margin +62.0%.

Higher leverage with weak momentum and thin margins can amplify drawdown severity.

cme

CME Group Inc. Market vs Earnings Trajectory

CME ยท NASDAQ

Loading price and EPS data...

CME Group Inc.

CME Group Inc. Fair Value Envelope

CME ยท NASDAQ

Our analysis suggests that CME has a fair value of HIDDEN per share in the Base Case projection. With shares currently trading at $252.64, this represents a potential HIDDEN relative to our calculated worth for CME Group Inc..

Intrinsic Value
Current Price: $252.64
3Y+51.0%
5Y+90.0%
10Y+146.0%
3Y+30.0%
5Y+34.0%
10Y+81.0%
3Y+50.0%
5Y+92.0%
10Y+164.0%
3Y+40.0%
5Y+58.0%
10Y+149.0%
3Y+41.0%
5Y+67.0%
10Y+158.0%
3Y+14.0%
5Y+59.0%
10Y+186.0%
CME Group Inc.

CME Group Inc. Profit Bridge

CME ยท NASDAQ
Revenue6.52B
Cost of Goods Sold (907.00M)
Gross Profit5.61B
Operating Expenses (1.38B)
Operating Income4.23B
Interest Expense (129.70M)
Other Income/Expense1.10B
Pretax Income5.33B
Income Tax (1.27B)
Net Income4.04B
Net Income
4.04B

Profitability Analysis

Gross Margin

86.1%

Exceptional pricing power and cost management. The company retains over half of revenue after direct costs.

Operating Margin

64.9%

Outstanding operational efficiency. The company generates substantial profit from core operations.

Net Profit Margin

62.0%

Exceptional profitability. The company converts a significant portion of revenue to bottom-line earnings.

Effective Tax Rate

23.9%

Moderate tax rate typical for most corporations. Represents standard tax burden on profits.

Profitability Insight

Exceptional profitability across all levels: Strong pricing power, efficient operations, and healthy bottom line indicate a high-quality business with sustainable competitive advantages.

86.09%
Gross Profit Margin
3Y+1.0%
5Y+4.0%
10Y+1.0%
64.86%
Operating Profit Margin
1%
3Y+8.0%
5Y+20.0%
10Y+6.0%
62.02%
Net Profit Margin
8%
3Y+16.0%
5Y+44.0%
10Y+45.0%
14.08%
Return on Equity
6%
3Y+41.0%
5Y+76.0%
10Y+87.0%
2.04%
Return on Assets
-21%
3Y+32.0%
5Y+21.0%
10Y-8.0%
1.62%
Return on Invested Capital
-81%
3Y-75.0%
5Y-71.0%
10Y-25.0%
CME

CME Group Inc. Cash Conversion Engine

CME ยท NASDAQ
Net Income4.04B
Depreciation & Amortization223.40M
Stock-Based Compensation94.80M
Change in Working Capital138.10M
Others-217.50M
Capital Expenditures-83.50M
Free Cash Flow4.19B

Cash Flow Quality Analysis

FCF Conversion Rate

103.7%

Excellent cash generation. The company converts earnings to cash at or above 100%, indicating high-quality earnings.

CapEx Intensity

2.0%

Asset-light business model. Low capital requirements leave more cash available for shareholders and growth investments.

FCF Growth Trend

+16.6%

Strong FCF growth demonstrates improving cash generation and business momentum. Positive signal for sustainability.

Working Capital Impact

+$138.10M

Working capital inflow boosted cash flow. Efficient management of receivables, inventory, and payables contributing positively.

Cash Flow Quality Insight

Exceptional cash generation: High-quality earnings converting to growing free cash flow. The company demonstrates strong pricing power, efficient operations, and disciplined capital allocation.

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CME Group Inc. Funding & Solvency Profile

CME ยท NASDAQ
Cash & Cash Equivalents2.39B
Net Receivables935.50M
Inventory0.00
Other Current Assets165.55B
Total Current Assets169 B
Property, Plant & Equipment355.40M
Goodwill & Intangible Assets27.68B
Long-Term Investments0.00
Other Non-Current Assets4.96B
Total Non-Current Assets5 B
Total Assets
201.99B

Financial Health Analysis

Current Ratio

1.02x

Acceptable liquidity, but monitor closely. Current assets just barely cover current liabilities.

Debt-to-Equity Ratio

6.59x

High financial leverage. Heavy reliance on debt may indicate increased financial risk and potential solvency concerns.

Working Capital

3 B

Positive working capital, but relatively tight. The company should monitor cash flow carefully.

Asset Composition

84% Current

Asset-light business model with high liquidity. Majority of assets are easily convertible to cash.

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CME Group Inc. Street Expectations Map

CME ยท NASDAQ

Wall Street analysts project that CME stock may rise significantly over the coming 12 months. The consensus 1-year price target stands at 320.25, with estimates ranging from a low of 302.00 to a high of 353.00.

Lowest Target
302.00
19.54%
Consensus Target
320.25
26.76%
Highest Target
353.00
39.72%

The consensus 1-year price target stands at 320.25, with estimates ranging from a low of 302.00 to a high of 353.00.

Analyst Consensus Analysis

Upside Potential

+26.8%

Substantial upside potential. Analysts see significant value gap, suggesting the stock may be materially undervalued at current levels.

Analyst Agreement

15.9% spread

High analyst agreement. Narrow target range indicates strong consensus on valuation, suggesting clear investment thesis and predictable outlook.

Analyst Conviction

Very High

Strong buy conviction: High upside with tight consensus suggests compelling investment opportunity backed by analyst confidence.

Market Sentiment Insight

Rare opportunity: Exceptional upside potential with strong analyst consensus creates a compelling setup. The combination of significant price target premium and tight agreement suggests high-conviction undervaluation that may attract institutional capital.

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CME Group Inc. Insider Positioning

CME ยท NASDAQ

During the last 12 months, insiders have purchased $494K and sold $22.58M worth of CME shares, resulting in $22.08M of net selling activity.

3 Months

Bought

1.4K

418.41K

Sold

44.5K

13.55M

Net Activity

-13.1M

-$13.13M

3-6 Months

Bought

251

69.87K

Sold

18.3K

5.14M

Net Activity

-5.1M

-$5.07M

6-9 Months

Bought

11

2.92K

Sold

8.0K

2.18M

Net Activity

-2.2M

-$2.18M

9-12 Months

Bought

11

2.98K

Sold

6.3K

1.71M

Net Activity

-1.7M

-$1.71M

Top Buyers

1
SWR

Shepard William R

Director

1.7K sharesโ€ข4 transactions

$494K

Top Sellers

1
DTA

Duffy Terrence A

Director, Officer: Chairman And Ceo

39.1K sharesโ€ข2 transactions

$11.27M

2
MJL

Marcus Jonathan L

Officer: Sr Md General Counsel

7.3K sharesโ€ข4 transactions

$2.33M

3
PHH

Piell Hilda Harris

Officer: Sr Md & Chief Hr Officer

5.8K sharesโ€ข1 transactions

$1.75M

4
SD

Sammann Derek

Officer: Sr Md Gl Hd Commodities Mkts

5.9K sharesโ€ข1 transactions

$1.62M

5
CS

Cutinho Sunil

Officer: Chief Information Officer

6.0K sharesโ€ข1 transactions

$1.62M

Insider Activity Analysis

Net Insider Sentiment

Bearish

Strong bearish signal with $22.08M net selling. Heavy insider selling may indicate concerns about valuation or near-term prospects.

Buy/Sell Ratio

0.02:1

Very poor ratio. Heavy selling with minimal buying suggests insiders may be concerned about valuation or outlook.

Recent Trend (3 Months)

$13.13M

Heavy recent selling activity. Recent insider sales notably exceed purchasesโ€”may warrant investigation into company developments.

Insider Participation

High Selling

5 insider sellers vs. 1 buyers. Widespread selling across multiple insiders may signal concerns.

Insider Activity Insight

Multiple red flags: Heavy selling, numerous sellers, and continued recent selling create a concerning pattern. Investigate fundamental drivers and consider whether company guidance or industry conditions have deteriorated.

2.52%
Dividend Yield
444%
3Y-15.0%
5Y+52.0%
10Y+309.0%
ย 

cme Dividend History

CME
10Y CAGR +6%
Latest $1.3
Annual $12.5
5 year growth trend
Last Period: 83%