CME Group Inc. (NYSE: CME) reported a slight miss in its first-quarter profit projections as operating expenses unexpectedly climbed. The increase was primarily due to higher technology spending, despite record trading volumes driven by market volatility and inflation concerns.
The company’s operating costs rose by 1.1% to $534.4 million, defying expectations of a 5.6% decrease. Nonetheless, CME achieved a 13% rise in average daily volume, with growth across all product lines, and revenue reached a record $1.64 billion, marking a 10% increase from the previous year.
CME Group Reports Record Revenue But Significant Increase in Operating Expenses
The financial landscape for CME Group Inc. in the first quarter of the year was marked by a juxtaposition of record revenues and rising costs. The company reported a revenue of $1.64 billion, a 10% increase compared to the previous year, driven by a 13% rise in average daily trading volumes. This growth was seen across all product lines, reflecting heightened market activity amid economic uncertainties.
However, operating expenses increased by 1.1% to $534.4 million, primarily due to elevated spending on technology, which offset the gains from trading activities. Investors have responded positively to the company’s overall performance, with CME’s shares rising by over 9% since the start of the year.
Join our Telegram group and never miss a breaking digital asset story.
CME Stock Brief
CME Group’s stock has experienced fluctuations in recent trading sessions. As of 23rd April 2025, the stock opened at $256.54 and was trading at $255.80 by 11:01 EDT. The day’s low and high were $251.90 and $259.34, respectively.
Over the past year, the stock has ranged between a low of $190.70 and a high of $273.42. Key financial metrics include a dividend rate of $10.80 with a yield of 4.07%, and the stock’s beta is 0.447, indicating lower volatility compared to the market.
Analysts have given the stock a ‘Hold’ recommendation, with a target mean price of $267.59. Recent closing prices show a slight downward trend, with the stock closing at $265.56 on April 22, 2025, after reaching $260.33 the previous day. Despite these fluctuations, the company’s market cap stands strong at $92.19 billion.
Disclaimer: The author does not hold or have a position in any securities discussed in the article. All stock prices were quoted at the time of writing.
About the author
Tim Fries is the cofounder of The Tokenist. He has a B. Sc. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Michigan, and an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. Tim served as a Senior Associate on the investment team at RW Baird’s US Private Equity division, and is also the co-founder of Protective Technologies Capital, an investment firm specializing in sensing, protection and control solutions.
