CME
Financial ServicesCME Group Inc. · Financial - Data & Stock Exchanges · $106B
What is CME Group Inc.?
CME Group operates the world's largest derivatives marketplace, offering futures and options across every major asset class. Headquartered in Chicago, it serves traders, institutions, and governments worldwide.
CME Group earns revenue through transaction fees on futures and options contracts tied to interest rates, equity indexes, foreign exchange, commodities, energy, and metals. It also provides clearing and settlement services that guarantee contract performance, plus market data subscriptions sold to financial professionals globally.
Originally founded in 1898 as the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, the company adopted the CME Group name in 2007.
- Futures and options on interest rates and equity indexes
- Clearing and settlement services for derivatives
- Foreign exchange and commodity derivatives markets
- Real-time and historical market data services
Is CME a Good Stock to Buy?
UQS Score rates CME as Very Good overall.
CME's strongest pillars are Quality, Moat, and Risk — reflecting its dominant position in global derivatives clearing, durable network effects, and a business model that generates consistent cash flows across market cycles.
The Growth pillar registers as Weak, suggesting revenue expansion has been limited relative to broader sector peers.
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Past performance does not guarantee future results. UQS Score is based on fundamental data and is not a buy/sell recommendation.
Does CME pay dividends?
Yes — CME Group Inc. pays a dividend.
CME Group pays a regular dividend, reflecting the cash-generative nature of its exchange and clearing business. The company has historically supplemented its regular dividend with special distributions, making it a notable income consideration for long-term holders.
When does CME report earnings?
CME Group reports earnings on a quarterly cadence, consistent with US-listed large-cap equities.
CME's results tend to track derivatives trading volumes, which can spike during periods of market volatility. The clearing and data segments provide a more stable revenue base that partially offsets volume-driven swings.
For the most recent quarter's results, visit CME Group's investor relations page directly.
CME Price History
+60.2% over 5Y
Monthly close, adjusted for stock splits and dividend reinvestment.
What if I invested in CME Group Inc.?
Based on CME Group Inc.'s historical closing prices, adjusted for stock splits and dividend reinvestment. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is for informational purposes only and is not financial advice.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does CME Group do?
CME Group operates derivatives exchanges where traders buy and sell futures and options contracts on interest rates, equity indexes, currencies, commodities, energy, and metals. It also clears and guarantees those contracts and sells market data to financial professionals.
Does CME pay dividends?
Yes. CME Group pays a regular dividend and has a history of issuing special dividends as well. Investors seeking income often consider CME for this reason, though dividend amounts can change based on business performance and board decisions.
When does CME report earnings?
CME Group follows a standard quarterly reporting schedule. For the exact date of the next earnings release, check CME Group's investor relations page, as our data source does not publish forward-looking earnings dates.
Is CME a good stock to buy?
UQS Score rates CME as Very Good, with Strong marks on Quality, Moat, and Risk. The Growth pillar is Weak, and Valuation is Neutral. Whether it fits your portfolio depends on your goals — see the full breakdown by signing up.
Is CME overvalued?
CME's Valuation pillar is rated Neutral, meaning it is neither clearly cheap nor expensive relative to the UQS framework. Exchange businesses with strong moats often trade at premium valuations; the full metrics are available to Pro members.
What is CME's market cap bracket?
CME Group is a large-cap company, placing it among the more established and widely followed names in the Financial Services sector.
Is CME a long-term quality holding?
CME's Strong ratings on Quality, Moat, and Risk suggest a durable business with significant competitive barriers. Long-term quality indicators look favorable, though the Weak Growth pillar is worth monitoring for investors focused on compounding returns.
What is CME Group's main competitive advantage?
CME benefits from powerful network effects — liquidity attracts more liquidity, making it difficult for rivals to displace its benchmark contracts. Its role as a central clearinghouse also creates deep switching costs for market participants.
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Pro Analysis
CME — Score History
| Date | UQS | Quality | Moat | Growth | Risk | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 23, 2026 | 66.9 | 82.3 | 82.0 | 37.0 | 71.2 | 51.3 | 0.0 |
| May 22, 2026 | 66.9 | 82.3 | 82.0 | 37.0 | 71.2 | 51.5 | +0.1 |
| May 21, 2026 | 66.8 | 82.3 | 82.0 | 36.8 | 71.2 | 51.1 | +0.3 |
| May 20, 2026 | 66.5 | 82.3 | 82.0 | 36.8 | 71.2 | 49.2 | 0.0 |
| May 19, 2026 | 66.5 | 82.3 | 82.0 | 36.8 | 71.2 | 48.9 | -0.1 |
| May 16, 2026 | 66.6 | 82.3 | 82.0 | 36.8 | 71.2 | 49.9 | 0.0 |
| May 14, 2026 | 66.6 | 82.3 | 82.0 | 36.8 | 71.2 | 49.8 | -0.2 |
| May 13, 2026 | 66.8 | 82.3 | 82.0 | 36.8 | 71.2 | 51.4 | -0.1 |
| May 12, 2026 | 66.9 | 82.3 | 82.0 | 36.8 | 71.2 | 51.8 | 0.0 |
| May 11, 2026 | 66.9 | 82.3 | 82.0 | 36.8 | 71.2 | 51.9 | +1.0 |
CME — Pillar Breakdown
Quality
— 82.3/100 (25%)CME Group Inc. demonstrates outstanding capital efficiency and profitability, placing it among the highest-quality businesses in the market.
Profitability relative to shareholders' equity.
Ability to convert revenue into operating profit.
Bottom-line profit as a share of revenue.
Free cash flow relative to market value.
Growth
— 37.0/100 (20%)CME Group Inc. shows steady but unspectacular growth, typical for mature companies.
Revenue trajectory over the last twelve months.
Compound annual revenue growth rate over 3 years.
Year-over-year earnings per share growth.
Analyst consensus for future revenue growth.
Analyst consensus for future earnings growth.
Risk
— 71.2/100 (15%)CME Group Inc. maintains a reasonable risk profile with manageable debt levels.
Total debt relative to shareholder equity.
Short-term liquidity — ability to pay near-term obligations.
Earnings capacity relative to interest payments.
Valuation
— 50.5/100 (15%)CME Group Inc. has a mixed valuation — some metrics suggest fair value while others appear stretched.
Inverse of forward P/E — higher yield means cheaper stock.
How many years of FCF the market cap represents.
P/E relative to earnings growth — lower is more attractive.
Enterprise value multiple relative to sector median.
Moat
— 82/100 (25%)CME Group Inc. benefits from powerful competitive advantages creating significant barriers to entry. The Moat pillar evaluates competitive advantages across five dimensions: Switching Costs, Network Effects, Cost Advantage, Intangible Assets, and Scale & Ecosystem. Sign in to customize moat ratings for CME.
Score Composition
Financial Data
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How is the CME UQS Score Calculated?
The UQS (Unified Quality Score) for CME Group Inc. is calculated using a proprietary 6-pillar framework with 29 financial metrics. Each pillar evaluates a different dimension on a 0–100 scale, then combines into a single weighted score. Scoring thresholds are calibrated per sector. Momentum is an optional Pro toggle — without it, you get the 5-pillar / 25-metric core shown below.
Quality (25%) measures profitability and capital efficiency — ROIC, ROE, margins, GP/Assets, and FCF Yield.
Moat (25%) assesses CME Group Inc.'s competitive advantages across switching costs, network effects, cost advantages, intangible assets, and ecosystem scale.
Growth (20%) tracks revenue trajectory and earnings momentum, combining historical results with analyst forward estimates.
Risk (15%) is inversely scored — lower leverage and strong balance sheet health result in higher scores.
Valuation (15%) measures whether CME Group Inc. is fairly priced using earnings yield, price-to-FCF, PEG ratio, and EV/EBITDA relative to sector peers.
Six investor-inspired presets are available, each with different pillar weights: Balanced, Buffett, Munger, Lynch, Cathie Wood, and Graham. The public score shown here uses the Balanced preset. Learn more in our FAQ.