CME Group Inc. $CME Stock Sold by Sumitomo Mitsui DS Asset Management Company Ltd

Sumitomo Mitsui DS Asset Management Company Ltd lessened its holdings in CME Group Inc. (NASDAQ:CME) by 5.5% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 58,645 shares of the financial services provider’s stock after selling 3,396 shares during the period. Sumitomo Mitsui DS Asset Management Company Ltd’s holdings in CME Group were worth $15,364,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. NBT Bank N A NY grew its stake in shares of CME Group by 2.3% in the 1st quarter. NBT Bank N A NY now owns 1,666 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $492,000 after purchasing an additional 38 shares during the period. Resonant Capital Advisors LLC raised its holdings in shares of CME Group by 3.8% in the 1st quarter. Resonant Capital Advisors LLC now owns 1,073 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $317,000 after buying an additional 39 shares in the last quarter. Grove Bank & Trust lifted its position in shares of CME Group by 0.8% during the 3rd quarter. Grove Bank & Trust now owns 5,038 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $1,320,000 after buying an additional 39 shares during the period. Root Financial Partners LLC lifted its position in shares of CME Group by 13.2% during the 1st quarter. Root Financial Partners LLC now owns 394 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $116,000 after buying an additional 46 shares during the period. Finally, AlphaCentric Advisors LLC lifted its position in shares of CME Group by 6.1% during the 1st quarter. AlphaCentric Advisors LLC now owns 821 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $242,000 after buying an additional 47 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 87.75% of the company’s stock.

CME Group News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting CME Group this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Analysts expect third-quarter revenue of approximately $1.71 billion, up 11.4% year over year, with EPS forecasts near $2.98. International trading volume reportedly rose 22%, and several analysts have raised their price targets ahead of the report. CME earnings preview
• Positive Sentiment: CME launched Bitcoin Cash and Uniswap futures, including standard and micro contracts, expanding its regulated cryptocurrency derivatives offering and potentially creating additional trading and clearing revenue. CME Bitcoin Cash and Uniswap futures
• Positive Sentiment: The planned launch of cash-settled tungsten futures in the first half of 2027 gives CME another avenue for growth in metals and critical-minerals trading, where volumes have been strong. The product remains subject to regulatory approval. CME tungsten futures
• Positive Sentiment: Investors are examining whether CME’s market-data operations can make earnings more stable and less reliant on temporary surges in trading activity, supporting the company’s recurring-revenue profile. CME market-data analysis
• Neutral Sentiment: The CFTC asked a federal court to dismiss CME’s lawsuit concerning cryptocurrency perpetual futures. The agency’s reliance on CME data may support the exchange’s market expertise, but the legal dispute and regulatory uncertainty remain unresolved. CFTC CME perpetual-futures lawsuit
• Neutral Sentiment: CME disclosed $460,000 in third-quarter lobbying focused on derivatives regulation, clearinghouses, Treasury futures, digital-asset legislation and tax policy. Institutional ownership changes were mixed, while the median recent analyst price target was $305. CME lobbying and ownership update
• Negative Sentiment: Recent insider activity was weighted toward selling, including multiple sales by Chairman and CEO Terrence Duffy. Falling lumber futures, driven by higher interest rates and seasonal weakness, also point to softer conditions in one CME-traded market, although the direct effect on company earnings is limited. Lumber futures outlook

CME Group Stock Up 0.6%

NASDAQ CME opened at $295.31 on Wednesday. The firm has a market cap of $106.19 billion, a PE ratio of 25.05, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.79 and a beta of 0.24. CME Group Inc. has a one year low of $218.31 and a one year high of $329.16. The stock’s 50 day simple moving average is $275.44 and its 200 day simple moving average is $270.55. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.13, a current ratio of 1.02 and a quick ratio of 1.02.

CME Group (NASDAQ:CME) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, July 22nd. The financial services provider reported $2.99 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.91 by $0.08. CME Group had a return on equity of 15.60% and a net margin of 63.30%. The firm had revenue of $1.71 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.68 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $2.96 EPS. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up .8% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, sell-side analysts forecast that CME Group Inc. will post 12.30 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

CME Group Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, September 25th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, September 9th were issued a dividend of $1.30 per share. This represents a $5.20 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.8%. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, September 9th. CME Group’s dividend payout ratio is presently 44.11%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of analysts have weighed in on CME shares. Barclays upped their price target on CME Group from $270.00 to $281.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 7th. TD Cowen increased their price objective on CME Group from $292.00 to $300.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Monday, October 5th. Piper Sandler cut their price objective on CME Group from $329.00 to $295.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, July 15th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft cut CME Group from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and cut their price objective for the company from $286.00 to $270.00 in a report on Wednesday, August 19th. Finally, Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of CME Group from a “strong sell” rating to a “sell” rating in a research note on Saturday, October 3rd. Nine analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, six have issued a Hold rating and three have issued a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, CME Group has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $292.94.

Insider Transactions at CME Group

In other news, Director Elizabeth A. Cook sold 500 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Monday, September 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $280.11, for a total transaction of $140,055.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director owned 17,916 shares in the company, valued at $5,018,450.76. The trade was a 2.72% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. Also, CEO Terrence A. Duffy sold 15,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, September 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $274.44, for a total value of $4,116,600.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer owned 40,630 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $11,150,497.20. The trade was a 26.96% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Company insiders own 0.30% of the company’s stock.

About CME Group

CME Group Inc operates global derivatives marketplaces that provide trading, clearing and settlement services for futures and options contracts. Its products cover major asset classes, including interest rates, equity indexes, foreign currencies, agricultural commodities, energy and metals. The company also provides market data, benchmark information and related services used by financial institutions, corporations, producers, investors and other market participants.

CME Group’s exchange portfolio includes CME, the Chicago Board of Trade, the New York Mercantile Exchange and COMEX.