Van Hulzen Asset Management LLC Has $6.86 Million Stock Position in CME Group Inc. $CME

Van Hulzen Asset Management LLC increased its position in shares of CME Group Inc. (NASDAQ:CME) by 10.9% during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 31,062 shares of the financial services provider’s stock after buying an additional 3,041 shares during the period. Van Hulzen Asset Management LLC’s holdings in CME Group were worth $6,860,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. Bridgewater Advisors Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of CME Group during the 2nd quarter worth about $612,000. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company bought a new position in shares of CME Group during the second quarter worth approximately $53,671,000. FLC Capital Advisors acquired a new stake in CME Group during the 4th quarter worth approximately $2,122,000. Haverford Trust Co bought a new stake in CME Group in the 2nd quarter valued at $13,818,000. Finally, HighTower Advisors LLC grew its holdings in CME Group by 6.9% in the 4th quarter. HighTower Advisors LLC now owns 352,922 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $96,376,000 after buying an additional 22,692 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 87.75% of the company’s stock.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, Director William Shepard purchased 325 shares of the stock in a transaction on Thursday, June 25th. The stock was purchased at an average price of $230.57 per share, for a total transaction of $74,935.25. Following the acquisition, the director owned 260,442 shares in the company, valued at $60,050,111.94. This trade represents a 0.12% increase in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. 0.30% of the stock is owned by insiders.

CME Group Stock Performance

CME Group stock opened at $274.70 on Thursday. The business has a 50 day moving average of $262.03 and a 200-day moving average of $277.67. The company has a market capitalization of $98.78 billion, a P/E ratio of 23.30, a P/E/G ratio of 3.29 and a beta of 0.24. CME Group Inc. has a 1 year low of $218.31 and a 1 year high of $329.16. 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 announced its quarterly earnings results 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 net margin of 63.30% and a return on equity of 15.60%. The firm had revenue of $1.71 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $1.68 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $2.96 EPS. The company’s revenue was up .8% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities research analysts predict that CME Group Inc. will post 12.27 earnings per share for the current year.

CME Group Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, September 25th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, September 9th will be given a dividend of $1.30 per share. This represents a $5.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.9%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, September 9th. CME Group’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 44.11%.

CME Group News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: Shareholder distribution: CME is scheduled to distribute approximately $467 million in dividends on September 25, reinforcing its appeal to income-oriented investors and highlighting the exchange operator’s strong cash-generation profile. CME Group’s $467 Million Dividend: What Shareholders Collect Sept. 25
• Positive Sentiment: Product expansion: CME’s new single-stock futures offer investors leveraged and capital-efficient exposure to individual equities. The product broadens CME’s equity derivatives lineup and could create additional trading volume and fee revenue over time. CME’s New Single Stock Futures: What Are The Advantages Vs. Stocks?
• Positive Sentiment: European market entry: CME plans to enter the European dairy market through a deal involving EEX, expanding its addressable market and potentially improving its international commodities presence. CME Group to enter European dairy market through EEX deal
• Neutral Sentiment: Leadership succession: CME named insider Jack Tobin as CFO, succeeding Lynne Fitzpatrick, who is expected to become CEO in March 2027. The planned internal transition may provide continuity, although investors could monitor execution during the leadership change. CME Group names Jack Tobin as CFO
• Neutral Sentiment: Interest-rate backdrop: Reports that Federal Reserve Chair Warsh favors rate hikes, while the Treasury considers buying longer-maturity debt, point to continued uncertainty over rates, inflation and bond-market conditions. These factors can affect CME’s interest-rate and fixed-income trading volumes. Fed and Treasury at Odds
• Negative Sentiment: Regulatory litigation: The Hyperliquid Policy Center filed an amicus brief urging dismissal of CME’s lawsuit against the CFTC. The development adds uncertainty to CME’s regulatory position and could weigh on sentiment surrounding its digital-asset and derivatives initiatives. Hyperliquid Policy Center Files Amicus Brief Urging Dismissal of CME’s Suit Against CFTC

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of brokerages have issued reports on CME. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of CME Group from a “strong sell” rating to a “sell” rating in a research report on Saturday, August 29th. The Goldman Sachs Group cut their price target on CME Group from $267.00 to $245.00 and set a “sell” rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, June 30th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods raised CME Group from a “market perform” rating to an “outperform” rating and set a $305.00 target price on the stock in a report on Thursday, June 18th. Rothschild & Co Redburn raised shares of CME Group from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and lifted their price objective for the company from $316.00 to $323.00 in a research note on Thursday, June 11th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft downgraded CME Group from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and reduced their target price for the company from $286.00 to $270.00 in a report on Wednesday, August 19th. Nine investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, six have given a Hold rating and three have given a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $289.75.

CME Group Company Profile

CME Group Inc operates global derivatives marketplaces that provide trading, clearing and settlement services for a broad range of financial and commodity products. Its exchange platforms enable participants to manage risk, discover prices and gain exposure to asset classes including interest rates, equity indexes, foreign exchange, energy, metals, agricultural commodities and digital assets.

The company’s principal marketplaces include CME, CBOT, NYMEX and COMEX. Products are offered through futures and options contracts, with electronic trading available through CME Globex as well as exchange-based and privately negotiated transactions.