CME Group Inc. (NASDAQ:CME) Stock Has Consensus Price Target of $289.07 According to Brokerages

CME Group Inc. (NASDAQ:CME) has been given a consensus rating of “Hold” by the eighteen analysts that are presently covering the stock, Marketbeat reports. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, six have issued a hold rating and nine have issued a buy rating on the company. The average twelve-month price target among analysts that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $289.81.

CME has been the topic of a number of recent research reports. Wall Street Zen upgraded CME Group from a “strong sell” rating to a “sell” rating in a report on Saturday. Weiss Ratings downgraded shares of CME Group from a “buy (b-)” rating to a “hold (c+)” rating in a research note on Tuesday, August 11th. Wells Fargo & Company assumed coverage on CME Group in a research note on Friday. They set an “overweight” rating and a $301.00 price target on the stock. Rothschild & Co Redburn upgraded CME Group from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and upped their price objective for the stock from $316.00 to $323.00 in a report on Thursday, June 11th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price objective on CME Group from $249.00 to $250.00 and gave the stock an “underweight” rating in a research note on Thursday, July 23rd.

CME Group Stock Performance

NASDAQ CME opened at $263.14 on Thursday. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $271.04 and a 200 day moving average price of $272.56. The company has a market capitalization of $94.62 billion, a P/E ratio of 22.32, a PEG ratio of 3.11 and a beta of 0.24. CME Group 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 released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, July 22nd. The financial services provider reported $2.99 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping 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 business 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 was up .8% on a year-over-year basis. Sell-side analysts expect that CME Group will post 12.31 EPS for the current fiscal year.

CME Group Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, September 25th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, September 9th were given a $1.30 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, September 9th. This represents a $5.20 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.0%. CME Group’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 44.11%.

CME Group News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: Record trading activity supports revenue prospects: CME Group reported September and third-quarter average daily volume records, with ADV rising 22% year over year in September and 16% for the quarter. Higher volumes generally increase clearing and transaction revenue. CME Group Sets September, Q3 Average Daily Volume Records
• Positive Sentiment: Strong soybean futures participation: CME Group set a new open-interest record in soybean futures, indicating continued engagement in agricultural derivatives and supporting the exchange’s diversified volume base. CME Group Sets New Open Interest Record in Soybean Futures
• Positive Sentiment: Third-quarter earnings expectations remain favorable: Analysts anticipate low double-digit bottom-line growth when CME Group reports third-quarter results later this month, helped by the elevated trading volumes. What You Need to Know Ahead of CME Group’s Earnings Release
• Neutral Sentiment: Investor commentary highlights a volume-versus-price disconnect: Cambiar Investors’ quarterly letter discussed CME Group as a potential addition on weakness, noting that record trading activity has not translated into comparable stock performance. This may attract value-oriented investors but also underscores market hesitation. CME Group Adding on Weakness
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation may limit near-term upside: An analysis asked whether CME Group is fully priced following its push into cryptocurrency futures, suggesting investors may need additional growth or execution evidence to justify further appreciation. Is CME Group Fully Priced After Its Crypto Futures Push?
• Negative Sentiment: Analyst rating adds pressure: Wall Street analysts recently assigned CME Group a “Hold” rating, reinforcing the view that the stock’s strong operating performance may already be reflected in its valuation. CME Group Stock Rated Hold

Insider Activity

In other news, Director William R. Shepard purchased 293 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, September 25th. The stock was acquired at an average cost of $268.76 per share, with a total value of $78,746.68. Following the acquisition, the director owned 263,289 shares in the company, valued at approximately $70,761,551.64. This trade represents a 0.11% increase in their ownership of the stock. The acquisition was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, CEO Terrence A. Duffy sold 15,000 shares of CME Group stock in a transaction on Thursday, September 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $274.44, for a total transaction of $4,116,600.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 40,630 shares in the company, valued at $11,150,497.20. This trade represents a 26.96% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders own 0.30% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of CME Group

Several large investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. First Citizens Financial Corp purchased a new stake in shares of CME Group during the third quarter worth about $888,000. CX Institutional boosted its holdings in CME Group by 137.1% in the third quarter. CX Institutional now owns 5,354 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $1,403,000 after purchasing an additional 3,096 shares during the last quarter. Planning Strategies Inc. grew its stake in CME Group by 1,528.6% during the 3rd quarter. Planning Strategies Inc. now owns 228 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $60,000 after purchasing an additional 214 shares in the last quarter. Burkett Financial Services LLC acquired a new stake in CME Group during the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $62,000. Finally, Envestnet Portfolio Solutions Inc. increased its holdings in CME Group by 16.6% during the 2nd quarter. Envestnet Portfolio Solutions Inc. now owns 70,325 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $14,809,000 after purchasing an additional 10,005 shares during the last quarter. 87.75% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

CME Group Company Profile

CME Group Inc operates global derivatives marketplaces that enable customers to manage risk and trade futures and options contracts. Its exchanges offer products linked to interest rates, equity indexes, foreign currencies, agricultural commodities, energy, metals and other asset classes.

The company also provides central counterparty clearing, settlement and related risk-management services for transactions conducted on its markets. In addition, CME Group offers market data, benchmark products and technology services that support trading, analysis and connectivity for financial institutions, businesses, professional traders and other market participants.

CME Group’s history includes the Chicago Board of Trade, founded in 1848, and the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, established in 1898.