Alpha Cubed Investments LLC Lowers Holdings in CME Group Inc. $CME

Alpha Cubed Investments LLC cut its stake in shares of CME Group Inc. (NASDAQ:CME) by 2.6% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 91,667 shares of the financial services provider’s stock after selling 2,416 shares during the quarter. CME Group comprises approximately 0.9% of Alpha Cubed Investments LLC’s portfolio, making the stock its 28th biggest position. Alpha Cubed Investments LLC’s holdings in CME Group were worth $24,768,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Several other large investors have also recently modified their holdings of CME. Norges Bank bought a new position in shares of CME Group in the second quarter worth approximately $1,571,447,000. Viking Global Investors LP bought a new stake in shares of CME Group in the 2nd quarter worth $164,648,000. Vanguard Group Inc. raised its stake in shares of CME Group by 1.5% in the second quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 35,176,376 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $9,695,313,000 after purchasing an additional 532,549 shares during the last quarter. Magellan Asset Management Ltd lifted its holdings in shares of CME Group by 131,625.5% during the second quarter. Magellan Asset Management Ltd now owns 486,067 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $133,970,000 after purchasing an additional 485,698 shares in the last quarter. Finally, HRT Financial LP purchased a new stake in shares of CME Group during the second quarter valued at $127,103,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 87.75% of the company’s stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of brokerages have recently issued reports on CME. Argus dropped their price target on shares of CME Group from $308.00 to $295.00 in a report on Friday, October 31st. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft raised their target price on shares of CME Group from $310.00 to $318.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, December 17th. Piper Sandler increased their price target on CME Group from $296.00 to $313.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Thursday, November 13th. Royal Bank Of Canada upped their price objective on CME Group from $282.00 to $295.00 and gave the company a “sector perform” rating in a research report on Friday, December 5th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group cut their price target on CME Group from $265.00 to $264.00 and set a “sell” rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, January 14th. Nine analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, six have issued a Hold rating and three have given a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $292.18.

CME Group News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: Analysts and data services expect a likely earnings beat ahead of CME’s upcoming release (market consensus/non‑GAAP EPS previews and previews noting the company’s revenue mix). Positive guidance/expectations ahead of the report are supporting the stock. Will CME Group (CME) beat quarterly earnings? CME Group (CME) Earnings Expected to Grow
• Positive Sentiment: CME expanded crypto derivatives with options on its Bitcoin Friday futures, broadening products for institutional and retail-facing flows — potential to increase volumes and fee revenue as crypto activity grows. CME Group Expands Crypto Offerings With Options On Bitcoin Friday Futures
• Positive Sentiment: CME issued a self‑certification that could let FanDuel and DraftKings offer Super Bowl parlays on prediction markets using CME infrastructure — a new use case that could drive volume and broaden commercial relationships. FanDuel and DraftKings prediction markets could offer Super Bowl parlays, as CME issues self-certification
• Positive Sentiment: Reported short interest fell earlier in January (down ~15.6% to ~4.21M shares as of Jan 15), reducing potential downside pressure from short-covering and signaling less bearish positioning. (Data feed)
• Neutral Sentiment: CME signed a multiyear jersey-patch sponsorship with the Chicago White Sox — increases brand visibility in its hometown market but likely a modest near-term financial impact relative to core derivatives revenue. CME Group Named as First-Ever Chicago White Sox Jersey Patch Sponsor
• Neutral Sentiment: There is an anomalous/erroneous short‑interest entry showing zero shares for late‑January that appears to be a reporting error — investors should rely on the earlier, validated short‑interest update. (Data feed)

CME Group Stock Up 1.3%

CME stock opened at $289.83 on Friday. The business’s 50-day moving average price is $274.93 and its 200-day moving average price is $272.27. The stock has a market cap of $104.51 billion, a P/E ratio of 28.08, a PEG ratio of 3.22 and a beta of 0.27. CME Group Inc. has a twelve month low of $233.12 and a twelve month high of $291.76. The company has a quick ratio of 1.02, a current ratio of 1.02 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.12.

CME Group Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, December 30th. Shareholders of record on Friday, December 12th were paid a $1.25 dividend. This represents a $5.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.7%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, December 12th. CME Group’s dividend payout ratio is presently 48.45%.

Insider Buying and Selling at CME Group

In other news, CEO Terrence A. Duffy sold 25,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, December 11th. The stock was sold at an average price of $269.55, for a total value of $6,738,750.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 65,804 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $17,737,468.20. This represents a 27.53% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, Director Harold Eugene Jr. Ford sold 1,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, November 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $263.53, for a total value of $263,530.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director owned 1,091 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $287,511.23. The trade was a 47.82% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders own 0.30% of the company’s stock.

About CME Group

CME Group Inc is a global markets company that operates some of the world’s largest and most liquid derivatives exchanges, including the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME), the Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT), the New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX) and COMEX. The firm offers futures and options contracts across a broad range of asset classes — including interest rates, equity indexes, foreign exchange, energy, agricultural commodities and metals — and serves a diverse client base of institutional investors, commercial hedgers, brokers and retail participants.

The company’s core services include electronic trading on the CME Globex platform, central clearing through CME Clearing, and distribution of market data, indexes and analytics.