CME Group (NASDAQ:CME) Reports Sales Below Analyst Estimates In Q1 CY2026 Earnings
Financial derivatives exchange CME Group (NASDAQ:CME) missed Wall Street’s revenue expectations in Q1 CY2026, but sales rose 14.5% year on year to $1.88 billion. Its non-GAAP profit of $3.36 per share was 0.6% below analysts’ consensus estimates.
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CME Group (CME) Q1 CY2026 Highlights:
- Revenue: $1.88 billion vs analyst estimates of $1.91 billion (14.5% year-on-year growth, 1.4% miss)
- Pre-tax Profit: $1.51 billion (80.4% margin)
- Adjusted EPS: $3.36 vs analyst expectations of $3.38 (0.6% miss)
- Market Capitalization: $103.2 billion
"In a world in which risk has become the new normal, 2026 is off to a record-breaking start as clients around the world turn to CME Group's trusted, regulated markets to hedge across asset classes and in all trading environments," said CME Group Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Terry Duffy.
Company Overview
Born from the Chicago Mercantile Exchange founded in 1898 as a butter and egg trading venue, CME Group (NASDAQ:CME) operates the world's largest derivatives marketplace where traders can buy and sell futures and options contracts across interest rates, equities, currencies, commodities, and more.
Revenue Growth
A company’s long-term performance is an indicator of its overall quality. Even a bad business can shine for one or two quarters, but a top-tier one grows for years. Luckily, CME Group’s revenue grew at a decent 7.9% compounded annual growth rate over the last five years. Its growth was slightly above the average financials company and shows its offerings resonate with customers.
We at StockStory place the most emphasis on long-term growth, but within financials, a half-decade historical view may miss recent interest rate changes, market returns, and industry trends. CME Group’s annualized revenue growth of 9.6% over the last two years is above its five-year trend, suggesting some bright spots. 
Note: Quarters not shown were determined to be outliers, impacted by outsized investment gains/losses that are not indicative of the recurring fundamentals of the business.
This quarter, CME Group’s revenue grew by 14.5% year on year to $1.88 billion but fell short of Wall Street’s estimates.
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Key Takeaways from CME Group’s Q1 Results
Revenue and EPS both missed in the quarter. Overall, this quarter could have been better. The stock remained flat at $284.38 immediately after reporting.
CME Group may have had a tough quarter, but does that actually create an opportunity to invest right now? When making that decision, it’s important to consider its valuation, business qualities, as well as what has happened in the latest quarter. We cover that in our actionable full research report which you can read here (it’s free).
