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CME Group cash flow, quarter by quarter

Latest: Q3 2026 · from the cash-flow statements filed with the SEC

Free cash flow$1.1B in Q3 2026 · $4.3B over twelve months

Operating cash flow$1.1B
Capital spending−$15.8M
Free cash flow+$1.1B
Cash / net income1.0×

Analysis

In Q3 2026, CME Group generated $1.1B of operating cash flow and spent $15.8M on capital projects, leaving free cash flow of $1.1B. That is $120M more than in Q3 2025 ($950M).

Over the twelve months to Sep 30, 2026, operating cash flow was $4.4B; the largest uses were dividends ($4.1B), capital spending ($93.7M), taxes on employees’ shares ($47.4M); besides operations, cash came from other financing ($4.1B), other investing ($1.6B); the cash balance rose by $5.9B.

Operating cash flow was $1.1B against net income of $1.0B — 1.0× profit, roughly in line with earnings. The largest differences: prepaid and other assets −$329M, accrued liabilities +$307M, other liabilities −$136M.

Free cash flow

CME Group: free cash flow by quarterCME Group: free cash flow by quarter$992MQ4 2024$1.1BQ1 2025$1.0BQ2 2025$950MQ3 2025$1.1BQ4 2025$1.2BQ1 2026$924MQ2 2026$1.1BQ3 2026
Operating cash flow less capital spending.
CME Group: operating cash flow against capital spendingCME Group: operating cash flow against capital spendingOperating cash flowCapital spending$1.0B$26.2MQ4 2024$1.1B$14.2MQ1 2025$1.1B$18.4MQ2 2025$968M$18.4MQ3 2025$1.1B$32.5MQ4 2025$1.3B$21.8MQ1 2026$947M$23.6MQ2 2026$1.1B$15.8MQ3 2026
Latest (Q3 2026): Operating cash flow $1.1B, Capital spending $15.8M.

Capital allocation, year by year

CME Group: where the cash came from (up) and went (down), by fiscal yearCME Group: where the cash came from (up) and went (down), by fiscal yearOperating cash flowNet borrowingShares issuedAsset salesCapital spendingDividendsFY2021: Operating cash flow $2.4BFY2021: Net borrowing −$17.0MFY2021: Shares issued $965MFY2021: Asset sales $140MFY2021: Capital spending −$127MFY2021: Dividends −$2.2B$3.5BFY2021FY2022: Operating cash flow $3.1BFY2022: Net borrowing $724MFY2022: Capital spending −$89.7MFY2022: Dividends −$2.6B$3.8BFY2022FY2023: Operating cash flow $3.5BFY2023: Net borrowing −$17.2MFY2023: Capital spending −$76.4MFY2023: Dividends −$3.2B$3.5BFY2023FY2024: Operating cash flow $3.7BFY2024: Net borrowing −$17.4MFY2024: Capital spending −$94.0MFY2024: Dividends −$3.6B$3.7BFY2024FY2025: Operating cash flow $4.3BFY2025: Net borrowing $723MFY2025: Capital spending −$83.5MFY2025: Dividends −$3.9B$5.0BFY2025
Over these 5 years operating cash flow totalled $16.9B; the largest uses were dividends ($15.6B) and capital spending ($471M). Cash-flow statements as filed.

Cash runway and the debt wall

Cash & investments$2.3B
Debtnone
Net cash$2.3B

CME Group funds itself: free cash flow was $4.3B over the last twelve months, with $2.3B of cash and investments and no debt on the balance sheet.

CME Group: debt maturities by year (FY2025)CME Group: debt maturities by year (FY2025)$500MYear 3$750MYear 5$2.2BAfter year 5
Principal due in each year as disclosed in the annual report, against $2.3B of cash and investments now.

Where the cash came from and went

CME Group: sources (+) and uses (−) of cash, Q3 2026CME Group: sources (+) and uses (−) of cash, Q3 2026Other financing−$3.5BCash drawn (+) / kept (−)$2.9BOperating cash flow$1.1BDividends−$465MTaxes on employees’ shares−$22.3MCapital spending−$15.8MOther investing−$4.8MNet borrowing (+) / repaid (−)−$4.4M
CME Group: sources (+) and uses (−) of cash, TTM to Q3 2026CME Group: sources (+) and uses (−) of cash, TTM to Q3 2026Cash drawn (+) / kept (−)−$5.9BOperating cash flow$4.4BOther financing$4.1BDividends−$4.1BOther investing$1.6BCapital spending−$93.7MTaxes on employees’ shares−$47.4MNet borrowing (+) / repaid (−)−$17.6M

From profit to cash

CME Group: net income to operating cash flow, Q3 2026CME Group: net income to operating cash flow, Q3 2026Net income$1.0BDepreciation & amortization$83.4MStock-based pay$24.1MDeferred taxes−$4.2MGains on investments$300KOther non-cash−$23.4MReceivables−$35.1MPayables−$300KAccrued liabilities$307MPrepaid and other assets−$329MOther liabilities−$136MIncome taxes payable−$9.2MOperating cash flow$1.1B
Non-cash charges are added back; money tied up in receivables or inventory is subtracted.

Every quarter

QuarterOperating cash flowCapital spendingDividendsNet borrowing (+) / repaid (−)Cash drawn (+) / kept (−)Free cash flow
Q3 2026$1.1B−$15.8M−$465M−$4.4M$2.9B$1.1B
Q2 2026$947M−$23.6M−$468M−$4.4M$7.2B$924M
Q1 2026$1.3B−$21.8M−$2.7B−$4.4M−$3.4B$1.2B
Q4 2025$1.1B−$32.5M−$455M−$4.4M−$12.6B$1.1B
Q3 2025$968M−$18.4M−$455M−$6.1M−$7.3B$950M
Q2 2025$1.1B−$18.4M−$455M−$4.3M−$22.0B$1.0B
Q1 2025$1.1B−$14.2M−$2.6B−$12.1M−$20.3B$1.1B
Q4 2024$1.0B−$26.2M−$419M−$4.4M−$8.5M$992M

CME Group: income statement and cash flow

CME Group, Q3 2026: revenue $1.7B (+13% year over year), operating margin 65.7%. The chart follows the revenue to costs, profit and cash.

CME Group: every quarter, Q/Q and Y/Y → Open in the app

Read automatically from the company’s XBRL cash-flow statements; quarterly figures for the fourth quarter are the year less the first three. Errors are possible. Not investment advice.