CME Group Inc. (CME) Cash Flow Statement
Where CME’s cash came from and went, 2025
December 31, 2025 · U.S. dollars- Cash from operations
- $4.28B +15.9% vs 2024
- Capital expenditures
- $83.5M 1.3% of revenue
- Free cash flow
- $4.19B 64.3% margin
- Returned to shareholders
- $4.20B 100% of free cash flow
- Change in cash
- $62.29B cash at year-end $164.08B
Drawn to scale: where the cash came from and how it was used. Hover for values.
CME operating cash flow, capex and free cash flow
CME cash flow trends, 2016–2025
| Metric | Trend | Then | Latest | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operating cash flow | $1.72B2016 | $4.28B2025 | +10.7%/yr | |
| Capital expenditures | $91.8M2016 | $83.5M2025 | −1.0%/yr | |
| Free cash flow | $1.62B2016 | $4.19B2025 | +11.1%/yr | |
| Free cash flow margin | 45.2%2016 | 64.3%2025 | +19.1 pts | |
| Operating cash flow / net income | 1.122016 | 1.052025 | −0.07 | |
| Stock-based compensation | $66.2M2016 | $94.8M2025 | +4.1%/yr | |
| Dividends paid | $1.79B2016 | $3.93B2025 | +9.2%/yr | |
| Share buybacks (net) | $26.8M2016 | $266.1M2025 | +29.1%/yr | |
| Capex / revenue | 2.6%2016 | 1.3%2025 | −1.3 pts |
Change is the average annual growth (CAGR) or the difference between the first and latest year.
CME cash flow by activity
CME net income vs operating cash flow
Operating cash flow above net income usually means earnings are backed by cash (depreciation and stock-based pay are non-cash expenses).
CME cash flow statement
| 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operating activities | ||||||||||
| Net income | $4.07B | $3.53B | $3.23B | $2.69B | $2.64B | $2.11B | $2.12B | $1.96B | $4.06B | $1.53B |
| Depreciation & amortization | $330.9M | $336.8M | $352.6M | $362.6M | $385.4M | $464.4M | $473.3M | $248.7M | $208.5M | $225.3M |
| Stock-based compensation | $94.8M | $89.5M | $82.9M | $84.3M | $75.2M | $96.0M | $73.1M | $96.5M | $58.0M | $66.2M |
| Change in working capital | $99.7M | −$191.6M | −$95.2M | −$95.2M | −$161.8M | $59.2M | −$34.6M | $49.7M | −$16.7M | −$3.3M |
| Other non-cash items | −$320.5M | −$70.0M | −$112.7M | $13.3M | −$533.3M | −$10.4M | $45.2M | $82.2M | −$2.47B | −$106.3M |
| Cash from operating activities | $4.28B | $3.69B | $3.45B | $3.06B | $2.40B | $2.72B | $2.67B | $2.44B | $1.84B | $1.72B |
| Investing activities | ||||||||||
| Capital expenditures | −$83.5M | −$94.0M | −$76.4M | −$89.7M | −$127.2M | −$197.5M | −$245.6M | −$116.7M | −$81.9M | −$91.8M |
| Investments (net) | $1.9M | −$82.6M | $15.6M | −$489.8M | $98.5M | −$4.3M | $3.4M | $1.8M | $257.8M | $136.7M |
| Acquisitions & other investing | $1.58B | $94.0M | $81.7M | $89.7M | $87.1M | $26.3M | $89.6M | −$1.77B | $4.0M | $8.8M |
| Cash from investing activities | $1.50B | −$82.6M | $20.9M | −$489.8M | $58.4M | −$175.5M | −$152.6M | −$1.89B | $179.9M | $53.7M |
| Financing activities | ||||||||||
| Dividends paid | −$3.93B | −$3.58B | −$3.24B | −$2.63B | −$2.19B | −$2.11B | −$1.70B | −$2.15B | −$1.99B | −$1.79B |
| Share repurchases & issuance (net) | −$266.1M | −$33.0M | −$21.4M | −$24.8M | $965.0M | −$41.4M | $16.0M | −$1.52B | −$31.3M | −$26.8M |
| Net borrowing (repayment) | −$9.4M | $0 | −$16.4M | −$22.72B | $71.17B | −$304.6M | −$661.7M | $1.09B | $1.12B | $130.0M |
| Shares issued | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $965.0M | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Other financing | $60.72B | $8.69B | −$45.07B | −$7.9M | −$999.8M | −$2.2M | $800,000 | $1.50B | −$1.08B | $90.3M |
| Cash from financing activities | $56.51B | $5.08B | −$48.34B | −$25.38B | $69.91B | −$2.46B | −$2.34B | −$1.08B | −$1.99B | −$1.59B |
| Summary | ||||||||||
| Net change in cash | $62.29B | $8.68B | −$44.86B | −$22.82B | $72.37B | $81.9M | $179.4M | −$528.8M | $35.0M | $176.0M |
| Cash at end of period | $164.08B | $101.79B | $93.11B | $137.97B | $160.79B | $1.64B | $1.56B | $1.38B | $1.90B | $1.87B |
| Free cash flow | $4.19B | $3.60B | $3.38B | $2.97B | $2.28B | $2.52B | $2.43B | $2.32B | $1.76B | $1.62B |
| Free cash flow margin | 64.3% | 58.7% | 60.5% | 59.1% | 48.5% | 51.6% | 49.9% | 53.9% | 48.2% | 45.2% |
| Capex / revenue | 1.3% | 1.5% | 1.4% | 1.8% | 2.7% | 4.0% | 5.0% | 2.7% | 2.2% | 2.6% |
| Operating cash flow / net income | 1.05 | 1.05 | 1.07 | 1.14 | 0.91 | 1.29 | 1.26 | 1.24 | 0.45 | 1.12 |
| Jun '26 | Mar '26 | Dec '25 | Sep '25 | Jun '25 | Mar '25 | Dec '24 | Sep '24 | Jun '24 | Mar '24 | Dec '23 | Sep '23 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operating activities | ||||||||||||
| Net income | $1.04B | $1.15B | $1.18B | $908.0M | $1.03B | $956.2M | $874.6M | $912.8M | $883.2M | $855.2M | $833.4M | $750.2M |
| Depreciation & amortization | $84.2M | $83.3M | $82.4M | $82.6M | $83.4M | $82.5M | $83.4M | $83.9M | $84.2M | $85.3M | $86.3M | $88.3M |
| Stock-based compensation | $24.8M | $21.8M | $28.9M | $24.0M | $20.7M | $21.2M | $27.1M | $20.3M | $18.8M | $23.3M | $24.3M | $18.9M |
| Change in working capital | −$218.5M | $140.3M | $104.4M | −$14.0M | −$51.7M | $61.0M | $66.9M | −$18.9M | −$193.0M | −$61.2M | $168.6M | −$10.2M |
| Other non-cash items | $14.8M | −$139.8M | −$264.7M | −$32.5M | −$19.0M | −$4.3M | −$34.1M | $4.9M | −$16.3M | −$9.9M | −$68.3M | $9.5M |
| Cash from operating activities | $947.1M | $1.26B | $1.13B | $968.1M | $1.06B | $1.12B | $1.02B | $1.00B | $776.9M | $892.7M | $1.04B | $856.7M |
| Investing activities | ||||||||||||
| Capital expenditures | −$23.6M | −$21.8M | −$32.5M | −$18.4M | −$18.4M | −$14.2M | −$26.2M | −$29.8M | −$18.2M | −$19.8M | −$20.8M | −$19.9M |
| Investments (net) | −$500,000 | $300,000 | $600,000 | −$19.1M | −$18.0M | −$16.0M | −$25.3M | −$29.5M | −$5.0M | −$22.8M | −$20.4M | −$19.5M |
| Acquisitions & other investing | −$5.3M | −$1.5M | $1.58B | $18.4M | $18.4M | $14.2M | $26.2M | $29.8M | $18.2M | $19.8M | $20.8M | $19.9M |
| Cash from investing activities | −$29.4M | −$23.0M | $1.55B | −$19.1M | −$18.0M | −$16.0M | −$25.3M | −$29.5M | −$5.0M | −$22.8M | −$20.4M | −$19.5M |
| Financing activities | ||||||||||||
| Dividends paid | −$468.1M | −$2.70B | −$455.0M | −$455.3M | −$455.3M | −$2.57B | −$418.8M | −$418.5M | −$418.5M | −$2.33B | −$400.1M | −$400.0M |
| Share repurchases & issuance (net) | −$698.2M | −$538.7M | −$257.9M | −$22.2M | −$8.2M | −$8.2M | −$3.5M | −$17.1M | −$100,000 | −$12.3M | −$2.9M | −$17.4M |
| Net borrowing (repayment) | $0 | $0 | $0 | −$1.7M | $0 | −$7.7M | $0 | $0 | — | — | — | −$26.05B |
| Shares issued | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Other financing | −$6.92B | $5.35B | $10.61B | $6.88B | $21.46B | $21.79B | −$561.8M | $13.78B | −$8.80B | $4.28B | $2.99B | $0 |
| Cash from financing activities | −$8.09B | $2.12B | $9.90B | $6.40B | $21.00B | $19.21B | −$984.1M | $13.35B | −$9.22B | $1.94B | $2.59B | −$26.47B |
| Summary | ||||||||||||
| Net change in cash | −$7.17B | $3.35B | $12.59B | $7.35B | $22.04B | $20.31B | $8.5M | $14.32B | $353.0M | $2.81B | $611.9M | −$25.63B |
| Cash at end of period | $160.26B | $167.43B | $164.08B | $151.49B | $144.15B | $122.11B | $101.79B | $101.79B | $1.80B | $95.92B | $2.92B | $89.50B |
| Free cash flow | $923.5M | $1.24B | $1.10B | $949.7M | $1.04B | $1.10B | $991.7M | $973.2M | $758.7M | $872.9M | $1.02B | $836.8M |
| Free cash flow margin | 54.1% | 65.9% | 66.8% | 61.8% | 61.5% | 67.1% | 65.0% | 61.4% | 49.5% | 58.7% | 71.1% | 62.6% |
| Capex / revenue | 1.4% | 1.2% | 2.0% | 1.2% | 1.1% | 0.9% | 1.7% | 1.9% | 1.2% | 1.3% | 1.4% | 1.5% |
| Operating cash flow / net income | 0.91 | 1.09 | 0.96 | 1.07 | 1.03 | 1.17 | 1.16 | 1.10 | 0.88 | 1.04 | 1.25 | 1.14 |
Negative numbers are cash paid out. Quarterly columns are labeled by the month the quarter ended. Figures in U.S. dollars as reported; data from EODHD.
CME cash generation
In fiscal 2025 (ended December 31, 2025), CME Group generated $4.3 billion of cash from operations (up 15.9%) and spent $83.5 million on capital expenditures, leaving free cash flow of $4.2 billion, 64.3% of revenue. It returned $4.2 billion to shareholders through dividends ($3.9 billion) and net share buybacks ($266.1 million). Cash and equivalents rose by $62.3 billion over the year.
Related: CME income statement, CME balance sheet, CME dividend history. See the CME stock overview for the latest quote and news.
CME cash flow FAQ
What is CME Group's free cash flow?
CME Group's free cash flow was $4.2 billion in fiscal 2025: $4.3 billion of operating cash flow minus $83.5 million of capital expenditures It was $3.6 billion a year earlier..
How much cash does CME Group generate from operations?
CME Group generated $4.3 billion of cash from operating activities in fiscal 2025, 1.05 times its net income of $4.1 billion.
How much does CME Group spend on capital expenditures?
CME Group spent $83.5 million on capital expenditures in fiscal 2025, 1.3% of revenue, compared with $94.0 million the year before.
How much stock does CME Group buy back?
CME Group spent $266.1 million on net share repurchases in fiscal 2025.
How much does CME Group pay in dividends?
CME Group paid $3.9 billion in dividends in fiscal 2025, 93.8% of free cash flow.