WallStSmart

CME Group Inc (CME)vsIntercontinental Exchange Inc (ICE)

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Smart Verdict

WallStSmart Research — data-driven comparison

Intercontinental Exchange Inc generates 57% more annual revenue ($10.91B vs $6.96B). CME leads profitability with a 63.5% profit margin vs 38.1%. ICE appears more attractively valued with a PEG of 1.93. ICE earns a higher WallStSmart Score of 65/100 (C+).

CME

Buy

63

out of 100

Grade: C+

Growth: 6.7Profit: 8.0Value: 4.3Quality: 4.5
Piotroski: 1/9Altman Z: -0.67

ICE

Buy

65

out of 100

Grade: C+

Growth: 6.7Profit: 7.5Value: 5.0Quality: 5.0
Piotroski: 6/9Altman Z: 0.60

Key Strengths & Concerns

Side-by-side fundamental analysis

Key Strengths

CME4 strengths · Avg: 9.5/10
Profit MarginProfitability
63.5%10/10

Keeps 64 of every $100 in revenue as profit

Operating MarginProfitability
65.8%10/10

Strong operational efficiency at 65.8%

Market CapQuality
$108.50B9/10

Large-cap with strong market position

Debt/EquityHealth
0.139/10

Conservative balance sheet, low leverage

ICE4 strengths · Avg: 9.3/10
Profit MarginProfitability
38.1%10/10

Keeps 38 of every $100 in revenue as profit

Operating MarginProfitability
52.8%10/10

Strong operational efficiency at 52.8%

Market CapQuality
$94.36B9/10

Large-cap with strong market position

Free Cash FlowQuality
$1.74B8/10

Generating 1.7B in free cash flow

Areas to Watch

CME3 concerns · Avg: 2.3/10
Piotroski F-ScoreQuality
1/93/10

Weak financial health signals

PEG RatioValuation
4.182/10

Expensive relative to growth rate

Altman Z-ScoreHealth
-0.672/10

Distress zone — elevated risk

ICE2 concerns · Avg: 3.0/10
PEG RatioValuation
1.934/10

Expensive relative to growth rate

Altman Z-ScoreHealth
0.602/10

Distress zone — elevated risk

Comparative Analysis Report

WallStSmart Research

Bull Case : CME

The strongest argument for CME centers on Profit Margin, Operating Margin, Market Cap. Profitability is solid with margins at 63.5% and operating margin at 65.8%. Revenue growth of 13.0% demonstrates continued momentum.

Bull Case : ICE

The strongest argument for ICE centers on Profit Margin, Operating Margin, Market Cap. Profitability is solid with margins at 38.1% and operating margin at 52.8%. Revenue growth of 14.7% demonstrates continued momentum.

Bear Case : CME

The primary concerns for CME are Piotroski F-Score, PEG Ratio, Altman Z-Score.

Bear Case : ICE

The primary concerns for ICE are PEG Ratio, Altman Z-Score.

Key Dynamics to Monitor

ICE carries more volatility with a beta of 0.94 — expect wider price swings.

ICE is growing revenue faster at 14.7% — sustainability is the question.

Monitor FINANCIAL DATA & STOCK EXCHANGES industry trends, competitive dynamics, and regulatory changes.

Bottom Line

ICE scores higher overall (65/100 vs 63/100), backed by strong 38.1% margins and 14.7% revenue growth. Both earn "Buy" and "Buy" ratings respectively — the choice depends on your investment horizon and risk tolerance.

This analysis is generated from publicly available financial data. Not financial advice.

CME Group Inc

FINANCIAL SERVICES · FINANCIAL DATA & STOCK EXCHANGES · USA

CME Group Inc. (Chicago Mercantile Exchange, Chicago Board of Trade, New York Mercantile Exchange, The Commodity Exchange) is an American global markets company. It is the world's largest financial derivatives exchange, and trades in asset classes that include agricultural products, currencies, energy, interest rates, metals, stock indexes and cryptocurrencies futures.

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Intercontinental Exchange Inc

FINANCIAL SERVICES · FINANCIAL DATA & STOCK EXCHANGES · USA

The Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) is an American Fortune 500 company formed in 2000 that operates global exchanges, clearing houses and provides mortgage technology, data and listing services. The company owns exchanges for financial and commodity markets, and operates regulated exchanges and marketplaces.

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