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Intercontinental Exchange Inc. (ICE)
NYSE:ICE

Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) AI Stock Analysis

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ICE

Intercontinental Exchange

(NYSE:ICE)

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Outperform 80 (OpenAI - 5.2)
Rating:80Outperform
Price Target:
$201.00
â–²(14.79% Upside)
Intercontinental Exchange's overall stock score reflects its strong financial performance and strategic initiatives, including AI-driven efficiencies and effective debt management. While the stock's valuation is relatively high, the company's robust earnings and strategic focus on core segments provide a solid foundation for future growth. Technical indicators suggest short-term bullish momentum, though medium to long-term resistance remains.
Positive Factors
Free Cash Flow Strength
Substantial FCF growth and a high FCF-to-net-income conversion indicate durable cash generation. This strengthens the company's ability to fund investments, reduce debt, and return capital without relying on external financing, supporting long-term strategic flexibility.
Recurring Data & Fixed Income Franchise
Record results in data and fixed-income services highlight a diversified, sticky revenue mix. Recurring subscriptions and bond market share create predictable cash flows, defendable margins, and structural demand that support steady revenue and EBITDA growth over multiple years.
Balanced Capital Structure
Moderate leverage and improving ROE reflect disciplined balance-sheet management. A conservative debt profile provides financial resilience, capacity for opportunistic M&A or buybacks, and lower refinancing risk, which bolsters long-term operational and strategic stability.
Negative Factors
Slowing Revenue Growth
A visible decline in revenue growth rate signals friction in top-line momentum. If sustained, slower revenue expansion can constrain margin expansion and EPS upside, forcing management to rely more on cost cuts or inorganic moves to meet long-term growth targets.
Mortgage Technology Headwinds
Structural issues in Mortgage Technology—loan roll-offs and lower customer minimums—reduce recurring revenue visibility and may depress segment margins. Prolonged implementation timing could delay conversions from sales into durable, high-margin recurring streams.
Major Client Departure Risk
The loss of a significant client is a structural revenue risk that can lower recurring growth and force increased sales and product investment to replace lost volumes. Even a modest drag can alter multi-year revenue trajectories and planning assumptions.

Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) vs. SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY)

Intercontinental Exchange Business Overview & Revenue Model

Company DescriptionIntercontinental Exchange, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, operates regulated exchanges, clearing houses, and listings venues for commodity, financial, fixed income, and equity markets in the United States, the United Kingdom, the European Union, Singapore, Israel, and Canada. It operates through three segments: Exchanges, Fixed Income and Data Services, and Mortgage Technology. The company operates marketplaces for listing, trading, and clearing an array of derivatives contracts and financial securities, such as commodities, interest rates, foreign exchange, and equities, as well as corporate and exchange-traded funds; trading venues, including 13 regulated exchanges and 6 clearing houses; and offers futures and options products for energy, agricultural and metals, financial, cash equities and equity, over-the-counter, and other markets, as well as listings and data and connectivity services. It also provides fixed income data and analytic, fixed income execution, CDS clearing, and other multi-asset class data and network services. In addition, the company offers proprietary and comprehensive mortgage origination platform, which serves residential mortgage loans; closing solutions that provides customers connectivity to the mortgage supply chain and facilitates the secure exchange of information; data and analytics services; and Data as a Service for lenders to access data and origination information. Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. was founded in 2000 and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia.
How the Company Makes MoneyICE generates revenue primarily through transaction fees charged for trading and clearing services on its exchanges. The key revenue streams include market data sales, where it monetizes information and analytics provided to market participants, and listing fees from companies that list their securities on its exchanges, particularly the NYSE. Additionally, ICE earns revenue from its clearinghouse operations, which facilitate the settlement of trades and manage counterparty risk. The company also benefits from strategic partnerships, including collaborations with other financial institutions to enhance its trading and data services, contributing significantly to its overall earnings.

Intercontinental Exchange Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Any
Any
Revenue by Type
Revenue by Type
Categorizes revenue streams, revealing the diversity and stability of income sources, and indicating potential areas for expansion or vulnerability.
Chart InsightsIntercontinental Exchange's recurring revenue has shown steady growth, reflecting strong customer retention and subscription-based models. Transactional revenue is experiencing a notable upswing, driven by increased activity in the Exchange segment, particularly in interest rate and energy markets. The recent earnings call underscores this momentum, with record transaction revenues and robust performance across all segments. However, challenges such as inactive loans and M&A-related attrition in the Mortgage Technology segment could pose risks to future recurring revenue growth.
Data provided by:The Fly

Intercontinental Exchange Earnings Call Summary

Earnings Call Date:Oct 30, 2025
(Q3-2025)
|
% Change Since: |
Next Earnings Date:Feb 05, 2026
Earnings Call Sentiment Positive
The earnings call presented a strong quarter with record results in several segments and robust growth driven by strategic investments and AI implementation. However, challenges in the Mortgage Technology segment and the future departure of a significant client pose some concerns.
Q3-2025 Updates
Positive Updates
Record Third Quarter Results
Adjusted earnings per share were $1.71, up 10% year-over-year, and net revenues totaled $2.4 billion, marking the best third quarter in the company's history.
Strong Performance in Exchange Segment
Exchange segment revenues totaled $1.3 billion, supported by double-digit growth and a 16% year-over-year surge in open interest across futures and options.
Growth in Fixed Income and Data Services
Fixed Income and Data Services segment achieved record revenues of $618 million, with ICE Bonds revenues increasing 15% and recurring revenues growing by 7% year-over-year.
Mortgage Technology Sales Success
Third quarter revenues in Mortgage Technology totaled $528 million, up 4% year-over-year, with the highest sales quarter of the year, including new client wins.
AI-Driven Operational Improvements
Implementation of AI across the company has improved efficiency, with significant progress in mortgage technology and customer service automation.
Negative Updates
Challenges in Mortgage Technology
Lower-than-expected revenues in the Mortgage Technology segment due to roll off of inactive loans, lower customer minimums, and timing of implementations.
PennyMac Departure
PennyMac plans to leave ICE's platform by 2028, potentially impacting recurring revenue growth by approximately 0.5 percentage points.
Company Guidance
During the ICE Third Quarter 2025 Earnings Conference Call, the company provided several key metrics and guidance for the fourth quarter. ICE reported a record third quarter with adjusted earnings per share of $1.71, a 10% increase year-over-year, and net revenues of $2.4 billion, driven by a 5% increase in recurring revenue. Adjusted operating expenses were $981 million, aided by $15 million in one-time benefits. The company expects fourth quarter adjusted operating expenses to range between $1.005 billion and $1.015 billion, influenced by the absence of those one-time benefits. Additionally, fourth quarter adjusted non-operating expense is projected to be between $180 million and $185 million, largely due to increased interest expenses from an investment in Polymarket. ICE also plans to maintain its third-quarter adjusted tax rate of 21%, benefiting from prior-year tax audit settlements, and anticipates a normalization to a 24% to 26% tax rate in the fourth quarter. The company returned $674 million to shareholders, reduced its debt by $175 million, and expects revenue growth in its exchange data business to be at the high end of its 4% to 5% guidance range for the full year.

Intercontinental Exchange Financial Statement Overview

Summary
Intercontinental Exchange exhibits strong profitability and cash generation, with efficient operations and a balanced capital structure. While revenue growth has slowed, the company maintains robust margins and a healthy balance sheet, positioning it well for future opportunities and challenges.
Income Statement
85
Very Positive
Intercontinental Exchange has demonstrated strong profitability with a consistent gross profit margin above 55% and a net profit margin around 27% in the TTM. However, the revenue growth rate has declined by 4.39% in the TTM, indicating a potential challenge in maintaining growth momentum. The EBIT and EBITDA margins are robust, reflecting efficient operations.
Balance Sheet
78
Positive
The company's balance sheet shows a moderate debt-to-equity ratio of 0.68 in the TTM, suggesting a balanced approach to leverage. Return on equity has improved to 11.47%, indicating effective use of equity to generate profits. The equity ratio is stable, reflecting a solid capital structure.
Cash Flow
82
Very Positive
Cash flow analysis reveals a significant growth in free cash flow by 77.7% in the TTM, highlighting strong cash generation capabilities. The operating cash flow to net income ratio is low, which may suggest potential inefficiencies in converting income to cash. However, the free cash flow to net income ratio is healthy at 90.13%.
BreakdownTTMDec 2024Dec 2023Dec 2022Dec 2021Dec 2020
Income Statement
Total Revenue12.53B11.76B9.90B9.64B9.17B8.24B
Gross Profit6.94B6.52B5.66B5.20B5.02B4.30B
EBITDA6.56B6.08B4.92B3.46B7.13B3.87B
Net Income3.16B2.75B2.37B1.45B4.06B2.09B
Balance Sheet
Total Assets140.90B139.43B136.08B194.34B193.50B126.20B
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments2.20B1.37B2.11B7.95B607.00M583.00M
Total Debt19.51B20.70B22.91B18.38B14.17B16.86B
Total Liabilities112.19B111.71B110.30B171.58B170.75B106.57B
Stockholders Equity28.64B27.65B25.72B22.71B22.71B19.50B
Cash Flow
Free Cash Flow4.41B4.20B3.05B3.07B2.67B2.47B
Operating Cash Flow4.89B4.61B3.54B3.55B3.12B2.88B
Investing Cash Flow-2.09B-921.00M-8.80B677.00M-786.00M-9.83B
Financing Cash Flow1.86B79.00M-64.34B-1.84B62.03B6.74B

Intercontinental Exchange Technical Analysis

Technical Analysis Sentiment
Positive
Last Price175.10
Price Trends
50DMA
162.52
Positive
100DMA
161.10
Positive
200DMA
168.67
Positive
Market Momentum
MACD
3.52
Negative
RSI
64.85
Neutral
STOCH
71.39
Neutral
Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For ICE, the sentiment is Positive. The current price of 175.1 is above the 20-day moving average (MA) of 169.13, above the 50-day MA of 162.52, and above the 200-day MA of 168.67, indicating a bullish trend. The MACD of 3.52 indicates Negative momentum. The RSI at 64.85 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 71.39 is Neutral, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Positive sentiment for ICE.

Intercontinental Exchange Risk Analysis

Intercontinental Exchange disclosed 3 risk factors in its most recent earnings report. Intercontinental Exchange reported the most risks in the "Legal & Regulatory" category.
Finance & Corporate - Financial and accounting risks. Risks related to the execution of corporate activity and strategy
Latest Risks Added 2 New Risks
1.
Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements Q3, 2024
2.
Contractual Obligations and Commercial Commitments Q3, 2024

Intercontinental Exchange Peers Comparison

Overall Rating
UnderperformOutperform
Sector (68)
Financial Indicators
Name
Overall Rating
Market Cap
P/E Ratio
ROE
Dividend Yield
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
80
Outperform
$98.32B31.3911.32%1.19%8.96%30.16%
78
Outperform
$92.17B41.5457.08%0.73%8.77%13.62%
75
Outperform
$27.69B28.4121.51%1.06%16.74%26.74%
74
Outperform
$103.15B27.7313.35%3.92%5.84%8.51%
74
Outperform
$56.36B31.9415.28%1.07%16.41%68.03%
73
Outperform
$159.91B38.3912.57%0.73%9.04%21.35%
68
Neutral
$18.00B11.429.92%3.81%9.73%1.22%
* Financial Sector Average
Performance Comparison
Ticker
Company Name
Price
Change
% Change
ICE
Intercontinental Exchange
175.10
17.06
10.80%
CBOE
Cboe Global Markets
265.52
63.56
31.47%
CME
CME Group
289.83
57.73
24.87%
SPGI
S&P Global
528.63
11.05
2.13%
MCO
Moody's
515.45
19.79
3.99%
NDAQ
Nasdaq
98.09
16.75
20.59%

Intercontinental Exchange Corporate Events

Business Operations and StrategyPrivate Placements and Financing
Intercontinental Exchange Completes $1.25 Billion Notes Offering
Positive
Nov 17, 2025

On November 17, 2025, Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. completed a public offering of $1.25 billion in senior notes, with the proceeds intended to repay existing debt maturing in December 2025. This strategic financial move is expected to strengthen ICE’s financial positioning by managing its debt obligations effectively.

The most recent analyst rating on (ICE) stock is a Buy with a $200.00 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on Intercontinental Exchange stock, see the ICE Stock Forecast page.

Glossary
BuyA stock rated as a "Buy" is expected to perform better than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock is likely to deliver higher returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
HoldA stock rated as a "Hold" is expected to perform in line with the overall market or a specific benchmark. This rating indicates that the stock is neither particularly compelling nor unfavorable for investment. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
SellA stock rated as a "Sell" is expected to perform worse than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock may deliver lower returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.

Disclaimer

This AI Analyst Stock Report is automatically generated by our AI systems using advanced algorithms and publicly available financial, technical, and market data. While the information provided aims to be accurate and insightful, it is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Any content created by an AI (Artificial Intelligence) system may contain inaccuracies and/or contain errors. Investing in stocks carries inherent risks, and past performance is not indicative of future results. This report does not account for your personal financial circumstances, objectives, or risk tolerance. Always conduct your own research or consult with a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions. The analysis and recommendations provided are based on historical and current data and may not fully reflect future market conditions or unexpected developments. Neither the creators of this report nor its affiliated entities guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information presented. Use this report at your own discretion and risk.Date of analysis: Dec 09, 2025