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Virtu Financial (VIRT)
NYSE:VIRT
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Virtu Financial (VIRT) AI Stock Analysis

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VIRT

Virtu Financial

(NYSE:VIRT)

Rating:78Outperform
Price Target:
$48.00
▲(14.75% Upside)
Virtu Financial's strong financial performance and positive earnings call are the most significant factors driving the score. The company's valuation is attractive, and recent corporate events are strategically beneficial. However, mixed technical signals and some market penetration challenges slightly temper the overall outlook.
Positive Factors
Business Initiatives
Newer business initiatives are accelerating, with contributions from options market-making, ETF blocks, and crypto significantly impacting the firm's strong performance.
M&A Synergy
Virtu's Execution Services business has become a successful exemplar of M&A integration and synergy generation with acquisitions enhancing their tech platforms and analytic tools.
Revenue Growth
The company posted its sixth consecutive quarter of increasing revenue in its Execution Services, achieving its best result since early 2022.
Negative Factors
Earnings Outlook
The EPS estimate for Virtu Financial Inc's second quarter is reduced by 8% to $1.44, showing a decline in expected earnings.
Market Conditions
Concerns have risen that volumes and spreads could experience a meaningful decline in the second half of 2025, particularly in the retail channel.
Valuation and Profit
The stock has outperformed significantly, but a less attractive valuation and potential for profit deceleration in the second half of 2025 led to a rating downgrade to Neutral.

Virtu Financial (VIRT) vs. SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY)

Virtu Financial Business Overview & Revenue Model

Company DescriptionVirtu Financial, Inc., a financial services company, provides data, analytics, and connectivity products to clients worldwide. The company operates in two segments, Market Making and Execution Services. Its product suite includes offerings in execution, liquidity sourcing, analytics and broker-neutral, and multi-dealer platforms in workflow technology. The company's solutions enable clients to trade on various venues across countries and in multiple asset classes, including global equities, ETFs, foreign exchange, futures, fixed income, cryptocurrencies, and other commodities. Its analytics platform provides a range of pre- and post-trade services, data products, and compliance tools for clients to invest, trade, and manage risk across markets. Virtu Financial, Inc. was founded in 2008 and is headquartered in New York, New York.
How the Company Makes MoneyVirtu Financial generates revenue primarily through its market-making activities, where it earns profits from the bid-ask spread when buying and selling securities. This involves providing liquidity by continuously quoting prices for various financial instruments, allowing other market participants to transact. The company also earns revenues from trading activities, including proprietary trading, where it trades its own capital to capture market opportunities. Additionally, Virtu benefits from transaction fees and commissions on trades executed on exchanges and other trading platforms. Significant partnerships with exchanges and trading venues enhance its trading capabilities, while robust technology infrastructure allows for high-frequency trading, optimizing profit margins.

Virtu Financial Earnings Call Summary

Earnings Call Date:Jul 30, 2025
(Q2-2025)
|
% Change Since: -5.02%|
Next Earnings Date:Oct 30, 2025
Earnings Call Sentiment Positive
The earnings call highlighted Virtu Financial's strong performance with record trading income, growth in key segments like ETFs and digital assets, and a successful leadership transition. However, there were some concerns regarding market penetration and regulatory uncertainties. Overall, the positive aspects significantly outweighed the challenges.
Q2-2025 Updates
Positive Updates
Record Adjusted Net Trading Income
Virtu Financial recorded $568 million in adjusted net trading income, marking a significant increase from previous periods, with $9.2 million per day.
Strong Performance Across Market Making and Execution Services
Market Making contributed $451 million, while Execution Services contributed $116 million in adjusted net trading income.
Growth in ETF Block Franchise and Digital Assets
The ETF block franchise and global digital asset desk reached an all-time high, with digital assets expanding to cover more markets and asset classes.
Record Adjusted EBITDA Margin
Achieved an adjusted EBITDA margin of 65%, the highest since Q1 2022, through disciplined expense management and operational efficiency.
Continued Share Repurchase Program
Repurchased 1.7 million shares for $66 million in Q2 2025, totaling $1.4 billion in share repurchases since program inception.
Leadership Transition
CEO Douglas Cifu announced his retirement, and Aaron Simons, Chief Technology Officer, will take over, ensuring continuity and fresh strategic vision.
Negative Updates
Challenges in Institutional Market Penetration
Despite strong execution services, there was only modest sequential growth, indicating potential challenges in expanding institutional market share.
Uncertainty in Regulatory Landscape
Concerns about the regulatory landscape for tokenization and the need for clarity from regulators to prevent an unregulated environment.
Company Guidance
In the Virtu Financial 2025 Second Quarter Results call, the company reported robust performance metrics, achieving $568 million in adjusted net trading income, which equates to $9.2 million per day, alongside an adjusted EPS of $1.53. Market Making contributed $451 million, while Execution Services added $116 million, marking consistent growth with six consecutive quarters of increasing adjusted net trading income. The company also highlighted its growth initiatives, which reached a record high of $1.3 million per day, or 15% of the total adjusted net trading income per day. Virtu's adjusted EBITDA margin stood at 65%, with adjusted cash operating expenses at $198 million and a compensation ratio of 19% including cash, and 23% when including stock. The company reported a debt to LTM adjusted EBITDA ratio of 1.5x and repurchased $66 million worth of shares in the quarter. Looking ahead, Virtu is optimistic about opportunities in digital assets, overnight equity trading, and tokenization, which are expected to further drive growth.

Virtu Financial Financial Statement Overview

Summary
Virtu Financial demonstrates strong financial health with excellent profitability, efficient cash flow management, and moderate leverage. While revenue growth has been inconsistent, the company maintains high margins and robust cash flows, positioning it well within the capital markets industry.
Income Statement
82
Very Positive
Virtu Financial's income statement reveals strong profitability with a gross profit margin of 81.34% and a net profit margin of 27.95% for the TTM, indicating efficient cost management and healthy earnings. The EBIT and EBITDA margins are also robust at 30.74% and 69.74%, respectively. However, revenue growth has been volatile, showing a TTM growth rate of 0.77% after a decline the previous year, suggesting some instability in revenue generation.
Balance Sheet
75
Positive
The balance sheet shows a moderate debt-to-equity ratio of 0.21, indicating a conservative leverage approach. The return on equity is impressive at 51.89% for the TTM, highlighting efficient use of equity. The equity ratio stands at 8.90%, slightly low, suggesting a risk of over-leverage in case of fluctuating market conditions. Overall, the balance sheet is stable but with potential vulnerability due to low equity support.
Cash Flow
88
Very Positive
Cash flow analysis shows strong operational performance with an operating cash flow to net income ratio of 1.25, indicating good cash generation relative to earnings. The free cash flow has grown significantly, with a TTM free cash flow of $986.52 million, up from $544.68 million the previous year, reflecting robust cash management. The free cash flow to net income ratio is 1.22, suggesting efficient conversion of profits into cash.
BreakdownTTMDec 2024Dec 2023Dec 2022Dec 2021Dec 2020
Income Statement
Total Revenue3.07B2.88B2.29B2.36B2.81B3.24B
Gross Profit1.86B1.77B1.39B1.35B1.69B2.09B
EBITDA1.48B1.39B1.05B1.01B1.35B1.74B
Net Income320.28M276.42M142.04M265.03M476.88M649.20M
Balance Sheet
Total Assets17.55B15.36B14.47B10.58B10.32B9.97B
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments723.65M872.51M820.44M981.58M1.07B889.56M
Total Debt1.74B1.74B1.73B1.80B1.61B1.64B
Total Liabilities15.99B13.87B13.06B1.80B1.61B1.64B
Stockholders Equity1.31B1.25B1.20B1.34B1.55B1.47B
Cash Flow
Free Cash Flow956.86M544.68M454.00M679.60M1.15B1.03B
Operating Cash Flow1.01B598.99M491.78M706.80M1.17B1.06B
Investing Cash Flow-65.38M-61.85M-94.48M-29.53M-87.35M-2.56M
Financing Cash Flow-601.60M-469.56M-585.03M-735.75M-957.86M-839.92M

Virtu Financial Technical Analysis

Technical Analysis Sentiment
Neutral
Last Price41.83
Price Trends
50DMA
42.98
Negative
100DMA
41.07
Positive
200DMA
38.38
Positive
Market Momentum
MACD
-0.33
Positive
RSI
39.81
Neutral
STOCH
18.93
Positive
Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For VIRT, the sentiment is Neutral. The current price of 41.83 is below the 20-day moving average (MA) of 43.31, below the 50-day MA of 42.98, and above the 200-day MA of 38.38, indicating a neutral trend. The MACD of -0.33 indicates Positive momentum. The RSI at 39.81 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 18.93 is Positive, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Neutral sentiment for VIRT.

Virtu Financial Risk Analysis

Virtu Financial disclosed 46 risk factors in its most recent earnings report. Virtu Financial reported the most risks in the "Finance & Corporate" category.
Finance & Corporate - Financial and accounting risks. Risks related to the execution of corporate activity and strategy
Latest Risks Added 0 New Risks

Virtu Financial Peers Comparison

Overall Rating
UnderperformOutperform
Sector (58)
Financial Indicators
Name
Overall Rating
Market Cap
P/E Ratio
ROE
Dividend Yield
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
80
Outperform
$30.11B35.4719.15%0.40%12.30%20.76%
78
Outperform
$6.44B9.5628.75%2.29%25.12%122.80%
75
Outperform
$31.00B50.539.51%0.34%27.97%28.39%
74
Outperform
$179.14B26.5715.59%1.11%4.64%54.26%
68
Neutral
$7.03B31.6716.41%1.59%8.30%-14.39%
67
Neutral
$4.82B15.7616.01%53.19%23.89%
58
Neutral
HK$111.68B6.58-4.20%3.95%9.04%-46.99%
* Financial Sector Average
Performance Comparison
Ticker
Company Name
Price
Change
% Change
VIRT
Virtu Financial
41.83
12.32
41.75%
IBKR
Interactive Brokers
63.49
34.15
116.39%
SNEX
StoneX Group
91.72
39.41
75.34%
MKTX
Marketaxess Holdings
189.00
-48.76
-20.51%
SCHW
Charles Schwab
95.59
31.06
48.13%
TW
Tradeweb Markets
130.68
14.18
12.17%

Virtu Financial Corporate Events

Executive/Board ChangesBusiness Operations and Strategy
Virtu Financial Announces New CEO Appointment
Positive
Jul 31, 2025

On July 30, 2025, Virtu Financial announced that Aaron Simons, the current Chief Technology Officer, will be appointed as the new Chief Executive Officer effective August 1, 2025, succeeding Douglas A. Cifu. Mr. Cifu will transition to a consultant role until the end of the year to ensure a smooth transition. This leadership change is part of Virtu’s long-term planning and reflects the company’s confidence in Mr. Simons’ leadership and vision to continue building on the company’s momentum and strategic direction. Mr. Simons, who has been with Virtu since 2008, brings extensive experience in technology and trading, which is expected to benefit Virtu’s operations and market positioning.

The most recent analyst rating on (VIRT) stock is a Hold with a $34.00 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on Virtu Financial stock, see the VIRT Stock Forecast page.

Executive/Board ChangesShareholder Meetings
Virtu Financial Confirms Key Decisions at Annual Meeting
Neutral
Jun 3, 2025

On June 2, 2025, Virtu Financial, Inc. held its annual meeting of stockholders where several key decisions were made. The election of Class I directors for a three-year term, approval of executive compensation, and the continuation of annual advisory votes on executive pay were confirmed. Additionally, the appointment of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as the independent auditor for the fiscal year 2025 was ratified, and amendments to the Management Incentive Plan were approved, impacting the company’s governance and compensation strategies.

The most recent analyst rating on (VIRT) stock is a Hold with a $25.00 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on Virtu Financial stock, see the VIRT Stock Forecast page.

Delistings and Listing ChangesBusiness Operations and Strategy
Virtu Financial Announces Transfer to NYSE
Positive
May 29, 2025

On May 29, 2025, Virtu Financial announced its decision to transfer the listing of its Class A Common Stock from Nasdaq to the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), with trading on Nasdaq ceasing on June 16, 2025, and commencing on the NYSE on June 17, 2025. This strategic move is aimed at leveraging the NYSE’s platform to enhance transparency, excellence, and long-term value creation for shareholders, while deepening relationships with investors and maintaining its role as a prominent liquidity provider in the global financial markets.

The most recent analyst rating on (VIRT) stock is a Hold with a $25.00 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on Virtu Financial stock, see the VIRT 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: Aug 07, 2025