NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Tradeweb Markets Inc. (Nasdaq: TW), a leading, global operator of electronic marketplaces for rates, credit, equities and money markets, today reported financial results for the quarter ended September 30, 2020.

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Lee Olesky, CEO of Tradeweb Markets

$212.9 million quarterly gross revenues increased 5.9% (4.7% on a constant currency basis) year over year

$780.3 billion average daily volume (“ADV”), a decrease of 4.5% year over year. Quarterly records for TRACE share in U.S. High Grade Credit, U.S. High Grade Credit Fully Electronic, and U.S. High Yield Credit. Quarterly records for ADV in China Bonds and Repos

$47.0 million GAAP net income, a decrease of 3.1%, due to a higher tax rate and lower interest rates on cash balances. $69.9 million adjusted net income, an increase of 13.5% from the prior year period

47.4% adjusted EBITDA margin or $100.9 million adjusted EBITDA for the quarter compared to 46.5% or $93.4 million, respectively, for the prior year period

$0.19 diluted earnings per share (“Diluted EPS”) and $0.30 adjusted diluted earnings per share

$0.08 per share quarterly cash dividend declared

Lee Olesky, CEO of Tradeweb Markets:

“Tradeweb’s business performed exceedingly well in the third quarter, as increased adoption of electronic trading and heightened debt issuance helped fuel record TRACE share in U.S. credit and higher volumes in U.S. treasuries, European government bonds and mortgages. We also saw broader interest in a range of trading protocols and tools including electronic portfolio trading, anonymous A2A trading and automated execution. Throughout the quarter we continued to innovate for our clients, including the launch of a new trading platform for mortgage originators and the introduction of a new channel to help foreign investors gain access to the local Chinese bond market.”

DISCUSSION OF RESULTS

Rates – Revenues from rates of $115.8 million in the third quarter of 2020 increased 0.2% compared to the third quarter of 2019 (-1.0% on a constant currency basis). ADV in rates of $490.1 billion for the third quarter of 2020 decreased 13.0% compared with the third quarter of 2019. Reduced rates volatility led to lower trading volumes in interest rate swaps. This was partially offset by strong trading activity in U.S. treasuries fueled by elevated issuance, and strong trading activity in mortgages as low rates drove new home sales and refinancing activity.

Credit – Revenues from credit of $50.2 million in the third quarter of 2020 increased 26.9% compared to the third quarter of 2019 (25.4% on a constant currency basis) as continued growth in portfolio trading and anonymous trading protocols helped drive TRACE High Grade market share to a record 17.7% (7.7% fully electronic) and TRACE High Yield market share to a record 4.8% (2.5% fully electronic). ADV in credit of $19.6 billion for the third quarter increased 13.7% over the prior year period.

Money Markets – Revenues from money markets of $10.5 million in the third quarter of 2020 increased 0.1% compared to the third quarter of 2019 (-0.7% on a constant currency basis). ADV in money markets of $261.6 billion for the third quarter of 2020 increased 14.3% due to record volume in bilateral repurchase agreements.

Equities – Revenues from equities of $11.9 million in the third quarter of 2020 decreased 3.9% compared to the third quarter of 2019 (-6.3% on a constant currency basis). ADV in equities of $9.0 billion for the third quarter of 2020 increased 23.0%, while strength in U.S. ETF trading was offset by lower volumes in European ETFs.

Market Data – Revenues from market data of $18.6 million in the third quarter of 2020 increased 10.0% compared to the third quarter of 2019 (9.2% on a constant currency basis) due to delivery of additional data under our market data license agreements with Refinitiv.

Other – Revenues from other of $5.9 million in the third quarter of 2020 decreased 3.7% compared to the third quarter of 2019 (-3.7% on a constant currency basis).

Operating Expenses – Operating expenses of $154.3 million in the third quarter of 2020 increased 8.1% compared to the third quarter of 2019 due to higher employee compensation and benefits expense, as well as higher depreciation and amortization expense. Adjusted Expenses were $122.9 million in the third quarter of 2020, an increase of 4.2% from the prior year period, primarily due to higher employee compensation and benefits expense resulting from increased headcount, as well as higher technology and communications expense, partially offset by lower general and administrative expense. Please see "Non-GAAP Financial Measures" below for additional information.

CAPITAL MANAGEMENT

• $677.4 million in cash and cash equivalents and a fully undrawn $500 million credit facility at September 30, 2020.
• Capital expenditures and capitalization of software development: $10.2 million.
• Free cash flow for the trailing twelve months ended September 30, 2020 of $380.0 million up 47.9%. See “Non-GAAP Financial Measures” for additional information.
• The Board of Directors of Tradeweb Markets Inc. declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.08 per share of Class A common stock and Class B common stock. The dividend will be payable on December 15, 2020 to stockholders of record as of December 1, 2020.

OTHER MATTERS

Updated Full-Year 2020 Guidance*

• Adjusted Expenses: $495 - $505 million (lower half of range)
  • Includes ~$5 million of technology & communications investments (data strategy and cybersecurity)
  • Includes ~$7 - $8 million of G&A in Q4 excluding the impact of FX
• Acquisition and Refinitiv Transaction related depreciation and amortization expense: $110 million
• Assumed non-GAAP tax rate: 22.0%
• Capital expenditures and capitalization of software development: $45 - $50 million

*GAAP operating expenses and tax rate guidance are not provided due to the inherent difficulty in quantifying certain amounts due to a variety of factors including the unpredictability in the movement of foreign currency rates.

CONFERENCE CALL

Tradeweb Markets will hold a conference call to discuss third quarter 2020 results starting at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time today, October 28, 2020. A live, audio webcast of the conference call along with related materials will be available at http://investors.tradeweb.com. Alternatively, interested parties can access the call by dialing 866-221-1629 (U.S.) or +1 470-495-9175 (international) and entering passcode 3586933. After the conference call, an archived recording will be available at http://investors.tradeweb.com.

ABOUT TRADEWEB MARKETS

Tradeweb Markets Inc. (Nasdaq: TW) is a leading, global operator of electronic marketplaces for rates, credit, equities and money markets. Founded in 1996, Tradeweb provides access to markets, data and analytics, electronic trading, straight-through-processing and reporting for more than 40 products to clients in the institutional, wholesale and retail markets. Advanced technologies developed by Tradeweb enhance price discovery, order execution and trade workflows while allowing for greater scale and helping to reduce risks in client trading operations. Tradeweb serves approximately 2,500 clients in more than 65 countries. On average, Tradeweb facilitated more than $780 billion in notional value traded per day over the past four fiscal quarters. For more information, please go to www.tradeweb.com.

The following table summarizes the calculation of Adjusted Diluted EPS for the periods presented:

TRADEWEB MARKETS INC.

BASIC AND DILUTED EPS CALCULATIONS (UNAUDITED)

Dollars in Thousands, Except per Share Data

The following table summarizes the basic and diluted earnings per share calculations for Tradeweb Markets Inc. (post-IPO period) and Tradeweb Markets LLC (pre-IPO period):

To access historical traded volumes, go to https://www.tradeweb.com/newsroom/monthly-activity-reports/.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws. Statements related to, among other things, our guidance, including full-year 2020 guidance, and future performance, the industry and markets in which we operate, our expectations, beliefs, plans, strategies, objectives, prospects and assumptions and future events are forward-looking statements. In addition, statements herein relating to the COVID-19 pandemic, the potential impacts of which remain inherently uncertain, are forward-looking statements.

We have based these forward-looking statements on our current expectations, assumptions, estimates and projections. While we believe these expectations, assumptions, estimates and projections are reasonable, such forward-looking statements are only predictions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control. These and other important factors, including those discussed under the heading “Risk Factors” in documents of Tradeweb Markets Inc. on file with or furnished to the SEC, may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Given these risks and uncertainties, you are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements contained in this release are not guarantees of future performance and our actual results of operations, financial condition or liquidity, and the development of the industry and markets in which we operate, may differ materially from the forward-looking statements contained in this release. In addition, even if our results of operations, financial condition, or liquidity, and events in the industry and markets in which we operate, are consistent with the forward-looking statements contained in this release, they may not be predictive of results or developments in future periods. Any forward-looking statement that we make in this release speaks only as of the date of such statement. Except as required by law, we do not undertake any obligation to update or revise, or to publicly announce any update or revision to, any of the forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, after the date of this release.

PRESENTATION

The historical financial information and other disclosures contained in this press release relate to periods that ended both prior to and after the completion of the Reorganization Transactions and the IPO of Tradeweb Markets Inc. (unless the context otherwise requires, together with its subsidiaries, referred to as “we,” “our,” “Tradeweb,” “Tradeweb Markets” or the “Company”). The IPO closed on April 8, 2019. As a result of certain reorganization transactions (the “Reorganization Transactions”) completed in connection with the IPO, on April 4, 2019, Tradeweb Markets Inc. became a holding company whose only material assets consist of its equity interest in Tradeweb Markets LLC (“TWM LLC”) and related deferred tax assets. As the sole manager of TWM LLC, Tradeweb Markets Inc. operates and controls all of the business and affairs of TWM LLC and, through TWM LLC and its subsidiaries, conducts its business. As a result of this control, and because Tradeweb Markets Inc. has a substantial financial interest in TWM LLC, Tradeweb Markets Inc. consolidates the financial results of TWM LLC and its subsidiaries. The historical financial information contained in this press release relating to periods prior to and including March 31, 2019, which we refer to as the “pre-IPO period,” pertain to TWM LLC, the predecessor of Tradeweb Markets Inc. for financial reporting purposes. The historical financial information contained in this press release relating to periods beginning on April 1, 2019, and through and including September 30, 2020, which we refer to as the “post-IPO period,” pertain to Tradeweb Markets Inc. The pre-IPO period excludes, and the post-IPO period includes, our financial results from April 1, 2019 through April 3, 2019, which are not material.

On October 1, 2018, Refinitiv Holdings Ltd. (“Refinitiv”), which is controlled by certain investment funds affiliated with The Blackstone Group L.P., an affiliate of Canada Pension Plan Investment Board, an affiliate of GIC Special Investments Pte. Ltd. and certain co-investors, indirectly acquired substantially all of the financial and risk business of Thomson Reuters Corporation and Thomson Reuters Corporation indirectly acquired a non-controlling ownership interest in Refinitiv (collectively, the “Refinitiv Transaction”). As a result of the Refinitiv Transaction, as a consolidating subsidiary of Refinitiv, we accounted for the Refinitiv Transaction using pushdown accounting. Due to the change in the basis of accounting resulting from the application of pushdown accounting, the financial information for the period beginning on October 1, 2018, and through and including September 30, 2020, or the “successor period,” and the financial information for the periods prior to, and including, September 30, 2018, or the “predecessor period,” are not comparable. However, the change in basis resulting from the Refinitiv Transaction did not impact certain financial information, specifically revenues and certain expenses.

NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES

This release contains “non-GAAP financial measures,” including Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA margin, Adjusted EBIT, Adjusted EBIT margin, Adjusted Net Income, Adjusted Diluted EPS, Adjusted Expenses and Free Cash Flow, which are supplemental financial measures that are not calculated or presented in accordance with GAAP. We make use of non-GAAP financial measures in evaluating our past results and future prospects. We present these non-GAAP financial measures because we believe they assist investors and analysts in comparing our operating performance across reporting periods on a consistent basis by excluding items that we do not believe are indicative of our core operating performance.

Management and our board of directors use Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA margin, Adjusted EBIT and Adjusted EBIT margin to assess our financial performance and believe they are helpful in highlighting trends in our core operating performance, while other measures can differ significantly depending on long-term strategic decisions regarding capital structure, the tax jurisdictions in which we operate and capital investments. Further, our executive incentive compensation is based in part on components of Adjusted EBITDA.

We use Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted Diluted EPS as supplemental metrics to evaluate our business performance in a way that also considers our ability to generate profit without the impact of certain items. Each of the normal recurring adjustments and other adjustments included in Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted Diluted EPS help to provide management with a measure of our operating performance over time by removing items that are not related to day-to-day operations or are non-cash expenses.

We use Adjusted Expenses as a supplemental metric to evaluate our underlying operating performance over time by removing items that are not related to day-to-day operations or are non-cash expenses.

We use Free Cash Flow to assess our liquidity in a way that considers the amount of cash generated from our core operations after expenditures for capitalized software development costs and furniture, equipment and leasehold improvements.

See the attached schedules for reconciliations of the non-GAAP financial measures contained in this release to their most comparable GAAP financial measure. Non-GAAP financial measures have limitations as analytical tools, and you should not consider these non-GAAP financial measures in isolation or as alternatives to net income attributable to Tradeweb Markets Inc., net income, earnings per share, operating income, operating expenses or cash flow from operating activities or any other financial measure derived in accordance with GAAP. You are encouraged to evaluate each adjustment included in the reconciliations. In addition, in evaluating Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA margin, Adjusted EBIT, Adjusted EBIT margin, Adjusted Net Income, Adjusted Diluted EPS, Adjusted Expenses and Free Cash Flow, you should be aware that in the future, we may incur expenses similar to the adjustments in the presentation of these non-GAAP financial measures. Our presentation of non-GAAP financial measures should not be construed as an inference that our future results will be unaffected by unusual or non-recurring items. In addition, the non-GAAP financial measures contained in this release may not be comparable to similarly titled measures used by other companies in our industry or across different industries.

We present certain growth information on a “constant currency” basis. Since our consolidated financial statements are presented in U.S. dollars, we must translate non-U.S. dollar revenues and expenses into U.S. dollars. Constant currency growth, which is a non-GAAP financial measure, is defined as growth excluding the effects of foreign currency fluctuations. Constant currency information is calculated by translating the current period and prior period’s results using the average exchange rates for the prior period. We use constant currency growth as a supplemental metric to evaluate our underlying performance between periods by removing the impact of foreign currency fluctuations. We present certain constant currency growth information because we believe it provides investors and analysts a useful comparison of our results and trends between periods. This information should be considered in addition to, not as a substitute for, results reported in accordance with GAAP, and may not be comparable to similarly titled measures used by other companies.

TRADEWEB SOCIAL MEDIA

Investors and others should note that Tradeweb Markets announces material financial and operational information using its investor relations website, press releases, SEC filings and public conference calls and webcasts. Information about Tradeweb Markets, its business and its results of operations may also be announced by posts on the Company’s accounts on the following social media channels: Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter. The information that we post through these social media channels may be deemed material. As a result, we encourage investors, the media, and others interested in Tradeweb Markets to monitor these social media channels in addition to following our press releases, SEC filings and public conference calls and webcasts. These social media channels may be updated from time to time on our investor relations website.

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Investor Relations

Ashley Serrao + 1 646 430 6027

[email protected]



Media Relations

Daniel Noonan + 1 646 767 4677

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Source: Tradeweb Markets Inc.