CME Group Insider Shepard Boosts Stake with New Grant & Purchases

Rhea-AI Filing Summary

CME Group Inc. (CME) – Form 4 insider activity dated 06/25/2025

Director William R. Shepard reported three separate Class A common-stock acquisitions:

• 879 shares were granted under the CME Group Director Stock Plan (transaction code A) with a reference price of $273.03. Shares are held indirectly in a trust. Post-grant indirect holdings: 257,939.99 shares.
• Through a dividend-reinvestment plan, the trust purchased 256.097 shares in the open market (code P) at an average price of $270.53. Indirect holdings after the trade: 258,196.087 shares.
• Shepard’s direct account purchased 11.29 shares at $270.53, raising direct ownership to 2,454.76 shares.

No derivative securities were reported. The filing was signed on 06/26/2025.

Insights

Financial Analyst

TL;DR: Director bought & received ~1,146 shares; modest size, cautiously positive signal.

The Form 4 shows William R. Shepard increasing his CME equity stake by a net 1,146.386 shares (grant plus purchases). Roughly three-quarters of the addition stems from a routine director equity grant, while the remainder comes from automatic dividend reinvestment and a small direct market buy. Dollar value (≈ $310k) is immaterial to CME’s market cap but still represents incremental insider alignment. Absence of sales and continued accumulation through both trust and personal account lean modestly positive for sentiment, yet the limited volume keeps overall impact low.

Corporate Governance Expert

TL;DR: Routine director grant; tiny open-market buy—neutral to slightly favorable.

The equity movements are largely programmatic: (1) a standard board grant under the Director Stock Plan and (2) automatic DRIP purchases. The direct purchase of 11.29 shares is de minimis. No red flags—no dispositions, no complex derivatives, and holdings remain predominantly indirect via trust, a common estate-planning structure. Governance perspective: continued participation in equity programs supports alignment, but transaction scale is too small to affect control or board independence.

SEC Form 4

FORM 4

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

OMB APPROVAL

OMB Number:			3235-0287
Estimated average burden
hours per response:			0.5

Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

Check this box to indicate that a transaction was made pursuant to a contract, instruction or written plan for the purchase or sale of equity securities of the issuer that is intended to satisfy the affirmative defense conditions of Rule 10b5-1(c). See Instruction 10.

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person^*

SHEPARD WILLIAM R

(Last) (First) (Middle)

20 S WACKER DRIVE

(Street)

CHICAGO IL 60606

(City) (State) (Zip)

2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
CME GROUP INC. [ CME ]

5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)

X	Director		10% Owner
	Officer (give title below)		Other (specify below)

3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
06/25/2025

4. If Amendment, Date of Original Filed (Month/Day/Year)

6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line)

X	Form filed by One Reporting Person
	Form filed by More than One Reporting Person

Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1. Title of Security (Instr. 3)	2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)	2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)	3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)		4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed Of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5)			5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4)	6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
			Code	V	Amount	(A) or (D)	Price
Common Stock Class A	06/25/2025		A(1)		879	A	$273.03	257,939.99	I	by Trust
Common Stock Class A	06/25/2025		P		256.097(2)	A	$270.53	258,196.087	I	by Trust
Common Stock Class A	06/25/2025		P		11.29(2)	A	$270.53	2,454.76	D

Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned (e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3)	2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security	3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)	3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)	4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)		5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5)		6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)		7. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security (Instr. 3 and 4)		8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)	9. Number of derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4)	10. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
				Code	V	(A)	(D)	Date Exercisable	Expiration Date	Title	Amount or Number of Shares

Explanation of Responses:

1. Granted pursuant to the CME Group Director Stock Plan, as amended and restated.

2. Reflects shares that were acquired pursuant to a dividend reinvestment plan administered by the reporting person's broker. Actual amounts of fractional shares owned may vary slightly due to rounding.

Remarks:

	By: Jenelle Chalmers For: William R. Shepard	06/26/2025
	** Signature of Reporting Person	Date
Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
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