Let’s dig into the relative performance of Moody's (NYSE:MCO) and its peers as we unravel the now-completed Q2 financial exchanges & data earnings season.
Financial exchanges and data providers operate trading platforms and sell market information. They enjoy relatively stable revenue from trading fees and subscriptions, increasing demand for data analytics, and expansion opportunities in emerging markets. Challenges include regulatory oversight of market structure, competition from alternative trading venues, and substantial technology investments needed to maintain low-latency trading infrastructure and data security.
The 10 financial exchanges & data stocks we track reported a satisfactory Q2. As a group, revenues beat analysts’ consensus estimates by 1.6%.
In light of this news, share prices of the companies have held steady as they are up 4.4% on average since the latest earnings results.
Moody's (NYSE:MCO)
Founded in 1900 during America's railroad boom when investors needed reliable information on bond risks, Moody's (NYSE:MCO) provides credit ratings, risk assessment tools, and analytical solutions that help organizations evaluate financial risks and make informed investment decisions.
Moody's reported revenues of $2.19 billion, up 15.1% year on year. This print exceeded analysts’ expectations by 4.8%. Overall, it was a strong quarter for the company with an impressive beat of analysts’ EBITDA estimates and a beat of analysts’ EPS estimates.
Moody's scored the biggest analyst estimate beat and fastest revenue growth of the whole group. Investor expectations, however, were likely higher than Wall Street’s published projections, leaving some wishing for even better results (analysts’ consensus estimates are those published by big banks and advisory firms, not the investors who make buy and sell decisions). The stock is down 4.7% since reporting and currently trades at $467.73.
We think Moody's is a good business, but is it a buy today? Read our full report here, it’s free.
Best Q2: Morningstar (NASDAQ:MORN)
Founded in 1984 by Joe Mansueto with just $80,000 in personal savings, Morningstar (NASDAQ:MORN) provides independent investment data, research, and analysis tools that help investors, advisors, and institutions make informed financial decisions.
Morningstar reported revenues of $663.2 million, up 9.6% year on year, outperforming analysts’ expectations by 2.2%. The business had a very strong quarter with an impressive beat of analysts’ EBITDA estimates and a beat of analysts’ EPS estimates.
The market seems content with the results as the stock is up 1.5% since reporting. It currently trades at $201.68.
Is now the time to buy Morningstar? Access our full analysis of the earnings results here, it’s free.
Weakest Q2: S&P Global (NYSE:SPGI)
Tracing its roots back to 1860 when it published the first railroad industry manual, S&P Global (NYSE:SPGI) provides credit ratings, market intelligence, commodity data, automotive analytics, and financial indices that help investors and businesses make decisions.
S&P Global reported revenues of $4.15 billion, up 10.4% year on year, exceeding analysts’ expectations by 1%. Still, it was a slower quarter as it posted a significant miss of analysts’ EBITDA estimates and full-year EPS guidance slightly missing analysts’ expectations.
As expected, the stock is down 5.5% since the results and currently trades at $415.43.
Read our full analysis of S&P Global’s results here.
Nasdaq (NASDAQ:NDAQ)
Originally founded in 1971 as the world's first electronic stock market, Nasdaq (NASDAQ:NDAQ) operates global exchanges and provides technology, data, and corporate services that help companies, investors, and financial institutions navigate capital markets.
Nasdaq reported revenues of $1.5 billion, up 14.9% year on year. This result topped analysts’ expectations by 3%. Overall, it was a very strong quarter as it also logged an impressive beat of analysts’ EBITDA estimates and a beat of analysts’ EPS estimates.
The stock is down 1.5% since reporting and currently trades at $89.52.
Read our full, actionable report on Nasdaq here, it’s free.
Intercontinental Exchange (NYSE:ICE)
Starting as an energy trading platform in 2000 before acquiring the iconic New York Stock Exchange in 2013, Intercontinental Exchange (NYSE:ICE) operates global financial exchanges, clearing houses, and provides data services and mortgage technology solutions to financial institutions and corporations.
Intercontinental Exchange reported revenues of $2.67 billion, up 4.8% year on year. This print surpassed analysts’ expectations by 1.7%. It was a satisfactory quarter as it also recorded a decent beat of analysts’ EBITDA estimates.
The stock is up 2.9% since reporting and currently trades at $158.69.
Read our full, actionable report on Intercontinental Exchange here, it’s free.
Market Update
Over the past year, investors have been forced to repeatedly answer the same question: what is the market’s biggest risk? The answer has changed several times, and each shift has reshaped market leadership.
Late in 2025 and early 2026, artificial intelligence became the market’s primary uncertainty. Investors questioned whether AI would erode software pricing power and weaken competitive moats as AI made it easier to replicate once-differentiated products.
By the spring, technology took a back seat to geopolitics. The U.S. conflict with Iran briefly became the market’s dominant narrative, raising concerns about oil prices, inflation, and global growth. But as energy markets remained orderly and fears of a prolonged supply disruption faded, investors quickly turned their focus back to fundamentals.
Want to invest in winners with rock-solid fundamentals? Check out our 9 Best Market-Beating Stocks and add them to your watchlist. These companies are poised for growth regardless of the political or macroeconomic climate.