CME Group General Counsel Receives Equity Grant and Executes Tax Withholdings

Executive Summary

On September 17, 2026, CME Group Inc. ($CME) filed a Form 4 on behalf of John Clifford Marchese, Senior Managing Director and General Counsel. The filing reports the grant of 784 restricted shares of Class A Common Stock on September 15, 2026, alongside multiple routine share withholdings (Code F) across September 15 and September 16, 2026, to satisfy tax obligations tied to the vesting of previous equity awards.

Transaction Details

• Equity Grant: On September 15, 2026, Mr. Marchese received 784 shares of Class A Common Stock valued at $275.09 per share ($215,670.56 total value) under the CME Group Omnibus Stock Plan. These shares vest in four equal annual installments.
• Tax Withholding Dispositions:
  • On September 15, 2026, four separate tranches of shares (43, 47, 57, and 50 shares, totaling 197 shares) were withheld at $275.09 per share to cover tax obligations.
  • On September 16, 2026, an additional 44 shares were withheld at $272.46 per share.
• Final Ownership: Following these transactions, Mr. Marchese directly owns 3,598 shares of CME Group Class A Common Stock.

Context & Assessment

This activity reflects routine executive compensation and standard tax-withholding mechanisms rather than discretionary open-market buying or selling. Footnote 1 notes that the grant was determined based on his role prior to his promotion to Senior Managing Director and General Counsel on September 11, 2026, with an additional promotion-related equity grant scheduled for March 2027. Consequently, the trading significance of this filing is Low.