MarketAxess Announces Monthly Volume Statistics for December and Fourth Quarter 2023

Rhea-AI Summary

MarketAxess Holdings Inc. (Nasdaq: MKTX) announced record 4Q23 trading volume, with a 36% increase, and record $33.4 billion in municipal bonds trading volume. The company's total credit ADV increased by 9% compared to the prior year, with U.S. high-grade ADV up by 13.3%. However, U.S. high-yield ADV decreased by 8.4%. Market share for U.S. high-grade and high-yield combined decreased slightly, while emerging markets ADV increased by 9.8%. Record portfolio trading volume reached $41.8 billion, up 35.8% from the prior year, with a 36% Open Trading share of total credit trading volume. Total rates ADV declined by 10.1%. Preliminary variable transaction fees per million for total credit in 4Q23 was $156, compared to $164 in the prior year. MarketAxess reported changes in estimated market share for various products, with some experiencing a decrease in market share compared to the prior year.

Insights

Financial Analyst

The reported increase in portfolio trading volume and municipal bonds trading volume by MarketAxess Holdings Inc. signifies a robust growth trajectory in the electronic trading platform segment for fixed-income securities. This growth is indicative of a shift towards electronic trading platforms, which offer greater transparency, efficiency and reduced costs compared to traditional trading methods. The uptick in average daily trading volume (ADV) across various categories, particularly in U.S. high-grade and emerging markets, suggests a heightened demand for these securities and may reflect broader economic trends such as search for yield and diversification.

However, the decline in estimated market share for U.S. high-yield securities is a point of concern, which could be attributed to a decrease in ETF market maker activity. This warrants attention as it may suggest competitive pressures or changes in market participant behavior. Additionally, the decrease in total rates ADV and the slight decline in total credit FPM year-over-year may reflect pricing pressures or a shift in trading protocol mix, potentially impacting revenue margins.

Investors and stakeholders should consider these dynamics when assessing MarketAxess's performance and the broader fixed-income market. The data presented, while showing positive growth in certain areas, also highlights the need to monitor market share and fee metrics closely as they could have significant implications for future profitability.

Market Research Analyst

MarketAxess's performance in 4Q23 provides valuable insights into the evolving landscape of the fixed-income market. The record numbers in portfolio trading and municipal bonds trading volumes reflect a growing appetite for diversified investment options and could signal a shift in investor strategy, possibly due to the macroeconomic environment or regulatory changes affecting bond markets. The increase in client engagement with proprietary data products and automated solutions suggests a trend towards data-driven trading and automation in investment strategies, which could reshape the competitive landscape and create new opportunities for innovation within the industry.

Moreover, the expansion of AxessIQ, MarketAxess's workflow solution, underscores the importance of technology in enhancing trading efficiency, particularly for wealth management and private banking clients. This could indicate a broader industry trend where platforms that integrate advanced technology and offer tailored solutions may gain a competitive edge.

While the Open Trading share has seen a slight decrease year-over-year, the increase from the previous quarter could suggest a growing acceptance of open marketplaces, which may enhance liquidity and price discovery in the long run. Overall, these trends are crucial for stakeholders to understand as they reflect both the current state and potential future directions of the fixed-income trading market.

Economist

The data from MarketAxess Holdings Inc. reveals significant economic undercurrents affecting the fixed-income market. The rise in trading volumes, particularly in U.S. high-grade and emerging market securities, may be symptomatic of investors seeking safer, income-generating assets amidst global economic uncertainty. This behavior often correlates with broader economic conditions such as interest rate trends, inflation expectations and global market volatility.

The shift towards electronic trading platforms like MarketAxess can also be viewed as part of a larger trend in financial markets towards digitization and efficiency. Such platforms can enhance market liquidity and potentially lower transaction costs for participants, which is particularly relevant in times of market stress or volatility. The reported data, therefore, not only reflects the company's performance but also provides a lens through which to view larger economic and market trends.

However, the reported decline in total rates ADV could suggest a cooling off in demand for rate products or a shift in investor sentiment towards other asset classes. This, coupled with the reduction in FPM, may have implications for the revenue streams of electronic trading platforms and could influence their strategic decisions moving forward. Stakeholders should be cognizant of these nuances as they may impact the fixed-income market's structure and the role of electronic trading platforms within it.

Record 4Q23 Portfolio Trading Volume, Up 36%; Record $33.4 Billion in Municipal Bonds Trading Volume

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- MarketAxess Holdings Inc. (Nasdaq: MKTX), the operator of a leading electronic trading platform for fixed-income securities, today announced monthly trading volume and preliminary variable transaction fees per million (“FPM”) for the fourth quarter ended December 31, 2023.¹

Chris Concannon, CEO of MarketAxess, commented:

“In the fourth quarter of 2023, total credit ADV increased approximately 9% compared to the prior year and increased 18% from 3Q23 levels, which benefited from record portfolio trading and record municipal bond trading volume. Client engagement with MarketAxess X-Pro, our unique proprietary data products and our automated solutions continues to build, and we believe that the strong market volumes in 4Q23 reflect an improving market backdrop as we begin 2024.”

Select 4Q23 highlights*

• Total credit average daily trading volume (“ADV”) of $13.1 billion, up 8.9% versus the prior year, and up 17.5% versus 3Q23 levels.
• U.S. high-grade ADV of $6.2 billion, up 13.3% from the prior year, and up 20.0% versus 3Q23. Estimated market share of 20.9%, down slightly from 21.1% in the prior year, and up from 20.0% in 3Q23. U.S. high-grade estimated market ADV increased 13.9%, compared to the prior year, and was up 14.7% versus 3Q23.
• U.S. high-yield ADV of $1.7 billion, down 8.4% compared to the prior year, but up 27.8% from 3Q23 levels. Estimated market share of 17.2%, down from 20.5% in the prior year, but up from 16.1% in 3Q23. U.S. high-yield estimated market ADV increased 9.0% versus the prior year, and increased 19.4% compared to 3Q23. The decrease in U.S. high-yield estimated market share year-over-year was driven principally by an estimated 18.6% decrease in ETF market maker activity on the platform.
• Emerging markets ADV of $2.9 billion, up 9.8% from the prior year, and up 4.6% from 3Q23 levels. The year-over-year increase was principally due to a 25.6% increase in local currency trading ADV. Emerging markets estimated market ADV increased 12.1%, compared to the prior year, and increased 4.2% compared to 3Q23.²
• Eurobonds ADV of $1.8 billion, up 12.6% from the prior year, and up 19.1% from 3Q23.
• Record municipal bond ADV of $539 million, up 7.8% from the prior year, and up 38.9% from 3Q23. Estimated market share of 5.8%, up from 5.0% in the prior year and in line with 3Q23 levels. Estimated market ADV down 7.0% compared to the prior year, but up 38.5% compared to 3Q23.
• AxessIQ, the order and execution workflow solution designed for wealth management and private banking clients, achieved record ADV of $140.6 million, up 67.0% from the prior year, and up 41.9% from 3Q23 levels.
• Record $41.8 billion in total portfolio trading volume, up 35.8% from the prior year, and up 52.1% from 3Q23. Approximately $11.6 billion, or 30.3%, of our portfolio trading volume (in-competition only) was executed over MarketAxess X-Pro, our new trading platform, compared to approximately $4.8 billion, or 18.2%, in 3Q23.
• 36% Open Trading® share³ of total credit trading volume, down from 38% in the prior year, but up from 34% in 3Q23.
• Total rates ADV of $16.5 billion, down 10.1% versus the prior year, and down 8.8% from 3Q23 levels.
• The preliminary FPM¹ for total credit for 4Q23 was approximately $156, compared to $164 in the prior year, and $155 in 3Q23. The decline in total credit FPM compared to the prior year was due principally to product and protocol mix shift. The preliminary FPM for total rates was $4.50, compared to $4.16 in the prior year.

*All comparisons versus 4Q22 unless otherwise noted.

Table 1: December 2023 trading ADV

			CREDIT						RATES
$ in millions (unaudited)	US/UK Trading Days4	Total ADV	Total Credit	High-Grade	High-Yield	Emerging Markets	Eurobonds	Municipal Bonds	Total Rates	US Govt. Bonds	Agcy./Other Govt. Bonds
Dec-23	20/19	$26,994	$12,262	$6,133	$1,412	$2,649	$1,580	$480	$14,732	$14,380	$352
Dec-22	21/20	$27,191	$10,613	$5,069	$1,557	$2,148	$1,350	$473	$16,578	$16,235	$343
% Change		(1%)	16%	21%	(9%)	23%	17%	1%	(11%)	(11%)	3%

Table 1A: December 2023 estimated market share

	CREDIT						RATES
(unaudited)	High-Grade	High-Yield	High-Grade/High-Yield Combined	Eurobonds5	Composite Corporate Bond6	Municipals	US Govt. Bonds
Dec-23	22.1%	18.2%	21.3%	16.7%	20.8%	6.5%	2.0%
Dec-22	23.4%	21.4%	22.9%	19.6%	22.8%	5.5%	3.1%
Bps Change	(130) bps	(320) bps	(160) bps	(290) bps	(200) bps	+100 bps	(110) bps

Table 1B: 4Q23 trading ADV

			CREDIT						RATES
$ in millions (unaudited)	US/UK Trading Days4	Total ADV	Total Credit	High-Grade	High-Yield	Emerging Markets	Eurobonds	Municipal Bonds	Total Rates	US Govt. Bonds	Agcy./Other Govt. Bonds
4Q23	62/63	$29,641	$13,108	$6,215	$1,653	$2,927	$1,767	$539	$16,533	$16,106	$427
4Q22	61/63	$30,424	$12,042	$5,487	$1,805	$2,666	$1,569	$500	$18,382	$18,026	$356
% Change		(3%)	9%	13%	(8%)	10%	13%	8%	(10%)	(11%)	20%

Table 1C: 4Q23 estimated market share

	CREDIT						RATES
(unaudited)	High-Grade	High-Yield	High-Grade/High-Yield Combined	Eurobonds5	Composite Corporate Bond6	Municipals	US Govt. Bonds
4Q23	20.9%	17.2%	20.0%	15.7%	19.4%	5.8%	2.3%
4Q22	21.1%	20.5%	20.9%	18.2%	20.9%	5.0%	3.1%
Bps Change	(20) bps	(330) bps	(90) bps	(250) bps	(150) bps	+80 bps	(80) bps

1	The FPM for total credit and total rates for 4Q23 are preliminary and may be revised in subsequent updates and public filings. The Company undertakes no obligation to update any fee information in future press releases.
2	Emerging markets estimated market ADV is derived by combining MarketAxess TraX emerging markets trading volume (currently estimated to represent approximately 60% of total emerging markets) and FINRA TRACE-reportable emerging markets trading volume, principally U.S. dollar denominated corporates.
3	Open Trading share of total credit trading volume is derived by taking total Open Trading volume across all credit products where Open Trading is offered and dividing by total credit trading volume across all credit products where Open Trading is offered.
4	The number of U.S. trading days is based on the SIFMA holiday recommendation calendar and the number of U.K. trading days is based primarily on the U.K. Bank holiday schedule.
5	Eurobonds estimated market ADV and estimated market share are derived from MarketAxess TraX data for Eurobonds and covered bonds market trading volume, which is currently estimated to represent approximately 80% of the total European market.
6	Composite corporate bond estimated market share is defined as combined estimated market share across U.S. high-grade (derived from FINRA TRACE reported data), U.S. high-yield (derived from FINRA TRACE reported data), emerging markets (derived from FINRA TRACE-reportable emerging markets volume, principally U.S. dollar denominated corporates) and Eurobonds (derived from MarketAxess TraX data which is currently estimated to represent approximately 70% of the total European market) product areas.

General Notes Regarding the Data Presented

Reported MarketAxess volume in all product categories includes only fully electronic trading volume. MarketAxess trading volumes, TRACE reported volumes and MarketAxess Post-Trade processed volumes are available on the Company’s website at investor.marketaxess.com/volume.

For periods beginning with January 2024, the Company will be making changes to the market volume data used to calculate estimated market share for Municipal and U.S. Government Bonds. For Municipal Bonds, the Company previously used estimates, derived from data issued by the Municipal Securities Rule Making Board (“MSRB”), including estimates for new issuance, commercial paper and variable-rate trading activity, and excluded these volumes from the estimated market volume data. While the Company still uses estimates, the new methodology for identifying and excluding these volumes from the market volume data is now based on MSRB “flags” to identify new issuance, commercial paper, and variable-rate volumes. For U.S. Government Bonds, the previous data source for estimated market volumes was the Federal Reserve Bank’s Reported Primary Dealer U.S. Treasury Bond Trading Volumes, which was reported on a one-week lag. The new source for U.S. Government Bond trading volumes is FINRA’s U.S. Treasury TRACE data. The Company believes that the refined methodology used for Municipal Bonds, and the new data source for U.S. Government Bonds, will provide more accurate measures of estimated market volumes and estimated market share. Prior comparable periods will be recast retrospectively for both Municipal and U.S. Government Bonds to conform to the updated presentation of the data. Beginning in January 2024, the new estimated market volume data will also be available on the Company’s website at investor.marketaxess.com/volume.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may contain forward-looking statements, including statements about the outlook and prospects for Company, market conditions and industry growth, as well as statements about the Company’s future financial and operating performance. These and other statements that relate to future results and events are based on MarketAxess’ current expectations. The Company’s actual results in future periods may differ materially from those currently expected or desired because of a number of risks and uncertainties, including: global economic, political and market factors; risks relating to the COVID-19 pandemic, including the possible effects of the economic conditions worldwide resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic; adverse effects as a result of climate change or other ESG risks that could affect our reputation; the level of trading volume transacted on the MarketAxess platform; the rapidly evolving nature of the electronic financial services industry; the level and intensity of competition in the fixed-income electronic trading industry and the pricing pressures that may result; reputational or credibility risks related to our data products and index business; the variability of our growth rate; our ability to introduce new fee plans and our clients’ response; our ability to attract clients or adapt our technology and marketing strategy to new markets; risks related to our growing international operations; our dependence on our broker-dealer clients; the loss of any of our significant institutional investor clients; our exposure to risks resulting from non-performance by counterparties to transactions executed between our clients in which we act as an intermediary in matched principal trades; risks related to self-clearing; risks related to sanctions levied against states or individuals that could expose us to operational or regulatory risks; the effect of rapid market or technological changes on us and the users of our technology; our dependence on third-party suppliers for key products and services; our ability to successfully maintain the integrity of our trading platform and our response to system failures, capacity constraints and business interruptions; the occurrence of design defects, errors, failures or delays with our platforms; our vulnerability to malicious cyber-attacks and attempted data security breaches; our actual or perceived failure to comply with privacy and data protection laws; our ability to protect our intellectual property rights or technology and defend against intellectual property infringement or other claims; our ability to enter into strategic alliances and to acquire other businesses and successfully integrate them with our business; our dependence on our management team and our ability to attract and retain talent; limitations on our flexibility because we operate in a highly regulated industry; the increasing government regulation of us and our clients; risks related to the divergence of U.K. and European Union legal and regulatory requirements following the U.K.’s exit from the European Union; our exposure to costs and penalties related to our extensive regulation; our risks of litigation and securities laws liability; our future capital needs and our ability to obtain capital when needed; limitations on our operating flexibility contained in our credit agreement; and other factors. The Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. More information about these and other factors affecting MarketAxess’ business and prospects is contained in MarketAxess’ periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission and can be accessed at www.marketaxess.com.

About MarketAxess

MarketAxess (Nasdaq: MKTX) operates a leading electronic trading platform that delivers greater trading efficiency, a diversified pool of liquidity and significant cost savings to institutional investors and broker-dealers across the global fixed-income markets. Over 2,000 firms leverage MarketAxess’ patented technology to efficiently trade fixed-income securities. MarketAxess’ award-winning Open Trading® marketplace is widely regarded as the preferred all-to-all trading solution in the global credit markets. Founded in 2000, MarketAxess connects a robust network of market participants through an advanced full trading lifecycle solution that includes automated trading solutions, intelligent data and index products and a range of post-trade services. Learn more at www.marketaxess.com and on Twitter @MarketAxess.

Table 2: Trading Volume Detail
			Month Ended December 31,
In millions (unaudited)			2023								2022									% Change
			Volume				ADV				Volume					ADV				Volume				ADV
Credit
High-grade			$	122,656			$	6,133			$	106,454				$	5,069				15.2		%		21.0		%
High-yield				28,248				1,412				32,694					1,557				(13.6	)			(9.3	)
Emerging markets				52,988				2,649				45,101					2,148				17.5				23.3
Eurobonds				30,025				1,580				27,007					1,350				11.2				17.0
Other credit				9,762				488				10,274					489				(5.0	)			(0.2	)
Total credit trading1				243,679				12,262				221,530					10,613				10.0				15.5
Rates
U.S. government bonds2				287,590				14,380				340,932					16,235				(15.6	)			(11.4	)
Agency and other government bonds1				6,830				352				7,018					343				(2.7	)			2.6
Total rates trading				294,420				14,732				347,950					16,578				(15.4	)			(11.1	)
Total trading			$	538,099			$	26,994			$	569,480				$	27,191				(5.5	)			(0.7	)
Number of U.S. Trading Days3							20									21
Number of U.K. Trading Days4							19									20
			Quarter Ended December 31,
In millions (unaudited)			2023								2022									% Change
			Volume				ADV				Volume					ADV				Volume				ADV
Credit
High-grade			$	385,301			$	6,215			$	334,735				$	5,487				15.1		%		13.3		%
High-yield				102,501				1,653				110,091					1,805				(6.9	)			(8.4	)
Emerging markets				181,445				2,927				162,597					2,666				11.6				9.8
Eurobonds				111,330				1,767				98,853					1,569				12.6				12.6
Other credit				33,854				546				31,404					515				7.8				6.0
Total credit trading1				814,431				13,108				737,680					12,042				10.4				8.9
Rates
U.S. government bonds2				998,542				16,106				1,099,596					18,026				(9.2	)			(10.7	)
Agency and other government bonds1				26,684				427				22,138					356				20.5				19.9
Total rates trading				1,025,226				16,533				1,121,734					18,382				(8.6	)			(10.1	)
Total trading			$	1,839,657			$	29,641			$	1,859,414				$	30,424				(1.1	)			(2.6	)
Number of U.S. Trading Days3							62									61
Number of U.K. Trading Days4							63									63

Table 2: Trading Volume Detail (continued)
			Year-to-Date Ended December 31,
In millions (unaudited)			2023								2022									% Change
			Volume				ADV				Volume					ADV				Volume				ADV
Credit
High-grade			$	1,457,559			$	5,854			$	1,364,530				$	5,480				6.8		%		6.8		%
High-yield				398,275				1,599				424,812					1,706				(6.2	)			(6.3	)
Emerging markets				717,877				2,883				693,560					2,785				3.5				3.5
Eurobonds				441,171				1,758				362,713					1,451				21.6				21.2
Other credit				112,451				451				99,225					398				13.3				13.3
Total credit trading1				3,127,333				12,545				2,944,840					11,820				6.2				6.1
Rates
U.S. government bonds2				4,545,850				18,256				5,347,607					21,476				(15.0	)			(15.0	)
Agency and other government bonds1				106,933				427				96,782					388				10.5				10.1
Total rates trading				4,652,783				18,683				5,444,389					21,864				(14.5	)			(14.5	)
Total trading			$	7,780,116			$	31,228			$	8,389,229				$	33,684				(7.3	)			(7.3	)
Number of U.S. Trading Days3							249									249
Number of U.K. Trading Days4							251									250
1 Consistent with FINRA TRACE reporting standards, both sides of trades are included in the Company's reported volumes when the Company executes trades on a matched principal basis between two counterparties.
2 Consistent with industry standards, U.S. government bond trades are single-counted.
3 The number of U.S. trading days is based on the SIFMA holiday recommendation calendar.
4 The number of U.K. trading days is based primarily on the U.K. Bank holiday schedule.

 

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240103998369/en/

INVESTOR RELATIONS

Stephen Davidson

MarketAxess Holdings Inc.

+1 212 813 6313

sdavidson2@marketaxess.com

MEDIA RELATIONS

Marisha Mistry

MarketAxess Holdings Inc.

+1 917 267 1232

mmistry@marketaxess.com

Source: MarketAxess Holdings Inc.

FAQ

What is the trading volume for MarketAxess Holdings Inc. in 4Q23?

MarketAxess Holdings Inc. reported record trading volume in 4Q23, with a 36% increase.

What was the trading volume for municipal bonds in 4Q23?

MarketAxess Holdings Inc. recorded a trading volume of $33.4 billion for municipal bonds in 4Q23.

How did the total credit ADV change in 4Q23 compared to the prior year?

The total credit ADV increased by 9% in 4Q23 compared to the prior year.

What was the change in U.S. high-grade ADV in 4Q23?

U.S. high-grade ADV increased by 13.3% in 4Q23.

What was the change in U.S. high-yield ADV in 4Q23?

U.S. high-yield ADV decreased by 8.4% in 4Q23.

What was the change in the market share for U.S. high-grade and high-yield combined in 4Q23?

The market share for U.S. high-grade and high-yield combined decreased slightly in 4Q23.

How did the portfolio trading volume change in 4Q23?

Record portfolio trading volume reached $41.8 billion in 4Q23, up 35.8% from the prior year.

What was the Open Trading share of total credit trading volume in 4Q23?

The Open Trading share of total credit trading volume was 36% in 4Q23.

What was the change in total rates ADV in 4Q23?

Total rates ADV declined by 10.1% in 4Q23.

What was the preliminary variable transaction fees per million for total credit in 4Q23?

The preliminary variable transaction fees per million for total credit in 4Q23 was $156.