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IntercontinentalExchange Reports Strong Results

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IntercontinentalExchange, Inc. (NYSE: ICE) shares are steady in pre-market trade after the company reported quarterly profits and revenues that beat analyst forecasts. ICE earned $126.8 million, or $1.73 per share, in the quarter, up from $99.1 million or $1.34 per share a year ago.

Adjusted to exclude one-time costs, the company said it earned $1.76 a share. This was significantly higher than the $1.68 per share analyst consensus forecast. The results were supported by a favorable tax rate. Revenue jumped 15 percent to $327.2 million, versus expectations of $326.2 million. The increase was primarily driven by a 13 percent rise in futures trading and clearing revenue.

ICE Chairman and CEO Jeffrey C. Sprecher said: “For the eighth consecutive year, ICE’s markets grew by serving the risk management needs of global markets. Despite broader market uncertainty, we achieved record results while building upon our existing business to serve more customers and markets. We continue to deliver value for shareholders through growth and innovation.”


“From investments in Brazil, to refinements of our most important benchmark contracts, to significant enhancements of our trading platform and clearing services, the ICE team delivered numerous initiatives to strengthen our platform for growth,” said Scott Hill, ICE SVP and CFO. “With a focus on disciplined investment and capital deployment, we continue to produce solid operating leverage and deliver very strong returns on invested capital.”

“Upside versus our estimate was primarily driven by a lower tax rate,” Howard Chen, an analyst at Credit Suisse, said in a note to clients. “This added about six cents to results.” “Management is speaking to record year-to-date OTC energy commissions of over $2 million per day, well above our expectations,” Chen said.

Investors were likely focused on the company’s expense guidance, which is largely in line with 2011, and much better than expected OTC energy activity in January, said Alex Kramm, an analyst at UBS.

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Post Written By: Ed Liston

Ed Liston is a senior contributing editor at TheStockMarketWatch.com. An active market watcher and investor, Ed guides an independent team of experienced analysts and writes for multiple stock trader publications. He is widely quoted in various financial publications on the Internet. When Ed is not writing about stocks, investing in stocks, talking about stocks, or otherwise doing something stock related, he likes to go sailing and fishing in his yacht.


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Ed Liston

Ed Liston is a senior contributing editor at TheStockMarketWatch.com. An active market watcher and investor, Ed guides an independent team of experienced analysts and writes for multiple stock trader publications. He is widely quoted in various financial publications on the Internet. When Ed is not writing about stocks, investing in stocks, talking about stocks, or otherwise doing something stock related, he likes to go sailing and fishing.

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