A Dark Vector Cognition product

Item 1A. Risk Factors.

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Item 1A. Risk Factors.

Except as set forth below, there have been no material updates during the period covered by this Form 10-Q to the Risk Factors as set forth in Item 1A. of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022. These risks and uncertainties, however, are not the only risks and uncertainties that we face. Additional risks and uncertainties not currently known to us or that we currently deem to be immaterial may also significantly impact us. Any of these risks and uncertainties may materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operations, liquidity and cash flows.

If we fail to attract or retain highly skilled management and other employees our business may be harmed.

Our success largely depends on the skills, experience and continued efforts of management and other key personnel. As a result, to be successful, we must retain and motivate executives and other key employees. However, we have no assurances that these employees will remain with us. The roles and responsibilities of departing executive officers and employees will need to be filled either by existing or new officers and employees, which may require us to devote time and resources to identifying, hiring and integrating replacements for the departed executives and employees that could otherwise be used to pursue business opportunities, which could have a material adverse effect on our overall business, financial condition and operating results.

There is substantial competition for qualified and capable personnel, particularly in the technology space, which may make it difficult for us to retain and recruit qualified employees in sufficient numbers. This competition has continued due to tighter supply of available labor, compensation inflation, as well as the growth of new asset classes such as the digital asset space. We have previously faced and may in the future face increased challenges in retaining and attracting qualified employees. If we fail to retain our current employees, it would be difficult and costly to identify, recruit and train replacements needed to continue to conduct and expand our business. In particular, failure to retain and attract qualified technology personnel could result in systems failures. Consequently, our reputation may be harmed, we may incur additional costs and our profitability could decline. There can be no assurance that we will be able to retain and motivate our employees in the same manner as we have historically done.

Additionally, effective succession planning is also important to our long-term success. For example, on September 18, 2023, Edward T. Tilly, former Chief Executive Officer of the Company, resigned and voluntarily terminated his employment with the Company. Following Mr. Tilly’s resignation, Fredric J. Tomczyk, an existing director of the Company, was appointed as Chief Executive Officer of the Company, effective as of the Effective Date. Further, on July 6, 2023, Brian Schell, former Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer, announced his departure from the Company to pursue a new professional opportunity outside of the exchange industry. Jill Griebenow, Senior Vice

President and Chief Accounting Officer, was appointed to serve as Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer and Chief Accounting Officer effective July 10, 2023, and currently serves as Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Accounting Officer. Failure to ensure effective transfer of knowledge and smooth transitions involving our management team and key employees, including the recent leadership transitions, could hinder our strategic planning and execution.

Our clearinghouse operations expose us to associated risks, including credit, liquidity, market and other risks related to the defaults of clearing participants and other counterparties, and risks related to investing of collateral.

We are subject to risks related to operating our clearinghouse, Cboe Clear Europe, including the risks of failing to meet strict business continuity requirements and regulatory oversight, risks of default by clearing participants and counterparties, due to bankruptcy, lack of liquidity, operational failure or other reasons, the risks associated with the adequacy of participants’ margin, default and interoperable funds, and risks related to investing of such funds. These risks could subject our business to substantial losses, reputational harm, regulatory consequences, including litigation, fines and enforcement actions, and the inability to operate our business, including the continued development of the European derivatives buildout. See below for additional risks related to our digital asset clearinghouse, Cboe Clear Digital.

To mitigate the credit risks related to defaults of clearing participants and other counterparties, including the market risk that we would only be able to close out a defaulting participant’s positions at a loss, there are minimum participation criteria to become a clearing participant and clearing participants are required to provide collateral to cover the margin requirement and default fund contributions. Furthermore, Cboe Clear Europe interoperates with two central counterparties and requires its participants to make deposits to an interoperable fund, which are pledged to the interoperable central counterparties. No guarantee can be given that the collateral provided will at all times be sufficient, maintain its value, or provide absolute assurance against us experiencing financial losses from defaults by the participants or counterparties on their obligations. In addition, although such collateral is preferably held in European central banks, Cboe Clear Europe also holds collateral in central securities depositories and commercial banks, which can expose us to risk of default by those institutions, and invests cash collateral in accordance with its investment policy, such as in securities issued by pre-approved sovereign issuers and reverse repurchase agreements with overnight maturities, which expose us to risk of counterparty default which may result in losses and cause its clearing participants to lose confidence in our clearinghouse.

Cboe Clear Europe entered into a €1.25 billion committed syndicated multicurrency revolving and swingline credit facility that is available to be drawn by Cboe Clear Europe towards (a) financing unsettled amounts in connection with the settlement of transactions in securities and other items processed through Cboe Clear Europe’s clearing system and (b) financing any other liability or liquidity requirement of Cboe Clear Europe incurred in the operation of its clearing system, however we can give no assurance that this facility will be sufficient to meet all such obligations or sufficiently mitigate Cboe Clear Europe’s liquidity risk to meet its payment obligations when due. Substantial amounts of the collateral, and any amounts drawn under this facility, may be at risk if a clearing participant defaults on its obligations to our clearinghouse and its margin, default and interoperability fund deposits are insufficient to meet its obligations. This facility is expected to terminate on June 28, 2024 and we may not be able to enter into a replacement facility on commercially reasonable terms, or at all. Additionally, investment losses in excess of capital set aside by Cboe Clear Europe for counterparty risk are allocated back to clearing participants. We cannot assure you that the mitigating measures, policies, safeguards and risk management procedures will be sufficient to detect problems or to protect us from a default or that we will not be materially and adversely affected in the event of a significant default.

Item 2. Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds.

Share repurchase program

In 2011, the Board of Directors approved an initial authorization for the Company to repurchase shares of its outstanding common stock of $100 million and subsequently approved additional authorizations for a total authorization of $1.6 billion. The program permits the Company to purchase shares, through a variety of methods, including in the open market or through privately negotiated transactions, in accordance with applicable securities laws. It does not obligate the Company to make any repurchases at any specific time or situation.

The Company did not repurchase shares under the Company’s share repurchase program during the three months ended September 30, 2023.

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Purchase of common stock from employees

The table below reflects the acquisition of common stock by the Company in the three months ended September 30, 2023 that were not part of the publicly announced share repurchase authorization. These shares consisted of shares retained to cover payroll withholding taxes in connection with the vesting of restricted stock unit awards and performance share awards.

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PeriodTotal Number of Shares PurchasedAverage Price Paid per Share
July 1 to July 31, 2023​20​$129.09
August 1 to August 31, 2023​5,356​​145.55
September 1 to September 30, 2023​—​​—
Total​5,376​$145.49

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Use of proceeds

None.

Item 3. Defaults upon Senior Securities.

None.

Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures.

Not applicable.

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