This Unstoppable Stock Joined the S&P 500 in 2025, and It Could Beat the Market in 2026

Core Insights - Interactive Brokers is experiencing significant growth as client activity in financial markets increases, with a record number of client accounts and trading activity [1][3][5] Company Performance - Interactive Brokers was admitted to the S&P 500 in August due to its rapid growth, with a current market capitalization exceeding $130 billion [2] - The company's stock surged by 45.6% last year, outperforming the S&P 500's 16.4% increase [2] - The company reported a record revenue of $6.2 billion in 2025, marking a 19.5% increase from the previous year [7] - Earnings per share reached $2.22, reflecting a 28.3% increase year-over-year [8] Client Metrics - The number of client accounts reached 4.4 million by the end of 2025, a 32% increase from the previous year [3] - Customer equity rose by 37% to $779.9 billion, indicating a strong increase in the total value of cash and securities held in client accounts [4] Trading Activity - Average daily transactions on the platform increased by 30% year-over-year, reaching 4.04 million transactions [5] - The value of outstanding margin loans increased by 40% to $90.2 billion, suggesting strong client confidence in the market [6] Revenue Breakdown - Commission revenue grew by 26.6% to $2.1 billion, driven by robust trading activity [12] - Net interest income increased by 13.2% to $3.5 billion, benefiting from the growth in interest-earning assets [12] Market Position - The stock trades at a price-to-earnings ratio of 34.9, higher than the S&P 500's 26.6 and the Nasdaq-100's 32.6, indicating investor confidence in the company's growth potential [9] - The stock has already increased by 20% in January, outperforming the S&P 500's 1% gain [13]