Euronext - 2020 Universal Registration Document

Operating and Financial Review

Overview

Accommodation Accommodation expenses include costs of leasing the properties used by the Group, as well as utilities, maintenance and security costs to maintain the properties used by the Group. Other Expenses Other expenses include marketing, taxes, insurance, travel, professional membership fees and other expenses.

Other Other revenue primarily accounts for Nord Pool solutions and services not directly linked to power trading activities. Nord Pool revenues also stem from transaction shipping services, as Nord Pool provides technical solutions for power interconnectors, enabling their participation in European power market coupling arrangements. As part of the European (EU Commission) driven market coupling projects SDAC (Single Day-Ahead Coupling) and SIDC (Single Intraday Coupling), Nord Pool participates in a regulatory framework and a cost recovery regime. These projects yield cost recovery from Transmission System Operators and National Regulators to varying degrees, which is recognised as operating income. Additional revenue comes from the provision by Nord Pool of compliance services, consultancy and training. COMPONENTS OF EXPENSES Euronext’s operating expenses include salaries and employee benefits, depreciation and amortisation, and other operational expenses, which include systems and communications, professional services, accommodation and other expenses. Salaries and Employee Benefits Salaries and employee benefits expenses include employee salaries, incentive compensation (including stock-based compensation) and related benefits expenses, including pension and medical charges. Depreciation and Amortisation Depreciation and amortisation expenses consist of costs from depreciating fixed assets (including computer hardware and capitalised software) and amortising intangible assets over their estimated useful lives. Systems and Communications Systems and communications expenses include costs for development, operation and maintenance of trading, regulatory and administrative systems; investments in system capacity, reliability and security; and cost of network connectivity between customers and data centres, as well as connectivity to various other market centres. Systems and communications expenses also include fees paid to third-party providers of networks and information technology resources, including fees for consulting, research and development services, software rental costs and licenses, hardware rental and related fees paid to third-party maintenance providers. Professional Services Professional services expenses include consulting charges related to various technological and operational initiatives as well as legal and audit fees. 7.1.4

7.1.5

KEY FACTORS AFFECTING BUSINESSES AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

The economic and business environment in which Euronext operates directly affects Euronext’s results of operations. The results have been and will continue to be affected by many factors, including the factors set out below. Euronext continues to focus its strategy to broaden and diversify its revenue streams, as well as on its company-wide expense reduction initiatives in order to mitigate these uncertainties. Trading Activity A large proportion of Euronext’s business is transaction-based. For the year ended 31 December 2020, Euronext derived 41% of its revenue from its cash trading, derivatives, spot FX and power trading businesses. Accordingly, fluctuations in the trading volumes directly affect Euronext revenues. During any period, the level of trading activity in Euronext markets is significantly influenced by factors such as general market conditions, market volatility, competition, regulatory changes, capital maintenance requirements, market share and the pace of industry consolidation. A reduction in trading activity could make Euronext’s markets less attractive tomarket participants as a source of liquidity, which in turn could further discourage existing and potential market participants and thus accelerate a decline in the level of trading activity in these markets. Because Euronext’s cost structure is largely fixed, if the trading volumes and the resulting transaction fee revenues decline, Euronext may not be able to adjust its cost structure to counteract the associated decline in revenues, which would adversely affect its net income. Euronext’s largely fixed cost structure also provides operational leverage, such that an increase in its trading volumes and the resulting transaction fee revenues would have a positive effect on its margins. Targeted Operating Optimisation From its origination, Euronext has identified various ways to streamline its processes and enhance its operational efficiency. As part of the Agility for Growth strategic plan released in May 2016, an additional cost reduction program was announced, aiming to deliver €22 million additional savings (€15 million, net of inflation) by the end of 2019, through infrastructure optimisation and further streamlining of the organisation. In February 2019, Euronext announced it achieved €23.8 million of savings, against the €22 million previously expected.

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2020 UNIVERSAL REGISTRATION DOCUMENT