UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-Q

For the quarterly period ended March 31, 2020

or

Commission File Number: 001-38860

Tradeweb Markets Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

(646) 430-6000

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. ☒ Yes ☐ No

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files). ☒ Yes ☐ No

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer”, “accelerated filer”, “smaller reporting company” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☒

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). ☐ Yes ☒ No

TRADEWEB MARKETS INC.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTORY NOTE

The financial statements and other disclosures contained in this report include those of Tradeweb Markets Inc., which is the registrant, and those of its consolidating subsidiaries, including Tradeweb Markets LLC, which became the principal operating subsidiary of Tradeweb Markets Inc. on April 4, 2019 in a series of reorganization transactions (the “Reorganization Transactions”) that were completed in connection with Tradeweb Markets Inc.’s initial public offering (the “IPO”), which closed on April 8, 2019. For more information regarding the transactions described above, see Note 1 – Organization to our unaudited consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q.

The financial statements and other disclosures contained in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q relate to periods that ended both prior to and after the completion of the Reorganization Transactions and the IPO. As a result of the Reorganization Transactions completed in connection with the IPO, Tradeweb Markets Inc. became a holding company whose only material assets consist of its equity interest in Tradeweb Markets LLC and related deferred tax assets. As the sole manager of Tradeweb Markets LLC, Tradeweb Markets Inc. operates and controls all of the business and affairs of Tradeweb Markets LLC and, through Tradeweb Markets LLC and its subsidiaries, conducts its business. As a result of this control, and because Tradeweb Markets Inc. has a substantial financial interest in Tradeweb Markets LLC, Tradeweb Markets Inc. consolidates the financial results of Tradeweb Markets LLC and its subsidiaries.

The unaudited consolidated financial statements and other financial disclosures included elsewhere in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q relating to periods prior to and including March 31, 2019, which we sometimes refer to as the “pre-IPO period,” reflect the results of operations, financial position and cash flows of Tradeweb Markets LLC, the predecessor of Tradeweb Markets Inc. for financial reporting purposes, and its subsidiaries. The unaudited consolidated financial statements and other financial disclosures included elsewhere in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q relating to periods beginning on April 1, 2019, and through and including March 31, 2020, which we sometimes refer to as the “post-IPO period,” reflect the results of operations, financial position and cash flows of Tradeweb Markets Inc. and its subsidiaries, including the consolidation of its investment in Tradeweb Markets LLC. As a result, for financial reporting purposes, the pre-IPO period excludes, and the post-IPO period includes, our financial results from April 1, 2019 through April 3, 2019, which are not material. The unaudited consolidated financial statements and other financial disclosures included elsewhere in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q do not reflect what the results of operations, financial position or cash flows would have been had the Reorganization Transactions and the IPO taken place at the beginning of the periods presented.

As used in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, unless the context otherwise requires, references to:

                  “We,” “us,” “our,” the “Company,” “Tradeweb” and similar references refer: (i) on or prior to the completion of the Reorganization Transactions to Tradeweb Markets LLC, which we refer to as “TWM LLC,” and, unless otherwise stated or the context otherwise requires, all of its subsidiaries and any predecessor entities, and (ii) following the completion of the Reorganization Transactions to Tradeweb Markets Inc., and, unless otherwise stated or the context otherwise requires, TWM LLC and all of its subsidiaries and any predecessor entities.

                  “Continuing LLC Owners” refer collectively to (i) those Original LLC Owners, including an indirect subsidiary of Refinitiv (as defined below), certain of the Bank Stockholders and members of management, that continue to own LLC Interests after the completion of the IPO and Reorganization Transactions, that received shares of our Class C common stock, shares of our Class D common stock or a combination of both, as the case may be, in

connection with the completion of the Reorganization Transactions, and that may redeem or exchange their LLC Interests for shares of our Class A common stock or Class B common stock and (ii) solely with respect to the Tax Receivable Agreement (as defined below), also includes those Original LLC Owners, including certain Bank Stockholders, that disposed of all of their LLC Interests for cash in connection with the IPO.

                  “Investor Group” refer to certain investment funds affiliated with The Blackstone Group Inc. (f/k/a The Blackstone Group L.P.), an affiliate of Canada Pension Plan Investment Board, an affiliate of GIC Special Investments Pte. Ltd. and certain co-investors, which collectively hold indirectly a 55% ownership interest in Refinitiv (as defined below).

                  “LLC Interests” refer to the single class of common membership interests of TWM LLC issued in connection with the Reorganization Transactions.

                  “LSEG Transaction” refer to the acquisition of the Refinitiv business by London Stock Exchange Group plc in an all share transaction for a total enterprise value of approximately $27 billion.

                  “Original LLC Owners” refer to the owners of TWM LLC prior to the Reorganization Transactions.

                  “Refinitiv” refer to Refinitiv Holdings Limited, and unless otherwise stated or the context otherwise requires, all of its subsidiaries, which owns substantially all of the former financial and risk business of Thomson Reuters (as defined below), including, prior to and following the completion of the Reorganization Transactions, an indirect majority ownership interest in Tradeweb, and is controlled by the Investor Group.

                  “Refinitiv Transaction” refer to the transaction pursuant to which Refinitiv indirectly acquired on October 1, 2018 substantially all of the financial and risk business of Thomson Reuters and Thomson Reuters indirectly acquired a 45% ownership interest in Refinitiv.

                  “Thomson Reuters” refer to Thomson Reuters Corporation, which indirectly holds a 45% ownership interest in Refinitiv.

CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). You can generally identify forward-looking statements by our use of forward-looking terminology such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “might,” “plan,” “potential,” “predict,” “projection,” “seek,” “should,” “will” or “would,” or the negative thereof or other variations thereon or comparable terminology. In particular, statements about the markets in which we operate, including our expectations about market trends, our market opportunity and the growth of our various markets, our expansion into new markets, any potential tax savings we may realize as a result of our organizational structure, our dividend policy and our expectations, beliefs, plans, strategies, objectives, prospects or assumptions regarding future events, including the pending LSEG Transaction, our performance or otherwise, contained in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q are forward-looking statements. In addition, statements contained in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q relating to the COVID-19 pandemic, the potential impacts of which are inherently uncertain, are forward-looking statements.

We have based these forward-looking statements on our current expectations, assumptions, estimates and projections. While we believe these expectations, assumptions, estimates and projections are reasonable, such forward-looking statements are only predictions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control. These and other important factors may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements, or could affect our share price.

Some of the factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements include:

                    changes in economic, political, social and market conditions and the impact of these changes on trading volumes;

                    our failure to compete successfully;

                    our failure to adapt our business effectively to keep pace with industry changes;

                    consolidation and concentration in the financial services industry;

                    our dependence on dealer clients that are also stockholders;

                    our inability to maintain and grow the capacity of our trading platforms, systems and infrastructure;

                    design defects, errors, failures or delays with our platforms or solutions;

                    systems failures, interruptions, delays in services, cybersecurity incidents, catastrophic events and any resulting interruptions;

                    our dependence on third parties for certain market data and certain key functions;

                    our ability to implement our business strategies profitably;

                    our ability to successfully integrate any acquisition or to realize benefits from any strategic alliances, partnerships or joint ventures;

                    our ability to retain the services of certain members of our management;

                    inadequate protection of our intellectual property;

                    extensive regulation of our industry;

                    limitations on operating our business and incurring additional indebtedness as a result of covenant restrictions under our $500.0 million senior secured revolving credit facility (the “Revolving Credit Facility”) with Citibank, N.A., as administrative agent and collateral agent, and the other lenders party thereto, and certain Refinitiv indebtedness;

                    our dependence on distributions from TWM LLC to fund our expected dividend payments and to pay our taxes and expenses, including payments under the tax receivable agreement (the “Tax Receivable Agreement”) entered into in connection with the IPO;

                    our ability to realize any benefit from our organizational structure;

                    Refinitiv’s control of us and our status as a controlled company; and

Given these risks and uncertainties, you are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements contained in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q are not guarantees of future performance and our actual results of operations, financial condition or liquidity, and the development of the industry and markets in which we operate, may differ materially from the forward-looking statements contained in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q. In addition, even if our results of operations, financial condition or liquidity, and events in the industry and markets in which we operate, are consistent with the forward-looking statements contained in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, they may not be predictive of results or developments in future periods.

Any forward-looking statement that we make in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q speaks only as of the date of such statement. Except as required by law, we do not undertake any obligation to update or revise, or to publicly announce any update or revision to, any of the forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, after the date of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q.

Investors and others should note that we announce material financial and operational information using our investor relations website, press releases, SEC filings and public conference calls and webcasts. Information about Tradeweb, our business and our results of operations may also be announced by posts on Tradeweb’s accounts on the following social media channels: Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter. The information that we post through these social media channels may be deemed material. As a result, we encourage investors, the media and others interested in Tradeweb to monitor these social media channels in addition to following our press releases, SEC filings and public conference calls and webcasts. These social media channels may be updated from time to time on our investor relations website.

PART I — FINANCIAL INFORMATION

ITEM 1. - FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Tradeweb Markets Inc. and Subsidiaries

Consolidated Statements of Financial Condition

(in thousands, except share and per share data)

(Unaudited)

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

Tradeweb Markets Inc. and Subsidiaries

Consolidated Statements of Income

(in thousands, except share and per share data)

(Unaudited)

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

Tradeweb Markets Inc. and Subsidiaries

Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income

(in thousands)

(Unaudited)

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

Tradeweb Markets Inc. and Subsidiaries

Consolidated Statements of Changes in Equity

(in thousands, except share and per share amounts)

(Unaudited)

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

Tradeweb Markets Inc. and Subsidiaries

Consolidated Statements of Changes in Equity – (Continued)

(in thousands)

(Unaudited)

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

Tradeweb Markets Inc. and Subsidiaries

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows

(in thousands)

(Unaudited)

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

(Unaudited)

Tradeweb Markets Inc. and Subsidiaries

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

(Unaudited)

1.          Organization

Tradeweb Markets Inc. (the “Corporation”) was incorporated as a Delaware corporation on November 7, 2018 for the purpose of completing certain reorganization transactions in order to carry on the business of Tradeweb Markets LLC (“TWM LLC”) and conducting an initial public offering (“IPO”) as described below under “—Initial Public Offering” and “—Reorganization Transactions.”

The Corporation is a consolidating subsidiary of BCP York Holdings, (“BCP”) a company owned by certain investment funds affiliated with The Blackstone Group Inc. (f/k/a The Blackstone Group L.P.) (“Blackstone”), through BCP’s majority ownership interest in Refinitiv Holdings Limited (the “Parent” and, unless otherwise stated or the context otherwise requires, together with all of its subsidiaries, “Refinitiv”). As of March 31, 2020, Refinitiv owns a majority ownership interest in the Company (as defined below).  

The Corporation is a holding company whose principal asset is LLC Interests (as defined below) of TWM LLC. As the sole manager of TWM LLC, the Corporation operates and controls all of the business and affairs of TWM LLC and, through TWM LLC and its subsidiaries, conducts the Corporation’s business. As a result of this control, and because the Corporation has a substantial financial interest in TWM LLC, the Corporation consolidates the financial results of TWM LLC and reports a non-controlling interest in the Corporation’s consolidated financial statements.  As of March 31, 2020, Tradeweb Markets Inc. owns 74.5% of TWM LLC and the Continuing LLC Owners (defined below) own the remaining 25.5% of TWM LLC.

Unless the context otherwise requires, references to the “Company” refer to Tradeweb Markets Inc. and its consolidated subsidiaries, including TWM LLC, following the completion of the Reorganization Transactions (as defined below), and TWM LLC and its consolidated subsidiaries prior to the completion of the Reorganization Transactions.

The Company is a leader in building and operating electronic marketplaces for a global network of clients across the institutional, wholesale and retail client sectors. The Company’s principal subsidiaries include:

Initial Public Offering

On April 8, 2019, the Corporation completed its IPO of 46,000,000 shares of Class A common stock, par value $0.00001 per share, of the Corporation (the “Class A common stock”) at a public offering price of $27.00, which included 6,000,000 shares of Class A common stock issued pursuant to the underwriters’ option to purchase additional shares of Class A common stock.  The Corporation received $1.2 billion in net proceeds, after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions but before deducting offering expenses, which were used to purchase membership interests of TWM LLC from certain existing equity holders of TWM LLC (and the corresponding shares of common stock were cancelled as described below), at a purchase price per interest equal to the public offering price of $27.00, less the underwriting discounts and commissions payable thereon. See Note 8 – Stockholders’ Equity.

Reorganization Transactions

Prior to the closing of the IPO, a series of reorganization transactions (the “Reorganization Transactions”) was completed among the Corporation, TWM LLC and the owners of TWM LLC prior to the Reorganization Transactions (collectively, the “Original LLC Owners”), including the following parties:

As used herein, references to “Continuing LLC Owners” refer collectively to (i) those Original LLC Owners, including the Refinitiv LLC Owner, certain Bank Stockholders and members of management, that continue to own LLC Interests (as defined below) after the completion of the IPO and Reorganization Transactions, that received shares of Class C common stock, par value $0.00001 per share, of the Corporation (the “Class C common stock”), shares of Class D common stock, par value $0.00001 per share, of the Corporation (the “Class D common stock”) or a combination of both, as the case may be, in connection with the completion of the Reorganization Transactions, and that may redeem or exchange their LLC Interests for shares of Class A common stock or Class B common stock and (ii) solely with respect to the Tax Receivable Agreement (as defined below), also includes those Original LLC Owners, including certain Bank Stockholders, that disposed of all of their LLC Interests for cash in connection with the IPO.

The following Reorganization Transactions occurred:

TWM LLC’s limited liability company agreement (the “TWM LLC Agreement”) was amended and restated to, among other things, (i) provide for a new single class of common membership interests in TWM LLC (“LLC Interests”), (ii) exchange all of the then existing membership interests in TWM LLC for LLC Interests and (iii) appoint the Corporation as the sole manager of TWM LLC. See Note 8 – Stockholders’ Equity.

The Corporation’s certificate of incorporation was amended and restated to, among other things, provide for Class A common stock, Class B common stock, Class C common stock and Class D common stock. See Note 8 – Stockholders’ Equity.

The Corporation’s board of directors adopted a new omnibus equity incentive plan, (the “Omnibus Equity Plan”), under which equity awards may be made in respect of shares of the Corporation’s Class A common stock. It also assumed sponsorship of an option plan and PRSU plan formerly sponsored by TWM LLC. See Note 10 – Stock-Based Compensation Plans.

The Corporation entered into a tax receivable agreement (the “Tax Receivable Agreement”) with TWM LLC and the Continuing LLC Owners. See Note 7 – Tax Receivable Agreement.

LSEG Transaction

On August 1, 2019, London Stock Exchange Group plc announced that it has agreed to definitive terms with a consortium including certain investment funds affiliated with Blackstone as well as TR to acquire the Refinitiv business in an all share transaction (the “LSEG Transaction”). The LSEG Transaction is subject to customary regulatory approvals and closing conditions, and is expected to close during the second half of 2020. There can be no assurance that the LSEG transaction will be consummated on the expected timing or at all.

2.          Significant Accounting Policies

The following is a summary of significant accounting policies:

Basis of Accounting

The consolidated financial statements have been presented in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. All adjustments, which are, in the opinion of management, necessary to a fair statement of the results for the interim periods presented, are normal and recurring in nature. Operating results for interim periods are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the full year.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosures of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates and the difference may be material to the consolidated financial statements.

Basis of Presentation and Consolidation

The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its subsidiaries. All intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated in consolidation.

As discussed in Note 1—Organization, as a result of the Reorganization Transactions, Tradeweb Markets Inc. consolidates TWM LLC and TWM LLC is considered to be the predecessor to Tradeweb Markets Inc. for financial reporting purposes. As a result, the consolidated financial statements for periods prior to the Reorganization Transactions have been adjusted to combine the previously separate entities for presentation purposes. However, Tradeweb Markets Inc. had no business transactions or activities and no substantial assets or liabilities prior to the Reorganization Transactions. As such, for periods prior to the completion of the Reorganization Transactions, the consolidated financial statements represent the historical financial condition and results of operations of TWM LLC and its subsidiaries. For periods after the completion of the Reorganization Transactions, the consolidated financial statements represent the financial condition and results of operations of the Company and report a non-controlling interest related to the LLC Interests held by the Continuing LLC Owners.

Pushdown Accounting

A majority interest of Refinitiv (formerly the Thomson Reuters Financial & Risk Business) was acquired by BCP on October 1, 2018 (the “Refinitiv Transaction”) from Thomson Reuters Corporation (“TR”). The Refinitiv Transaction was accounted for by Refinitiv in accordance with the acquisition method of accounting pursuant to Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 805, Business Combinations, and pushdown accounting was applied to Refinitiv to record the fair value of the assets and liabilities of Refinitiv as of October 1, 2018, the date of the Refinitiv Transaction. The Company, as a consolidating subsidiary of Refinitiv, also accounted for the Refinitiv Transaction using pushdown accounting. Under pushdown accounting, the excess of the fair value of the Company above the fair value accounting basis of the net assets and liabilities of the Company is recorded as goodwill. The fair value of assets acquired and liabilities assumed was determined based on assumptions that reasonable market participants would use in the principal (or most advantageous) market for the asset or liability. The adjusted valuations primarily affected the values of our long-lived and indefinite-lived intangible assets, including software development costs.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

Cash and cash equivalents consists of cash and highly liquid investments (such as short-term money market instruments) with original maturities of less than three months.

Allowance for Credit Losses

The Company continually monitors collections and payments from its clients and maintains an allowance for credit losses. The allowance for credit losses is based on an estimate of the amount of potential credit losses in existing accounts receivable, as determined from a review of aging schedules, past due balances, historical collection experience and other specific account data. Careful analysis of the financial condition of our counterparties is also performed. Account balances aged greater than 360 days are reserved to the allowance for credit losses. Once determined uncollectable, aged balances are written off as credit loss expense, which is included in general and administrative expenses on the consolidated statements of income. See Note 13 – Credit Risk for additional information.

Receivable from and Payable to Brokers and Dealers and Clearing Organizations

Receivable from and payable to brokers and dealers and clearing organizations consists of proceeds from transactions which failed to settle due to the inability of a transaction party to deliver or receive the transacted security. These securities transactions are generally collateralized by those securities.

At times, transactions executed on the Company’s wholesale platform fail to settle due to the inability of a transaction party to deliver or receive the transacted security. Until the failed transaction settles, a receivable from (and a matching payable to) brokers and dealers and clearing organizations is recognized for the proceeds from the unsettled transaction.

Deposits with Clearing Organizations

Deposits with clearing organizations are comprised of cash deposits. Due to the short-term nature of these deposits, the recorded value has been determined to approximate fair value.

Furniture, Equipment, Purchased Software and Leasehold Improvements

Furniture, equipment, purchased software and leasehold improvements are carried at cost less accumulated depreciation. Depreciation for furniture, equipment and purchased software is computed on a straight-line basis over the estimated useful lives of the related assets, ranging from three to seven years. Leasehold improvements are amortized over the lesser of the estimated useful lives of the leasehold improvements or the remaining term of the lease for office space.

Furniture, equipment, purchased software and leasehold improvements are tested for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances suggest that an asset’s carrying value may not be fully recoverable in accordance with ASC 360, Property, Plant and Equipment.

Software Development Costs

The Company capitalizes costs associated with the development of internal use software at the point at which the conceptual formulation, design and testing of possible software project alternatives have been completed, in accordance with ASC 350, Intangibles – Goodwill and Other. The Company capitalizes employee compensation and related benefits and third party consulting costs incurred during the application development stage which directly contribute to such development. Such costs are amortized on a straight-line basis over three years. Costs capitalized as part of the pushdown accounting allocation are amortized over nine years. The Company reviews the amounts capitalized for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amounts of the assets may not be fully recoverable, or that their useful lives are shorter than originally expected. Non-capitalized software costs and routine maintenance costs are expensed as incurred.

Goodwill

Goodwill is the excess of the fair value of the Company above the fair value accounting basis of the net assets and liabilities of the Company under pushdown accounting. Goodwill is also the cost of acquired companies in excess of the fair value of identifiable net assets at the acquisition date. Goodwill is not amortized, but in accordance with ASC 350, goodwill is tested for impairment annually and between annual tests whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount may not be fully recoverable. Goodwill is tested at the reporting unit level, which is defined as an operating segment or one level below the operating segment. An impairment loss is recognized if the estimated fair value of a reporting unit is less than its net book value. Such loss is calculated as the difference between the estimated fair value of goodwill and its carrying value.

In 2019, the Company changed the annual date on which goodwill is tested for impairment from July 1st to October 1st to align with the annual impairment testing date of the Company’s Parent. This change did not accelerate, delay, avoid or cause an impairment charge, nor did this change result in adjustments to any previously issued financial statements. Goodwill was last assessed on October 1, 2019.

Intangible Assets

Intangible assets with a finite life are amortized over the estimated lives, ranging from seven to sixteen years, in accordance with ASC 350. Intangible assets subject to amortization are tested for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances suggest that an asset's or asset group's carrying value may not be fully recoverable in accordance with ASC 360. Intangible assets with an indefinite useful life are tested for impairment at least annually. An impairment loss is recognized if the sum of the estimated discounted cash flows relating to the asset or asset group is less than the corresponding book value.

Deferred IPO and Follow-On Offering Costs

The Company began incurring costs in connection with the filing of a Registration Statement on Form S-1 for an IPO in 2018 and Registration Statements on Form S-1 for follow-on offerings in 2019 and the first quarter of 2020. IPO and follow-on offering costs consist of legal, accounting, and other costs directly related to the Company’s efforts to raise capital. In accordance with ASC 505-10-25, Equity, these costs are recognized in additional paid-in capital within the consolidated statements of financial condition when the offering is effective. At March 31, 2020, $15.9 million of deferred costs related to the IPO and $3.0 million of deferred costs related to the follow-on offerings were recognized within additional paid-in capital on the consolidated statements of financial condition.  See Note 8 – Stockholders’ Equity and Note 18 – Subsequent Events.

Translation of Foreign Currency

Revenues and expenses denominated in foreign currencies are translated at the rate of exchange prevailing at the transaction date. Assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies are translated at the rate prevailing at the consolidated statements of financial condition date. Foreign currency re-measurement gains or losses on transactions in nonfunctional currencies are recognized in the consolidated statements of income. Gains or losses on translation in the financial statements of a non-U.S. operation, when the functional currency is other than the U.S. dollar, are included as a component of comprehensive income.

Income Tax

The Corporation is subject to U.S. federal, state and local income taxes with respect to its taxable income, including its allocable share of any taxable income of TWM LLC, and is taxed at prevailing corporate tax rates. TWM LLC is a multiple member limited liability company taxed as a partnership and accordingly any taxable income generated by TWM LLC is passed through to and included in the taxable income of its members, including the Corporation. Income taxes also include unincorporated business taxes on income earned or losses incurred for conducting business in certain state and local jurisdictions, income taxes on income earned or losses incurred in foreign jurisdictions on certain operations and federal and state income taxes on income earned or losses incurred, both current and deferred, on subsidiaries that are taxed as corporations for U.S. tax purposes.

The Company records deferred tax assets and liabilities for the expected future tax consequences of temporary differences between the financial reporting and tax bases of assets and liabilities. The Company measures deferred taxes using the enacted tax rates and laws that will be in effect when such temporary differences are expected to reverse. Based on the weight of the positive and negative evidence considered, management believes that it is more likely than not that the Company will be able to realize its deferred tax assets in the future, therefore, no valuation allowance is necessary.

The Company records uncertain tax positions in accordance with ASC 740 on the basis of a two-step process whereby (i) the Company determines whether it is more likely than not that the tax positions will be sustained on the basis of the technical merits of the position and (ii) for those tax positions that meet the more-likely-than-not recognition threshold, the Company recognizes the amount of tax benefit that is more than 50 percent likely to be realized upon ultimate settlement with the related tax authority.

The Company recognizes interest and penalties related to income taxes within the provision for income taxes in the consolidated statements of income. Accrued interest and penalties are included within accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities in the consolidated statements of financial condition.

The Company has elected to treat taxes due on future U.S. inclusions in taxable income under the global intangible low-taxed income (“GILTI”) provision of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act as a current period expense when incurred.

Stock-Based Compensation

The Company accounts for stock-based compensation in accordance with ASC 718, Compensation – Stock Compensation. ASC 718 focuses primarily on accounting for a transaction in which an entity obtains employee services in exchange for stock-based payments. Under ASC 718, the stock-based payments received by the employees of the Company are accounted for either as equity awards or as liability awards.

As an equity award, the Company measures and recognizes the cost of employee services received in exchange for awards of equity instruments based on their estimated fair values measured as of the grant date. These costs are recognized as an expense over the requisite service period, with an offsetting increase to additional paid-in capital.

As a liability award, the cost of employee services received in exchange for an award of equity instruments is generally measured based on the grant-date fair value of the award. The fair value of that award is remeasured subsequently at each reporting date through the settlement in accordance with ASC 505. Changes in the equity instrument's fair value during the requisite service period are recognized as compensation cost over that period.

For periods following the Reorganization Transactions and the IPO, the fair value of new equity instrument grants is determined based on the price of the Company’s Class A common stock on the grant date.

Under ASC 718, the grant-date fair value of stock-based awards that do not require future service (i.e., vested awards) are expensed immediately. The grant-date fair value of stock-based awards that require future service, and are graded-vesting awards, are amortized over the relevant service period on a straight-line basis, with each tranche separately measured. The grant-date fair value of stock-based awards that require both future service and the achievement of Company performance-based conditions, are amortized over the relevant service period for the performance-based condition. If in a reporting period it is determined that the achievement of a performance target for a performance-based tranche is not probable, then no expense is recognized for that tranche and any expenses already recognized relating to that tranche in prior reporting periods are reversed in the current reporting period.

Prior to the IPO, the Company awarded options to management and other employees (collectively, the “Special Option Award”) under the Amended and Restated Tradeweb Markets Inc. Option Plan (the “Option Plan”). In accounting for the options issued under the Option Plan, compensation expense is measured and recognized for all awards based on their estimated fair values measured as of the grant date. Costs related to these options are recognized as an expense in the consolidated statements of income over the requisite service period, with an offsetting increase to additional paid-in capital. The non-cash stock-based compensation expense associated with the Special Option Award began being expensed in the second quarter of 2019 and will continue to be expensed over the following three years.

Determining the appropriate fair value model and calculating the fair value of the stock-based awards requires the input of highly subjective assumptions, including the expected life of the stock-based awards and the stock price volatility. The Company uses the Black-Scholes pricing model to value some of its stock-based awards.

Earnings Per Share

Basic earnings per share is computed by dividing the net income attributable to the Company's shares by the weighted-average number of the Company's shares outstanding during the period. For purposes of computing diluted earnings per share, the weighted-average number of the Company’s shares reflects the dilutive effect that could occur if securities that qualify as participating securities were converted into or exchanged or exercised for TWM LLC’s shares, in the pre-IPO period, and the Corporation’s Class A or Class B common stock, in the post-IPO period, using the treasury stock method, as applicable.

Shares of Class C and Class D common stock do not have economic rights in Tradeweb Markets Inc. and, therefore, are not participating securities for purposes of the computation of earnings per share.

Fair Value Measurement

The fair value of a financial instrument is the amount that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date (the exit price). Instruments that the Company owns (long positions) are marked to bid prices, and instruments that the Company has sold, but not yet purchased (short positions) are marked to offer prices. Fair value measurements do not include transaction costs.

The fair value hierarchy under ASC 820, Fair Value Measurement, prioritizes the inputs to valuation techniques used to measure fair value. The hierarchy gives the highest priority to unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities (level 1 measurements) and the lowest priority to unobservable inputs (level 3 measurements). The three levels of the fair value hierarchy under ASC 820 are described below:

Basis of Fair Value Measurement

A financial instrument's level within the fair value hierarchy is based on the lowest level of any input that is significant to the fair value measurement.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements – Adopted

In June 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued ASU 2016‑13, Financial Instruments – Credit Losses. The ASU provides new guidance for estimating credit losses on certain types of financial instruments by introducing an approach based on expected losses. ASU 2016-13 was adopted on January 1, 2020 using the modified retrospective method of adoption. The adoption of this ASU did not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements. See to Note 13 – Credit Risk for additional information.

In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017‑04, Intangibles – Goodwill and Other. The ASU simplifies the quantitative goodwill impairment test by eliminating the second step of the test. Under this ASU, impairment will be measured by comparing the estimated fair value of the reporting unit with its carrying value. The new guidance does not amend the optional qualitative assessment of goodwill impairment.  ASU 2017-04 was adopted on January 1, 2020. The adoption of this ASU did not impact the Company’s consolidated financial statements.