CBOE Holdings’ quarterly profit jumped more than expected, and CEO William Brodsky sought to assure investors that the operator of the oldest U.S. stock options market has the edge over rivals pairing up in mega-mergers.

The disclosure on Wednesday that Germany’s Deutsche Boerse AG was in advanced talks to buy NYSE Euronext to create the world’s largest financial exchange company sent shares of CBOE soaring on rekindled investor hopes that it would be a takeover target.

The announcement came on the heels of a tie-up between the London Stock Exchange Group Plc and Canadian stock market operator TMX Group Inc . Get the full story »