MA— Mastercard Incorporated
NYSEFinancial Services · Credit Services
Mastercard Incorporated (MA) stock trades at $488.07, up 0.82% on the day. With a market capitalization of $431.25 billion, MA is a mega-cap financial services stock. It trades at a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 28.2, a forward P/E of 21.4 and earnings per share (EPS) of $17.28. Over the most recent period the company reported 16% year-over-year revenue growth and a net profit margin of 45.9%. Below you'll find MA's full fundamentals, fair-value estimates, dividend history, earnings and our buy, hold or avoid verdict for 2026.
Price & Performance
Performance
Analysis & Verdict
Mastercard Incorporated (MA) Stock Analysis 2026
Rule-based · Updated daily · Not financial advice
Mastercard Incorporated (MA) operates in the Credit Services space within the Financial Services sector. With a market cap of $431.3B, it qualifies as a large-cap company. The company is growing revenue strongly while maintaining healthy profitability — a combination that investors typically reward with a premium valuation.
- Forward P/E (21.4×) is lower than trailing P/E (28.2×) — analysts expect earnings to improve
- Revenue growth of 16% YoY shows solid business momentum
- Earnings grew 21% YoY — bottom-line is expanding fast
- Exceptional profit margin of 45.9% — the business retains a large share of each dollar earned
- ROE of 232.1% shows management efficiently converts equity into profit
- Price is near its 52-week low — potential entry point with asymmetric upside
- P/E of 28.2× is above average — valuation requires continued strong growth to justify
- High debt-to-equity of 282.06× increases financial risk, especially with elevated interest rates
- Current ratio below 1 (0.98×) — short-term liabilities exceed current assets
Verdict
Strong Buy
Multiple fundamental strengths with few red flags. Long-term buyers may find this compelling.
AI Insight
Powered by ClaudeAI-generated analysis for informational purposes only. Not financial advice.
Fair Value Estimates
Current price: $488.07
Graham Number
√(22.5 × EPS × Book Value)
$54.27
Benjamin Graham's intrinsic value formula. Assumes a fair stock trades at no more than 22.5× the product of EPS and book value per share.
Bazin Ceiling Price
Avg. Annual DPS (5Y) ÷ 6%
$38.93
Décio Bazin's dividend-based ceiling. The max price you should pay so that dividends alone deliver at least 6% annual yield on your cost basis.
These are simplified estimates. Not financial advice.
Buy & Hold Checklist
Quality criteria for long-term holding
8/10
80% score
Pays dividends
15Y hist.15+ years of dividend history
Dividend consistency (5Y+)
15 yrsUninterrupted dividend payments for at least 5 years
ROE above 10%
232.1%Return on equity — measures how efficiently capital is used
Positive profit margin
45.9%Net profit margin must be positive — company earns more than it spends
Revenue growth (annual)
+15.8%Annual revenue must be growing compared to the prior year
Earnings growth (annual)
+21.2%Annual earnings must be growing compared to the prior year
Debt/Equity below 2×
282.06×Low financial leverage reduces risk of distress
Current ratio above 1
0.98×Short-term assets must cover short-term liabilities
Daily liquidity above $5M
$1.8B/dayHigh trading volume ensures easy entry and exit
Dividend yield above 0%
0.71%Stock must distribute income to shareholders
Financials
Revenue & Results
Key Statistics
Earnings
Next Earnings
Jul 30, 2026
36
days
EPS (TTM)
$17.28
P/E (TTM)
28.2
Fwd P/E
21.4
SEC Filings & Reported Financials
Earnings History
SEC EDGAR · official filings
SEC Filings
Official EDGAR documents
Insider Transactions
SEC Form 4 · officers, directors & 10% owners
Dividends & Income
Dividends
Current DY
0.71%
5Y Avg Annual
$2.3320
Last Payment
$0.8700
Ex-Date
04/09/2026
Annual dividends paid per share
| Ex-Date | Payment | Amount | Est. DY |
|---|---|---|---|
Latest04/09/2026 | 05/08/2026 | $0.8700 | 0.71% |
01/09/2026 | 02/07/2026 | $0.8700 | 0.71% |
10/09/2025 | 11/07/2025 | $0.7600 | 0.62% |
07/09/2025 | 08/07/2025 | $0.7600 | 0.62% |
04/09/2025 | 05/08/2025 | $0.7600 | 0.62% |
01/10/2025 | 02/08/2025 | $0.7600 | 0.62% |
10/09/2024 | 11/07/2024 | $0.6600 | 0.54% |
07/09/2024 | 08/07/2024 | $0.6600 | 0.54% |
Magic Number
Shares needed to self-fund your next purchase
$488.07
Price
$0.8700
Last div. (quarterly)
561
shares
Own 561 MA shares ($273,807.27) and each quarterly dividend pays for 1 new share — the snowball runs on its own.
Investment target
$273,807.27
New shares / year
+4 shares
Tools & Simulators
If You Had Invested…
Hypothetical return based on historical prices
* Dividend reinvestment calculated at ex-date price. For informational purposes only.
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About Mastercard Incorporated
Mastercard Incorporated, a technology company, provides transaction processing and other payment-related products and services in the United States and internationally. The company offers products and services for account holders, merchants, financial institutions, digital partners, businesses, governments, and other organizations, such as programs that enable issuers to provide consumers with credits to defer payments; payment products and solutions that allow its customers to access funds in deposit and other accounts; prepaid programs services; consumer bill payment services; and commercial credit, debit, and prepaid payment products and solutions. It also provides solutions that enable businesses or governments to make payments to businesses, including Virtual Card Number, which is generated dynamically from an existing account and leverages the credit limit of the funding account; and a platform to optimize supplier payment enablement campaigns for financial institutions. In addition, the company offers Mastercard Move, which partners with digital messaging and payment platforms to enable consumers to send money directly within applications to other consumers; and partners with central banks, fintechs, and financial institutions, as well as enables various cross-border payment flows. Further, it provides security solutions; marketing, personalization, and issuer and merchant loyalty services; business and operational intelligence, advanced analytics and AI, consulting and agentic solutions, and payments and portfolio optimization; digital and authentication; processing and gateway solutions; and other solutions. The company offers payment solutions and services under the MasterCard, Maestro, and Cirrus names. Mastercard Incorporated was founded in 1966 and is headquartered in Purchase, New York.
Sector
Financial Services
Industry
Credit Services
Location
Purchase, United States
Employees
39,800
MA — Frequently Asked Questions
Is Mastercard Incorporated (MA) a good stock to buy in 2026?
Mastercard Incorporated (MA) shows strengths such as revenue growth of 16%, a strong 46% net margin and a 232% return on equity, while risks include high leverage (debt/equity of 282.1). Whether MA is a good buy in 2026 depends on your time horizon and risk tolerance — review the full bull case, bear case and fair-value estimates above. This is informational analysis, not financial advice.
What is MA's stock price today?
Mastercard Incorporated (MA) trades at $488.07, up 0.82% on the session. Prices on this page update throughout the trading day.
Does MA pay a dividend?
Yes. Mastercard Incorporated pays an annual dividend of $3.48 per share, a dividend yield of 0.71%. The most recent ex-dividend date was July 9, 2026. Its payout ratio is about 18% of earnings.
Is MA overvalued?
With a P/E ratio of 28.2×, MA is valued above the broad-market average for the financial services sector. Its PEG ratio is 1.49. See the Fair Value Estimates section above for Graham Number and dividend-based price targets.
What is MA's market cap?
Mastercard Incorporated (MA) has a market capitalization of $431.25 billion, classifying it as a mega-cap stock in the Financial Services sector.
Disclaimer: This page — including any buy/hold/avoid view, fair value or price estimate — is generated from market data for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute financial, investment or trading advice. Data may be delayed or inaccurate. Always do your own research and consult a licensed financial advisor before making any investment decision.