Visa and Mastercard Earnings Comparison
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Source: Fool
- Visa's Strong Earnings: Visa reported a 15% year-over-year revenue growth in Q1 2026, with diluted earnings per share (EPS) increasing by 17%, reflecting its robust performance and profitability in the global payments market.
- Mastercard's Superior Performance: Mastercard's revenue surged by 18% in Q4 2025, with diluted EPS soaring 24%, indicating a rapid enhancement in its market share and profitability.
- Market Share Potential: Given Mastercard's smaller business size, it has greater growth potential; if its market share approaches that of Visa, its revenue and earnings are positioned to expand at a faster rate, enhancing its investment appeal.
- Valuation Analysis: Although Visa and Mastercard trade at price-to-earnings ratios of 32.8 and 34.8 respectively, and these multiples have decreased recently, they still do not provide a sufficient margin of safety, necessitating cautious evaluation of their investment value.
Trade with 70% Backtested Accuracy
Stop guessing "Should I Buy MA?" and start using high-conviction signals backed by rigorous historical data.
Sign up today to access powerful investing tools and make smarter, data-driven decisions.
Analyst Views on MA
Wall Street analysts forecast MA stock price to rise over the next 12 months. According to Wall Street analysts, the average 1-year price target for MA is 684.13 USD with a low forecast of 525.00 USD and a high forecast of 1088 USD. However, analyst price targets are subjective and often lag stock prices, so investors should focus on the objective reasons behind analyst rating changes, which better reflect the company's fundamentals.
24 Analyst Rating
20 Buy
4 Hold
0 Sell
Strong Buy
Current: 543.730
Low
525.00
Averages
684.13
High
1088
Current: 543.730
Low
525.00
Averages
684.13
High
1088
About MA
Mastercard Incorporated is a technology company in the global payments industry. The Company connects consumers, financial institutions, merchants, governments, digital partners, businesses and other organizations worldwide by enabling electronic payments and making those payment transactions secure, simple, smart and accessible. It provides a range of payment solutions and services using its brands, including Mastercard, Maestro and Cirrus. It operates a payments network that provides choice and flexibility for consumers, merchants and its customers. Through its proprietary global payments network, it switches (authorizes, clears and settles) payment transactions. Its additional payments capabilities include automated clearing house (ACH) transactions (both batch and real-time account-based payments). It offers security solutions, consumer acquisition and engagement, business and market insights, gateway, processing and open banking, among other services and solutions.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
Mastercard Reports 14% Revenue Growth, Analyst Adjusts Price Target
- Revenue Growth Exceeds Expectations: Mastercard reported a 14% organic revenue growth, surpassing market expectations, indicating the company's resilience in the economic environment and likely enhancing its competitive position.
- Strong Earnings Performance: The earnings per share reached $4.76, significantly above the market consensus of $4.25, demonstrating the company's robust profitability and ability to maintain growth amid market uncertainties.
- Impact of Government Grants: Government grants contributed an additional $135 million to non-operating income and improved margins by approximately 140 basis points, highlighting the positive influence of external support on the company's financial performance.
- Cautiously Optimistic Outlook: Management guided for full-year organic revenue growth at the high end of low double digits, reflecting strong confidence in delivering consistent growth despite market noise.
Continue Reading
Visa and Mastercard Earnings Comparison
- Visa's Strong Earnings: Visa reported a 15% year-over-year revenue growth in Q1 2026, with diluted earnings per share (EPS) increasing by 17%, reflecting its robust performance and profitability in the global payments market.
- Mastercard's Superior Performance: Mastercard's revenue surged by 18% in Q4 2025, with diluted EPS soaring 24%, indicating a rapid enhancement in its market share and profitability.
- Market Share Potential: Given Mastercard's smaller business size, it has greater growth potential; if its market share approaches that of Visa, its revenue and earnings are positioned to expand at a faster rate, enhancing its investment appeal.
- Valuation Analysis: Although Visa and Mastercard trade at price-to-earnings ratios of 32.8 and 34.8 respectively, and these multiples have decreased recently, they still do not provide a sufficient margin of safety, necessitating cautious evaluation of their investment value.
Continue Reading