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New York-based Mastercard Incorporated (MA) is a leading global payment technology company that facilitates electronic payments across more than 210 countries. Valued at $483.2 billion by market cap, it generates revenue through transaction processing fees, cross-border charges, and a growing suite of value-added services like cybersecurity, AI analytics, and consulting.
MA is all geared up to unveil its fiscal first-quarter earnings for 2025 on Thursday, May 1. Ahead of the event, analysts expect MA to report a profit of $3.57 per share on a diluted basis, up 7.9% from $3.31 per share in the year-ago quarter. The company has consistently surpassed Wall Street’s EPS estimates in all of its last four quarterly reports.
For the current year, analysts expect MA to report EPS of $15.89, up 8.8% from $14.60 in fiscal 2024. Its EPS is expected to rise 17.2% year over year to $18.62 in fiscal 2026.
Mastercard shares have climbed 14.5% over the past 52 weeks, outshining the S&P 500’s ($SPX) 6% gains but trailing the Financial Select Sector SPDR Fund’s (XLF) 16% surge during the same timeframe.
Mastercard shares rose more than 3.1% following the release of its strong Q4 earnings on Jan. 30. Continued momentum across its payment network and value-added services fueled a robust 14.4% year over year increase in net revenue to $7.5 billion, topping Wall Street’s estimates by 1.4%.
The company also demonstrated effective cost control, driving meaningful margin expansion. Operating income jumped 16.8% from the prior year to $3.9 billion, while adjusted earnings grew 20.1% to $3.82 per share, exceeding analyst expectations by 3.8%
Analysts’ consensus opinion on MA stock is very bullish, with a “Strong Buy” rating overall. Out of 38 analysts covering the stock, 28 advise a “Strong Buy” rating, three suggest a “Moderate Buy,” and seven give a “Hold.”
MA’s average analyst price target is $620.92, indicating a potential upside of 17.2% from the current levels.
On the date of publication, Kritika Sarmah did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. For more information please view the Barchart Disclosure Policy here.
