Purchase, New York-based Mastercard Incorporated (MA) is a technology company that provides transaction processing and other payment-related products and services in the United States and internationally. Valued at a market cap of $446.7 billion, the company offers products and services for account holders, merchants, financial institutions, digital partners, businesses, governments, and other organizations.
Shares of the company have lagged behind the broader market over the past year and in 2026. MA stock has declined 13.2% over the past 52 weeks and 13.8% on a YTD basis. In comparison, the S&P 500 Index ($SPX) has returned 30.3% over the past year and risen 7.2% in 2026.
Narrowing the focus, MA has also underperformed the State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLF), which rose 3% over the past 52 weeks and its 6.3% decrease this year.
On Apr. 30, MA stock declined 4.3% following the release of its Q1 2026 earnings. The company’s revenue for the period came in at $8.4 billion and surpassed the Street’s estimates. Moreover, its adjusted EPS amounted to $4.60, also coming in on top of Wall Street’s estimates.
For the current year ending in December, analysts expect MA’s EPS to increase 15.1% year over year to $19.58. Moreover, the company has surpassed analysts’ consensus estimates in each of the past four quarters.
Among the 38 analysts covering the stock, the consensus rating is a “Strong Buy.” That’s based on 30 “Strong Buy” ratings, four “Moderate Buy,” and four “Hold” ratings.
The configuration has grown more bullish over the past month.
On May 1, Macquarie analyst Paul Golding maintained an “Outperform” rating for MA and lowered its price target from $675 to $665.
MA’s mean price target of $647.11 indicates a premium of 31.4% from the current market prices. Its Street-high target of $735 suggests a robust 49.2% upside potential from current price levels.
On the date of publication, Aritra Gangopadhyay 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.
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