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Mastercard vs Visa: Which Stock Looks Stronger in 2026?

The structural profiles are close, with Mastercard carrying a narrow edge on profitability. The remaining gap is narrow enough that the comparison remains open to different readings. Both sides have seen trend damage — neither carries a clear market edge right now. With both trends damaged, the structural comparison carries most of the weight here.

The comparison is based on similar long-term financial trajectories, not sector labels. Both peer scores are relative to the S&P 500 universe, making them directly comparable.

Updated 2026-05-17

Most of the separation is still concentrated in profitability.

INDUSTRY COMPARISON

Both operate in: Credit Services

This comparison is based on industry proximity, not on functional trajectory similarity. MA and V share the same industry classification.

For a similarity-based comparison, see how Mastercard and Visa each position within their functional peer groups in AssetNext.

Peer-Relative Score
MA
Mastercard Incorporated
71
Peer-Score
Signal qualitylow
Peer basis: S&P 500
vs
V
Visa Inc.
66
Peer-Score
Signal qualitylow
Peer basis: S&P 500

Scores reflect position relative to comparable companies with similar long-term financial trajectories.

The clearest separation appears in profitability.

Dimension spread: MA vs V Profitability 93 82 Stability 58 53 Valuation 60 58 Growth 71 68 MA V
Gap Ranking
#1 Profitability +11
#2 Stability +5
#3 Growth +3
#4 Valuation +2
Price Setup

Left means cheaper relative valuation. Higher means stronger structure.

Price setup map for MA and V Stronger + cheaper Stronger + richer Weaker + cheaper Weaker + richer MAV Relative valuation Structural strength

The setup stays mixed because structure and the price setup do not align cleanly in one direction.

Valuation position uses peer-relative PE percentile (idx_pct_pe) where available.

Entry today — historical context

Where MA and V each sit in their own 5-year price and valuation history.

BASED ON 5-YEAR HISTORY MA Neutral · below norm 0th 50th 100th 10 pct gap V Elevated · above norm 0th 50th 100th 69th 80th
MA (69th percentile) and V (80th percentile) sit at comparable positions within their own 5-year histories. This reflects entry timing, not which company is structurally stronger.

Describes historical entry positioning only. Descriptive — not investment advice.

Relative Position vs Comparable Companies
Profitability
Both are strong on profitability, but Mastercard Incorporated still ranks higher.
Profitability — Dominant Gap
MA
93
V
82
Gap+11in favour of MA

Return on equity adds support too, with a 172-point advantage.

What else supports the lead

Mastercard Incorporated also shows lower market-fundamental divergence, which makes the lead look less detached from the underlying business picture.

What this means for the comparison

Profitability is the clearest driver, and stability also supports Mastercard Incorporated's broader structural position.

Explore full peer positioning in AssetNext

Break down the MA vs V comparison across all dimensions with the full interactive tool.

Explore full breakdown →
Other close comparisons

Explore how MA and V each compare against other companies in their peer groups.

Rule-based, descriptive analysis only. Derived from peer percentile dimensions. Not investment advice. Peer groups are determined algorithmically based on structural similarity — not by sector classification alone.

How AssetNext Peer Scores Work

AssetNext scores reflect each company's structural position within its functional peer group — not a ranking against all stocks simultaneously. Peers are identified by similarity across eight financial dimensions, including revenue growth trajectory, margin structure, capital intensity, and earnings stability. A score of 75 means the company ranks in the top quartile within its own peer group, not the entire market.

Four dimension scores drive the overall peer score: Growth (revenue trajectory and expansion dynamics), Quality (margin structure and capital efficiency), Valuation (peer-relative pricing on standard multiples), and Stability (earnings consistency and financial predictability). Each dimension is scored 0–100 relative to the peer group, then combined into an overall peer score using equal weighting.

Because scores are peer-relative, the same company can have slightly different scores in different index universes. On comparison pages, both companies are shown within their shared peer universe wherever possible — so the scores are directly comparable. The peer basis is stated on each score card.

Scores are recalculated periodically as underlying financial data is updated. All analysis is descriptive and rule-based — AssetNext describes structural realities and never issues buy, sell or hold recommendations.