Pictet Asset Management Holding SA Acquires 94,843 Shares of Mastercard Incorporated $MA

Key Points

• Pictet Asset Management raised its stake in Mastercard by 6.3%, buying 94,843 shares to hold 1,608,437 shares (about 0.18% of Mastercard) worth roughly $918.4 million, making MA its 16th-largest holding.
• Mastercard beat quarterly estimates with $4.76 EPS vs. $4.24 expected and $8.81 billion in revenue (up 17.5% year-over-year), reporting a 45.65% net margin and 203.92% return on equity.
• The company declared a quarterly dividend of $0.87 (annualized $3.48, ex-dividend Apr 9), and analysts hold a consensus Buy rating with a $659 price target while the stock trades at a ~30.5 P/E on a ~$450 billion market cap.

Pictet Asset Management Holding SA raised its holdings in Mastercard Incorporated (NYSE:MA - Free Report) by 6.3% in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 1,608,437 shares of the credit services provider's stock after acquiring an additional 94,843 shares during the period. Mastercard comprises about 0.9% of Pictet Asset Management Holding SA's investment portfolio, making the stock its 16th largest holding. Pictet Asset Management Holding SA owned about 0.18% of Mastercard worth $918,353,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other large investors also recently modified their holdings of MA. Tacita Capital Inc lifted its holdings in shares of Mastercard by 50.0% during the 3rd quarter. Tacita Capital Inc now owns 57 shares of the credit services provider's stock valued at $32,000 after purchasing an additional 19 shares in the last quarter. Foster Dykema Cabot & Partners LLC increased its stake in Mastercard by 250.0% during the 3rd quarter. Foster Dykema Cabot & Partners LLC now owns 56 shares of the credit services provider's stock worth $32,000 after purchasing an additional 40 shares in the last quarter. Dagco Inc. increased its stake in Mastercard by 200.0% during the 4th quarter. Dagco Inc. now owns 66 shares of the credit services provider's stock worth $38,000 after purchasing an additional 44 shares in the last quarter. TruNorth Capital Management LLC acquired a new stake in Mastercard during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $46,000. Finally, Clayton Financial Group LLC raised its holdings in Mastercard by 627.3% during the 4th quarter. Clayton Financial Group LLC now owns 80 shares of the credit services provider's stock worth $46,000 after buying an additional 69 shares during the period. 97.28% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Mastercard Price Performance

NYSE MA opened at $504.58 on Monday. The firm's 50 day moving average is $507.62 and its 200-day moving average is $537.29. The company has a quick ratio of 1.03, a current ratio of 1.03 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.36. The company has a market capitalization of $449.99 billion, a PE ratio of 30.54, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.62 and a beta of 0.83. Mastercard Incorporated has a 12-month low of $480.50 and a 12-month high of $601.77.

Mastercard (NYSE:MA - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, January 29th. The credit services provider reported $4.76 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $4.24 by $0.52. The business had revenue of $8.81 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $8.80 billion. Mastercard had a net margin of 45.65% and a return on equity of 203.92%. The firm's revenue was up 17.5% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $3.82 earnings per share. Equities research analysts anticipate that Mastercard Incorporated will post 19.52 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Mastercard Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, May 8th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, April 9th will be paid a dividend of $0.87 per share. This represents a $3.48 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.7%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, April 9th. Mastercard's dividend payout ratio is currently 21.07%.

Key Mastercard News

Here are the key news stories impacting Mastercard this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Wall Street expects earnings growth next week, boosting the prospect of an earnings beat that can drive the stock higher. MasterCard (MA) Reports Next Week: Wall Street Expects Earnings Growth
• Positive Sentiment: BMO Capital Markets upgraded MA to "strong-buy," a bullish signal from a major shop that can support buying interest. BMO Upgrade Coverage
• Positive Sentiment: Multiple business expansions and partnerships — e.g., KuCoin launching a Mastercard‑powered USDC payment card in Australia and new initiatives in South Africa and Sri Lanka — underscore network growth and new revenue streams. KuCoin Debuts Mastercard-Powered USDC Payment Card in Australia
• Positive Sentiment: Corporate sustainability and revenue progress: Mastercard reported continued revenue growth and emissions reductions, reinforcing the quality growth narrative investors like. Mastercard grows revenue, reduces emissions for third straight year
• Positive Sentiment: Investor commentary and bullish write-ups (including a positive thesis summarized on Yahoo Finance) highlight MA’s valuation vs. growth and keep buy-side interest elevated. Is Mastercard Incorporated (MA) A Good Stock To Buy Now?
• Neutral Sentiment: Truist lowered its price target from $611 to $590 but kept a "buy" rating — slightly less upside than before but still supportive. Truist Lowers PT
• Neutral Sentiment: Valuation comparisons (PayPal vs. Mastercard) keep analysts debating relative value; these discussions can influence flows but are not an immediate catalyst. PYPL vs. MA: Which Stock Is the Better Value Option?
• Negative Sentiment: Regulatory/legal pressure: a new suit over card fees could increase litigation and regulatory scrutiny, creating a downside risk to margins and sentiment. Visa, Mastercard face new suit over card fees
• Negative Sentiment: Industry changes: reporting on a proposed Visa–Mastercard deal suggests merchants could gain tools to steer spending, which may pressure interchange revenue over time. Proposed Visa–Mastercard Deal Hands Merchants New Power to Steer Spending

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research analysts have recently weighed in on the stock. Raymond James Financial reduced their price target on shares of Mastercard from $707.00 to $631.00 and set an "outperform" rating for the company in a report on Thursday, January 29th. Royal Bank Of Canada restated an "outperform" rating and set a $656.00 price objective on shares of Mastercard in a report on Friday, January 30th. UBS Group cut their price objective on shares of Mastercard from $700.00 to $650.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, March 31st. The Goldman Sachs Group reiterated a "buy" rating and set a $739.00 target price on shares of Mastercard in a report on Thursday, January 29th. Finally, Daiwa Securities Group set a $610.00 price target on Mastercard and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research note on Monday, February 2nd. Six equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty have assigned a Buy rating, one has issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of "Buy" and a consensus price target of $659.00.

Mastercard Company Profile

Mastercard Incorporated is a global payments technology company that operates a network connecting consumers, financial institutions, merchants, governments and businesses in more than 200 countries and territories. The company facilitates electronic payments and transaction processing for credit, debit and prepaid card products carrying the Mastercard brand, while also providing a range of payment-related services to issuers, acquirers and merchants. Its technology and network enable authorization, clearing and settlement of payments and support a broad set of use cases including point-of-sale, e-commerce and mobile payments.

Beyond core transaction processing, Mastercard offers a suite of value-added services such as fraud and risk management, identity and authentication tools, tokenization and digital wallet support, cross-border and commercial payment solutions, and data analytics and consulting services for merchants and financial partners.

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