Head-to-head · Stock vs Stock

Visa Inc. Class A vs Mastercard

Stock·NYSE

Visa Inc. Class A V

$423.00 ▲ 0.20%

Buy

75 / 100 AI score

Full V analysis →

Stock·NYSE

Mastercard Inc. MA

$658.84 ▲ 0.46%

Buy

75 / 100 AI score

Full MA analysis →

Last updated: November 11, 2026 (1h 22m ago) • analysis written when V was at $423.00 and MA at $658.84

CleaRank Financial AI • Data from TwelveData

Method reviewed by Kate Leaman, Financial Journalist and Market Analyst. Figures come from market data providers; the text is written by CleaRank Financial AI and passes automated checks before it publishes. Updated daily. Not financial advice. How this page is made · Report an error

V vs MA: the verdict

How V and MA compare today, and what CleaRank Financial AI makes of it.

The verdict

CleaRank Financial AI Level on score

V MA

75/100 AI score 75/100

+26.3% 1-year change +19.1%

26.7% Volatility (30d, yearly) 28.7%

63.3 RSI (14-day) 65.8

34.3x P/E ratio 34.3x

0.63% Dividend yield 0.53%

The verdict

Visa Inc. Class A (V) and Mastercard Inc. (MA) earn the same CleaRank score, 75/100 each, which places both in the Buy rating.

Key difference

Size is the plainest contrast here. Visa is valued at $789.2B, while Mastercard comes in at $574.0B.

Outlook

V's uptrend holds while it stays above its 50-day average at $387.53 and its 200-day at $345.63. MA's uptrend holds while it stays above its 50-day average at $595.66 and its 200-day at $540.11.

Price, side by side

Both prices start at 0% on the first day of the period you pick, so the moves compare directly.

Rebased price

-10%0%+10%+20%+30%+26%+19%

Dec '25Feb '26Apr '26Jul '26Sep '26Nov '26

V MA

Over 1 year: V gained 26.3% and MA gained 19.1%, a gap of 7.2 points in V's favour.

Valuation and profitability

What each costs relative to its earnings and sales, and how much of its revenue it keeps.

Side by side

Valuation

Lower multiples mean you pay less for each dollar of earnings or sales.

V MA

$789.2B Market cap $574.0B

34.3x P/E ratio 34.3x

17.2x Price / sales 15.7x

22.0x Price / book 84.7x

24.6x EV / EBITDA 25.4x

Profitability

How much of each dollar of revenue becomes profit, and how hard the capital works.

V MA

+14.4% Revenue growth (quarter, y/y) +14.1%

50.8% Net margin 46.7%

63.5% Return on equity 231.4%

19.6% Return on assets 24.5%

0.64 Debt / equity 3.55

On valuation

Mastercard Inc. (MA) carries the higher trailing P/E, at 34.32 compared with 34.29 for Visa Inc. Class A (V). Both are at a premium to peers when set against the Financial Services median of 16.5. Visa is the one valued higher on sales, at 17.16 times against 15.74 for Mastercard. In size, Visa is the larger company, with a market value of $789.2B versus $574.0B.

On profitability

Mastercard, though, produces the stronger return on equity at 231.37% compared with 63.51% for Visa. Year on year, latest-quarter revenue rose 14.36% at Visa and 14.07% at Mastercard. The trailing dividend yield is 0.63% for Visa and 0.53% for Mastercard.

Earnings reality check

V

V beat the estimate in 7 of its last 7 reports (latest Oct '26); the shares fell in the first session after 5 of those beats.

Surprise

+3.4%

+3.0%

+4.6%

+0.3%

+1.0%

+6.8%

+1.2%

Next session

-0.4%

+1.2%

-0.1%

-1.6%

-3.0%

+8.3%

-0.3%

Jan '25Jul '25Jan '26Oct '26

MA

MA beat the estimate in 8 of its last 8 reports (latest Oct '26); the shares fell in the first session after 3 of those beats.

Surprise

+3.5%

+4.8%

+3.2%

+1.6%

+12.3%

+4.3%

+5.4%

+2.7%

Next session

+3.1%

-0.3%

+1.3%

-0.2%

+4.3%

-4.3%

+2.5%

+4.2%

May '25Oct '25Apr '26Oct '26

Momentum and sentiment

The indicators behind each AI score, side by side.

Indicators side by side

V MA

75/100 AI score 75/100

63.3 RSI (14-day) 65.8

+9.2% Price against 50-day average +10.6%

+22.4% Price against 200-day average +22.0%

Technicals

V is in an uptrend, trading 9.15% above its 50-day average and 22.39% above its 200-day average. Its 14-day RSI is 63.3, in the bullish zone, with the MACD line positive. MA is in an uptrend, trading 10.61% above its 50-day average and 21.98% above its 200-day average. MA sits higher in its 52-week range, at 89% against 87% for V.

Sentiment

Of the 40 analysts covering V, 35 rate it buy, 4 hold and 1 sell; their median target is $450.00, 6.4% above the price. Of the 40 analysts covering MA, 35 rate it buy, 4 hold and 1 sell; their median target is $726.00, 10.2% above the price.

Risk and practical tips

How much each moves, how much return each has paid for that risk, and what to watch if you hold either.

Risk measures

V MA

26.7% Volatility (30d, yearly) 28.7%

0.79 Beta against the S&P 500 0.77

0.77 Sharpe ratio 0.55

Risk

They move about the same on a typical day, 1.49% for V and 1.56% for MA. Against the S&P 500, V has a beta of 0.79 and MA 0.77. Their worst falls in the price history were 35.5% for V (February 2020 to March 2020) and 40.4% for MA. MA has had the deeper worst fall; on the other measures we track the two are close.

ProTips

For V, watch the 52-week high at $442.23 above the price and the 20-day EMA at $411.02 below it.
For MA, watch the 52-week high at $681.99 above the price and the 20-day EMA at $633.26 below it.

V vs MA: long-term scenarios

Simulated paths from each price history. A range of outcomes, not a forecast.

Simulated growth of $10,000

$20K$40K$60K$68.2K$60K$24.1K$23.3K

202620282030203220342035

V median V 90th MA median MA 90th

V MA

$9,056 Downside, 2035 (10th) $8,532

$23,312 Base case, 2035 (median) $24,123

$60,010 Upside, 2035 (90th) $68,208

In the median simulated path, $10,000 in V grows to about $23,300 and $10,000 in MA grows to about $24,100 by 2035. The paths come from each asset's own volatility and capped historical trend; they are statistical outcomes, not forecasts. V and MA's upside columns reach an extreme multiple of the starting amount; treat them as a statistical tail, not a likely outcome.

V vs MA: questions people ask

Answered from the figures on this page.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better, V or MA?+

They score the same on CleaRank's model, 75/100. This describes the data on this page and is not a personal recommendation.

Which has performed better over the past year, V or MA?+

Over the past year Visa's price climbed 26.33%, a better result than Mastercard's 19.15% gain.

Which is cheaper on earnings, V or MA?+

Visa has the lower trailing P/E, at 34.29 against 34.32 for Mastercard.

Which pays more income, V or MA?+

Visa pays the higher yield, 0.63% against 0.53% for Mastercard. Yield is the payout divided by the price, so it moves whenever either of those changes.

Which is riskier, V or MA?+

MA has had the deeper worst fall; on the other measures we track the two are close. Average daily move: 1.49% for V, 1.56% for MA. Beta against the S&P 500: 0.79 for V, 0.77 for MA. Worst fall in the price history: 35.5% for V, 40.4% for MA.

Which has stronger momentum right now, V or MA?+

MA has the higher 14-day RSI, 65.8 (bullish) against 63.3 (bullish) for V. Both MACD lines are positive. Readings above 70 or below 30 mark stretched momentum.

Which is the bigger company, V or MA?+

Visa is the larger of the two, with a market value of $789.2B, compared with $574.0B for Mastercard.

What do analysts say about V and MA?+

Of 40 analysts, 35 rate Visa a buy, and its median target sits 6.4% above the price. For Mastercard, 35 of 40 analysts also rate it a buy, with the median target 10.2% above the price.

How would $10,000 have grown in V or MA?+

Invested in December 2016, $10,000 would be worth $60,046 today in V and $69,709 in MA.

The verdict

Rebased price

Side by side

Valuation

Profitability

Earnings reality check

V

MA

Indicators side by side

Risk measures

Simulated growth of $10,000

Frequently Asked Questions

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