Is Mastercard the Smartest Investment You Can Make Today?

Key Points

• Mastercard is a top-notch business that benefits from overall spending growth as the economy expands.

• Due to the company's powerful network effect, it would be an impossible task for a disruptor to put a dent in its business.

• But it might come as a surprise that the stock has seriously underperformed the S&P 500 during the past five years.

• 10 stocks we like better than Mastercard ›

Despite the fact that many people might have a Mastercard (NYSE: MA) debit or credit card in their wallets, investors might not be totally familiar with this business. But it's time to take a closer look.

Mastercard carries a market cap of about $525 billion, a huge valuation that is a result of the share price soaring more than 12,000% (as of Oct. 1) since its initial public offering in 2006.

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Since hitting a peak a few weeks ago in late August, however, this fintech stock is down 4%. Does this dip make Mastercard the smartest investment that you can make today? There are valid reasons that support both a bullish and bearish view.

Image source: Mastercard.

Mastercard is an elite business

There are some companies out there that are truly exceptional, and I believe Mastercard falls into this category. That perspective isn't controversial in the slightest, either; anyone who follows the business will feel the same way.

The company benefits from sustainable tailwinds. Declining use of cash and paper transactions paves the way for cashless methods to proliferate. This has been driven by online shopping, as well as the need for greater convenience and security for consumers and merchants.

Another general trend that favors the company is global economic growth. This translates into higher spending.

This all results in more payment volume running through the Mastercard network. During the second quarter of 2025, the company handled $2.6 trillion in volume, up 9.4% year over year.

Another reason this is a great business is its powerful network effect. If there are more cards in circulation, merchants benefit from a broader base of potential shoppers. And if there are more places to spend, then cardholders gain. Mastercard has billions of active cards, which can be used at 150 million locations. To recreate this kind of setup would be impossible for a disruptor penetrate.

Despite having a formidable competitive position, it doesn't necessarily mean that innovation isn't taking place in this field. For instance, stablecoins have become a force in the financial services and payments landscape.

In my view, it will take a lot of convincing for consumers to let go of the valuable perks and rewards they receive from their credit cards in favor of using stablecoins. Nonetheless, Mastercard isn't sitting on its hands. It's introducing stablecoin compatibility and partnering with fintechs.

We haven't even touched on the company's insane-sounding profitability. Mastercard's net income increased 14% year over year in the second quarter to $3.7 billion. The net income margin came in at a stellar 46%. Management has used excess cash to pay dividends and repurchase shares.

But it was better to own the market

A wonderful business doesn't always equal a winning stock. During the past five years, investors would have been better off owning an exchange-traded fund (ETF) that simply tracked the overall S&P 500 index. Mastercard shares have climbed 70% in that time, lagging behind the benchmark's 100% gain.

This has happened while Mastercard's diluted earnings per share (EPS) have risen at a compound annual rate of 20% during the past three years. Wall Street sell-side analysts on average forecast a yearly EPS gain of 15% between 2024 and 2027. Amid this bullish outlook period, I think there's a high likelihood that Mastercard continues to increase its bottom line at a healthy double-digit percentage pace.

The issue right now is the valuation. The stock's price-to-earnings ratio (P/E) of about 39 is at a lofty level that might actually signal potential downside risk. That's not a good bet to take.

Mastercard is without a doubt one of the highest-quality companies any investor can add to a portfolio. But that doesn't make it a smart investment, especially at the current valuation. If the P/E, for whatever reason, contracts and falls to well below 30, then Mastercard would possibly be a no-brainer investment opportunity. That situation might never present itself, though.

Should you invest $1,000 in Mastercard right now?

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Neil Patel has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Mastercard. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.