ABT vs. MA: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at ABT and MA, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Overview
MA’s market capitalization of 513.03 billion USD is significantly greater than ABT’s 233.90 billion USD, highlighting its more substantial market valuation.
With betas of 0.74 for ABT and 1.05 for MA, both stocks show similar sensitivity to overall market movements.
| Symbol | ABT | MA |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Abbott Laboratories | Mastercard Incorporated |
| Country | US | US |
| Sector | Healthcare | Financial Services |
| Industry | Medical - Devices | Financial - Credit Services |
| CEO | Robert B. Ford | Michael Miebach |
| Price | 134.44 USD | 569.24 USD |
| Market Cap | 233.90 billion USD | 513.03 billion USD |
| Beta | 0.74 | 1.05 |
| Exchange | NYSE | NYSE |
| IPO Date | March 17, 1980 | May 25, 2006 |
| ADR | No | No |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of ABT and MA by tracking the growth of an initial $10,000 investment in each. Use the tabs to select the desired time period.
Data is adjusted for dividends and splits.
Profitability
Return on Equity
ABT
30.76%
Medical - Devices Industry
- Max
- 49.04%
- Q3
- 9.53%
- Median
- -7.46%
- Q1
- -32.83%
- Min
- -82.64%
In the upper quartile for the Medical - Devices industry, ABT’s Return on Equity of 30.76% signals a highly effective use of shareholder capital to drive profitability compared to most of its peers.
MA
187.64%
Financial - Credit Services Industry
- Max
- 34.05%
- Q3
- 18.70%
- Median
- 10.57%
- Q1
- 3.55%
- Min
- -12.12%
MA’s Return on Equity of 187.64% is exceptionally high, placing it well beyond the typical range for the Financial - Credit Services industry. This demonstrates a superior ability to generate profit from shareholder investments, though it could also be inflated by high financial leverage.
Return on Invested Capital
ABT
19.13%
Medical - Devices Industry
- Max
- 21.88%
- Q3
- 6.63%
- Median
- -1.11%
- Q1
- -21.08%
- Min
- -51.95%
In the upper quartile for the Medical - Devices industry, ABT’s Return on Invested Capital of 19.13% signifies a highly effective use of its capital to generate profits when compared to its peers.
MA
43.98%
Financial - Credit Services Industry
- Max
- 68.11%
- Q3
- 32.26%
- Median
- 9.52%
- Q1
- 3.37%
- Min
- -7.03%
Return on Invested Capital is often not a primary measure of capital efficiency in the Financial - Credit Services industry.
Net Profit Margin
ABT
31.89%
Medical - Devices Industry
- Max
- 44.80%
- Q3
- 9.77%
- Median
- -5.53%
- Q1
- -29.37%
- Min
- -87.68%
A Net Profit Margin of 31.89% places ABT in the upper quartile for the Medical - Devices industry, signifying strong profitability and more effective cost management than most of its peers.
MA
45.21%
Financial - Credit Services Industry
- Max
- 39.42%
- Q3
- 20.10%
- Median
- 12.91%
- Q1
- 5.82%
- Min
- -14.80%
MA’s Net Profit Margin of 45.21% is exceptionally high, placing it well beyond the typical range for the Financial - Credit Services industry. This demonstrates outstanding operational efficiency and a strong competitive advantage in converting revenue into profit.
Operating Profit Margin
ABT
16.97%
Medical - Devices Industry
- Max
- 30.13%
- Q3
- 13.12%
- Median
- 3.47%
- Q1
- -24.42%
- Min
- -80.56%
An Operating Profit Margin of 16.97% places ABT in the upper quartile for the Medical - Devices industry. This signals a strong ability to translate revenue into operating profit, outperforming most of its competitors in core business efficiency.
MA
55.48%
Financial - Credit Services Industry
- Max
- 77.26%
- Q3
- 42.86%
- Median
- 17.99%
- Q1
- 10.82%
- Min
- -14.94%
An Operating Profit Margin of 55.48% places MA in the upper quartile for the Financial - Credit Services industry. This signals a strong ability to translate revenue into operating profit, outperforming most of its competitors in core business efficiency.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | ABT | MA |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 30.76% | 187.64% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 16.58% | 27.12% |
| Return on Invested Capital (TTM) | 19.13% | 43.98% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 31.89% | 45.21% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 16.97% | 55.48% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 55.89% | 76.45% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio
ABT
1.78
Medical - Devices Industry
- Max
- 12.68
- Q3
- 6.30
- Median
- 4.05
- Q1
- 1.85
- Min
- 0.01
ABT’s Current Ratio of 1.78 falls into the lower quartile for the Medical - Devices industry. This indicates a tighter liquidity situation and a more constrained capacity to handle short-term debt than many of its competitors.
MA
1.11
Financial - Credit Services Industry
- Max
- 8.15
- Q3
- 4.39
- Median
- 2.62
- Q1
- 1.06
- Min
- 0.15
For the Financial - Credit Services industry, the Current Ratio is often not the most suitable measure of short-term liquidity.
Debt-to-Equity Ratio
ABT
0.27
Medical - Devices Industry
- Max
- 2.34
- Q3
- 1.09
- Median
- 0.37
- Q1
- 0.08
- Min
- 0.00
ABT’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.27 is typical for the Medical - Devices industry, indicating its use of leverage is in line with the sector norm. This suggests a balanced approach to its capital structure.
MA
2.82
Financial - Credit Services Industry
- Max
- 4.69
- Q3
- 2.55
- Median
- 1.20
- Q1
- 0.55
- Min
- 0.00
MA’s leverage is in the upper quartile of the Financial - Credit Services industry, with a Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 2.82. While this approach can boost equity growth, it also exposes the company to greater financial vulnerability.
Interest Coverage Ratio
ABT
15.39
Medical - Devices Industry
- Max
- 18.18
- Q3
- 7.53
- Median
- 0.85
- Q1
- -9.80
- Min
- -33.94
ABT’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 15.39 is in the upper quartile for the Medical - Devices industry, signifying a strong and healthy capacity to meet its interest payments from operating profits.
MA
23.79
Financial - Credit Services Industry
- Max
- 17.48
- Q3
- 7.42
- Median
- 1.59
- Q1
- 0.38
- Min
- -7.77
The Interest Coverage Ratio is often not a primary indicator of debt servicing capacity in the Financial - Credit Services industry.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | ABT | MA |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (TTM) | 1.78 | 1.11 |
| Quick Ratio (TTM) | 1.27 | 1.11 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (TTM) | 0.27 | 2.82 |
| Debt-to-Asset Ratio (TTM) | 0.16 | 0.39 |
| Net Debt-to-EBITDA Ratio (TTM) | 0.60 | 0.65 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 15.39 | 23.79 |
Growth
The following charts compare key year-over-year (YoY) growth metrics for ABT and MA. These metrics are based on the companies’ annual financial reports.
Revenue Growth
Earnings Per Share (EPS) Growth
Free Cash Flow Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield
ABT
1.70%
Medical - Devices Industry
- Max
- 3.57%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
With a Dividend Yield of 1.70%, ABT offers a more attractive income stream than most of its peers in the Medical - Devices industry, signaling a strong commitment to shareholder returns.
MA
0.50%
Financial - Credit Services Industry
- Max
- 14.68%
- Q3
- 2.97%
- Median
- 1.03%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
MA’s Dividend Yield of 0.50% is consistent with its peers in the Financial - Credit Services industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.
Dividend Payout Ratio
ABT
28.92%
Medical - Devices Industry
- Max
- 102.12%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
ABT’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 28.92% is in the upper quartile for the Medical - Devices industry. This indicates a strong commitment to shareholder returns but also suggests that a smaller portion of earnings is retained for reinvestment compared to many peers.
MA
19.22%
Financial - Credit Services Industry
- Max
- 169.58%
- Q3
- 38.15%
- Median
- 18.30%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
MA’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 19.22% is within the typical range for the Financial - Credit Services industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | ABT | MA |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 1.70% | 0.50% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 28.92% | 19.22% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio
ABT
17.40
Medical - Devices Industry
- Max
- 90.56
- Q3
- 56.92
- Median
- 43.19
- Q1
- 21.79
- Min
- 5.55
In the lower quartile for the Medical - Devices industry, ABT’s P/E Ratio of 17.40 suggests the stock may be undervalued compared to its peers, potentially presenting an attractive entry point for investors.
MA
39.50
Financial - Credit Services Industry
- Max
- 42.04
- Q3
- 25.88
- Median
- 12.28
- Q1
- 9.55
- Min
- 3.09
A P/E Ratio of 39.50 places MA in the upper quartile for the Financial - Credit Services industry. This high valuation relative to peers suggests the market holds elevated expectations for the company’s future growth.
Forward P/E to Growth Ratio
ABT
1.73
Medical - Devices Industry
- Max
- 6.56
- Q3
- 3.52
- Median
- 2.22
- Q1
- 0.55
- Min
- 0.03
ABT’s Forward PEG Ratio of 1.73 is within the middle range of its peers in the Medical - Devices industry. This suggests a reasonable balance between the stock’s price and its expected growth, aligning with sector valuation norms.
MA
2.29
Financial - Credit Services Industry
- Max
- 2.76
- Q3
- 1.57
- Median
- 0.82
- Q1
- 0.51
- Min
- 0.06
A Forward PEG Ratio of 2.29 places MA in the upper quartile for the Financial - Credit Services industry. This suggests the stock is potentially expensive compared to its peers relative to its growth forecast, which may warrant caution.
Price-to-Sales Ratio
ABT
5.52
Medical - Devices Industry
- Max
- 15.74
- Q3
- 8.12
- Median
- 3.40
- Q1
- 2.37
- Min
- 0.42
ABT’s P/S Ratio of 5.52 aligns with the market consensus for the Medical - Devices industry. This suggests its valuation, based on sales, is seen as standard and is on par with its competitors.
MA
17.65
Financial - Credit Services Industry
- Max
- 6.24
- Q3
- 3.02
- Median
- 1.54
- Q1
- 0.75
- Min
- 0.32
The P/S Ratio is often not a primary valuation tool in the Financial - Credit Services industry.
Price-to-Book Ratio
ABT
4.81
Medical - Devices Industry
- Max
- 16.65
- Q3
- 8.03
- Median
- 3.73
- Q1
- 1.92
- Min
- 0.65
ABT’s P/B Ratio of 4.81 is within the conventional range for the Medical - Devices industry. This shows a balanced market view, where the stock’s price is neither at a significant premium nor a discount to the book value of its peers.
MA
77.82
Financial - Credit Services Industry
- Max
- 3.58
- Q3
- 2.84
- Median
- 1.28
- Q1
- 0.84
- Min
- 0.07
At 77.82, MA’s P/B Ratio is at an extreme premium to the Financial - Credit Services industry. This signifies that the market’s valuation is heavily reliant on future potential rather than its current net asset value, which can be a high-risk proposition.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | ABT | MA |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (P/E, TTM) | 17.40 | 39.50 |
| Forward PEG Ratio (TTM) | 1.73 | 2.29 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (P/S, TTM) | 5.52 | 17.65 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (P/B, TTM) | 4.81 | 77.82 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (P/FCF, TTM) | 35.14 | 33.64 |
| EV-to-EBITDA (TTM) | 21.49 | 30.20 |
| EV-to-Sales (TTM) | 5.68 | 18.04 |