AZN vs. MA: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at AZN and MA, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Overview
AZN’s market capitalization stands at 430.65 billion USD, while MA’s is 513.03 billion USD, indicating their market valuations are broadly comparable.
MA carries a higher beta at 1.05, indicating it’s more sensitive to market moves, while AZN (beta: 0.17) exhibits greater stability.
AZN trades as an American Depositary Receipt (ADR), offering U.S. investors a convenient way to access its foreign-listed shares. In contrast, MA is a standard domestic listing.
| Symbol | AZN | MA |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | AstraZeneca PLC | Mastercard Incorporated |
| Country | GB | US |
| Sector | Healthcare | Financial Services |
| Industry | Drug Manufacturers - General | Financial - Credit Services |
| CEO | Pascal Claude Roland Soriot | Michael Miebach |
| Price | 69.45 USD | 569.24 USD |
| Market Cap | 430.65 billion USD | 513.03 billion USD |
| Beta | 0.17 | 1.05 |
| Exchange | NASDAQ | NYSE |
| IPO Date | May 12, 1993 | May 25, 2006 |
| ADR | Yes | No |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of AZN 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
AZN
19.18%
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 95.59%
- Q3
- 76.92%
- Median
- 30.71%
- Q1
- 8.97%
- Min
- -14.85%
AZN’s Return on Equity of 19.18% is on par with the norm for the Drug Manufacturers - General industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.
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
AZN
10.93%
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 25.72%
- Q3
- 17.89%
- Median
- 11.47%
- Q1
- 9.39%
- Min
- 2.87%
AZN’s Return on Invested Capital of 10.93% is in line with the norm for the Drug Manufacturers - General industry, reflecting a standard level of efficiency in generating profits from its capital base.
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
AZN
14.14%
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 34.51%
- Q3
- 23.04%
- Median
- 14.73%
- Q1
- 11.78%
- Min
- 2.18%
AZN’s Net Profit Margin of 14.14% is aligned with the median group of its peers in the Drug Manufacturers - General industry. This indicates its ability to convert revenue into profit is typical for the sector.
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
AZN
19.21%
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 40.70%
- Q3
- 28.90%
- Median
- 23.41%
- Q1
- 19.05%
- Min
- 16.13%
AZN’s Operating Profit Margin of 19.21% is around the midpoint for the Drug Manufacturers - General industry, indicating that its efficiency in managing core business operations is typical for the sector.
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 | AZN | MA |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 19.18% | 187.64% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 7.31% | 27.12% |
| Return on Invested Capital (TTM) | 10.93% | 43.98% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 14.14% | 45.21% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 19.21% | 55.48% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 81.41% | 76.45% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio
AZN
0.90
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 1.67
- Q3
- 1.37
- Median
- 1.26
- Q1
- 0.87
- Min
- 0.39
AZN’s Current Ratio of 0.90 aligns with the median group of the Drug Manufacturers - General industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.
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
AZN
0.77
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 2.95
- Q3
- 2.44
- Median
- 0.86
- Q1
- 0.68
- Min
- 0.09
AZN’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.77 is typical for the Drug Manufacturers - General 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
AZN
7.95
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 27.46
- Q3
- 14.40
- Median
- 7.80
- Q1
- 4.07
- Min
- 1.67
AZN’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 7.95 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Drug Manufacturers - General industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.
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 | AZN | MA |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (TTM) | 0.90 | 1.11 |
| Quick Ratio (TTM) | 0.70 | 1.11 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (TTM) | 0.77 | 2.82 |
| Debt-to-Asset Ratio (TTM) | 0.30 | 0.39 |
| Net Debt-to-EBITDA Ratio (TTM) | 1.49 | 0.65 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 7.95 | 23.79 |
Growth
The following charts compare key year-over-year (YoY) growth metrics for AZN 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
AZN
1.87%
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 8.72%
- Q3
- 4.10%
- Median
- 3.34%
- Q1
- 1.89%
- Min
- 0.00%
AZN’s Dividend Yield of 1.87% is in the lower quartile for the Drug Manufacturers - General industry. This suggests the company’s strategy likely favors retaining earnings for growth over providing a high dividend income.
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
AZN
63.60%
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 266.46%
- Q3
- 78.91%
- Median
- 60.27%
- Q1
- 43.74%
- Min
- 0.00%
AZN’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 63.60% is within the typical range for the Drug Manufacturers - General industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.
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 | AZN | MA |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 1.87% | 0.50% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 63.60% | 19.22% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio
AZN
28.12
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 27.96
- Q3
- 25.84
- Median
- 18.32
- Q1
- 16.65
- Min
- 3.39
At 28.12, AZN’s P/E Ratio is exceptionally high, exceeding the typical maximum for the Drug Manufacturers - General industry. This suggests the stock may be significantly overvalued compared to its peers and implies high market expectations that could be difficult to meet.
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
AZN
2.56
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 3.10
- Q3
- 3.09
- Median
- 2.72
- Q1
- 2.18
- Min
- 1.02
AZN’s Forward PEG Ratio of 2.56 is within the middle range of its peers in the Drug Manufacturers - General 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
AZN
3.98
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 6.47
- Q3
- 4.47
- Median
- 3.53
- Q1
- 1.96
- Min
- 0.41
AZN’s P/S Ratio of 3.98 aligns with the market consensus for the Drug Manufacturers - General 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
AZN
5.33
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 7.80
- Q3
- 7.80
- Median
- 5.30
- Q1
- 4.06
- Min
- 1.08
The P/B Ratio is often not a primary valuation metric for the Drug Manufacturers - General industry.
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 | AZN | MA |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (P/E, TTM) | 28.12 | 39.50 |
| Forward PEG Ratio (TTM) | 2.56 | 2.29 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (P/S, TTM) | 3.98 | 17.65 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (P/B, TTM) | 5.33 | 77.82 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (P/FCF, TTM) | 22.59 | 33.64 |
| EV-to-EBITDA (TTM) | 13.82 | 30.20 |
| EV-to-Sales (TTM) | 4.46 | 18.04 |