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GOOGL vs. MA: Alphabet vs. Mastercard Stock Comparison

How do Alphabet (GOOGL) and Mastercard (MA) stack up? This page sets them side by side across company profile, performance and risk, profitability, growth, financial strength, dividends, and valuation, with selected fundamentals also measured against each stock's industry-group peers.

Company Profile

Alphabet (GOOGL) is classified in the Communication Services sector (Media & Entertainment), whereas Mastercard (MA) belongs to Financials (Financial Services) — their GICS classifications point to very different parts of the market.

Company profile comparison for Alphabet (GOOGL) and Mastercard (MA)
Profile ItemGOOGLMA
NameAlphabet Inc. Class A Common StockMastercard Inc. Class A Common Stock
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorCommunication ServicesFinancials
GICS Industry GroupMedia & EntertainmentFinancial Services
GICS IndustryInteractive Media & ServicesFinancial Services
GICS Sub-IndustryInteractive Media & ServicesTransaction & Payment Processing Services
Market Capitalization3,501.09 billion USD568.62 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNasdaqNYSE
Listing DateAugust 19, 2004May 25, 2006
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

GOOGL
MA
GSPC
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Alphabet (GOOGL) vs. Mastercard (MA), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past five years. Adjusted for dividends and splits.

Trailing Returns

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Trailing total returns for Alphabet (GOOGL) and Mastercard (MA). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Alphabet (GOOGL) and Mastercard (MA). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Alphabet (GOOGL) and Mastercard (MA)
MetricGOOGLMA
Total Return (1Y)4.89%20.00%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)31.25%19.98%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)14.61%14.49%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

GOOGL
MA
GSPC
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Alphabet (GOOGL) vs. Mastercard (MA), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Drawdown from the running peak over the past five years. Each line shows the decline from its prior peak; 0% marks a new high.

Return Distribution

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Distribution of monthly total returns for Alphabet (GOOGL) and Mastercard (MA). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Alphabet (GOOGL) and Mastercard (MA)
MetricGOOGLMA
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)33.67%23.57%
Beta (5Y)1.200.76
Max Drawdown (5Y)-44.32%-28.25%
Avg. Volume (3M)28.79M2.98M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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GOOGL and MA are plotted by 1-year volatility (risk) and 1-year return. Each dashed Capital Allocation Line uses that stock's own industry median.

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Risk-adjusted metrics for Alphabet (GOOGL) and Mastercard (MA)
MetricGOOGLMA
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)0.020.67
Sortino Ratio (1Y)0.031.00

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both companies show strong equity returns, but Mastercard (MA) at 231.37% is the standout with ROE above its industry range; Alphabet (GOOGL) at 44.29% also sits in the top quartile.

GOOGL

Media & Entertainment industry group

44.29%

Max
49.92%
GOOGL
44.29%
Q3
17.95%
Median
7.20%
Q1
-4.53%
Min
-26.31%

MA

Financial Services industry group

231.37%

MA
231.37%
Max
44.78%
Q3
21.85%
Median
12.91%
Q1
4.48%
Min
-18.71%
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Alphabet (GOOGL) vs. Mastercard (MA): A comparison of their ROE against their respective Media & Entertainment and Financial Services industry group benchmarks.

Net Margin (TTM)

Alphabet (GOOGL) at 50.03% keeps the most of each sales dollar — above its industry’s net margin range — and Mastercard (MA) at 46.73% also retains a top-quartile share.

GOOGL

Media & Entertainment industry group

50.03%

GOOGL
50.03%
Max
32.91%
Q3
11.75%
Median
5.04%
Q1
-4.17%
Min
-25.14%

MA

Financial Services industry group

46.73%

Max
62.84%
MA
46.73%
Q3
28.05%
Median
15.36%
Q1
4.82%
Min
-28.52%
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Alphabet (GOOGL) vs. Mastercard (MA): A comparison of their net margin against their respective Media & Entertainment and Financial Services industry group benchmarks.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both Alphabet (GOOGL) at 31.81% and Mastercard (MA) at 60.53% convert sales into operating profit at a top-quartile rate, pointing to tighter cost discipline before financing and tax.

GOOGL

Media & Entertainment industry group

31.81%

Max
40.16%
GOOGL
31.81%
Q3
18.72%
Median
8.63%
Q1
1.90%
Min
-22.08%

MA

Financial Services industry group

60.53%

Max
107.33%
MA
60.53%
Q3
55.90%
Median
30.09%
Q1
14.60%
Min
-44.34%
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Alphabet (GOOGL) vs. Mastercard (MA): A comparison of their operating margin against their respective Media & Entertainment and Financial Services industry group benchmarks.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Alphabet (GOOGL) and Mastercard (MA)
MetricGOOGLMA
ROE (TTM)44.29%231.37%
ROA (TTM)12.74%24.45%
Net Margin (TTM)50.03%46.73%
Operating Margin (TTM)31.81%60.53%
Gross Margin (TTM)60.86%--

Growth

Revenue Growth

Alphabet (GOOGL) at 15.09% sits in the top revenue growth quartile, while Mastercard (MA) at 16.42% is closer to the peer norm — faster top-line expansion for GOOGL.

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Alphabet (GOOGL) vs. Mastercard (MA): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both Alphabet (GOOGL) at 34.45% and Mastercard (MA) at 18.93% land near their industries' usual EPS growth ranges, so bottom-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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Alphabet (GOOGL) vs. Mastercard (MA): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Alphabet (GOOGL) and Mastercard (MA)
MetricGOOGLMA
Revenue Growth (YoY)15.09%16.42%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)12.51%13.82%
EPS Growth (YoY)34.45%18.93%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)33.34%17.36%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Alphabet (GOOGL) shows current ratio of 2.79; Mastercard (MA) doesn’t get one — Financial Services balance sheets aren’t split into current and non-current buckets, so short-term liquidity there is judged through regulatory measures instead.

GOOGL

Media & Entertainment industry group

2.79

Max
4.69
GOOGL
2.79
Q3
2.53
Median
1.52
Q1
0.95
Min
0.28

MA

Financial Services industry group

--

MA
--
Max
--
Q3
--
Median
--
Q1
--
Min
--
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Alphabet (GOOGL) vs. Mastercard (MA): MA’s current ratio is not assessed under the Financial Services industry convention, so the chart shows available visual context for GOOGL only.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Alphabet (GOOGL) shows debt-to-equity ratio of 0.22; for Mastercard (MA) the ratio is set aside — in Financial Services, balance-sheet leverage is part of the business model itself, so capital-adequacy measures do the job this ratio does elsewhere.

GOOGL

Media & Entertainment industry group

0.22

Max
3.65
Q3
1.69
Median
0.46
GOOGL
0.22
Q1
0.17
Min
0.00

MA

Financial Services industry group

--

MA
--
Max
--
Q3
--
Median
--
Q1
--
Min
--
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Alphabet (GOOGL) vs. Mastercard (MA): MA’s debt-to-equity ratio is not assessed under the Financial Services industry convention, so the chart shows available visual context for GOOGL only.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Alphabet (GOOGL) and Mastercard (MA)
MetricGOOGLMA
Current Ratio (MRQ)2.79--
Debt / Equity (MRQ)0.22--
Net Debt / EBITDA-0.62--

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both Alphabet (GOOGL) at 0.30% and Mastercard (MA) at 0.53% pay solid, industry-typical yields, sitting squarely within their peers’ usual range.

GOOGL

Media & Entertainment industry group

0.30%

Max
1.33%
Q3
0.65%
GOOGL
0.30%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

MA

Financial Services industry group

0.53%

Max
9.77%
Q3
3.92%
Median
1.09%
MA
0.53%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Alphabet (GOOGL) vs. Mastercard (MA): A comparison of their dividend yield against their respective Media & Entertainment and Financial Services industry group benchmarks.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both Alphabet (GOOGL) at 4.49% and Mastercard (MA) at 17.63% keep payout ratio within their industries’ typical mid-ranges — dividend policies that share earnings without consuming too much of them.

GOOGL

Media & Entertainment industry group

4.49%

Max
71.43%
Q3
28.98%
GOOGL
4.49%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

MA

Financial Services industry group

17.63%

Max
241.07%
Q3
97.36%
Median
25.77%
MA
17.63%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Alphabet (GOOGL) vs. Mastercard (MA): A comparison of their payout ratio against their respective Media & Entertainment and Financial Services industry group benchmarks.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Alphabet (GOOGL) and Mastercard (MA)
MetricGOOGLMA
Dividend Yield (TTM)0.30%0.53%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)4.49%17.63%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Alphabet (GOOGL) at 14.87 is near its industry’s usual P/E ratio, while Mastercard (MA) at 34.15 sits in the richer quartile — MA needs stronger growth or earnings quality to justify the premium.

GOOGL

Media & Entertainment industry group

14.87

Max
51.21
Q3
28.90
Median
17.98
GOOGL
14.87
Q1
11.53
Min
1.64

MA

Financial Services industry group

34.15

Max
45.85
MA
34.15
Q3
24.64
Median
15.37
Q1
9.68
Min
0.16
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Alphabet (GOOGL) vs. Mastercard (MA): A comparison of their P/E ratio against their respective Media & Entertainment and Financial Services industry group benchmarks.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Both look expensive on sales: Alphabet (GOOGL) at 7.43 sits in the upper P/S ratio quartile, and Mastercard (MA) at 15.67 prices even higher, above its industry range.

GOOGL

Media & Entertainment industry group

7.43

GOOGL
7.43
Max
7.43
Q3
3.82
Median
1.40
Q1
0.70
Min
0.00

MA

Financial Services industry group

15.67

MA
15.67
Max
9.23
Q3
4.57
Median
2.72
Q1
1.28
Min
-0.55
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Alphabet (GOOGL) vs. Mastercard (MA): A comparison of their P/S ratio against their respective Media & Entertainment and Financial Services industry group benchmarks.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Both look rich against book: Alphabet (GOOGL) at 5.31 sits in the upper P/B ratio quartile, and Mastercard (MA) at 84.30 prices even higher, above its industry range.

GOOGL

Media & Entertainment industry group

5.31

Max
11.45
GOOGL
5.31
Q3
5.30
Median
1.84
Q1
0.77
Min
-2.61

MA

Financial Services industry group

84.30

MA
84.30
Max
7.79
Q3
3.63
Median
1.57
Q1
0.81
Min
-0.39
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Alphabet (GOOGL) vs. Mastercard (MA): A comparison of their P/B ratio against their respective Media & Entertainment and Financial Services industry group benchmarks.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Alphabet (GOOGL) and Mastercard (MA)
MetricGOOGLMA
P/E Ratio (TTM)14.8734.15
P/S Ratio (TTM)7.4315.67
P/B Ratio (MRQ)5.3184.30
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)-0.03%--