JEF vs. MA: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison

Updated on August 22, 2025

Here’s a clear look at JEF and MA, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.

Company Profile

Symbol	JEF	MA
Company Name	Jefferies Financial Group Inc.	Mastercard Incorporated
Country	United States	United States
GICS Sector	Financials	Financials
GICS Industry	Capital Markets	Financial Services
Market Capitalization	12.25 billion USD	535.79 billion USD
Exchange	NYSE	NYSE
Listing Date	March 17, 1980	May 25, 2006
Security Type	Common Stock	Common Stock

Historical Performance

This chart compares the performance of JEF 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.

JEF vs. MA: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past one year.

Historical Performance at a Glance

Symbol	JEF	MA
5-Day Price Return	-3.78%	1.53%
13-Week Price Return	15.71%	1.07%
26-Week Price Return	-16.26%	4.66%
52-Week Price Return	3.11%	26.92%
Month-to-Date Return	2.97%	4.63%
Year-to-Date Return	-24.27%	12.55%
10-Day Avg. Volume	1.73M	2.49M
3-Month Avg. Volume	1.60M	2.71M
3-Month Volatility	29.07%	21.60%
Beta	1.53	0.99

Profitability

Return on Equity (TTM)

JEF

6.51%

Capital Markets Industry

Max: 38.97%
Q3: 21.61%
Median: 13.77%
Q1: 8.31%
Min: -4.25%

JEF’s Return on Equity of 6.51% is in the lower quartile for the Capital Markets industry. This indicates a less efficient generation of profit from its equity base when compared to its competitors.

MA

191.02%

Financial Services Industry

Max: 40.58%
Q3: 20.06%
Median: 10.67%
Q1: 4.19%
Min: -10.31%

MA’s Return on Equity of 191.02% is exceptionally high, placing it well beyond the typical range for the Financial Services industry. This demonstrates a superior ability to generate profit from shareholder investments, though it could also be inflated by high financial leverage.

JEF vs. MA: A comparison of their Return on Equity (TTM) against their respective Capital Markets and Financial Services industry benchmarks.

Net Profit Margin (TTM)

JEF

6.37%

Capital Markets Industry

Max: 66.67%
Q3: 35.11%
Median: 23.49%
Q1: 13.63%
Min: -15.18%

Falling into the lower quartile for the Capital Markets industry, JEF’s Net Profit Margin of 6.37% indicates weaker profitability. This means the company retains a smaller portion of each dollar in sales as profit compared to its competitors.

MA

44.93%

Financial Services Industry

Max: 52.86%
Q3: 25.58%
Median: 12.23%
Q1: 6.64%
Min: -9.92%

A Net Profit Margin of 44.93% places MA in the upper quartile for the Financial Services industry, signifying strong profitability and more effective cost management than most of its peers.

JEF vs. MA: A comparison of their Net Profit Margin (TTM) against their respective Capital Markets and Financial Services industry benchmarks.

Operating Profit Margin (TTM)

JEF

8.10%

Capital Markets Industry

Max: 86.40%
Q3: 46.46%
Median: 32.80%
Q1: 18.32%
Min: -21.87%

JEF’s Operating Profit Margin of 8.10% is in the lower quartile for the Capital Markets industry. This indicates weaker profitability from core operations, which may stem from inefficiencies or competitive pressures on pricing.

MA

55.78%

Financial Services Industry

Max: 77.28%
Q3: 37.68%
Median: 18.17%
Q1: 9.27%
Min: -8.19%

An Operating Profit Margin of 55.78% places MA in the upper quartile for the Financial Services industry. This signals a strong ability to translate revenue into operating profit, outperforming most of its competitors in core business efficiency.

JEF vs. MA: A comparison of their Operating Profit Margin (TTM) against their respective Capital Markets and Financial Services industry benchmarks.

Profitability at a Glance

Symbol	JEF	MA
Return on Equity (TTM)	6.51%	191.02%
Return on Assets (TTM)	1.00%	27.84%
Net Profit Margin (TTM)	6.37%	44.93%
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)	8.10%	55.78%
Gross Profit Margin (TTM)	59.51%	--

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

JEF

0.69

Capital Markets Industry

Max: 3.76
Q3: 1.89
Median: 1.01
Q1: 0.54
Min: -0.41

For the Capital Markets industry, the Current Ratio is often not the most suitable measure of short-term liquidity.

MA

1.16

Financial Services Industry

Max: 4.58
Q3: 2.59
Median: 1.33
Q1: 0.69
Min: 0.01

For the Financial Services industry, the Current Ratio is often not the most suitable measure of short-term liquidity.

JEF vs. MA: A comparison of their Current Ratio (MRQ) against their respective Capital Markets and Financial Services industry benchmarks.

Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)

JEF

3.27

Capital Markets Industry

Max: 6.62
Q3: 2.84
Median: 1.02
Q1: 0.32
Min: 0.00

The Debt-to-Equity Ratio is often not the primary focus for assessing leverage in the Capital Markets industry.

MA

2.42

Financial Services Industry

Max: 4.96
Q3: 2.10
Median: 0.57
Q1: 0.12
Min: 0.00

The Debt-to-Equity Ratio is often not the primary focus for assessing leverage in the Financial Services industry.

JEF vs. MA: A comparison of their Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) against their respective Capital Markets and Financial Services industry benchmarks.

Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)

JEF

14.18

Capital Markets Industry

Max: 126.03
Q3: 60.98
Median: 11.77
Q1: 4.95
Min: -36.26

The Interest Coverage Ratio is often not a primary indicator of debt servicing capacity in the Capital Markets industry.

MA

37.93

Financial Services Industry

Max: 136.23
Q3: 56.08
Median: 6.55
Q1: 2.01
Min: -33.27

The Interest Coverage Ratio is often not a primary indicator of debt servicing capacity in the Financial Services industry.

JEF vs. MA: A comparison of their Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) against their respective Capital Markets and Financial Services industry benchmarks.

Financial Strength at a Glance

Symbol	JEF	MA
Current Ratio (MRQ)	0.69	1.16
Quick Ratio (MRQ)	0.69	1.16
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)	3.27	2.42
Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)	14.18	37.93

Growth

Revenue Growth

JEF vs. MA: A side-by-side comparison of their Revenue Growth for the MRQ (YoY), TTM (YoY), 3-Year CAGR, and 5-Year CAGR periods.

EPS Growth

JEF vs. MA: A side-by-side comparison of their EPS Growth for the MRQ (YoY), TTM (YoY), 3-Year CAGR, and 5-Year CAGR periods.

Dividend

Dividend Yield (TTM)

JEF

2.87%

Capital Markets Industry

Max: 10.26%
Q3: 4.86%
Median: 2.78%
Q1: 1.22%
Min: 0.00%

JEF’s Dividend Yield of 2.87% is consistent with its peers in the Capital Markets industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.

MA

0.49%

Financial Services Industry

Max: 8.18%
Q3: 3.60%
Median: 1.56%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

MA’s Dividend Yield of 0.49% is consistent with its peers in the Financial Services industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.

JEF vs. MA: A comparison of their Dividend Yield (TTM) against their respective Capital Markets and Financial Services industry benchmarks.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

JEF

52.82%

Capital Markets Industry

Max: 200.72%
Q3: 101.92%
Median: 57.97%
Q1: 32.36%
Min: 0.00%

JEF’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 52.82% is within the typical range for the Capital Markets industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.

MA

19.15%

Financial Services Industry

Max: 155.56%
Q3: 63.71%
Median: 18.08%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

MA’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 19.15% is within the typical range for the Financial Services industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.

JEF vs. MA: A comparison of their Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) against their respective Capital Markets and Financial Services industry benchmarks.

Dividend at a Glance

Symbol	JEF	MA
Dividend Yield (TTM)	2.87%	0.49%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	52.82%	19.15%

Valuation

Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)

JEF

18.43

Capital Markets Industry

Max: 58.89
Q3: 31.00
Median: 18.54
Q1: 12.09
Min: 5.24

JEF’s P/E Ratio of 18.43 is within the middle range for the Capital Markets industry. This suggests its valuation is in line with the sector average, representing neither a significant premium nor a discount compared to its peers.

MA

39.22

Financial Services Industry

Max: 63.23
Q3: 32.10
Median: 14.41
Q1: 10.81
Min: 0.37

A P/E Ratio of 39.22 places MA in the upper quartile for the Financial Services industry. This high valuation relative to peers suggests the market holds elevated expectations for the company’s future growth.

JEF vs. MA: A comparison of their Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) against their respective Capital Markets and Financial Services industry benchmarks.

Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)

JEF

1.17

Capital Markets Industry

Max: 14.49
Q3: 7.41
Median: 4.68
Q1: 2.25
Min: 0.04

In the lower quartile for the Capital Markets industry, JEF’s P/S Ratio of 1.17 indicates its revenue is valued more conservatively than most of its peers. This could present a compelling opportunity if the market has overlooked its sales-generating capabilities.

MA

17.62

Financial Services Industry

Max: 11.16
Q3: 5.45
Median: 2.61
Q1: 1.25
Min: 0.04

The P/S Ratio is often not a primary valuation tool in the Financial Services industry.

JEF vs. MA: A comparison of their Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) against their respective Capital Markets and Financial Services industry benchmarks.

Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)

JEF

0.97

Capital Markets Industry

Max: 9.48
Q3: 4.94
Median: 2.42
Q1: 1.21
Min: 0.38

JEF’s P/B Ratio of 0.97 is in the lower quartile for the Capital Markets industry. From a value investing perspective, this is favorable, as it suggests the stock is trading at a discount to its net asset value and may offer a greater margin of safety.

MA

64.98

Financial Services Industry

Max: 7.09
Q3: 3.79
Median: 1.46
Q1: 0.83
Min: 0.04

At 64.98, MA’s P/B Ratio is at an extreme premium to the Financial 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.

JEF vs. MA: A comparison of their Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) against their respective Capital Markets and Financial Services industry benchmarks.

Valuation at a Glance

Symbol	JEF	MA
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)	18.43	39.22
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)	1.17	17.62
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)	0.97	64.98
Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM)	7.45	33.58