MA vs. META: Mastercard vs. Meta Platforms Stock Comparison

November 11, 2026

How do Mastercard (MA) and Meta Platforms (META) 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

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

Company profile comparison for Mastercard (MA) and Meta Platforms (META)
Profile Item	MA	META
Name	Mastercard Inc. Class A Common Stock	Meta Platforms Inc. Class A Common Stock
Country/Region	United States	United States
GICS Sector	Financials	Communication Services
GICS Industry Group	Financial Services	Media & Entertainment
GICS Industry	Financial Services	Interactive Media & Services
GICS Sub-Industry	Transaction & Payment Processing Services	Interactive Media & Services
Market Capitalization	568.62 billion USD	1,560.05 billion USD
Currency	USD	USD
Exchange	NYSE	Nasdaq
Listing Date	May 25, 2006	May 18, 2012
Security Type	Common Stock	Common Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

Trailing Returns

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Trailing total returns for Mastercard (MA) and Meta Platforms (META). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Mastercard (MA) and Meta Platforms (META)
Metric	MA	META
Total Return (1Y)	20.00%	3.46%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)	19.98%	26.39%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)	14.49%	14.05%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

Return Distribution

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

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Mastercard (MA) and Meta Platforms (META)
Metric	MA	META
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)	23.57%	41.68%
Beta (5Y)	0.76	1.26
Max Drawdown (5Y)	-28.25%	-74.42%
Avg. Volume (3M)	2.98M	20.91M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

MA and META 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 Mastercard (MA) and Meta Platforms (META)
Metric	MA	META
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)	0.67	-0.02
Sortino Ratio (1Y)	1.00	-0.03

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both companies show strong equity returns, but Mastercard (MA) at 231.37% is the standout with ROE above its industry range; Meta Platforms (META) at 32.26% also sits in the top quartile.

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%

Net Margin (TTM)

For every dollar of sales, both Mastercard (MA) at 46.73% and Meta Platforms (META) at 31.15% retain more as net profit than most peers, landing in the top net margin quartile of their industries.

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%

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both Mastercard (MA) at 60.53% and Meta Platforms (META) at 35.41% convert sales into operating profit at a top-quartile rate, pointing to tighter cost discipline before financing and tax.

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%

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Mastercard (MA) and Meta Platforms (META)
Metric	MA	META
ROE (TTM)	231.37%	32.26%
ROA (TTM)	24.45%	14.58%
Net Margin (TTM)	46.73%	31.15%
Operating Margin (TTM)	60.53%	35.41%
Gross Margin (TTM)	--	81.03%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Meta Platforms (META) at 22.17% sits in the top revenue growth quartile, while Mastercard (MA) at 16.42% is closer to the peer norm — faster top-line expansion for META.

Mastercard (MA) vs. Meta Platforms (META): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both Mastercard (MA) at 18.93% and Meta Platforms (META) at -1.55% land near their industries' usual EPS growth ranges, so bottom-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

Mastercard (MA) vs. Meta Platforms (META): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Mastercard (MA) and Meta Platforms (META)
Metric	MA	META
Revenue Growth (YoY)	16.42%	22.17%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)	13.82%	19.89%
EPS Growth (YoY)	18.93%	-1.55%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)	17.36%	39.84%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Meta Platforms (META) shows current ratio of 1.90; 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.

MA

Financial Services industry group

MA: --
Max: --
Q3: --
Median: --
Q1: --
Min: --

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Meta Platforms (META) shows debt-to-equity ratio of 0.42; 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.

MA

Financial Services industry group

MA: --
Max: --
Q3: --
Median: --
Q1: --
Min: --

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Mastercard (MA) and Meta Platforms (META)
Metric	MA	META
Current Ratio (MRQ)	--	1.90
Debt / Equity (MRQ)	--	0.42
Net Debt / EBITDA	--	0.28

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both Mastercard (MA) at 0.53% and Meta Platforms (META) at 0.35% pay solid, industry-typical yields, sitting squarely within their peers’ usual range.

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%

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both Mastercard (MA) at 17.63% and Meta Platforms (META) at 7.16% keep payout ratio within their industries’ typical mid-ranges — dividend policies that share earnings without consuming too much of them.

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%

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Mastercard (MA) and Meta Platforms (META)
Metric	MA	META
Dividend Yield (TTM)	0.53%	0.35%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	17.63%	7.16%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Meta Platforms (META) at 20.82 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.

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

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Both look expensive on sales: Meta Platforms (META) at 6.46 sits in the upper P/S ratio quartile, and Mastercard (MA) at 15.67 prices even higher, above its industry range.

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

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Both look rich against book: Meta Platforms (META) at 5.73 sits in the upper P/B ratio quartile, and Mastercard (MA) at 84.30 prices even higher, above its industry range.

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

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Mastercard (MA) and Meta Platforms (META)
Metric	MA	META
P/E Ratio (TTM)	34.15	20.82
P/S Ratio (TTM)	15.67	6.46
P/B Ratio (MRQ)	84.30	5.73
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)	--	1.08%