MA vs. TSM: Mastercard vs. Taiwan Semiconductor Mfg Stock Comparison
How do Mastercard (MA) and Taiwan Semiconductor Mfg (TSM) 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 Taiwan Semiconductor Mfg (TSM) belongs to Information Technology (Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment) — their GICS classifications point to very different parts of the market.
Mastercard (MA) trades as ordinary local shares, while Taiwan Semiconductor Mfg (TSM) trades as an ADR — compare with FX exposure, depositary-program fees, and dividend-withholding-tax differences in mind.
| Profile Item | MA | TSM |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Mastercard Inc. Class A Common Stock | Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Ltd. ADR |
| Country/Region | United States | Taiwan |
| GICS Sector | Financials | Information Technology |
| GICS Industry Group | Financial Services | Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment |
| GICS Industry | Financial Services | Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment |
| GICS Sub-Industry | Transaction & Payment Processing Services | Semiconductors |
| Market Capitalization | 568.62 billion USD | 1,947.21 billion USD |
| Currency | USD | USD |
| Exchange | NYSE | NYSE |
| Listing Date | May 25, 2006 | October 9, 1997 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | ADR |
Price Performance
Cumulative Growth
Trailing Returns
Calendar-Year Returns
Performance Metrics
| Metric | MA | TSM |
|---|---|---|
| Total Return (1Y) | 20.00% | 37.26% |
| Total Return (3Y, Annualized) | 19.98% | 64.12% |
| Total Return (5Y, Annualized) | 14.49% | 28.19% |
Risk Profile
Drawdown History
Return Distribution
Risk Metrics
| Metric | MA | TSM |
|---|---|---|
| Volatility (1Y, Annualized) | 23.57% | 41.69% |
| Beta (5Y) | 0.76 | 1.45 |
| Max Drawdown (5Y) | -28.25% | -56.47% |
| Avg. Volume (3M) | 2.98M | 11.20M |
Risk-Adjusted Performance
Risk-Return Positioning
Risk-Adjusted Metrics
| Metric | MA | TSM |
|---|---|---|
| Sharpe Ratio (1Y) | 0.67 | 0.79 |
| Sortino Ratio (1Y) | 1.00 | 1.15 |
Profitability
ROE (TTM)
Both companies show strong equity returns, but Mastercard (MA) at 231.37% is the standout with ROE above its industry range; Taiwan Semiconductor Mfg (TSM) at 41.86% 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%
TSM
Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry group
41.86%
- Max
- 52.82%
- TSM
- 41.86%
- Q3
- 22.26%
- Median
- 10.58%
- Q1
- 1.29%
- Min
- -16.89%
Net Margin (TTM)
For every dollar of sales, both Mastercard (MA) at 46.73% and Taiwan Semiconductor Mfg (TSM) at 51.12% 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%
TSM
Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry group
51.12%
- Max
- 63.80%
- TSM
- 51.12%
- Q3
- 28.36%
- Median
- 11.44%
- Q1
- 0.90%
- Min
- -37.77%
Operating Margin (TTM)
Both Mastercard (MA) at 60.53% and Taiwan Semiconductor Mfg (TSM) at 58.66% 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%
TSM
Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry group
58.66%
- TSM
- 58.66%
- Max
- 58.66%
- Q3
- 30.23%
- Median
- 15.91%
- Q1
- 7.54%
- Min
- -25.74%
Profitability Metrics
| Metric | MA | TSM |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM) | 231.37% | 41.86% |
| ROA (TTM) | 24.45% | 20.58% |
| Net Margin (TTM) | 46.73% | 51.12% |
| Operating Margin (TTM) | 60.53% | 58.66% |
| Gross Margin (TTM) | -- | 65.85% |
Growth
Revenue Growth
Taiwan Semiconductor Mfg (TSM) at 31.61% sits in the top revenue growth quartile, while Mastercard (MA) at 16.42% is closer to the peer norm — faster top-line expansion for TSM.
EPS Growth
Taiwan Semiconductor Mfg (TSM) at 46.41% sits in the top EPS growth quartile, while Mastercard (MA) at 18.93% is closer to the peer norm — faster per-share earnings growth for TSM.
Growth Metrics
| Metric | MA | TSM |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue Growth (YoY) | 16.42% | 31.61% |
| Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR) | 13.82% | 18.94% |
| EPS Growth (YoY) | 18.93% | 46.41% |
| EPS Growth (3Y CAGR) | 17.36% | 19.12% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
Taiwan Semiconductor Mfg (TSM) shows current ratio of 2.51; 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
- --
TSM
Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry group
2.51
- Max
- 10.33
- Q3
- 5.62
- Median
- 3.33
- TSM
- 2.51
- Q1
- 2.35
- Min
- 1.03
Debt / Equity (MRQ)
Taiwan Semiconductor Mfg (TSM) shows debt-to-equity ratio of 0.12; 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
- --
TSM
Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry group
0.12
- Max
- 1.46
- Q3
- 0.65
- Median
- 0.27
- TSM
- 0.12
- Q1
- 0.04
- Min
- 0.00
Financial Strength Metrics
| Metric | MA | TSM |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | -- | 2.51 |
| Debt / Equity (MRQ) | -- | 0.12 |
| Net Debt / EBITDA | -- | -0.89 |
Dividends
Dividend Yield (TTM)
Mastercard (MA) at 0.53% pays an industry-typical yield; Taiwan Semiconductor Mfg (TSM) at 1.70% is above its entire peer range — the higher number, but one that calls for a look at payout sustainability before treating it as an advantage.
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%
TSM
Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry group
1.70%
- TSM
- 1.70%
- Max
- 1.37%
- Q3
- 0.65%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
Mastercard (MA) at 17.63% pays out a band-typical share of earnings, while Taiwan Semiconductor Mfg (TSM) at 24.46% distributes more than its industry norm — less retained, thinner cover.
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%
TSM
Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry group
24.46%
- Max
- 49.64%
- TSM
- 24.46%
- Q3
- 21.71%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
Dividend Metrics
| Metric | MA | TSM |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 0.53% | 1.70% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 17.63% | 24.46% |
Valuation
P/E Ratio (TTM)
Taiwan Semiconductor Mfg (TSM) at 24.33 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
TSM
Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry group
24.33
- Max
- 110.34
- Q3
- 66.81
- Median
- 37.02
- TSM
- 24.33
- Q1
- 23.96
- Min
- 8.12
P/S Ratio (TTM)
Taiwan Semiconductor Mfg (TSM) at 0.39 sits in the cheaper P/S ratio quartile while Mastercard (MA) at 15.67 prices above its industry range — a wide gap in sales valuation between them.
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
TSM
Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry group
0.39
- Max
- 21.42
- Q3
- 12.27
- Median
- 5.76
- Q1
- 2.73
- TSM
- 0.39
- Min
- 0.00
P/B Ratio (MRQ)
Measured against book value, both Mastercard (MA) at 84.30 and Taiwan Semiconductor Mfg (TSM) at 71.65 look expensive — each P/B ratio sits above its industry’s benchmark 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
TSM
Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry group
71.65
- TSM
- 71.65
- Max
- 14.06
- Q3
- 7.44
- Median
- 4.29
- Q1
- 2.30
- Min
- 0.20
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | MA | TSM |
|---|---|---|
| P/E Ratio (TTM) | 34.15 | 24.33 |
| P/S Ratio (TTM) | 15.67 | 0.39 |
| P/B Ratio (MRQ) | 84.30 | 71.65 |
| Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM) | -- | 61.78% |