MSFT vs. V: Microsoft vs. Visa Stock Comparison

November 11, 2026

How do Microsoft (MSFT) and Visa (V) 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

Microsoft (MSFT) is classified in the Information Technology sector (Software & Services), whereas Visa (V) belongs to Financials (Financial Services) — their GICS classifications point to very different parts of the market.

Company profile comparison for Microsoft (MSFT) and Visa (V)
Profile Item	MSFT	V
Name	Microsoft Corporation Common Stock	Visa Inc. Class A
Country/Region	United States	United States
GICS Sector	Information Technology	Financials
GICS Industry Group	Software & Services	Financial Services
GICS Industry	Software	Financial Services
GICS Sub-Industry	Systems Software	Transaction & Payment Processing Services
Market Capitalization	3,940.41 billion USD	788.58 billion USD
Currency	USD	USD
Exchange	Nasdaq	NYSE
Listing Date	March 13, 1986	March 19, 2008
Security Type	Common Stock	Common Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

MSFT

GSPC

Microsoft (MSFT) vs. Visa (V), 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 Microsoft (MSFT) and Visa (V). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Microsoft (MSFT) and Visa (V). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Microsoft (MSFT) and Visa (V)
Metric	MSFT	V
Total Return (1Y)	10.30%	27.50%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)	15.53%	21.55%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)	11.01%	15.65%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

MSFT

GSPC

Microsoft (MSFT) vs. Visa (V), 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 Microsoft (MSFT) and Visa (V). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Microsoft (MSFT) and Visa (V)
Metric	MSFT	V
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)	33.91%	22.99%
Beta (5Y)	1.03	0.78
Max Drawdown (5Y)	-37.15%	-24.14%
Avg. Volume (3M)	22.95M	6.56M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

MSFT and V 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 Microsoft (MSFT) and Visa (V)
Metric	MSFT	V
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)	0.18	1.01
Sortino Ratio (1Y)	0.28	1.64

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both companies show strong equity returns, but Visa (V) at 63.51% is the standout with ROE above its industry range; Microsoft (MSFT) at 34.22% also sits in the top quartile.

MSFT

Software & Services industry group

34.22%

Max: 53.85%
MSFT: 34.22%
Q3: 17.90%
Median: 6.59%
Q1: -9.59%
Min: -50.52%

V

Financial Services industry group

63.51%

V: 63.51%
Max: 44.78%
Q3: 21.85%
Median: 12.91%
Q1: 4.48%
Min: -18.71%

Microsoft (MSFT) vs. Visa (V): A comparison of their ROE against their respective Software & Services and Financial Services industry group benchmarks.

Net Margin (TTM)

For every dollar of sales, both Microsoft (MSFT) at 41.17% and Visa (V) at 51.20% retain more as net profit than most peers, landing in the top net margin quartile of their industries.

MSFT

Software & Services industry group

41.17%

MSFT: 41.17%
Max: 41.17%
Q3: 15.28%
Median: 4.63%
Q1: -5.42%
Min: -33.17%

V

Financial Services industry group

51.20%

Max: 62.84%
V: 51.20%
Q3: 28.05%
Median: 15.36%
Q1: 4.82%
Min: -28.52%

Microsoft (MSFT) vs. Visa (V): A comparison of their net margin against their respective Software & Services and Financial Services industry group benchmarks.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Microsoft (MSFT) at 49.76% shows unusually strong operating efficiency — above its industry’s operating margin range — and Visa (V) at 63.73% also operates in the top quartile.

MSFT

Software & Services industry group

49.76%

MSFT: 49.76%
Max: 46.89%
Q3: 17.64%
Median: 8.73%
Q1: -2.13%
Min: -30.45%

V

Financial Services industry group

63.73%

Max: 107.33%
V: 63.73%
Q3: 55.90%
Median: 30.09%
Q1: 14.60%
Min: -44.34%

Microsoft (MSFT) vs. Visa (V): A comparison of their operating margin against their respective Software & Services and Financial Services industry group benchmarks.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Microsoft (MSFT) and Visa (V)
Metric	MSFT	V
ROE (TTM)	34.22%	63.51%
ROA (TTM)	14.41%	19.61%
Net Margin (TTM)	41.17%	51.20%
Operating Margin (TTM)	49.76%	63.73%
Gross Margin (TTM)	67.66%	--

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both Microsoft (MSFT) at 17.79% and Visa (V) at 14.76% land near their industries' usual revenue growth ranges, so top-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

Microsoft (MSFT) vs. Visa (V): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both Microsoft (MSFT) at 31.60% and Visa (V) at 20.78% land near their industries' usual EPS growth ranges, so bottom-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

Microsoft (MSFT) vs. Visa (V): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Microsoft (MSFT) and Visa (V)
Metric	MSFT	V
Revenue Growth (YoY)	17.79%	14.76%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)	16.12%	12.02%
EPS Growth (YoY)	31.60%	20.78%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)	22.86%	14.16%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Microsoft (MSFT) shows current ratio of 1.23; Visa (V) 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.

MSFT

Software & Services industry group

1.23

Max: 5.11
Q3: 2.77
Median: 1.67
MSFT: 1.23
Q1: 1.01
Min: 0.03

V

Financial Services industry group

V: --
Max: --
Q3: --
Median: --
Q1: --
Min: --

Microsoft (MSFT) vs. Visa (V): V’s current ratio is not assessed under the Financial Services industry convention, so the chart shows available visual context for MSFT only.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Microsoft (MSFT) shows debt-to-equity ratio of 0.28; for Visa (V) 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.

MSFT

Software & Services industry group

0.28

Max: 2.52
Q3: 1.13
Median: 0.40
MSFT: 0.28
Q1: 0.07
Min: 0.00

V

Financial Services industry group

V: --
Max: --
Q3: --
Median: --
Q1: --
Min: --

Microsoft (MSFT) vs. Visa (V): V’s debt-to-equity ratio is not assessed under the Financial Services industry convention, so the chart shows available visual context for MSFT only.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Microsoft (MSFT) and Visa (V)
Metric	MSFT	V
Current Ratio (MRQ)	1.23	--
Debt / Equity (MRQ)	0.28	--
Net Debt / EBITDA	0.34	--

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Visa (V) at 0.66% pays an industry-typical yield; Microsoft (MSFT) at 0.69% 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.

MSFT

Software & Services industry group

0.69%

MSFT: 0.69%
Max: 0.00%
Q3: 0.00%
Median: 0.00%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

V

Financial Services industry group

0.66%

Max: 9.77%
Q3: 3.92%
Median: 1.09%
V: 0.66%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

Microsoft (MSFT) vs. Visa (V): A comparison of their dividend yield against their respective Software & Services and Financial Services industry group benchmarks.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Visa (V) at 21.75% keeps its payout in the industry’s typical band, while Microsoft (MSFT) at 19.00% pays out more than any of its peers — the most stretched cover in its group.

MSFT

Software & Services industry group

19.00%

MSFT: 19.00%
Max: 0.00%
Q3: 0.00%
Median: 0.00%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

V

Financial Services industry group

21.75%

Max: 241.07%
Q3: 97.36%
Median: 25.77%
V: 21.75%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

Microsoft (MSFT) vs. Visa (V): A comparison of their payout ratio against their respective Software & Services and Financial Services industry group benchmarks.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Microsoft (MSFT) and Visa (V)
Metric	MSFT	V
Dividend Yield (TTM)	0.69%	0.66%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	19.00%	21.75%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Microsoft (MSFT) at 27.69 is near its industry’s usual P/E ratio, while Visa (V) at 34.31 sits in the richer quartile — V needs stronger growth or earnings quality to justify the premium.

MSFT

Software & Services industry group

27.69

Max: 112.94
Q3: 60.32
Median: 32.91
MSFT: 27.69
Q1: 18.77
Min: 6.69

V

Financial Services industry group

34.31

Max: 45.85
V: 34.31
Q3: 24.64
Median: 15.37
Q1: 9.68
Min: 0.16

Microsoft (MSFT) vs. Visa (V): A comparison of their P/E ratio against their respective Software & Services and Financial Services industry group benchmarks.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Both look expensive on sales: Microsoft (MSFT) at 11.37 sits in the upper P/S ratio quartile, and Visa (V) at 17.18 prices even higher, above its industry range.

MSFT

Software & Services industry group

11.37

Max: 17.91
MSFT: 11.37
Q3: 8.78
Median: 4.25
Q1: 2.23
Min: 0.02

V

Financial Services industry group

17.18

V: 17.18
Max: 9.23
Q3: 4.57
Median: 2.72
Q1: 1.28
Min: -0.55

Microsoft (MSFT) vs. Visa (V): A comparison of their P/S ratio against their respective Software & Services and Financial Services industry group benchmarks.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Microsoft (MSFT) at 8.38 sits near its industry’s typical P/B ratio, while Visa (V) at 22.05 prices above its benchmark range — V looks rich relative to book.

MSFT

Software & Services industry group

8.38

Max: 16.63
Q3: 8.50
MSFT: 8.38
Median: 4.30
Q1: 1.92
Min: -3.90

V

Financial Services industry group

22.05

V: 22.05
Max: 7.79
Q3: 3.63
Median: 1.57
Q1: 0.81
Min: -0.39

Microsoft (MSFT) vs. Visa (V): A comparison of their P/B ratio against their respective Software & Services and Financial Services industry group benchmarks.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Microsoft (MSFT) and Visa (V)
Metric	MSFT	V
P/E Ratio (TTM)	27.69	34.31
P/S Ratio (TTM)	11.37	17.18
P/B Ratio (MRQ)	8.38	22.05
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)	0.08%	--