Core Insights - Mastercard is evolving from a card-network operator to a comprehensive technology and services platform, with value-added services becoming a significant growth driver [1][9] Value-Added Services - Mastercard's value-added services (VAS) include fraud prevention, cybersecurity, data analytics, loyalty programs, open banking, and identity verification, enhancing efficiency and decision-making for banks, merchants, fintechs, and governments [2] - The net revenues from value-added services rose by 21% year-over-year on a currency-neutral basis in the first nine months of 2025, now accounting for nearly 40% of total revenues, indicating a shift towards revenue diversification [4][9] Artificial Intelligence Integration - Artificial intelligence plays a crucial role in Mastercard's VAS, improving fraud detection, real-time risk assessments, and identity verification, bolstered by the acquisition of Recorded Future for enhanced cyber threat intelligence [3] Competitive Landscape - Competitors like Visa and American Express are also enhancing their value-added services, with Visa focusing on digital identity and fraud prevention, while American Express offers real-time fraud monitoring and merchant analytics [6][7] Stock Performance and Valuation - Over the past year, Mastercard's shares increased by 11.1%, contrasting with a 6.7% decline in the industry [8] - The company trades at a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 29.79, above the industry average of 20.55, and has a Zacks Consensus Estimate indicating a 12.5% growth in earnings for 2025 [10][12]

This story was originally published on Payments Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Payments Dive newsletter. Five consumer and business advocacy groups are among those challenging a proposed settlement to end decades of antitrust litigation with Visa and Mastercard over the card networks’ interchange fees. Changes from the prior proposal, which a court rejected in June 2024, “are too insubstantial and too susceptible to undermining by Visa, Mastercard, and card issuers t ...

Group 1: Mastercard Inc - Mastercard Inc continues to show strong growth in digital payments, with a reported increase in transaction volume by 15% year-over-year [1] - The company has expanded its partnerships with fintech firms, enhancing its service offerings and market reach [1] - Mastercard's revenue for the last quarter reached $5.5 billion, reflecting a 12% increase compared to the previous year [1] Group 2: Becton Dickinson and Co - Becton Dickinson and Co reported a revenue of $4.2 billion for the last quarter, which is a 10% increase year-over-year [1] - The company is focusing on innovation in medical technology, particularly in the areas of diagnostics and medication management [1] - Becton Dickinson's gross margin improved to 55%, up from 53% in the previous year, indicating better cost management [1] Group 3: Union Pacific Corporation - Union Pacific Corporation experienced a decline in freight volume by 5% in the last quarter, attributed to supply chain disruptions [1] - The company's revenue was reported at $5.1 billion, down 3% compared to the same period last year [1] - Union Pacific is investing in infrastructure improvements to enhance operational efficiency and mitigate future disruptions [1]

Core Viewpoint - Mastercard Incorporated (NYSE:MA) is recognized as one of the best dividend stocks to invest in for January, reflecting its strong market position and growth potential [1]. Group 1: Financial Performance - Freedom Capital analyst Mikhail Paramonov raised the price target for Mastercard to $655 from $635, maintaining a Hold rating, following strong Q4 results [2]. - Mastercard is experiencing faster growth compared to Visa, despite operating on a smaller scale [2]. Group 2: E-commerce Growth - The steady expansion of e-commerce continues to benefit Mastercard, as both merchants and consumers prefer the convenience and cost efficiencies of online transactions [3]. - Early data from Mastercard SpendingPulse indicates healthy consumer activity during the holiday season, with US retail sales (excluding autos) rising 3.9% year over year from November 1 to December 21 [4]. - E-commerce sales increased by 7.4% during the holiday period, while in-store sales rose by 2.9%, highlighting the trend of blended shopping [4]. Group 3: Company Overview - Mastercard operates as a technology company in the global payments space, connecting consumers, financial institutions, merchants, and governments through its payments network [5].

Mastercard has granted a license to QNB Group, the largest financial institution in the Middle East and Africa, to extend its issuing and acquiring activities in Syria, a move intended to modernize the nation’s digital payments infrastructure.By completing this form, you agree to receive marketing communications from PYMNTS and to the sharing of your information with our sponsor, if applicable, in accordance with our Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions .Complete the form to unlock this article and enjoy ...

Core Insights - Mastercard Incorporated (MA) and Visa Inc. (V) are recognized for their robust business models and high double-digit growth rates, which contribute to their premium trading status compared to the overall market [1]. Group 1 - The business models of Mastercard and Visa are characterized by high growth, which is a significant factor in their premium valuations [1]. - Both companies are positioned as leaders in the financial services sector, benefiting from increasing transaction volumes and digital payment trends [1]. Group 2 - The article emphasizes the importance of due diligence for investors, highlighting that the insights provided are for educational purposes and not financial advice [2][3].

When it comes to behemoths Mastercard Incorporated ( MA ) and Visa Inc. ( V ), their business models and high, double-digit growth are usually reasons they trade at a premium compared to the overallFormerly known as "The Dividend Collectuh." Top 1% of financial experts on TipRanks. Contributing analyst to the iREIT+Hoya Capital investment group. Dividend Collection Agency is not a registered investment professional nor financial advisor and these articles should not be taken as financial advice. This is for ...

Group 1 - The stock selection process showed positive momentum in December, with an average gain of 0.83% for the selected 15 stocks [1] - The SPDR® S&P 500® ETF was mentioned as a benchmark for performance comparison [1] Group 2 - The analyst holds long positions in various companies, including ZTS, MSCI, DPZ, and others, through stock ownership, options, or derivatives [2] - The article reflects the analyst's personal opinions and is not influenced by compensation from any company mentioned [2]

Core Insights - Fiserv and Mastercard have expanded their partnership to enhance agentic commerce, focusing on how AI systems can securely handle transactions on behalf of consumers [1][3] - The integration of Mastercard's Agent Pay Acceptance Framework into Fiserv's infrastructure aims to facilitate AI-initiated purchases while ensuring security and compliance with existing payment systems [2][4] Partnership Details - Under the agreement, Fiserv will incorporate Mastercard's framework, allowing AI transactions to be authenticated and settled through established card networks [2][4] - The partnership reflects a broader industry trend where payment processors are adapting systems for AI-driven transactions, moving from human-centric to software-executed transactions [3][9] Technical Framework - Mastercard's Agent Pay Acceptance Framework includes technical standards for AI agents to transact securely within existing payment systems, utilizing network tokenization and fraud controls [4][5] - Tokenization will replace sensitive card information with network-issued tokens, minimizing risks associated with data storage and transmission [5][11] Authentication Mechanisms - The framework features advanced authentication methods to differentiate between authorized AI agents and malicious automation, moving beyond traditional human-centric signals [6][8] - Fiserv's integration allows merchants to accept AI-initiated transactions seamlessly, utilizing existing authorization and settlement processes [6][11] Industry Context - The partnership is part of a larger movement within the payments industry to establish standards for AI-driven commerce, as firms seek to define these before major tech platforms do [9][10] - Fiserv's collaboration with Visa on the Trusted Agent Protocol further emphasizes a strategy to support agentic commerce across multiple networks [10][11] Market Position - Fiserv's significant market presence enables it to influence the implementation of these standards, processing a large share of U.S. debit and credit transactions [12]

Group 1 - Mastercard International has applied for a patent titled "Transaction Analysis and Visualization," with publication number CN121241360A, filed on May 2024 [1] - The patent abstract describes a computer-implemented method for analyzing and displaying transactions involving digital currencies on a blockchain [1] - The method includes determining the range of blocks in the blockchain, unpacking each block within that range to create a table of input and output data for each transaction, and aggregating entity and transaction information into a blockchain analysis table [1]