Mastercard Incorporated (NYSE:MA) is among the 12 Best Digital Currency and Payments Stocks to Buy Right Now. Mastercard Incorporated (MA) Revenue Beats Forecasts as Customers Continue to Spend As customers continued to use Mastercard Incorporated (NYSE:MA) cards for payments, the company announced fourth-quarter profitability that surpassed analyst projections, based on a January 29, 2026, Bloomberg story. Adjusted net income exceeded projections of $3.83 billion, or $4.25 per share, by $4.3 billion, or ...

Core Insights - Mastercard Incorporated (NYSE:MA) is recognized as one of the 13 Best Extremely Profitable Stocks to Invest in Now [1] Group 1: Analyst Sentiment - BofA lowered its price target on Mastercard from $616 to $610 while maintaining a 'Neutral' rating [3] - TD Cowen raised its price target to $671 from $668, reiterating a 'Buy' rating due to strong top-line growth and stable consumer behavior [3] - JPMorgan reduced its target price to $655 from $685 while keeping an 'Overweight' rating, reflecting strong earnings and an optimistic outlook [3] Group 2: Financial Performance - Mastercard's fourth-quarter results showed adjusted EPS of $4.76, exceeding the consensus estimate of $4.25, with revenue reaching $8.81 billion [4] - Gross dollar volume grew by 7% during the quarter, supported by resilient consumer spending, while cross-border volumes increased by 14% [4] - A strategic restructuring will impact around 4% of the workforce, resulting in a $200 million charge in the current quarter to reallocate funds to priority areas [4] Group 3: Company Overview - Founded in 1966 and headquartered in Purchase, New York, Mastercard offers payment solutions through various programs under the brands Mastercard, Maestro, and Cirrus, along with cyber and intelligence services [5]

Core Insights - Mastercard Incorporated (NYSE:MA) is recognized as a strong long-term investment with low volatility, reporting a 16% year-over-year increase in net revenue for fiscal Q4 and full year 2025, or 15% on a currency-neutral basis [1] Group 1: Earnings and Ratings Updates - Following the earnings release, TD Cowen raised the price target for Mastercard to $671 from $668, maintaining a Buy rating, citing strong fiscal Q4 2025 results and solid top-line growth supported by organic VASS momentum and stable consumer trends [2] - Morgan Stanley also increased its price target for Mastercard to $678 from $665, maintaining an Overweight rating, highlighting the renewal of its credit partnership with Capital One and the performance advantages of its network, alongside healthy domestic and cross-border spending trends [3] Group 2: Company Overview - Mastercard is a technology company that provides various payment solutions, including debit, credit, prepaid, and commercial payment programs, under its brands such as Mastercard, Cirrus, and Maestro, and also offers intelligence and cyber solutions [4]

Group 1 - Mastercard Incorporated (NYSE:MA) is considered one of the best stocks to buy in 2026 for beginners, with multiple analysts providing positive rating updates [1] - Citi reiterated a Buy rating on Mastercard and set a price target of $735, indicating strong confidence in the stock's performance [1] - Compass Point upgraded Mastercard from Neutral to Buy, raising the price target from $620 to $735, and expressed a favorable outlook for the payment networks sector [2] - TD Cowen increased the price target for Mastercard from $654 to $668 while maintaining a Buy rating, citing steady fundamentals and resilience in consumer spending [3] Group 2 - Mastercard operates as a technology company providing payment solutions, including debit, credit, prepaid, and commercial payment programs, under brands like Mastercard, Cirrus, and Maestro [3] - The company also offers intelligence and cyber solutions, enhancing its service portfolio [3]

Market Outlook - Tom Lee from Fundstrat Global Advisors expresses optimism for 2026, highlighting potential positive trends such as Fed rate cuts and improving economic indicators [2][3] - Claudia Sahm, chief economist at New Century Advisors, shares a relatively positive outlook for 2026, emphasizing the need for a transition to a stronger labor market [4][5] Investment Strategy - The article discusses the methodology for selecting stocks, focusing on hedge fund sentiment and performance metrics, indicating that imitating top hedge fund picks can lead to market outperformance [7][9] Stock Recommendations - **Capital One Financial Corporation (NYSE:COF)**: - Received multiple price target increases from analysts, with Goldman Sachs raising it to $300 and Barclays to $294, reflecting positive sentiment in the consumer finance sector [10][11][12] - Anticipated solid guidance for 2026, with expectations of larger tax refunds and stable credit conditions [11] - **Mastercard Incorporated (NYSE:MA)**: - Analysts maintain a positive outlook with price targets set at $525 by Monness Crespi Hardt & Co. and $665 by Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, supported by strong Q4 results [14][15] - Mastercard's SpendingPulse data indicates a 3.9% year-over-year growth in US retail sales, suggesting healthy consumer spending trends [16]

Core Viewpoint - Binance has suspended the use of fiat payment service provider Bifinity UAB for Ukrainian users to withdraw funds via Visa and Mastercard due to regulatory policy changes [1] Group 1: Impact on Users - The announcement regarding the change in payment methods only affects Ukrainian users who have previously used Bifinity services [1] - This change will impact certain fiat deposit and withdrawal methods for Ukrainian users, but the ability to deposit, withdraw, and trade cryptocurrencies remains unaffected [1] Group 2: Alternative Payment Methods - Users can still use Visa and Mastercard for deposits and cryptocurrency purchases [1] - Apple Pay and Google Pay remain available for account funding, and Swift transfers continue to support deposits and withdrawals [1]

Group 1: Investment Potential - Mastercard Incorporated (NYSE:MA) is considered one of the most profitable stocks to buy currently, with Evercore ISI raising its price target to $610 from $600 while maintaining an In Line rating [1] - The stock has been added to Evercore ISI's "Tactical Outperform" list, indicating potential for higher investor interest and valuation reversion as fiscal Q4 earnings season approaches [1] Group 2: Dividend and Share Repurchase - Mastercard announced a 14% increase in its quarterly dividend, raising it from 76 cents to 87 cents per share, with the dividend to be paid on February 9, 2026 [2] - The company approved a new share repurchase program allowing for the repurchase of up to $14 billion of its Class A common stock, effective after the completion of the current $12 billion program [3] Group 3: Financial Performance - In fiscal Q3 2025, Mastercard reported a net revenue growth of 17% year-over-year, or 15% on a currency-neutral basis, with net income reaching $3.9 billion and diluted earnings per share at $4.34 [4] - The Q3 net revenue also increased by 17%, or 15% on a currency-neutral basis, totaling $8.6 billion, driven by strong performance in differentiated services and robust consumer and business spending [4]

Welcome to the crypto card fam @Super_Intern_AMMO (@Ammo_AI):The @Super_Intern_ x @BitgetWallet Card is LIVE! 💳Spend crypto anywhere with BitgetWallet Cards, in partnership with Visa/Mastercard, and earn rewards and our exclusive card design.To secure your Early Bird Perks, follow this exact order:1️⃣ Download Bitget Wallet https://t.co/rtNaqMlMxC ...

🇧🇷 OKX Pay & Card feature flex:BRL → stables, prontoUp to 10% APYInstant everywhereUSD @Mastercard tapApple Pay + Google WalletNew money, built to samba. https://t.co/xDgKGQWbiS ...

anyone has the BERT card? what's your favorite card so far?Bert 🧸 🐶 (@bertcoincto):The BERT-customized card is here, powered by @BitgetWallet.Use it anywhere Mastercard is accepted, earn cashback, and show off your favorite dog while you spend.Get yours 👇https://t.co/zfteWub0M5 https://t.co/rb0YijnKjL ...