Mastercard (NYSE:MA) Price Target Raised to $545.00

Mastercard (NYSE:MA) had its target price boosted by Evercore ISI from $530.00 to $545.00 in a report published on Tuesday, Benzinga reports. They currently have an outperform rating on the credit services provider’s stock.

Other equities research analysts also recently issued reports about the stock. Tigress Financial upped their target price on shares of Mastercard from $476.00 to $495.00 and gave the stock a strong-buy rating in a research note on Thursday, December 7th. The Goldman Sachs Group boosted their price target on shares of Mastercard from $433.00 to $482.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Thursday, January 11th. Mizuho boosted their price target on shares of Mastercard from $462.00 to $480.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Thursday, February 1st. Jefferies Financial Group boosted their price target on shares of Mastercard from $425.00 to $480.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Tuesday, December 12th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada boosted their price target on shares of Mastercard from $432.00 to $499.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Thursday, February 1st. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, twenty-one have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Mastercard presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $479.62.

Mastercard Price Performance

Shares of MA stock opened at $481.57 on Tuesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.06, a current ratio of 1.17 and a quick ratio of 1.17. The firm’s 50-day moving average is $465.19 and its two-hundred day moving average is $426.84. Mastercard has a 12 month low of $355.82 and a 12 month high of $490.00. The company has a market capitalization of $449.25 billion, a PE ratio of 40.71, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.81 and a beta of 1.08.

Mastercard (NYSE:MA) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, January 31st. The credit services provider reported $3.18 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $3.08 by $0.10. The business had revenue of $6.55 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.46 billion. Mastercard had a net margin of 44.60% and a return on equity of 191.22%. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $2.65 EPS. Analysts predict that Mastercard will post 14.35 earnings per share for the current year.

Mastercard Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, May 9th. Investors of record on Tuesday, April 9th will be paid a $0.66 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, April 8th. This represents a $2.64 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.55%. Mastercard’s payout ratio is 22.32%.

Mastercard announced that its Board of Directors has approved a share buyback plan on Tuesday, December 5th that allows the company to repurchase $11.00 billion in outstanding shares. This repurchase authorization allows the credit services provider to repurchase up to 2.9% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares repurchase plans are often an indication that the company’s management believes its shares are undervalued.

Insider Activity at Mastercard

In related news, insider Ajay Bhalla sold 98 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, January 22nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $439.52, for a total value of $43,072.96. Following the sale, the insider now directly owns 6,235 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,740,407.20. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. In other Mastercard news, insider Ajay Bhalla sold 98 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, January 22nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $439.52, for a total transaction of $43,072.96. Following the sale, the insider now directly owns 6,235 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,740,407.20. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Also, major shareholder Foundation Mastercard sold 200 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, March 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $487.25, for a total transaction of $97,450.00. Following the sale, the insider now directly owns 97,543,308 shares in the company, valued at $47,527,976,823. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last three months, insiders have sold 50,628 shares of company stock valued at $23,309,067. Insiders own 0.13% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Mastercard

Several hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the stock. HighPoint Advisor Group LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Mastercard in the fourth quarter worth approximately $9,453,000. Warren Street Wealth Advisors LLC boosted its position in shares of Mastercard by 13.1% in the fourth quarter. Warren Street Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 874 shares of the credit services provider’s stock worth $373,000 after acquiring an additional 101 shares during the last quarter. Accent Capital Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Mastercard in the fourth quarter worth approximately $2,692,000. Kingdon Capital Management L.L.C. acquired a new stake in shares of Mastercard in the fourth quarter worth approximately $7,464,000. Finally, Walden Wealth Partners LLC purchased a new position in Mastercard in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $595,000. 97.28% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About Mastercard

Mastercard Incorporated, a technology company, provides transaction processing and other payment-related products and services in the United States and internationally. The company offers integrated products and value-added services for account holders, merchants, financial institutions, digital partners, businesses, governments, and other organizations, such as programs that enable issuers to provide consumers with credits to defer payments; payment products and solutions that allow its customers to access funds in deposit and other accounts; prepaid programs services; and commercial credit, debit, and prepaid payment products and solutions.