Mastercard Incorporated (NYSE:MA) is included among the 14 Best Warren Buffett Dividend Stocks to Buy. Mastercard and Ericsson Partner to Expand Global Digital Payment Capabilities On February 18, Ericsson and Mastercard Incorporated (NYSE:MA) announced a new partnership aimed at improving how money moves around the world. The companies will integrate the Ericsson Fintech Platform, which supports mobile financial services, with Mastercard Move, Mastercard’s global money transfer network. This will allow ...

Mastercard's growth potential is highlighted by a stock price growth potential of 26.71%, indicating strong market confidence.The company's Piotroski Score of 8 underscores its robust financial health and operational efficiency.With a target price set at $667, Mastercard presents a substantial upside, making it an attractive investment opportunity.Mastercard Incorporated (NYSE:MA) is a global technology company in the payments industry. It connects consumers, financial institutions, merchants, governments, ...

When Jeff Bezos said that one breakthrough technology would shape Amazon’s destiny, even Wall Street’s biggest analysts were caught off guard. Fast forward a year and Amazon’s new CEO Andy Jassy described generative AI as a “once-in-a-lifetime” technology that is already being used across Amazon to reinvent customer experiences. At the 8th Future Investment Initiative conference, Elon Musk predicted that by 2040 there would be at least 10 billion humanoid robots, with each priced between $20,000 and $25,000 ...

Core Insights - Zacks Premium offers various tools for investors to enhance their stock market strategies, including daily updates, research reports, and stock screens [1][2] Zacks Style Scores - Zacks Style Scores rate stocks based on value, growth, and momentum characteristics, providing a framework for investors to identify securities likely to outperform the market in the short term [2][3] - Stocks are rated from A to F, with A indicating the highest potential for outperformance [3] Value Score - The Value Score identifies attractive stocks based on valuation ratios such as P/E, PEG, Price/Sales, and Price/Cash Flow, appealing to value investors seeking undervalued opportunities [3] Growth Score - The Growth Score focuses on a company's financial health and future outlook, analyzing projected and historical earnings, sales, and cash flow to find stocks with sustainable growth potential [4] Momentum Score - The Momentum Score helps investors capitalize on price trends, using metrics like one-week price changes and monthly earnings estimate changes to identify optimal entry points [5] VGM Score - The VGM Score combines the Value, Growth, and Momentum Scores, serving as a comprehensive indicator for investors who utilize multiple investment styles [6] Zacks Rank - The Zacks Rank is a proprietary model that uses earnings estimate revisions to simplify portfolio building, with 1 (Strong Buy) stocks historically yielding an average annual return of +23.86% since 1988, significantly outperforming the S&P 500 [7][8] Stock Selection Strategy - Investors are encouraged to select stocks with a Zacks Rank of 1 or 2 and Style Scores of A or B to maximize upside potential [9][10] Company Spotlight: Mastercard (MA) - Mastercard Inc. is a leading global payment solutions provider, currently rated 3 (Hold) by Zacks, with a VGM Score of B [11] - The company has a Momentum Style Score of A, with a recent 0.1% increase in share price over the past four weeks and an upward revision of earnings estimates by 13 analysts [12]

Industry Overview - The Financial Transaction Services industry is part of the broader FinTech space, encompassing card and payment processing, ATM services, money remittance, and investment solutions for financial advisors [2] - The industry benefits from ongoing digitization accelerated by the pandemic, facilitating quick and secure monetary transactions across multiple currencies globally [2] Key Growth Drivers - Expanding global trade, rising international travel, and increasing demand for cross-border payments and remittances are key factors driving growth in the industry [5] - Continued e-commerce growth and a resilient labor market are sustaining transaction volumes, although inflation and tariff pressures may strain consumer budgets [1][4] Technology Investments - Companies are significantly increasing technology expenditures to enhance digital infrastructure, including investments in biometric authentication, QR-code payments, and Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) platforms [3] - The rise in digital payments has led to increased exposure to cyber threats, prompting companies to invest heavily in cybersecurity and fraud detection systems [3] Strategic Mergers and Acquisitions - Companies in the sector are engaging in strategic mergers and acquisitions to strengthen digital ecosystems, expand service offerings, and enhance global reach [6][7] - Expectations for interest rate cuts in 2026 may encourage companies to utilize debt financing for M&A activities, allowing them to pursue growth opportunities while preserving cash [7] Consumer Spending Trends - Stable consumer spending supports higher transaction volumes, although persistent inflation may lead to more cautious spending behavior [4] - A resilient labor market with low unemployment and steady wage growth could help sustain consumer purchasing activity in the near term [4] Industry Performance - The Zacks Financial Transaction Services industry has underperformed compared to the Business Services sector and the S&P 500, declining 24.3% over the past year [11] - The industry's current valuation is at a forward 12-month price/earnings ratio of 18.15X, lower than the S&P 500's 22.51X [15] Notable Companies - **Global Payments**: Positioned for growth with strong performances in Merchant and Issuer Solutions, benefiting from increasing transaction volumes [18] - **Visa**: A major player in digital payments, expanding through strategic alliances and acquisitions, with a focus on technology investment [23] - **Mastercard**: Operates a multi-rail infrastructure for seamless payments, with a strong cross-border payments platform [26] - **Fiserv**: Maintains a competitive position in digital payments with a broad portfolio and strategic acquisitions [30] - **Fidelity National**: Achieving solid revenue growth through Banking and Capital Markets Solutions, with a strategic international footprint [34]

Key Takeaways Mastercard posts 18% Q4 revenue growth, 57.7% operating margin and four straight earnings beats.AmEx grew Q4 revenue 10%, beat earnings thrice and missed once in the past four quarters.MA trades at 26.38X forward P/E versus AXP's 19.29X, reflecting investor confidence.The global payments landscape continues to expand as digital transactions displace cash and cross-border commerce grows. Two industry titans, Mastercard Incorporated (MA) and American Express Company (AXP) , remain central to tha ...

Mobile communications and connectivity company Ericsson launched a money movement partnership with Mastercard, according to a Wednesday (Feb. 18) press release.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 unlimited free access to all PYMNTS content — no additional logins required.The co ...

Core Perspective - The UK is moving towards establishing payment card sovereignty to reduce reliance on US-owned networks like Visa and Mastercard, reflecting a broader trend of payment independence in Europe [3][5][9]. Group 1: Current Landscape - Approximately 95% of UK card transactions are processed through Visa and Mastercard, indicating a high level of centralization and concentration risk in the payment system [3][4][13]. - The UK's National Payments Vision emphasizes the need for infrastructure modernization to enhance resilience and reduce dependency on a few global technology providers [3][4]. Group 2: Domestic Payment Initiatives - UK banks are accelerating plans for a domestic card payments alternative, which has been discussed for years as a government-backed initiative to provide a backup to existing systems [4][12]. - The move towards a dedicated domestic payments rail is significant, as it aims to align incentives, liability frameworks, and technology to build consumer trust and merchant acceptance [17][18]. Group 3: Challenges and Considerations - Open Banking is not yet a complete substitute for card payments, as it lacks the full range of use cases and consumer familiarity associated with traditional cards [14][16]. - Structural challenges exist within the Open Banking sector, including profitability issues and intense competition, which hinder its ability to serve as a core national payments infrastructure [15][16]. Group 4: Strategic Importance - Payments are increasingly recognized as strategic national infrastructure, necessitating coordinated public-private investment and interoperability with European schemes to ensure resilience [12][18]. - The geopolitical landscape has heightened concerns about the UK's exposure to risks associated with reliance on US payment networks, making the development of domestic alternatives more critical [8][9].

Core Insights - Ericsson and Mastercard have announced a collaboration to enhance global digital money movement and financial inclusion, particularly targeting unbanked and underbanked communities [1] - The integration of Ericsson's Fintech Platform with Mastercard Move aims to simplify access to advanced money movement solutions for telecom service providers, banks, and fintechs [1] Group 1: Collaboration Details - The collaboration will empower telecom service providers, banks, and fintechs to expand digital wallet capabilities and launch new payment services [1] - Ericsson's pre-integrated APIs and cloud-native infrastructure will reduce technology complexity and lower operational barriers, accelerating time to market for new payment services [1] - The partnership is expected to create new revenue streams and strengthen digital ecosystems across both emerging and developed markets [1] Group 2: Financial Inclusion Focus - Financial inclusion and accessibility are key focuses, with Mastercard Move enabling money movement across 200 countries and territories, connecting over 17 billion endpoints and supporting transactions in 150 currencies [1] - Ericsson's fintech platform operates in 22 countries, serving over 120 million active users and processing more than 4 billion transactions monthly across various services [1] - The global rollout will begin in the Middle East and Africa, where there is strong demand for mobile money and interoperable payment services [1] Group 3: Leadership Statements - Pratik Khowala from Mastercard emphasized that the integration opens new pathways for telecom operators and financial institutions to scale innovative payment services and reach underserved communities [1] - Pavan Bachwal from Ericsson highlighted that the collaboration marks a significant step toward the future of money movement, driving financial inclusion and creating new growth opportunities globally [1]

Does Europe Need an Airbus for Payments? - Moby THE GIST Europe is suddenly treating Visa and Mastercard like a strategic risk. The fear is understandable. But the real issue is not who printed the logo on your card. It is who controls the rules of the rails, and whether Europe can build credible alternatives without turning payments into a political trophy. WHAT HAPPENED A fresh push for payments sovereignty is gathering pace in Brussels and national capitals. European Central Bank president Christine ...