Mastercard Incorporated (NYSE:MA) Shares Sold by Crystal Rock Capital Management

Crystal Rock Capital Management decreased its holdings in Mastercard Incorporated (NYSE:MA) by 1.3% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 20,409 shares of the credit services provider’s stock after selling 275 shares during the period. Mastercard comprises 6.6% of Crystal Rock Capital Management’s portfolio, making the stock its 5th largest holding. Crystal Rock Capital Management’s holdings in Mastercard were worth $10,747,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in the company. Swedbank AB lifted its stake in shares of Mastercard by 14.8% in the 3rd quarter. Swedbank AB now owns 1,874,568 shares of the credit services provider’s stock valued at $925,662,000 after purchasing an additional 241,297 shares during the last quarter. Farmers & Merchants Investments Inc. raised its holdings in Mastercard by 0.4% during the third quarter. Farmers & Merchants Investments Inc. now owns 6,417 shares of the credit services provider’s stock valued at $3,169,000 after buying an additional 24 shares in the last quarter. Valmark Advisers Inc. lifted its position in shares of Mastercard by 1.9% in the third quarter. Valmark Advisers Inc. now owns 3,516 shares of the credit services provider’s stock worth $1,736,000 after buying an additional 65 shares during the last quarter. Fidelis Capital Partners LLC boosted its stake in shares of Mastercard by 2.3% during the 3rd quarter. Fidelis Capital Partners LLC now owns 5,107 shares of the credit services provider’s stock worth $2,624,000 after acquiring an additional 113 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Eagle Strategies LLC boosted its stake in shares of Mastercard by 4.5% during the 3rd quarter. Eagle Strategies LLC now owns 533 shares of the credit services provider’s stock worth $263,000 after acquiring an additional 23 shares in the last quarter. 97.28% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Mastercard Stock Performance

Shares of Mastercard stock opened at $560.86 on Thursday. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $541.04 and a 200 day simple moving average of $516.03. Mastercard Incorporated has a fifty-two week low of $428.86 and a fifty-two week high of $576.94. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.68, a current ratio of 1.03 and a quick ratio of 1.03. The firm has a market cap of $511.34 billion, a P/E ratio of 40.38, a P/E/G ratio of 2.37 and a beta of 1.10.

Mastercard (NYSE:MA) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, January 30th. The credit services provider reported $3.82 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $3.71 by $0.11. Mastercard had a net margin of 45.71% and a return on equity of 188.47%. Sell-side analysts predict that Mastercard Incorporated will post 15.91 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Mastercard Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, May 9th. Investors of record on Wednesday, April 9th will be issued a $0.76 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, April 9th. This represents a $3.04 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.54%. Mastercard’s dividend payout ratio is presently 21.89%.

Mastercard declared that its Board of Directors has initiated a share buyback program on Tuesday, December 17th that authorizes the company to buyback $12.00 billion in outstanding shares. This buyback authorization authorizes the credit services provider to buy up to 2.5% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock buyback programs are typically an indication that the company’s management believes its shares are undervalued.

Analyst Ratings Changes

MA has been the subject of several analyst reports. Tigress Financial boosted their target price on Mastercard from $550.00 to $685.00 and gave the stock a “strong-buy” rating in a report on Thursday, February 13th. Monness Crespi & Hardt raised shares of Mastercard from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $640.00 price target on the stock in a research report on Friday, January 31st. BMO Capital Markets raised their target price on shares of Mastercard from $550.00 to $565.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Thursday, November 14th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lifted their target price on shares of Mastercard from $510.00 to $580.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, November 1st. Finally, William Blair restated an “outperform” rating on shares of Mastercard in a report on Friday, January 31st. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, twenty-four have given a buy rating and two have issued a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $606.11.

Mastercard Company Profile

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.