Processus Wealth & Capital Management LLC Reduces Holdings in Mastercard Incorporated (NYSE:MA)

Processus Wealth & Capital Management LLC cut its position in Mastercard Incorporated (NYSE:MA) by 1.1% during the fourth quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The institutional investor owned 9,614 shares of the credit services provider’s stock after selling 104 shares during the quarter. Mastercard accounts for 4.0% of Processus Wealth & Capital Management LLC’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 6th largest holding. Processus Wealth & Capital Management LLC’s holdings in Mastercard were worth $5,062,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other large investors also recently modified their holdings of the stock. Highline Wealth Partners LLC acquired a new position in Mastercard during the third quarter worth $25,000. Marshall Investment Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Mastercard in the fourth quarter valued at about $30,000. First Personal Financial Services bought a new position in Mastercard during the third quarter worth about $39,000. FPC Investment Advisory Inc. increased its position in Mastercard by 483.3% during the fourth quarter. FPC Investment Advisory Inc. now owns 70 shares of the credit services provider’s stock worth $39,000 after acquiring an additional 58 shares during the period. Finally, FSA Wealth Management LLC bought a new position in Mastercard during the third quarter worth about $54,000. 97.28% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Mastercard Stock Performance

NYSE MA opened at $558.44 on Tuesday. The stock has a market capitalization of $509.13 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 40.20, a PEG ratio of 2.37 and a beta of 1.10. The company has a current ratio of 1.03, a quick ratio of 1.03 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.68. The business’s 50 day moving average is $539.55 and its two-hundred day moving average is $514.96. Mastercard Incorporated has a 12-month low of $428.86 and a 12-month high of $576.94.

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

Mastercard announced that its Board of Directors has authorized a stock repurchase plan on Tuesday, December 17th that allows the company to buyback $12.00 billion in shares. This buyback authorization allows the credit services provider to purchase up to 2.5% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock buyback plans are typically a sign that the company’s board of directors believes its shares are undervalued.

Mastercard Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared 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 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.54%. Mastercard’s dividend payout ratio is currently 21.89%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of research firms have recently weighed in on MA. Wells Fargo & Company raised their price target on shares of Mastercard from $585.00 to $625.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 4th. KeyCorp upped their price objective on shares of Mastercard from $600.00 to $630.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Friday, January 31st. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft boosted their target price on shares of Mastercard from $510.00 to $580.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, November 1st. UBS Group boosted their price objective on Mastercard from $600.00 to $660.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, January 31st. Finally, William Blair reissued an “outperform” rating on shares of Mastercard in a report on Friday, January 31st. Four analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, twenty-four have assigned a buy rating and two have issued a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Mastercard has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target 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.