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NYSE:MA
Visa (V-N) vs Mastercard (MA-N). Which would you buy? Visa is the largest, best player. Mastercard is more international. Visa just bought the European side which adds value. Both track well and perform similarly, but both trade higher than the banks, which could be risky in a volatile market. Both good long-term companies, because there is a move away from cash to electronic payments. Both trade at high multiples. Mastercard has developed technology more aggressively, but has been playing catch up on the international side.
When looking at names like this and Visa (V-N), the thesis is very straightforward. Spending around the world is growing, not just short term, but long-term when you look at developing countries. Those digital methods continue to take market share away from cash. There are going to be more people moving to digital payments and plastic, and away from cash. Both stocks are getting a little expensive, so keep an eye out for the mood of the general market. In this bull market continues, these names should benefit from that. However, when the bull market starts to wane a little, you probably want to take some profits off the table.
(A Top Pick Jan 24/17. Up 54%.) A classic Wide Moat company. The credit card space is dominated by MasterCard and Visa (V-N). Credit card penetration in places like Europe, Asia, Africa, South America is nothing like it is here. There is still a tremendous runway for them to be adding new customers. It’s the kind of company you can buy and literally go to sleep for 30 years and not worry about it. He would be indifferent whether you are in MasterCard or Visa.
V-N vs. MA-N. They keep going up. V-N is slightly better valuation than M-N and he prefers to by M-N when it is two or three multiple points between the two. Generally speaking they are both great and have a huge runway ahead of them. A lot of countries are still just scratching the surface. He just owns V-N right now.
When the consumer is at risk, such as in an economic slowdown, it is this one that underperforms. When the economy performs well and credit is building it does well. He is cautious right now. He thinks it is extended and is late cycle. This is a payment processor and not a lender. Non-payment risk goes to the underlying financial institutions.
MasterCard (MA-N) or Visa (V-N)? Either of these would be good. They trade at multiples that are generally significantly higher than market multiples. Both companies capture the payments, and the threat of fees going down is low. This one has a little more international exposure, and is a bit more advanced on the technology side, but Visa is the dominant player.
He owns Visa, though he loves both names. Mastercard's ROE is a bit higher and the company is a little smaller than Visa, but he finds both are excellent companies.