MA
Mastercard Incorporated Financial Services - Payments Investor Relations →
Mastercard Incorporated (MA) closed at $548.74 as of 2026-02-02, trading 23.6% above its 200-week moving average of $444.03. The stock moved further from the line this week, up from 21.6% last week. The 14-week RSI sits at 49, indicating neutral momentum.
Over the past 980 weeks of data, MA has crossed below its 200-week moving average 3 times. On average, these episodes lasted 8 weeks. Historically, investors who bought MA at the start of these episodes saw an average one-year return of +49.5%.
With a market cap of $490.3 billion, MA is a large-cap stock. The company generates a free cash flow yield of 3.3%. Return on equity stands at 209.9%, indicating strong profitability. The stock trades at 63.4x book value.
The company has been aggressively buying back shares, reducing its share count by 6.8% over the past three years.
Over the past 18.9 years, a hypothetical investment of $100 in MA would have grown to $4475, compared to $660 for the S&P 500. That represents an annualized return of 22.3% vs 10.5% for the index — confirming MA as a market-beating investment and the kind of quality company where buying during 200-week moving average touches has historically been rewarded.
Free cash flow has been growing at a 16.2% compound annual rate, with 4 consecutive years of positive cash generation.
Growth of $100: MA vs S&P 500
Monthly data normalized to $100 at start. Vertical dashed lines mark 200-week MA touches.
What Happens After MA Crosses Below the Line?
Across 3 historical episodes, buying MA when it crossed below its 200-week moving average produced an average return of +45.0% after 12 months (median +46.0%), compared to +27.7% for the S&P 500 over the same periods. 100% of those episodes were profitable after one year. After 24 months, the average return was +62.3% vs +56.0% for the index.
Each line shows $100 invested at the moment MA crossed below its 200-week MA. Bold blue = stock average. Gray dashed = S&P 500 average over same periods.
Historical Touches
MA has crossed below its 200-week MA 3 times with an average 1-year return of +49.5% after recovery.
| Crossed Below | Recovered | Weeks | Max Depth | 1-Year Return | Return Since Touch |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2008 | Feb 2009 | 17 | 17.2% | +41.9% | +3856.9% |
| Mar 2009 | Mar 2009 | 1 | 6.0% | +68.7% | +4106.6% |
| Sep 2022 | Oct 2022 | 5 | 8.3% | +37.9% | +90.8% |
| Average | 8 | — | +49.5% | — |
Not financial advice. This is an educational tool. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Do your own research before making investment decisions.
Data as of Friday close, 2026-02-02