Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare FirstCash Holdings, Inc (FCFS) vs Mastercard Incorporated (MA) vs American Express Company (AXP) Stock
Analyze side-by-side fundamentals, valuation, growth, and profitability to decide which stock is the better buy.
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Quick Verdict
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | MA | 16.4% revenue growth vs FCFS's 8.0% |
| Value | AXP | Lower P/E (17.6x vs 26.4x) |
| Quality / Margins | MA | 45.6% net margin vs FCFS's 9.0% |
| Stability / Safety | FCFS | Beta 0.31 vs AXP's 1.35, lower leverage |
| Dividends | AXP | 0.9% yield, 14-year raise streak, vs MA's 0.6% |
| Momentum (1Y) | FCFS | +73.2% vs MA's -9.7% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | MA | 27.6% ROA vs AXP's 3.5%, ROIC 56.5% vs 12.2% |
Who Each Stock Is For
Income & stability
Growth exposure
Long-term compounding (10Y)
Sleep-well-at-night portfolio
Valuation efficiency (growth/$)
Defensive / Recession hedge
Business Model
What each company does and how it makes money
FirstCash Holdings operates a large network of pawn shops across the Americas that provide short-term collateralized loans and sell forfeited merchandise. It generates revenue primarily from pawn loan interest and fees (roughly 70% of total) and retail sales of forfeited collateral and purchased goods (about 30%). The company's competitive advantage lies in its extensive physical footprint—over 2,800 stores—and operational expertise in managing the pawn lending cycle across diverse markets.
Mastercard is a global payment technology company that operates a network connecting consumers, merchants, financial institutions, and governments. It generates revenue primarily from transaction processing fees—charging a small percentage of each payment volume—and from service fees for its data analytics, consulting, and security solutions. The company's moat lies in its massive two-sided network effect—the more merchants accept Mastercard, the more valuable it becomes to cardholders, and vice versa—creating a powerful ecosystem that's difficult to replicate.
American Express is a global payments and financial services company that issues charge and credit cards to consumers and businesses. It generates revenue primarily from discount fees charged to merchants — typically 2-3% of transaction value — and cardmember fees, with additional income from interest on revolving balances and travel services. Its key competitive advantage is its premium brand positioning and closed-loop network — which allows it to control both card issuance and merchant acceptance while collecting rich transaction data.
Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
Financial Metrics Comparison
Side-by-side fundamentals across 3 stocks. BestLagging
Financial Scorecard
FCFS leads in 3 of 6 categories (Valuation Metrics, Total Returns). MA leads in 2 (Financial Metrics, Profitability & Efficiency).
Financial Metrics (TTM)
AXP is the larger business by revenue, generating $74.2B annually — 20.3x FCFS's $3.7B. MA is the more profitable business, keeping 45.6% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to FCFS's 9.0%.
| Metric | FCFSFirstCash Holding… | MAMastercard Incorp… | AXPAmerican Express … |
|---|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $3.7B | $32.8B | $74.2B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $897M | $20.5B | $15.2B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $310M | $15.0B | $10.5B |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $528M | $17.1B | $18.9B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +100.0% | +83.4% | +81.9% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +15.4% | +59.2% | +17.4% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +9.0% | +45.6% | +13.7% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | — | +52.3% | +16.4% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | — | — | — |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +29.2% | +24.2% | +18.6% |
Valuation Metrics
At 22.0x trailing earnings, AXP trades at a 30% valuation discount to MA's 31.3x P/E. Adjusting for growth (PEG ratio), FCFS offers better value at 1.10x vs AXP's 1.85x — a lower PEG means you pay less per unit of expected earnings growth.
| Metric | FCFSFirstCash Holding… | MAMastercard Incorp… | AXPAmerican Express … |
|---|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $8.5B | $457.8B | $212.8B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $8.6B | $465.7B | $223.4B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 25.98x | 31.31x | 22.03x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 18.64x | 26.43x | 17.58x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | 1.10x | 1.49x | 1.85x |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 8.66x | 22.67x | 15.33x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 2.32x | 13.96x | 2.87x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 3.77x | 59.96x | 7.28x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | — | 26.68x | 17.53x |
Profitability & Efficiency
MA delivers a 193.0% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $193 in annual profit, vs $14 for FCFS. FCFS carries lower financial leverage with a 0.11x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to MA's 2.45x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), MA scores 9/9 vs FCFS's 6/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | FCFSFirstCash Holding… | MAMastercard Incorp… | AXPAmerican Express … |
|---|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +14.1% | +193.0% | +32.5% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +6.0% | +27.6% | +3.5% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +12.7% | +56.5% | +12.2% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +12.5% | +64.4% | +11.2% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 6 | 9 | 7 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.11x | 2.45x | 1.69x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $124M | $7.9B | $10.5B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $125M | $11.1B | $40.6B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $249M | $19.0B | $51.1B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 4.66x | 26.39x | 1.64x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in FCFS five years ago would be worth $30,784 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $14,586 for MA. Over the past 12 months, FCFS leads with a +73.2% total return vs MA's -9.7%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors FCFS at 30.8% vs MA's 13.9% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | FCFSFirstCash Holding… | MAMastercard Incorp… | AXPAmerican Express … |
|---|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +23.2% | -8.0% | -16.9% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +73.2% | -9.7% | +3.7% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +123.6% | +47.9% | +82.4% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +207.8% | +45.9% | +131.5% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +384.4% | +515.7% | +491.2% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +30.8% | +13.9% | +22.2% |
Risk & Volatility
FCFS is the less volatile stock with a 0.31 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than AXP's 1.35 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. FCFS currently trades 99.4% from its 52-week high vs AXP's 79.7% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | FCFSFirstCash Holding… | MAMastercard Incorp… | AXPAmerican Express … |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.31x | 0.78x | 1.35x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $193.96 | $601.77 | $387.49 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $109.51 | $465.59 | $220.43 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +99.4% | +85.9% | +79.7% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 74.6 | 42.8 | 42.2 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 212K | 3.2M | 2.4M |
Analyst Outlook
Analyst consensus: FCFS as "Hold", MA as "Buy", AXP as "Hold". Consensus price targets imply 29.0% upside for MA (target: $667) vs 12.6% for FCFS (target: $217). For income investors, AXP offers the higher dividend yield at 0.91% vs MA's 0.59%.
| Metric | FCFSFirstCash Holding… | MAMastercard Incorp… | AXPAmerican Express … |
|---|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Hold | Buy | Hold |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $217.00 | $667.00 | $374.58 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 19 | 63 | 56 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | +0.6% | +0.9% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 9 | 14 | 14 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | $3.07 | $2.80 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | 0.0% | +2.6% | +2.8% |
Historical Charts
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Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Mar 20 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| FirstCash Holdings,… (FCFS) | 100 | 213.23 | +113.2% |
| Mastercard Incorpor… (MA) | 100 | 181.06 | +81.1% |
| American Express Co… (AXP) | 100 | 309.85 | +209.9% |
FirstCash Holdings,… (FCFS) returned +208% over 5 years vs Mastercard Incorpor… (MA)'s +46%. A $10,000 investment in FCFS 5 years ago would be worth $30,784 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| FirstCash Holdings,… (FCFS) | $1.1B | $3.7B | +236.4% |
| Mastercard Incorpor… (MA) | $10.8B | $32.8B | +204.3% |
| American Express Co… (AXP) | $38.4B | $74.2B | +93.4% |
FirstCash Holdings, Inc's revenue grew from $1.1B (2016) to $3.7B (2025) — a 14.4% CAGR. Mastercard Incorporated's revenue grew from $10.8B (2016) to $32.8B (2025) — a 13.2% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| FirstCash Holdings,… (FCFS) | 5.5% | 9.0% | +63.3% |
| Mastercard Incorpor… (MA) | 37.7% | 45.6% | +21.2% |
| American Express Co… (AXP) | 14.0% | 13.7% | -2.6% |
FirstCash Holdings, Inc's net margin went from 6% (2016) to 9% (2025). Mastercard Incorporated's net margin went from 38% (2016) to 46% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 9 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| FirstCash Holdings,… (FCFS) | 22.5 | 21.5 | -4.4% |
| Mastercard Incorpor… (MA) | 41.5 | 34.6 | -16.6% |
| American Express Co… (AXP) | 33.4 | 21.2 | -36.5% |
FirstCash Holdings, Inc has traded in a 16x–27x P/E range over 9 years; current trailing P/E is ~26x. Mastercard Incorporated has traded in a 34x–56x P/E range over 9 years; current trailing P/E is ~31x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| FirstCash Holdings,… (FCFS) | 1.72 | 7.42 | +331.4% |
| Mastercard Incorpor… (MA) | 3.69 | 16.52 | +347.7% |
| American Express Co… (AXP) | 5.65 | 14.02 | +148.1% |
FirstCash Holdings, Inc's EPS grew from $1.72 (2016) to $7.42 (2025) — a 18% CAGR. Mastercard Incorporated's EPS grew from $3.69 (2016) to $16.52 (2025) — a 18% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
FirstCash Holdings, Inc generated $0M FCF in 2025 (-100% vs 2021). Mastercard Incorporated generated $17B FCF in 2025 (+98% vs 2021).
FCFS vs MA vs AXP: Key Questions Answered
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is FCFS or MA or AXP a better buy right now?
American Express Company (AXP) offers the better valuation at 22.0x trailing P/E (17.6x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Mastercard Incorporated (MA) a "Buy" — based on 63 analyst ratings — the highest consensus in this comparison. The "better buy" depends entirely on your goals: growth investors should weight revenue trajectory, value investors should weight P/E and PEG, and income investors should weight dividend yield and streak.
02Which has the better valuation — FCFS or MA or AXP?
On trailing P/E, American Express Company (AXP) is the cheapest at 22.0x versus Mastercard Incorporated at 31.3x. On forward P/E, American Express Company is actually cheaper at 17.6x. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: FirstCash Holdings, Inc wins at 0.79x versus American Express Company's 1.48x — a PEG below 1.0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.
03Which is the better long-term investment — FCFS or MA or AXP?
Over the past 5 years, FirstCash Holdings, Inc (FCFS) delivered a total return of +207.8%, compared to +45.9% for Mastercard Incorporated (MA). A $10,000 investment in FCFS five years ago would be worth approximately $31K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: MA returned +515.7% versus FCFS's +384.4%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.
04Which is safer — FCFS or MA or AXP?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), FirstCash Holdings, Inc (FCFS) is the lower-risk stock at 0.31β versus American Express Company's 1.35β — meaning AXP is approximately 331% more volatile than FCFS relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, FirstCash Holdings, Inc (FCFS) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 11% versus 2% for Mastercard Incorporated — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which has better profit margins — FCFS or MA or AXP?
Mastercard Incorporated (MA) is the more profitable company, earning 45.6% net margin versus 9.0% for FirstCash Holdings, Inc — meaning it keeps 45.6% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: MA leads at 59.2% versus 15.4% for FCFS. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — FCFS leads at 100.0%, reflecting greater pricing power or product mix advantage. Stronger margins indicate durable pricing power, lower cost of revenue, or higher mix of software/services. They are one of the clearest signs of business quality.
06Is FCFS or MA or AXP more undervalued right now?
The PEG ratio (forward P/E divided by expected earnings growth rate) is the most precise measure of undervaluation relative to growth potential. By this metric, FirstCash Holdings, Inc (FCFS) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0.79x versus American Express Company's 1.48x. A PEG below 1.0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, American Express Company (AXP) trades at 17.6x forward P/E versus 26.4x for Mastercard Incorporated — 8.9x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for MA: 29.0% to $667.00.
07Which pays a better dividend — FCFS or MA or AXP?
In this comparison, AXP (0.9% yield), MA (0.6% yield) pay a dividend. FCFS does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.
08Is FCFS or MA or AXP better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Mastercard Incorporated (MA) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.78), 0.6% yield, +515.7% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (MA: +515.7%, AXP: +491.2%), confirming both are viable long-term holds — but the lower-volatility option typically results in less emotional selling during corrections. Retirement portfolios generally favour predictability over maximum returns. Consult a financial advisor before making allocation decisions.
09What are the main differences between FCFS and MA and AXP?
Both stocks operate in the Financial Services sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both. MA, AXP pay a dividend while FCFS does not, making them suitable for different income and tax situations. These fundamental differences mean investors should not choose between them on a single metric — the "better stock" depends entirely on which of these characteristics aligns with your investment strategy.
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