Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Mastercard Incorporated (MA) vs Green Dot Corporation (GDOT) Stock
Analyze side-by-side fundamentals, valuation, growth, and profitability to decide which stock is the better buy.
Selected Stocks
Add up to 10 tickers. Use presets or search to get started.
Quick Verdict
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | MA | 16.4% revenue growth vs GDOT's 14.8% |
| Value | GDOT | Lower P/E (7.8x vs 26.4x) |
| Quality / Margins | MA | 45.6% net margin vs GDOT's -1.5% |
| Stability / Safety | MA | Beta 0.78 vs GDOT's 1.36 |
| Dividends | MA | 0.6% yield; 14-year raise streak; GDOT pays no meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | GDOT | +51.1% vs MA's -9.7% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | MA | 27.6% ROA vs GDOT's -0.8%, ROIC 56.5% vs -0.1% |
Who Each Stock Is For
Income & stability
Growth exposure
Long-term compounding (10Y)
Sleep-well-at-night portfolio
Defensive / Recession hedge
Business Model
What each company does and how it makes money
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.
Green Dot is a financial technology and banking platform that provides prepaid debit cards, checking accounts, and money movement services to consumers and businesses. It generates revenue primarily through interchange fees from card transactions, monthly account maintenance fees, and service fees from its business-to-business money processing operations. The company's key advantage is its extensive retail distribution network—with cards sold at over 100,000 retail locations—which creates significant scale and brand recognition in the prepaid financial services market.
Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
Financial Metrics Comparison
Side-by-side fundamentals across 2 stocks. BestLagging
Financial Scorecard
MA leads in 4 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Profitability & Efficiency). GDOT leads in 1 (Valuation Metrics).
Financial Metrics (TTM)
MA is the larger business by revenue, generating $32.8B annually — 19.0x GDOT's $1.7B. MA is the more profitable business, keeping 45.6% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to GDOT's -1.5%.
| Metric | MAMastercard Incorp… | GDOTGreen Dot Corpora… |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $32.8B | $1.7B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $20.5B | $139M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $15.0B | -$47M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $17.1B | $97M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +83.4% | +33.6% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +59.2% | -0.1% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +45.6% | -1.5% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +52.3% | +0.4% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | — | — |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +24.2% | -2.7% |
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | MAMastercard Incorp… | GDOTGreen Dot Corpora… |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $457.8B | $641M |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $465.7B | -$892M |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 31.31x | -23.12x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 26.43x | 7.76x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | 1.49x | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 22.67x | -10.74x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 13.96x | 0.37x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 59.96x | 0.71x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 26.68x | 90.29x |
Profitability & Efficiency
MA delivers a 193.0% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $193 in annual profit, vs $-5 for GDOT. GDOT carries lower financial leverage with a 0.07x 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 GDOT's 5/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | MAMastercard Incorp… | GDOTGreen Dot Corpora… |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +193.0% | -5.1% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +27.6% | -0.8% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +56.5% | -0.1% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +64.4% | -0.2% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 9 | 5 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 2.45x | 0.07x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $7.9B | -$1.5B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $11.1B | $1.6B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $19.0B | $60M |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 26.39x | 16.56x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in MA five years ago would be worth $14,586 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $2,363 for GDOT. Over the past 12 months, GDOT leads with a +51.1% total return vs MA's -9.7%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors MA at 13.9% vs GDOT's -15.2% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | MAMastercard Incorp… | GDOTGreen Dot Corpora… |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | -8.0% | -8.3% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -9.7% | +51.1% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +47.9% | -38.9% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +45.9% | -76.4% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +515.7% | -44.0% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +13.9% | -15.2% |
Risk & Volatility
MA is the less volatile stock with a 0.78 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than GDOT's 1.36 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. MA currently trades 85.9% from its 52-week high vs GDOT's 75.0% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | MAMastercard Incorp… | GDOTGreen Dot Corpora… |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.78x | 1.36x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $601.77 | $15.41 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $465.59 | $6.12 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +85.9% | +75.0% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 42.8 | 43.5 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 3.2M | 584K |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates MA as "Buy" and GDOT as "Hold". Consensus price targets imply 29.0% upside for MA (target: $667) vs 23.3% for GDOT (target: $14). MA is the only dividend payer here at 0.59% yield — a key consideration for income-focused portfolios.
| Metric | MAMastercard Incorp… | GDOTGreen Dot Corpora… |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Hold |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $667.00 | $14.25 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 63 | 39 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +0.6% | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 14 | — |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $3.07 | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +2.6% | 0.0% |
Historical Charts
Charts are rendered on first load. Hover for details.
Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Mar 20 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mastercard Incorpor… (MA) | 100 | 181.06 | +81.1% |
| Green Dot Corporati… (GDOT) | 100 | 35.79 | -64.2% |
Mastercard Incorpor… (MA) returned +46% over 5 years vs Green Dot Corporati… (GDOT)'s -76%. A $10,000 investment in MA 5 years ago would be worth $14,586 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mastercard Incorpor… (MA) | $10.8B | $32.8B | +204.3% |
| Green Dot Corporati… (GDOT) | $726M | $1.7B | +137.4% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mastercard Incorpor… (MA) | 37.7% | 45.6% | +21.2% |
| Green Dot Corporati… (GDOT) | 5.7% | -1.5% | -127.0% |
Mastercard Incorporated's net margin went from 38% (2016) to 46% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 9 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mastercard Incorpor… (MA) | 41.5 | 34.6 | -16.6% |
| Green Dot Corporati… (GDOT) | 37.4 | 76.2 | +103.7% |
Mastercard Incorporated has traded in a 34x–56x P/E range over 9 years; current trailing P/E is ~31x. Green Dot Corporation has traded in a 12x–133x P/E range over 7 years; current trailing P/E is ~-23x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mastercard Incorpor… (MA) | 3.69 | 16.52 | +347.7% |
| Green Dot Corporati… (GDOT) | 0.8 | -0.5 | -162.5% |
Mastercard Incorporated's EPS grew from $3.69 (2016) to $16.52 (2025) — a 18% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Mastercard Incorporated generated $17B FCF in 2025 (+98% vs 2021). Green Dot Corporation generated $7M FCF in 2024 (-94% vs 2021).
MA vs GDOT: Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is MA or GDOT a better buy right now?
Mastercard Incorporated (MA) offers the better valuation at 31.3x trailing P/E (26.4x 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 — MA or GDOT?
On forward P/E, Green Dot Corporation is actually cheaper at 7.8x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth.
03Which is the better long-term investment — MA or GDOT?
Over the past 5 years, Mastercard Incorporated (MA) delivered a total return of +45.9%, compared to -76.4% for Green Dot Corporation (GDOT). A $10,000 investment in MA five years ago would be worth approximately $15K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: MA returned +515.7% versus GDOT's -44.0%. 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 — MA or GDOT?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Mastercard Incorporated (MA) is the lower-risk stock at 0.78β versus Green Dot Corporation's 1.36β — meaning GDOT is approximately 76% more volatile than MA relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Green Dot Corporation (GDOT) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 7% versus 2% for Mastercard Incorporated — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which has better profit margins — MA or GDOT?
Mastercard Incorporated (MA) is the more profitable company, earning 45.6% net margin versus -1.5% for Green Dot Corporation — 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 -0.1% for GDOT. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — MA leads at 83.4%, 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 MA or GDOT more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, Green Dot Corporation (GDOT) trades at 7.8x forward P/E versus 26.4x for Mastercard Incorporated — 18.7x 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 — MA or GDOT?
In this comparison, MA (0.6% yield) pays a dividend. GDOT does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.
08Is MA or GDOT 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%, GDOT: -44.0%), 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 MA and GDOT?
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 pays a dividend while GDOT 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.
Find Stocks Like These
Explore pre-built screens for each stock's profile, or build a custom screen to find stocks that beat both.