From The Motley Fool · Seena Hassouna · · 1m
American Express vs. Mastercard: 2027 Stock Comparison
Which payment giant offers better value for 2027 portfolios?
In brief
Which payment giant offers better value for 2027 portfolios? For long-term investors, Mastercard's structural edge in payment networks makes it the better 2027 stock choice despite higher valuation multiples. Originally reported by The Motley Fool.
American Express business model
American Express operates a closed-loop network serving premium customers and merchants globally.
Mastercard global reach
Mastercard connects over 3.7 billion accounts across 220+ countries and territories.
American Express 2025 financials
American Express reported $72.2 billion revenue and $10.8 billion net income for fiscal year ended Dec. 31, 2025.
Mastercard 2025 financials
Mastercard generated $32.8 billion revenue and $15.0 billion net income for fiscal year ended Dec. 31, 2025.
Debt-to-equity comparison
American Express has debt-to-equity ratio of 1.7x while Mastercard shows 2.5x.
Valuation multiples
American Express trades at 17.3x forward P/E versus Mastercard's 32.5x forward P/E.
Long-term investment outlook
Mastercard's structural edge in payment networks makes it better for long-term portfolios despite higher valuation multiples.
The one thing
For long-term investors, Mastercard's structural edge in payment networks makes it the better 2027 stock choice despite higher valuation multiples.
