Mastercard (NYSE:MA) had its price target upped by analysts at BMO Capital Markets to $206.00 in a research report issued to clients and investors on Friday, The Fly reports. The firm presently has an “outperform” rating on the credit services provider’s stock. BMO Capital Markets’ price target suggests a potential upside of 20.79% from the company’s current price.
MA has been the subject of a number of other reports. Barclays reissued a “buy” rating and set a $178.00 price target (up from $170.00) on shares of Mastercard in a research note on Tuesday. Argus raised Mastercard from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $200.00 price target for the company in a research note on Friday. KeyCorp raised their price target on Mastercard from $170.00 to $195.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Friday. Zacks Investment Research lowered Mastercard from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Friday. Finally, Sanford C. Bernstein reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $180.00 target price (up from $166.00) on shares of Mastercard in a research report on Monday, December 11th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have assigned a hold rating and twenty-nine have assigned a buy rating to the company’s stock. Mastercard presently has an average rating of “Buy” and an average target price of $176.54.
Shares of Mastercard (NYSE MA) traded down $2.38 during mid-day trading on Friday, hitting $170.55. The company had a trading volume of 6,485,938 shares, compared to its average volume of 3,520,823. Mastercard has a 52-week low of $105.60 and a 52-week high of $177.11. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.83, a current ratio of 1.66 and a quick ratio of 1.66. The company has a market cap of $183,210.00, a price-to-earnings ratio of 46.72, a P/E/G ratio of 1.82 and a beta of 1.26.
Mastercard declared that its board has approved a stock buyback program on Monday, December 4th that authorizes the company to repurchase $4.00 billion in shares. This repurchase authorization authorizes the credit services provider to repurchase shares of its stock through open market purchases. Shares repurchase programs are often an indication that the company’s management believes its stock is undervalued.
In other news, insider Edward Grunde Mclaughlin sold 17,167 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, January 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $151.81, for a total value of $2,606,122.27. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 47,901 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $7,271,850.81. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Insiders own 0.30% of the company’s stock.
Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Massey Quick Simon & CO. LLC purchased a new position in Mastercard during the 3rd quarter worth $102,000. Thompson Davis & CO. Inc. grew its stake in Mastercard by 170.1% during the 2nd quarter. Thompson Davis & CO. Inc. now owns 867 shares of the credit services provider’s stock worth $105,000 after buying an additional 546 shares during the last quarter. Wealthcare Advisory Partners LLC purchased a new position in Mastercard during the 3rd quarter worth $106,000. Proficio Capital Partners LLC grew its stake in Mastercard by 1.3% during the 2nd quarter. Proficio Capital Partners LLC now owns 905 shares of the credit services provider’s stock worth $118,000 after buying an additional 12 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Harel Insurance Investments & Financial Services Ltd. purchased a new position in Mastercard during the 2nd quarter worth $121,000. 75.66% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.
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About Mastercard
MasterCard Incorporated is a technology company that connects consumers, financial institutions, merchants, governments and businesses across the world, enabling them to use electronic forms of payment. The Company operates through Payment Solutions segment. The Company allows user to make payments by creating a range of payment solutions and services using its brands, which include MasterCard, Maestro and Cirrus.
