Both Visa (V 0.13%) and MasterCard (MA 0.17%) have consistently outperformed for investors, based on what many see as a rock-solid simple investing thesis: that these companies have nowhere to go but up as the world switches from cash transactions to credit. But is that thesis just a little too simple to be safe? And can the growth ahead really justify these very pricey multiples? In this video, Fool financial analysts Matt Koppenheffer and David Hanson discuss which of these two hot financial stocks is a more attractive buy today.
Buy It First: Visa or MasterCard?
By Matt Koppenheffer and David Hanson – May 14, 2013 at 6:45PM
NYSE: MA
Mastercard
Market Cap
$497B
Today's Change
(-0.17%) $0.91
Current Price
$552.05
Price as of November 11, 2025 at 9:52 AM ET
Which of these two hot financial stocks is going to live up to its lofty valuation and be the bigger win for investors?
About the Author
Matt is the head of the Coverage Team for The Motely Fool's premium products. Previously, he's been . Matt is a heavy user of AI tools and is working on harnessing them to help Fool members. Previously, Matt was GM of Motley Fool Ascent, led The Motley Fool Deutschland, has been an investor on various Fool services, and co-hosted the podcast "Where the Money Is". He also co-authored the book The Astonishing Collapse of MF Global. Matt started his career in San Francisco as a technology-focused investment banker and also worked at a $15 billion private equity company. When he's thinking about how to make Fools smarter, happier, and richer, you can usually find Matt running trails or making a mess in the kitchen. He's a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, but is a lifelong fan of Penn State football.