American Express Company (AXP) vs Mastercard Incorporated (MA)
AXP leads on 9 of 15 compared metrics.
A side-by-side comparison of American Express Company and Mastercard Incorporated across valuation, profitability, dividends, and growth — built entirely from reported fundamentals, as of June 13, 2026. The ● marks the stronger figure on each row (cheaper multiple, higher margin/return).
AXP
American Express Company
$325.44Financial Services
MA
Mastercard Incorporated
$489.98Financial Services
Total return — AXP vs MA
growth of $100 · last 20yAXP +501.7%MA +10551.7%MA compounded faster
Log scale — wide-divergence pair
AXP MA
AXP vs MA: by the numbers
- •MA is the larger company ($432.94B vs $222.06B market cap).
- •AXP trades at the lower earnings multiple (20.30 vs 28.36 P/E).
- •MA converts more revenue to profit (45.88% vs 13.61% net margin).
- •AXP grew revenue faster over the past five years (17.35% vs 17.05% CAGR).
- •AXP pays the higher dividend yield (1.05% vs 0.67%).
Which is better, AXP or MA?
Metric tally: AXP 9 · MA 6It depends on what you're optimizing for:
ValueAXP(lower P/E)
IncomeAXP(higher dividend yield)
QualityMA(higher ROIC)
Valuation
| Metric | AXP | MA |
|---|---|---|
| P/E ratio | 20.30● | 28.36 |
| Forward P/E | 16.15● | 21.48 |
| P/S ratio | 2.71● | 12.89 |
| P/B ratio | 6.57● | 65.09 |
| PEG ratio | 2.43 | 1.81● |
| EV / EBITDA | 12.49● | 21.13 |
| FCF yield | 6.41%● | 4.05% |
Profitability
| Metric | AXP | MA |
|---|---|---|
| Gross margin | 83.50% | 82.96% |
| Operating margin | 20.70% | 59.40%● |
| Net margin | 13.61% | 45.88%● |
| ROE | 33.00% | 231.63%● |
| ROIC | 8.29% | 48.63%● |
Dividends
| Metric | AXP | MA |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend yield | 1.05%● | 0.67% |
| Payout ratio | 22.13% | 19.70% |
Growth (annualized)
| Metric | AXP | MA |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue CAGR (5Y) | 17.35% | 17.05% |
| EPS CAGR (5Y) | 32.53%● | 20.93% |
| FCF CAGR (5Y) | 10.67% | 23.43%● |
| Total return CAGR (5Y) | 16.01%● | 6.65% |
Frequently asked
- Which is better, AXP or MA?
- It depends on your goal. value: AXP (lower P/E); income: AXP (higher dividend yield); quality: MA (higher ROIC). Across all compared metrics, AXP leads 9 to 6.
- Is AXP or MA cheaper?
- On trailing earnings, AXP is cheaper: AXP trades at a 20.30 P/E and MA at 28.36.
- Which has grown faster, AXP or MA?
- Over the past five years, AXP grew revenue faster — AXP at a 17.35% CAGR versus MA at 17.05%.
- Does AXP or MA pay a bigger dividend?
- AXP yields 1.05% and MA yields 0.67% based on trailing dividends and the latest price.
- Is AXP or MA more profitable?
- MA runs the higher net margin — AXP at 13.61% versus MA at 45.88%.
- Which has been the better investment, AXP or MA?
- Over the past 10-year, AXP delivered the higher annualized total return — AXP at 19.13% versus MA at 18.49%. Past performance doesn't predict future results.
Go deeper
Dig into the metrics
American Express P/E ratioMastercard P/E ratioAmerican Express dividend yieldMastercard dividend yieldAmerican Express ROEMastercard ROEAmerican Express operating marginMastercard operating marginAmerican Express revenue growthMastercard revenue growthAmerican Express free cash flowMastercard free cash flow
American Express & Mastercard appear in these rankings
Figures are sourced from reported fundamentals and the latest end-of-day price. This comparison is informational only and is not investment advice. Past performance does not predict future results. See our methodology. Compiled by TGMCharts Research · data verified June 13, 2026.