Mastercard Incorporated (MA) vs QUALCOMM Incorporated (QCOM)
MA leads on 8 of 14 compared metrics, though QCOM is the cheaper stock.
A side-by-side comparison of Mastercard Incorporated and QUALCOMM Incorporated across valuation, profitability, dividends, and growth — built entirely from reported fundamentals, as of June 15, 2026. The ● marks the stronger figure on each row (cheaper multiple, higher margin/return).
MA
Mastercard Incorporated
$489.98Financial Services
QCOM
QUALCOMM Incorporated
$211.72Technology
Total return — MA vs QCOM
growth of $100 · last 20yMA +10551.7%QCOM +359.7%MA compounded faster
Log scale — wide-divergence pair
MA QCOM
MA vs QCOM: by the numbers
- •MA is the larger company ($432.94B vs $223.15B market cap).
- •QCOM trades at the lower earnings multiple (22.72 vs 28.36 P/E).
- •MA converts more revenue to profit (45.88% vs 22.31% net margin).
- •MA grew revenue faster over the past five years (17.05% vs 8.63% CAGR).
- •QCOM pays the higher dividend yield (1.70% vs 0.67%).
Which is better, MA or QCOM?
Metric tally: MA 8 · QCOM 6It depends on what you're optimizing for:
ValueQCOM(lower P/E)
GrowthMA(faster 5Y revenue CAGR)
IncomeQCOM(higher dividend yield)
QualityMA(higher ROIC)
Metrics side by side
Valuation
| Metric | MA | QCOM |
|---|---|---|
| P/E ratio | 28.36 | 22.72● |
| Forward P/E | 21.48 | 19.72● |
| P/S ratio | 12.89 | 5.10● |
| P/B ratio | 65.09 | 8.32● |
| PEG ratio | 1.81● | 3.96 |
| EV / EBITDA | — | 16.71 |
| FCF yield | — | 5.51% |
Profitability
| Metric | MA | QCOM |
|---|---|---|
| Gross margin | 82.96%● | 54.80% |
| Operating margin | 59.40%● | 25.52% |
| Net margin | 45.88%● | 22.31% |
| ROE | 231.63%● | 36.38% |
| ROIC | 48.63%● | 13.15% |
Dividends
| Metric | MA | QCOM |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend yield | 0.67% | 1.70%● |
| Payout ratio | 19.70% | 70.95% |
Growth (annualized)
| Metric | MA | QCOM |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue CAGR (5Y) | 17.05%● | 8.63% |
| EPS CAGR (5Y) | 20.93%● | 5.74% |
| FCF CAGR (5Y) | — | 9.39% |
| Total return CAGR (5Y) | 6.65% | 11.87%● |
Frequently asked
- Which is better, MA or QCOM?
- It depends on your goal. value: QCOM (lower P/E); growth: MA (faster 5Y revenue CAGR); income: QCOM (higher dividend yield); quality: MA (higher ROIC). Across all compared metrics, MA leads 8 to 6.
- Is MA or QCOM cheaper?
- On trailing earnings, QCOM is cheaper: MA trades at a 28.36 P/E and QCOM at 22.72.
- Which has grown faster, MA or QCOM?
- Over the past five years, MA grew revenue faster — MA at a 17.05% CAGR versus QCOM at 8.63%.
- Does MA or QCOM pay a bigger dividend?
- MA yields 0.67% and QCOM yields 1.70% based on trailing dividends and the latest price.
- Is MA or QCOM more profitable?
- MA runs the higher net margin — MA at 45.88% versus QCOM at 22.31%.
- Which has been the better investment, MA or QCOM?
- Over the past 10-year, MA delivered the higher annualized total return — MA at 18.49% versus QCOM at 17.83%. Past performance doesn't predict future results.
Go deeper
Dig into the metrics
Mastercard P/E ratioQUALCOMM P/E ratioMastercard dividend yieldQUALCOMM dividend yieldMastercard ROEQUALCOMM ROEMastercard operating marginQUALCOMM operating marginMastercard revenue growthQUALCOMM revenue growthMastercard free cash flowQUALCOMM free cash flow
Mastercard & QUALCOMM 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 15, 2026.