Commerzbank recommends Mastercard stock as a strong buy

Investing.com – In a recent analyst note, Commerzbank rates the stock of the US payment service provider Mastercard (NYSE: NYSE:MA) as a "strong buy." This assessment is based on the company's robust growth prospects and its leading position in global payments.

"The global trend towards electronic payments offers sustainably high growth potential," says the Commerzbank announcement.

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Mastercard directly benefits from increasing card usage and growing transaction volumes, the experts explained. The company is the world's number two in payment processing and achieved a net profit of $11.2 billion in the last fiscal year. Particularly noteworthy is the high share of the "dynamically growing international business," which accounts for 60% of revenue.

Commerzbank analysts see Mastercard stock as a long-term core investment with defensive qualities, even in times of economic slowdown. The company's strong operating margin can be further expanded, enabled by economies of scale and a significant contribution from service revenues. This reduces dependence on transaction-based card income.

For the fiscal year 2024, Commerzbank expects earnings per share of $14.30 with a price-earnings ratio (P/E) of 32.0. The dividend per share is expected to be $2.64, corresponding to a dividend yield of 0.6%. For 2025, a further increase in earnings per share to $16.60 and a P/E of 27.5 is forecast.

Commerzbank also highlights the broad regional distribution of processed volume, with 31% in Europe, 30% in Asia, Eastern Europe, and Africa, and 40% in the US and Canada. This provides the company with a solid foundation to benefit from various regional markets.

Despite the positive outlook, the analyst note also points out risks that could affect Mastercard's growth. These include economic fluctuations, exchange rate effects, and high incentive payments to stimulate business. Additionally, there are legal risks, such as a current consumer lawsuit in the UK, as well as political risks like potential payment restrictions and cyber-attacks.

Commerzbank sets the price target for Mastercard at $555.00. Based on the current price, this would correspond to a return potential of around 21.5%. A stop-loss limit is recommended at $365.00. According to the bank, the payment service provider remains a promising investment that should sustainably benefit from ongoing developments in electronic payments.

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