Accenture (ACN) vs Mastercard (MA)
Head-to-head comparison of performance, valuation, growth, profitability and dividends. Prices delayed 15 minutes; data as of Oct 8, 2026.
Summary
Mastercard (MA) has outperformed Accenture (ACN) over the past year, losing 1.7% versus a loss of 21.7%. Over five years, MA leads with a +60.1% price change compared with -42.5% for ACN. Mastercard is the larger company by market cap ($504.66 billion vs $123.42 billion), about 4.1 times the size.
On valuation, Accenture trades at a lower forward P/E (12.7x vs 25.0x for Mastercard). Accenture offers the higher dividend yield (3.27% vs 0.58%). Mastercard converts more of its revenue into profit, with a net margin of 45.6% versus 11.0%.
Summary generated from market data by MetaCap's automated system. Methodology
Relative performance
Percent change in share price from the first common trading day shown; excludes dividends.
Head-to-head
| Metric | ACN | MA |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $201.69 | $576.10 |
| Market cap | $123.42B | $504.66B |
| 1-day change | +2.57% | +1.06% |
| YTD return | -26.71% | -0.14% |
| 1-year return | -21.73% | -1.69% |
| 5-year return | -42.47% | +60.13% |
| P/E ratio (TTM) | 14.87 | 31.69 |
| Forward P/E | 12.68 | 25.02 |
| EPS (TTM) | $13.56 | $18.18 |
| Dividend yield | 3.27% | 0.58% |
| Annual dividend | $6.60 | $3.37 |
| Revenue (latest FY) | $69.67B | $32.79B |
| Revenue growth (YoY) | +7.36% | +16.42% |
| Net income (latest FY) | $7.68B | $14.97B |
| Gross margin | 31.91% | — |
| Operating margin | 14.68% | 57.63% |
| Net margin | 11.02% | 45.65% |
| 52-week high | $291.09 | $601.23 |
| 52-week low | $118.15 | $464.52 |
| Distance from 52-week high | -30.71% | -4.18% |
| Analyst consensus | buy | strong_buy |
| Avg. price target upside | +10.89% | +15.73% |
| Average volume | 6.53M | 2.83M |
| Shares outstanding | 611.94M | 869.46M |
| Employees | 814,000 | 39,800 |
| Sector | Consumer Discretionary | Consumer Discretionary |
| Industry | Business Services | Business Services |
Highlighted cells mark the higher value for growth, returns, margins and yield, and the lower value for P/E ratios. Highlighting is a mechanical comparison, not a recommendation.
Key differences
- Mastercard is about 4.1 times larger than Accenture by market value ($504.66B vs $123.42B).
- MA has outperformed ACN by 20.0 percentage points over the past year.
- Mastercard trades at a higher earnings multiple (31.7x vs 14.9x trailing P/E).
- Accenture offers a meaningfully higher dividend yield (3.27% vs 0.58%).
- Mastercard is more profitable, keeping 45.6 cents of every revenue dollar as net income versus 11.0 cents for Accenture.
- Mastercard grew revenue faster in its latest fiscal year (+16.42% vs +7.36%).
About Accenture
ACN stock →Accenture plc provides strategy and consulting, industry X, song, and technology and operation services in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the Asia Pacific. It offers systems integration and application management; security; intelligent platform; infrastructure; software engineering; data, AI, cloud; and automation and global delivery services.
Consumer Discretionary · Business Services · 814,000 employees
About Mastercard
MA stock →Mastercard Incorporated, a technology company, provides transaction processing and other payment-related products and services in the United States and internationally. The company offers products and services for account holders, merchants, financial institutions, digital partners, businesses, governments, and other organizations, such as programs that enable issuers to provide consumers with credits to defer payments; payment products and solutions that allow its customers to access funds in deposit and other accounts; prepaid programs services; consumer bill payment services; and commercial credit, debit, and prepaid payment products and solutions.
Consumer Discretionary · Business Services · 39,800 employees
ACN vs MA FAQ
Which is bigger, Accenture or Mastercard?
Mastercard (MA) is larger, with a market capitalization of $504.66B compared with $123.42B for Accenture (ACN).
Which stock has performed better over the past year, ACN or MA?
MA returned -1.69% over the past 12 months, compared with -21.73% for ACN (price return, excluding dividends). Past performance does not predict future results.
Which has the lower P/E ratio, ACN or MA?
ACN has the lower trailing P/E at 14.9, versus 31.7 for MA. A lower P/E is not by itself a sign of a better investment; it can reflect slower expected growth or higher risk.
Which pays a higher dividend, Accenture or Mastercard?
Accenture has the higher yield at 3.27%, compared with 0.58% for Mastercard.
Are Accenture and Mastercard in the same industry?
Yes. Both are classified in the Business Services industry within the Consumer Discretionary sector.