AXP vs. MA
AXP (American Express Company) and MA (Mastercard Incorporated) are both stocks. Both operate in the Credit Services industry within the Financial Services sector. Over the past 10 years, AXP returned 20.09%/yr vs 18.60%/yr for MA. A 0.55 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined.
Performance
AXP vs. MA - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, AXP achieves a -8.14% return, which is significantly higher than MA's -13.93% return. Over the past 10 years, AXP has outperformed MA with an annualized return of 20.09%, while MA has yielded a comparatively lower 18.60% annualized return.
AXP
- 1D
- -0.75%
- 1M
- 9.28%
- YTD
- -8.14%
- 6M
- -9.51%
- 1Y
- 15.22%
- 3Y*
- 26.70%
- 5Y*
- 17.82%
- 10Y*
- 20.09%
MA
- 1D
- -0.65%
- 1M
- -1.98%
- YTD
- -13.93%
- 6M
- -13.22%
- 1Y
- -8.55%
- 3Y*
- 9.80%
- 5Y*
- 6.54%
- 10Y*
- 18.60%
AXP vs. MA - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AXP American Express Company | -8.14% | 25.99% | 60.32% | 28.67% | -8.52% | 36.88% | -1.14% | 32.52% | -2.62% | 36.22% |
MA Mastercard Incorporated | -13.93% | 9.04% | 24.17% | 23.40% | -2.66% | 1.16% | 20.19% | 59.16% | 25.31% | 47.69% |
Correlation
The correlation between AXP and MA is 0.50, which is moderate. They share some common price drivers but move independently often enough to provide real diversification benefit when combined.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.50 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.49 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.57 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.56 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since May 25, 2006 | 0.55 |
The correlation between AXP and MA has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.49 to 0.57 - a consistent structural relationship.
Fundamentals
AXP:
$231.87B
MA:
$437.38B
AXP:
$16.23
MA:
$17.28
AXP:
20.83
MA:
28.35
AXP:
1.77
MA:
1.65
AXP:
2.84
MA:
13.01
AXP:
6.82
MA:
65.07
AXP:
$82.41B
MA:
$33.94B
AXP:
$68.81B
MA:
$26.70B
AXP:
$18.41B
MA:
$21.23B
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Return for Risk
AXP vs. MA — Risk / Return Rank
AXP
MA
AXP vs. MA - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for American Express Company (AXP) and Mastercard Incorporated (MA). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.
Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.
| AXP | MA | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.98 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +1.36 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.12 | 0.95 | +0.18 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.64 | -0.41 | +1.05 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 1.36 | -0.81 | +2.17 |
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Drawdowns
AXP vs. MA - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum AXP drawdown since its inception was -83.91%, which is greater than MA's maximum drawdown of -62.67%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for AXP and MA.
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Drawdown Indicators
| AXP | MA | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -83.91% | -62.67% | -21.24% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -23.90% | -20.91% | -2.99% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -28.76% | -20.91% | -7.85% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -31.55% | -28.25% | -3.30% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -49.64% | -41.00% | -8.64% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -11.71% | -17.85% | +6.14% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -22.05% | -9.83% | -12.22% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 11.25% | 10.52% | +0.73% |
Volatility
AXP vs. MA - Volatility Comparison
American Express Company (AXP) has a higher volatility of 7.44% compared to Mastercard Incorporated (MA) at 6.47%. This indicates that AXP's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than MA based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| AXP | MA | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 7.44% | 6.47% | +0.97% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 20.16% | 17.06% | +3.10% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 26.35% | 22.01% | +4.34% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 29.51% | 24.04% | +5.47% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 31.82% | 26.93% | +4.89% |
Dividends
AXP vs. MA - Dividend Comparison
AXP's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.01%, more than MA's 0.67% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AXP American Express Company | 1.01% | 0.85% | 0.91% | 1.24% | 1.35% | 1.05% | 1.42% | 1.29% | 1.51% | 1.32% | 1.61% | 1.58% |
MA Mastercard Incorporated | 0.67% | 0.53% | 0.50% | 0.53% | 0.56% | 0.49% | 0.45% | 0.44% | 0.53% | 0.58% | 0.74% | 0.66% |
Financials
AXP vs. MA - Financials Comparison
This section allows you to compare key financial metrics between American Express Company and Mastercard Incorporated. You can select fields from income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements to easily visualize and compare the financial health of both companies.
Total Revenue: Total amount of money received from sales and other business activities
AXP vs. MA - Profitability Comparison
AXP - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, American Express Company reported a gross profit of 17.66B and revenue of 20.88B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 84.6%.
MA - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Mastercard Incorporated reported a gross profit of 4.91B and revenue of 8.40B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 58.4%.
AXP - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, American Express Company reported an operating income of 6.60B and revenue of 20.88B, resulting in an operating margin of 31.6%.
MA - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Mastercard Incorporated reported an operating income of 4.91B and revenue of 8.40B, resulting in an operating margin of 58.4%.
AXP - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, American Express Company reported a net income of 2.97B and revenue of 20.88B, resulting in a net margin of 14.2%.
MA - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Mastercard Incorporated reported a net income of 3.88B and revenue of 8.40B, resulting in a net margin of 46.2%.
Frequently Asked Questions
AXP and MA have a correlation of 0.50, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
AXP has higher volatility (7.44%) compared to MA (6.47%). In terms of maximum drawdown, AXP dropped -83.91% vs MA's -62.67%.
AXP currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (0.58 vs -0.40), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.
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