MA vs. NOW
MA (Mastercard Incorporated) and NOW (ServiceNow, Inc) are both stocks. MA operates in Credit Services (Financial Services), while NOW operates in Software - Application (Technology). Over the past 10 years, MA returned 20.36%/yr vs 22.48%/yr for NOW. Their 0.47 correlation means their historical movements had little consistent relationship.
Performance
MA vs. NOW - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, MA achieves a 0.88% return, which is significantly higher than NOW's -27.39% return. Over the past 10 years, MA has underperformed NOW with an annualized return of 20.36%, while NOW has yielded a comparatively higher 22.48% annualized return.
MA
- 1D
- -0.74%
- 1M
- 9.88%
- 6M
- 6.73%
- YTD
- 0.88%
- 1Y
- 1.80%
- 3Y*
- 13.69%
- 5Y*
- 8.87%
- 10Y*
- 20.36%
- ALL TIME*
- 28.48%
NOW
- 1D
- 1.05%
- 1M
- 5.13%
- 6M
- -4.94%
- YTD
- -27.39%
- 1Y
- -41.03%
- 3Y*
- -1.97%
- 5Y*
- -1.10%
- 10Y*
- 22.48%
- ALL TIME*
- 25.09%
Liquidity Comparison
| Position | Avg. Volume Value (2W) | Avg. Volume Value (1M) | Avg. Volume Value (3M) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $1.74B | $1.69B | $1.89B | |
| $3.29B | $2.53B | $2.93B |
MA vs. NOW - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
MA Mastercard Incorporated | 0.88% | 9.04% | 24.17% | 23.40% | -2.66% | 1.16% | 20.19% | 59.16% | 25.31% | 47.69% |
NOW ServiceNow, Inc | -27.39% | -27.75% | 50.05% | 81.96% | -40.18% | 17.93% | 94.97% | 58.56% | 36.55% | 75.40% |
Correlation
The correlation between MA and NOW is 0.33, which is low. Their historical price movements had little consistent relationship.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most. | 0.33 |
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history. | 0.36 |
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period. | 0.43 |
Correlation (10Y) Provides a long-term view across more market conditions. | 0.49 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jun 29, 2012 | 0.47 |
The correlation between MA and NOW shifts across timeframes, from 0.33 (1 year) to 0.49 (10 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
Fundamentals
MA:
$506.38B
NOW:
$115.00B
MA:
$18.17
NOW:
$1.60
MA:
31.54
NOW:
69.50
MA:
1.84
NOW:
0.59
MA:
14.62
NOW:
7.88
MA:
90.19
NOW:
6.17
MA:
$35.08B
NOW:
$14.73B
MA:
$29.34B
NOW:
$11.02B
MA:
$22.12B
NOW:
$2.75B
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Return for Risk
MA vs. NOW — Risk / Return Rank
MA
NOW
MA vs. NOW - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Mastercard Incorporated (MA) and ServiceNow, Inc (NOW). 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.
| MA | NOW | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.84 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +1.23 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.03 | 0.88 | +0.15 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.09 | -0.72 | +0.81 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 0.16 | -1.20 | +1.36 |
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Drawdowns
MA vs. NOW - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum MA drawdown since its inception was -62.67%, roughly equal to the maximum NOW drawdown of -64.54%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for MA and NOW.
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Drawdown Indicators
| MA | NOW | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -62.67% | -64.54% | +1.87% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -20.91% | -56.82% | +35.91% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -20.91% | -64.54% | +43.63% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -28.25% | -64.54% | +36.29% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -41.00% | -64.54% | +23.54% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -3.72% | -52.48% | +48.76% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -9.84% | -14.18% | +4.34% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 11.22% | 34.39% | -23.17% |
Volatility
MA vs. NOW - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Mastercard Incorporated (MA) is 7.42%, while ServiceNow, Inc (NOW) has a volatility of 17.63%. This indicates that MA experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than NOW based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| MA | NOW | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 7.42% | 17.63% | -10.21% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 17.65% | 48.58% | -30.93% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 22.29% | 54.24% | -31.95% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 23.99% | 44.54% | -20.55% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 26.92% | 41.17% | -14.25% |
Dividends
MA vs. NOW - Dividend Comparison
MA's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.59%, while NOW has not paid dividends to shareholders.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
MA Mastercard Incorporated | 0.59% | 0.53% | 0.50% | 0.53% | 0.56% | 0.49% | 0.45% | 0.44% | 0.53% | 0.58% | 0.74% | 0.66% |
NOW ServiceNow, Inc | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Financials
MA vs. NOW - Financials Comparison
This section allows you to compare key financial metrics between Mastercard Incorporated and ServiceNow, Inc. 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
MA vs. NOW - Profitability Comparison
MA - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Aug 2026, Mastercard Incorporated reported a gross profit of 9.28B and revenue of 9.28B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 100.0%.
NOW - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Aug 2026, ServiceNow, Inc reported a gross profit of 2.82B and revenue of 3.99B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 70.7%.
MA - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Aug 2026, Mastercard Incorporated reported an operating income of 5.59B and revenue of 9.28B, resulting in an operating margin of 60.2%.
NOW - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Aug 2026, ServiceNow, Inc reported an operating income of 162.00M and revenue of 3.99B, resulting in an operating margin of 4.1%.
MA - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Aug 2026, Mastercard Incorporated reported a net income of 4.39B and revenue of 9.28B, resulting in a net margin of 47.3%.
NOW - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Aug 2026, ServiceNow, Inc reported a net income of 298.00M and revenue of 3.99B, resulting in a net margin of 7.5%.
Frequently Asked Questions
MA and NOW have a correlation of 0.33, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
NOW has higher volatility (17.63%) compared to MA (7.42%). In terms of maximum drawdown, MA dropped -62.67% vs NOW's -64.54%.
MA currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (0.08 vs -0.76), 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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