Mastercard Incorporated Stock Price, News & Analysis

Mastercard has launched its Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) program named Mastercard Installments in the U.S., Australia, and the UK to meet growing consumer demand for flexible payment options. This program allows consumers to pay through interest-free installments while providing merchants and banks seamless integration into the Mastercard network. Key partnerships include Barclays, Fifth Third, and SoFi. The initiative aims to enhance consumer choice and security, leveraging Mastercard's extensive acceptance network and promoting responsible lending practices.

Mastercard has launched Strive, a global initiative with an initial commitment of $25 million to enhance the financial resilience and growth of small businesses worldwide. The program aims to assist over five million micro and small enterprises by providing access to digital tools and resources for their recovery post-pandemic. Strive will focus on supporting vulnerable businesses, including women and minority-owned ones, across various regions. This initiative complements Mastercard's broader commitment to financial inclusion, aiming to integrate one billion people and 50 million small businesses into the digital economy by 2025.

Mastercard (NYSE: MA) announced the retirement of Executive Chairman Ajay Banga, effective December 31, 2021. Merit Janow, currently the Lead Independent Director, has been elected as the new non-executive Independent Chair starting January 1, 2022. This transition is part of a strategy initiated in February 2020, aimed at ensuring seamless leadership continuity. Janow brings extensive expertise in international economic law and technology to the role. Banga expressed gratitude for his time at Mastercard, while both Janow and CEO Michael Miebach highlighted the company's readiness for future growth.

Mastercard Incorporated (NYSE: MA) has declared a quarterly cash dividend of 44 cents per share. This dividend will be paid on November 9, 2021 to shareholders on record as of October 8, 2021. The announcement reflects the company’s commitment to returning value to its shareholders while continuing its mission to enhance the digital economy.

HUBUC has officially partnered with Mastercard through the Fintech Express program to support the emergence of new Fintech and B2B SaaS products across Spain, Germany, France, and other European countries. This collaboration aims to enhance digital financial services, integrating card issuance, expense management, and customer engagement functionalities. HUBUC's innovative platform enables rapid market entry for businesses looking to embed payment solutions, benefiting from Mastercard's expertise in financial services.

Mastercard has announced a $5 million grant to Morehouse College and Spelman College to establish the Center for Black Entrepreneurship. This initiative aims to enhance entrepreneurial opportunities for aspiring Black entrepreneurs through a range of programs including education, mentorship, and networking. The funding is part of Mastercard's $500 million commitment to promoting racial equity and economic opportunity. The Center will focus on bridging the gap between Black entrepreneurs and investors, and will be located in Atlanta, a hub for Black-owned businesses.

Mastercard (NYSE: MA) announced that Craig Vosburg, the Chief Product Officer, will present at the Autonomous Future of Commerce Symposium on Friday, September 17, starting at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time for approximately 45 minutes. The presentation will be available via a live audio webcast, with a replay accessible for 30 days at investor.mastercard.com.

Mastercard is dedicated to fostering an inclusive digital economy, enhancing transaction safety and accessibility globally.

Mastercard's SpendingPulse predicts a record holiday retail season, with U.S. retail sales expected to rise by 7.4%, excluding auto and gas. Online shopping is anticipated to increase by 7.6%, while in-store sales may grow 8.9% versus last year. Early shopping begins in October, with a growth forecast of 6.8% for retail sales and 7.5% for e-commerce during the '75 Days of Christmas'. Key trends include increased early promotions, luxury spending driven by pent-up savings, and a sustained shift towards online shopping, with anticipated e-commerce sales growth of 59.3% YO2Y.