Mastercard Vs. Visa: Technical Challenges Ahead Of Earnings Showdown

Both Mastercard Inc (NYSE:MA) and Visa Inc (NYSE:V) stocks are navigating choppy waters, with bearish trends dominating the technical landscape despite signs of future upside.

Here’s a closer look at how the two payment giants stack up and what investors might expect heading into their upcoming earnings reports.

Mastercard Vs. Visa Stock Chart: Who's Winning?

Both stocks are currently trapped below critical moving averages, signaling a bearish stance for now. However, investors betting on a turnaround see positive signals in the underlying interest from buyers.

Chart created using Benzinga Pro

• Visa stock, trading at $306.92, below its eight, 20 and 50-day simple moving averages, waving multiple bearish flags. Yet, with the price sitting comfortably above its 200-day average of $282.77, bullish sentiment still has room to breathe.

Chart created using Benzinga Pro

• Mastercard stock, at $504.91, echoes Visa's technical story—below key moving averages and flashing bearish signals. But, its price holding well above the 200-day moving average of $480.72 keeps optimism alive.

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Earnings Countdown: The Analyst’s Angle

As both companies prepare to report earnings on Jan. 30, JPMorgan's Tien-tsin Huang anticipates strong organic trends despite headwinds from foreign exchange rates (FX).

According to Huang, Mastercard is tipped to deliver high-end, low-double-digit organic revenue growth guidance, potentially hitting 12% growth. Visa is expected to maintain its 2025 organic guidance, despite facing similar FX challenges.

Acquisitions Shake Up Strategies

• Mastercard's acquisition of cybersecurity firm Recorded Future is expected to drag reported revenue slightly but offers long-term strategic benefits.
• Visa's Featurespace buy could also help bolster innovation despite near-term FX pressure.

Consumer Spending Shows Resilience

Both networks report stable to improving U.S. spending trends through November, signaling that consumers remain engaged despite macroeconomic headwinds. Chase card data shows a 140-basis point acceleration in spending growth, with Fiserv SpendTrend data up by 80 basis points, per Huang’s report.

Final Swipe

Visa and Mastercard may be navigating turbulence, but analysts still back them for stable volume trends and pricing action that supports long-term growth.

Whether the bearish technicals fade or deepen will depend heavily on these upcoming earnings and how management navigates FX volatility.

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