Mastercard Inc: Form 10-Q for the period ended Mar 31, 2025
Filed with the SEC on May 1, 2025 and accepted by EDGAR at May 1, 2025, 10:14 ET.
Management's discussion and analysis
As filed, 37,681 characters, with its headings, lists and tables. Extracted from the main document; charts and exhibits are in the original on sec.gov.
The following supplements management's discussion and analysis of Mastercard Incorporated for the year ended December 31, 2024 as contained in the Company's 2024 Form 10-K filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on February 12, 2025. It also should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes of Mastercard Incorporated and its consolidated subsidiaries, including Mastercard International Incorporated (together, “Mastercard” or the “Company”), included elsewhere in this Report. Percentage changes provided throughout “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” were calculated on amounts rounded to the nearest thousand.
Global Economic, Political, Financial and Societal Events and Conditions
We continue to monitor government actions and changes in policies across the globe, including those related to tariffs. The extent to which these developments affect our business and results of operations, if at all, are uncertain and cannot be predicted at this time.
Financial Results Overview
The following table provides a summary of our key GAAP operating results, as reported:
(in millions, except percentages and per share data)
| Three Months Ended March 31, 2025 | 2024 | Increase/(Decrease) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Net revenue | $7,250 | $6,348 | 14% |
| Operating expenses | $3,101 | $2,744 | 13% |
| Operating income | $4,149 | $3,604 | 15% |
| Operating margin | 57.2% | 56.8% | 0.4 ppt |
| Income tax expense | $751 | $547 | 37% |
| Effective income tax rate | 18.6% | 15.4% | 3.3 ppt |
| Net income | $3,280 | $3,011 | 9% |
| Diluted earnings per share | $3.59 | $3.22 | 11% |
| Diluted weighted-average shares outstanding | 914 | 935 | (2)% |
Note: Table may not sum due to rounding.
The following table provides a summary of our key non-GAAP operating results1, adjusted to exclude the impact of gains and losses on our equity investments, Special Items (which represent litigation judgments and settlements and certain one-time items) and the related tax impacts on our non-GAAP adjustments. In addition, we have presented growth rates, adjusted for the impact of currency:
($ in millions, except per share data)
| Three Months Ended March 31, 2025 | 2024 | Increase/(Decrease) As adjusted | Currency-neutral | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net revenue | $7,250 | $6,348 | 14% | 17% |
| Adjusted operating expenses | $2,950 | $2,617 | 13% | 14% |
| Adjusted operating margin | 59.3% | 58.8% | 0.5 ppt | 0.9 ppt |
| Adjusted effective income tax rate | 19.1% | 15.9% | 3.2 ppt | 3.4 ppt |
| Adjusted net income | $3,406 | $3,093 | 10% | 13% |
| Adjusted diluted earnings per share | $3.73 | $3.31 | 13% | 16% |
Note: Table may not sum due to rounding.
1 See “Non-GAAP Financial Information” for further information on our non-GAAP adjustments and the reconciliation to GAAP reported amounts.
Key highlights for the three months ended March 31, 2025, versus the comparable period in 2024:
| Net revenue | ||
|---|---|---|
| GAAP | Non-GAAP (currency-neutral) | Both the as-reported and currency-neutral net revenue increases were attributable to growth in our payment network and value-added services and solutions. |
| up 14% | up 17% |
| Operating expenses | Adjusted operating expenses | |
|---|---|---|
| GAAP | Non-GAAP (currency-neutral) | Both the as-reported and as-adjusted operating expense increases were primarily due to higher general and administrative and advertising and marketing expenses. |
| up 13% | up 14% |
| Effective income tax rate GAAP | Adjusted effective income tax rate Non-GAAP Both the as-reported and as-adjusted effective income tax rates were higher versus the comparable period in 2024, primarily due to the 15% global minimum tax (“Pillar 2 Rules”) that took effect in 2025. |
|---|---|
| 18.6% | 19.1% |
| up 3.3 ppt | up 3.2 ppt |
Other financial highlights for the three months ended March 31, 2025 were as follows:
- We generated net cash flows from operations of $2.4 billion.
- We repurchased 4.7 million shares of our common stock for $2.5 billion and paid dividends of $694 million.
- We completed a debt offering in February 2025 for an aggregate principal amount of $1.25 billion.
Non-GAAP Financial Information
Non-GAAP financial information is defined as a numerical measure of a company’s performance that excludes or includes amounts so as to be different than the most comparable measure calculated and presented in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“GAAP”). As described more fully below, our non-GAAP financial measures exclude the impact of gains and losses on our equity investments, which includes mark-to-market fair value adjustments, impairments and gains and losses upon disposition, as well as the related tax impacts. Our non-GAAP financial measures also exclude the impact of special items, where applicable, which represent litigation judgments and settlements and certain one-time items, as well as the related tax impacts (“Special Items”). We also present growth rates adjusted for the impact of currency, which is a non-GAAP financial measure. We believe that the non-GAAP financial measures presented facilitate an understanding of our operating performance and provide a meaningful comparison of our results between periods. We use non-GAAP financial measures to evaluate our ongoing operations in relation to historical results, for internal planning and forecasting purposes and in the calculation of performance-based compensation, among other things. We excluded these items because management evaluates the underlying operations and performance of the Company separately from these recurring and nonrecurring items. Operating expenses, operating margin, other income (expense), effective income tax rate, net income and diluted earnings per share, each as adjusted for the impact of gains and losses on our equity investments, Special Items and/or the impact of currency, should not be relied upon as substitutes for measures calculated in accordance with GAAP.
Our non-GAAP financial measures for the comparable periods exclude the impact of the following:
Gains and Losses on Equity Investments
- In the three months ended March 31, 2025 and 2024, we recorded net losses of $29 million ($25 million after tax, or $0.03 per diluted share) and net gains of $6 million ($5 million after tax, or $0.01 per diluted share), respectively, primarily related to unrealized fair market value adjustments on marketable and nonmarketable equity securities.
Special Items
Litigation provisions
- In the three months ended March 31, 2025, we recorded charges of $151 million ($102 million after tax, or $0.11 per diluted share), primarily as a result of a change in estimate related to the claims of merchants who opted out of the U.S. merchant class litigation.
- In the three months ended March 31, 2024, we recorded charges of $126 million ($87 million after tax, or $0.09 per diluted share), primarily due to a legal provision associated with the ATM non-discrimination rule surcharge complaints.
See Note 5 (Investments) and Note 14 (Legal and Regulatory Proceedings) to the consolidated financial statements included in Part I, Item 1 of this Report for further discussion related to certain of the items discussed above.
Currency-neutral Growth Rates
Currency-neutral growth rates are non-GAAP financial measures and are calculated by remeasuring the prior period’s results using the current period’s exchange rates for both the translational and transactional impacts on operating results. The impact of currency translation represents the effect of translating operating results where the functional currency is different from our U.S. dollar reporting currency. The impact of the transactional currency represents the effect of converting revenue and expenses occurring in a currency other than the functional currency of the entity. The impact of the related realized gains and losses resulting from our foreign exchange derivative contracts designated as cash flow hedging instruments (specifically those that manage the impact of foreign currency variability on anticipated revenues and expenses) is recognized in the respective financial statement line item on the consolidated statements of operations when the underlying forecasted transactions impact earnings.
The translational and transactional impact of currency and the related impact of our foreign exchange derivative contracts designated as cash flow hedging instruments as specified in the preceding paragraph (collectively, the “Currency Impact”) has been excluded from our currency-neutral growth rates and has been identified in the “Non-GAAP Reconciliations” tables below and our “Drivers of Change” tables. See “Foreign Currency - Currency Impact” for further information on our currency impacts and “Financial Results - Net Revenue” and “Financial Results - Operating Expenses” for our "Drivers of Change” tables.
Non-GAAP Reconciliations
The following tables reconcile our reported financial measures calculated in accordance with GAAP to the respective adjusted non-GAAP financial measures:
($ in millions, except per share data)
| Three Months Ended March 31, 2025 Operating expenses | Operating margin | Other income (expense) | Effective income tax rate | Net income | Diluted earnings per share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reported - GAAP | $3,101 | 57.2% | $(118) | 18.6% | $3,280 | $3.59 |
| (Gains) losses on equity investments | ** | ** | 29 | —% | 25 | 0.03 |
| Litigation provisions | (151) | 2.1% | ** | 0.5% | 102 | 0.11 |
| Adjusted - Non-GAAP | $2,950 | 59.3% | $(89) | 19.1% | $3,406 | $3.73 |
($ in millions, except per share data)
| Three Months Ended March 31, 2024 Operating expenses | Operating margin | Other income (expense) | Effective income tax rate | Net income | Diluted earnings per share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reported - GAAP | $2,744 | 56.8% | $(46) | 15.4% | $3,011 | $3.22 |
| (Gains) losses on equity investments | ** | ** | (6) | —% | (5) | (0.01) |
| Litigation provisions | (126) | 2.0% | ** | 0.5% | 87 | 0.09 |
| Adjusted - Non-GAAP | $2,617 | 58.8% | $(52) | 15.9% | $3,093 | $3.31 |
Note: Tables may not sum due to rounding.
** Not applicable.
The following table represents the reconciliation of our growth rates reported under GAAP to our non-GAAP growth rates:
| Three Months Ended March 31, 2025 as compared to the Three Months Ended March 31, 2024 Increase/(Decrease) Operating expenses | Operating margin | Effective income tax rate | Net income | Diluted earnings per share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reported - GAAP | 13% | 0.4 ppt | 3.3 ppt | 9% | 11% |
| (Gains) losses on equity investments | ** | ** | — ppt | 1% | 1% |
| Litigation provisions | —% | 0.1 ppt | — ppt | —% | —% |
| Adjusted - Non-GAAP | 13% | 0.5 ppt | 3.2 ppt | 10% | 13% |
| Currency Impact | 2% | 0.4 ppt | 0.2 ppt | 3% | 3% |
| Adjusted - Non-GAAP - currency-neutral | 14% | 0.9 ppt | 3.4 ppt | 13% | 16% |
Note: Table may not sum due to rounding.
** Not applicable.
Key Metrics and Drivers
In addition to the financial measures described above in “Financial Results Overview”, we review the following metrics to evaluate and identify trends in our business, measure our performance, prepare financial projections and make strategic decisions. We believe that the key metrics presented facilitate an understanding of our operating and financial performance and provide a meaningful comparison of our results between periods.
Operating Margin measures how much profit we make on each dollar of sales after our operating costs but before other income (expense) and income tax expense. Operating margin is calculated by dividing our operating income by net revenue.
Key Drivers
Gross Dollar Volume (“GDV”) measures dollar volume of activity, including both domestic and cross-border volume, on cards carrying our brands during the period, on a local currency basis and U.S. dollar-converted basis. GDV represents purchase volume plus cash volume; “purchase volume” means the aggregate dollar amount of purchases made with Mastercard-branded cards for the relevant period; and “cash volume” means the aggregate dollar amount of cash disbursements and includes the impact of balance transfers and convenience checks obtained with Mastercard-branded cards for the relevant period. Information denominated in U.S. dollars relating to GDV is calculated by applying an established U.S. dollar/local currency exchange rate for each local currency in which our volumes are reported. These exchange rates are calculated on a quarterly basis using the average exchange rate for each quarter. We report period-over-period rates of change in purchase volume and cash volume on the basis of local currency information, in order to eliminate the impact of changes in the value of currencies against the U.S. dollar in calculating such rates of change. Data used in the calculation of GDV is provided by our customers and is subject to verification by Mastercard and partial cross-checking against information provided by Mastercard’s transaction switching systems. All data is subject to revision and amendment by Mastercard or our customers.
Cross-border Volume Growth measures the growth of cross-border dollar volume during the period, on a local currency basis and U.S. dollar-converted basis, for all Mastercard-branded programs.
Switched Transactions measures the number of transactions switched by Mastercard, which is defined as the number of transactions initiated and switched through our network during the period.
The following tables provide a summary of the growth trends in our key drivers:
| Three Months Ended March 31, 2025 Increase/(Decrease) USD | Local | 2024 USD | Local | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mastercard-branded GDV growth 1 | 6% | 9% | 9% | 11% |
| United States | 7% | 7% | 6% | 6% |
| Worldwide less United States | 5% | 10% | 10% | 13% |
| Cross-border volume growth 1 | 12% | 15% | 19% | 18% |
| Three Months Ended March 31, 2025 Increase/(Decrease) | 2024 | |
|---|---|---|
| Switched transactions growth | 9% | 13% |
1 Excludes volume generated by Maestro and Cirrus cards.
Key Metrics related to the Payment Network
Assessments represent agreed-upon standard pricing provided to our customers based on various forms of payment-related activity. Assessments are used internally by management to monitor operating performance as it allows for comparability and provides visibility into cardholder trends. Assessments do not represent our net revenue.
The following provides additional information on our key metrics related to the payment network:
- Domestic assessments are charges based on activity related to cards that carry the Company’s brands where the merchant country and the country of issuance are the same. These assessments are primarily driven by the domestic dollar volume of activity (e.g., domestic purchase volume, domestic cash volume) or the number of cards issued.
- Cross-border assessments are charges based on activity related to cards that carry the Company’s brands where the merchant country and the country of issuance are different. These assessments are primarily driven by the cross-border dollar volume of activity (e.g., cross-border purchase volume, cross-border cash volume).
- Transaction processing assessments are charges primarily driven by the number of switched transactions on our payment network. Switching activities include:
- Authorization, the process by which a transaction is routed to the issuer for approval
- Clearing, the determination and exchange of financial transaction information between issuers and acquirers after a transaction has been successfully conducted at the point of interaction
- Settlement, which facilitates the determination and exchange of funds between parties
These assessments can also include connectivity services and network access, which are based on the volume of data transmitted and the number of authorization and settlement messages.
- Other network assessments are charges for licensing, implementation and other franchise fees.
The following table provides a summary of our key metrics related to the payment network:
($ in millions)
| Three Months Ended March 31, 2025 | 2024 | Increase/(Decrease) As reported | Currency-neutral | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Domestic assessments | $2,658 | $2,470 | 8% | 12% |
| Cross-border assessments | 2,595 | 2,238 | 16% | 18% |
| Transaction processing assessments | 3,527 | 3,086 | 14% | 17% |
| Other network assessments | 231 | 226 | 2% | 3% |
32 MASTERCARD MARCH 31, 2025 FORM 10-Q
Foreign Currency
Currency Impact
Our primary revenue functional currencies are the U.S. dollar, euro, British pound and the Brazilian real. Our overall operating results are impacted by currency translation, which represents the effect of translating operating results where the functional currency is different than our U.S. dollar reporting currency.
Our operating results are also impacted by transactional currency. The impact of the transactional currency represents the effect of converting revenue and expense transactions occurring in a currency other than the functional currency. Changes in currency exchange rates directly impact the calculation of GDV, which is used in the calculation of our key metrics related to domestic assessments and cross-border assessments as well as certain volume-related rebates and incentives. GDV is calculated based on local currency spending volume converted to U.S. dollars and euros using average exchange rates for the period. As a result, our key metrics related to domestic assessments and cross-border assessments as well as certain volume-related rebates and incentives are impacted by the strengthening or weakening of the U.S. dollar and euro versus local currencies. For example, our billing in Australia is in the U.S. dollar, however, consumer spend in Australia is in the Australian dollar. The transactional currency impact of converting Australian dollars to our U.S. dollar billing currency will have an impact on the revenue generated. The strengthening or weakening of the U.S. dollar is evident when GDV growth on a U.S. dollar-converted basis is compared to GDV growth on a local currency basis. For the three months ended March 31, 2025, GDV on a U.S. dollar-converted basis increased 6%, while GDV on a local currency basis increased 9%, versus the comparable period in 2024. Further, the impact from transactional currency occurs in our key metrics related to transaction processing assessments and other network assessments as well as value-added services and solutions revenue and operating expenses when the transacting currency of these items is different than the functional currency of the entity.
To manage the impact of foreign currency variability on anticipated revenues and expenses, we may enter into foreign exchange derivative contracts and designate such derivatives as hedging instruments in a cash flow hedging relationship as discussed further in Note 16 (Derivative and Hedging Instruments) to the consolidated financial statements included in Part I, Item 1.
Foreign Exchange Activity
We incur foreign currency gains and losses from remeasuring monetary assets and liabilities, including settlement assets and obligations, that are denominated in a currency other than the functional currency of the entity. To manage this foreign exchange risk, we may enter into foreign exchange derivative contracts to economically hedge the foreign currency exposure of our nonfunctional currency monetary assets and liabilities. The gains or losses resulting from the changes in fair value of these contracts are intended to reduce the potential effect of the underlying hedged exposure and are recorded net within general and administrative expenses on the consolidated statements of operations. The impact of this foreign exchange activity, including the related hedging activities, has not been eliminated in our currency-neutral results.
Our foreign exchange risk management activities are discussed further in Note 16 (Derivative and Hedging Instruments) to the consolidated financial statements included in Part I, Item 1.
Financial Results
Net Revenue
The components of net revenue were as follows:
($ in millions)
| Three Months Ended March 31, 2025 | 2024 | Increase/(Decrease) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Payment network | $4,432 | $3,920 | 13% |
| Value-added services and solutions | 2,818 | 2,428 | 16% |
| Total net revenue | $7,250 | $6,348 | 14% |
For the three months ended March 31, 2025, net revenue increased 14%, or 17% on a currency-neutral basis, versus the comparable period in 2024, which included a 1 percentage point increase from acquisitions completed in 2024 (“Acquisitions”). The remaining increase in net revenue was attributable to both our payment network and value-added services and solutions.
Net revenue from our payment network increased 13%, or 16% on a currency-neutral basis, versus the comparable period in 2024. The increase was primarily driven by growth in domestic and cross-border dollar volumes and an increase in the number of switched transactions, reflecting growth trends across all of our key drivers. Net revenue from our payment network included $4,579 million of rebates and incentives provided to customers, which increased 12%, or 15% on a currency-neutral basis, versus the comparable period in 2024, primarily due to an increase in our key drivers as well as new and renewed deals.
Net revenue from our value-added services and solutions increased 16%, or 18% on a currency-neutral basis, versus the comparable period in 2024, which included a 4 percentage point increase from Acquisitions. The remaining increase was driven primarily by (1) our security and digital and authentication solutions, and consumer acquisition and engagement services, (2) growth in our underlying key drivers and (3) pricing.
See Note 3 (Revenue) to the consolidated financial statements included in Part II, Item 8 of our 2024 Form 10-K for a further discussion of our revenue recognition policies.
Drivers of Change
The following table summarizes the drivers of change in net revenue:
| Three Months Ended March 31, 2025 Increase/(Decrease) Operational | Acquisitions | Currency impact 1 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Payment network | 16% | ** | (3)% | 13% |
| Value-added services and solutions | 15% | 4% | (2)% | 16% |
| Net revenue | 15% | 1% | (3)% | 14% |
Note: Table may not sum due to rounding.
** Not applicable.
1Includes the translational and transactional impact of currency and the related impact of our foreign exchange derivative contracts designated as cash flow hedging instruments. See “Non-GAAP Financial Information - Currency-neutral Growth Rates” for further information on our currency impact non-GAAP adjustment.
Operating Expenses
For the three months ended March 31, 2025, operating expenses increased 13% versus the comparable period in 2024. Adjusted operating expenses increased 13%, or 14% on a currency-neutral basis, versus the comparable period in 2024, which included a 4 percentage point increase from Acquisitions.
The components of operating expenses were as follows:
($ in millions)
| Three Months Ended March 31, 2025 | 2024 | Increase/ (Decrease) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| General and administrative | $2,523 | $2,286 | 10% |
| Advertising and marketing | 152 | 116 | 32% |
| Depreciation and amortization | 275 | 216 | 27% |
| Provision for litigation | 151 | 126 | 19% |
| Total operating expenses | 3,101 | 2,744 | 13% |
| Special Items 1 | (151) | (126) | 19% |
| Adjusted total operating expenses 1 | $2,950 | $2,617 | 13% |
Note: Table may not sum due to rounding.
1 See “Non-GAAP Financial Information” for further information on our non-GAAP adjustments and the reconciliation to GAAP reported amounts.
Drivers of Change
The following table summarizes the drivers of change in operating expenses:
| Three Months Ended March 31, 2025 Increase/(Decrease) Operational | Acquisitions | Currency impact 1, 2 | Special Items 2 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General and administrative | 9% | 3% | (2)% | ** | 10% |
| Advertising and marketing | 32% | 2% | (2)% | ** | 32% |
| Depreciation and amortization | 14% | 14% | (1)% | ** | 27% |
| Provision for litigation | ** | ** | ** | 19% | 19% |
| Total operating expenses | 10% | 4% | (2)% | —% | 13% |
Note: Table may not sum due to rounding.
** Not applicable.
1Represents the translational and transactional impact of currency.
2See “Non-GAAP Financial Information” for further information on our non-GAAP adjustments and the reconciliation to GAAP reported amounts.
General and Administrative
For the three months ended March 31, 2025, general and administrative expenses increased 10%, or 12% on a currency-neutral basis, versus the comparable period in 2024, which included a 3 percentage point increase from Acquisitions. The remaining increase was primarily due to higher personnel costs to support the continued investment in our strategic initiatives across payments and value-added services and solutions.
The components of general and administrative expenses were as follows:
($ in millions)
| Three Months Ended March 31, 2025 | 2024 | Increase/(Decrease) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Personnel | $1,688 | $1,514 | 11% |
| Professional fees | 113 | 116 | (2)% |
| Data processing and telecommunications | 292 | 263 | 11% |
| Foreign exchange activity 1 | 1 | 28 | ** |
| Other | 429 | 365 | 18% |
| Total general and administrative expenses | $2,523 | $2,286 | 10% |
** Not meaningful.
1Foreign exchange activity includes the impact of remeasurement of assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies net of the impact of gains and losses on foreign exchange derivative contracts. See Note 16 (Derivative and Hedging Instruments) to the consolidated financial statements included in Part I, Item 1 for further discussion.
Advertising and Marketing
For the three months ended March 31, 2025, advertising and marketing expenses increased 32%, or 34% on a currency-neutral basis, versus the comparable period in 2024, which included a 2 percentage point increase from Acquisitions. The remaining increase was primarily due to an increase in spending on marketing campaigns and sponsorships.
Depreciation and Amortization
For the three months ended March 31, 2025, depreciation and amortization expenses increased 27%, or 28% on a currency-neutral basis, versus the comparable period in 2024, which included a 14 percentage point increase from Acquisitions. The remaining increase was primarily due to increased software capitalization driven by the continued growth of our business.
Provision for Litigation
For the three months ended March 31, 2025, we recorded charges of $151 million, primarily as a result of a change in estimate related to the claims of merchants who opted out of the U.S. merchant class litigation. See “Non-GAAP Financial Information” in this section and Note 14 (Legal and Regulatory Proceedings) to the consolidated financial statements included in Part I, Item 1 of this Report for further discussion.
Other Income (Expense)
The components of total other income (expense) were as follows:
(in millions)
| Three Months Ended March 31, 2025 | 2024 | Favorable/ (Unfavorable) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investment income | $88 | $95 | $(7) |
| Gains (losses) on equity investments, net | (29) | 6 | (35) |
| Interest expense | (182) | (150) | (32) |
| Other income (expense), net | 5 | 3 | 2 |
| Total other income (expense) | (118) | (46) | (72) |
| (Gains) losses on equity investments 1 | 29 | (6) | 35 |
| Adjusted total other income (expense) 1 | $(89) | $(52) | $(37) |
Note: Table may not sum due to rounding.
1 See “Non-GAAP Financial Information” for further information on our non-GAAP adjustments and the reconciliation to GAAP reported amounts.
Income Taxes
The effective income tax rates for the three months ended March 31, 2025 and 2024 were 18.6% and 15.4%, respectively. The adjusted effective income tax rates for the three months ended March 31, 2025 and 2024 were 19.1% and 15.9%, respectively. Both the as-reported and as-adjusted effective income tax rates for the three months ended March 31, 2025 and 2024 were higher versus the comparable period in 2024, primarily due to the 15% global minimum tax (“Pillar 2 Rules”) that took effect in 2025 in Singapore and various other jurisdictions. The Pillar 2 Rules primarily offset the reduction to our effective income tax rate resulting from our incentive grant received from the Singapore Ministry of Finance.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
We rely on existing liquidity, cash generated from operations and access to capital to fund our global operations, credit and settlement exposure, capital expenditures, investments in our business and current and potential obligations. The following table summarizes the cash, cash equivalents, investments and credit available to us:
(in billions)
| March 31, 2025 | December 31, 2024 | |
|---|---|---|
| Cash, cash equivalents and investments 1 | $7.9 | $8.8 |
| Unused line of credit | $8.0 | $8.0 |
1 Investments include available-for-sale securities and held-to-maturity securities. This amount excludes restricted cash and restricted cash equivalents and restricted security deposits held for customers at March 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024 of $2.4 billion.
We believe that our existing cash, cash equivalents and investment securities balances, our cash flow generating capabilities, and our access to capital resources are sufficient to satisfy our future operating cash needs, capital asset purchases, outstanding commitments and other liquidity requirements associated with our existing operations and potential obligations, which include litigation provisions and credit and settlement exposure.
Our liquidity and access to capital could be negatively impacted by global credit market conditions. We guarantee the settlement of many of the transactions between our customers. Historically, payments under these guarantees have not been significant; however, historical trends may not be indicative of potential future losses. The risk of loss on these guarantees is specific to individual customers, but may also be driven by regional or global economic and market conditions, including, but not limited to the health of the financial institutions in a country or region. See Note 15 (Settlement and Other Risk Management) to the consolidated financial statements in Part I, Item 1 for a description of these guarantees.
Our liquidity and access to capital could also be negatively impacted by the outcome of any of the legal or regulatory proceedings to which we are a party. For additional discussion of these and other risks facing our business, see Part I, Item 1A - Risk Factors of our 2024 Form 10-K and Note 14 (Legal and Regulatory Proceedings) to the consolidated financial statements included in Part I, Item 1 of this Report.
Cash Flows
The table below shows a summary of the cash flows from operating, investing and financing activities:
(in millions)
| Three Months Ended March 31, 2025 | 2024 | |
|---|---|---|
| Net cash provided by operating activities | $2,380 | $1,672 |
| Net cash used in investing activities | $(340) | $(174) |
| Net cash used in financing activities | $(2,987) | $(2,681) |
Net cash provided by operating activities increased $708 million for the three months ended March 31, 2025, versus the comparable period in 2024, primarily due to higher net income after adjusting for non-cash items as well as less cash paid for litigation settlements, partially offset by higher employee incentives paid.
Net cash used in investing activities increased $166 million for the three months ended March 31, 2025, versus the comparable period in 2024, primarily due to lower proceeds from maturities of investment securities, partially offset by lower purchases of investment securities.
Net cash used in financing activities increased $306 million for the three months ended March 31, 2025, versus the comparable period in 2024, primarily due to the repayment of debt and higher cash paid for repurchases of our Class A common stock and dividends, partially offset by cash proceeds received from our February 2025 debt issuance.
Debt and Credit Availability
In February 2025, we issued $300 million principal amount of Floating Rate Notes due March 2028, $450 million principal amount of 4.550% notes due March 2028 and $500 million principal amount of 4.950% notes due March 2032 (collectively the “2025 USD Notes”). The net proceeds from the issuance of the 2025 USD Notes, after deducting the original issue discount, underwriting discount and offering expenses, were $1.242 billion.
In March 2025, $750 million of principal related to the 2019 USD Notes matured and was paid. Our total debt outstanding at March 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024 was $18.8 billion and $18.2 billion, respectively, with the earliest maturity of $750 million of principal occurring in November 2026.
As of March 31, 2025, we have a commercial paper program (the “Commercial Paper Program”), under which we are authorized to issue up to $8 billion in outstanding notes, with maturities up to 397 days from the date of issuance. In conjunction with the Commercial Paper Program, we have a committed unsecured $8 billion revolving credit facility (the “Credit Facility”) that expires in November 2029.
Borrowings under the Commercial Paper Program and the Credit Facility are to be used to provide liquidity for general corporate purposes, including providing liquidity in the event of one or more settlement failures by our customers. In addition, we may borrow and repay amounts under these facilities for business continuity purposes. We had no borrowings outstanding under the Commercial Paper Program or the Credit Facility at March 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024.
See Note 9 (Debt) to the consolidated financial statements included in Part I, Item 1 for further discussion on our debt and Note 15 (Debt) to the consolidated financial statements included in Part II, Item 8 of our 2024 Form 10-K for further discussion on our debt, the Commercial Paper Program and the Credit Facility.
Dividends and Share Repurchases
We have historically paid quarterly dividends on our outstanding Class A common stock and Class B common stock. Subject to legally available funds, we intend to continue to pay a quarterly cash dividend. The declaration and payment of future dividends is at the sole discretion of our Board of Directors after taking into account various factors, including our financial condition, operating results, available cash and current and anticipated cash needs.
Aggregate payments for quarterly dividends for the three months ended March 31, 2025 totaled $694 million.
On December 17, 2024, our Board of Directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.76 per share paid on February 7, 2025 to holders of record as of January 9, 2025 of our Class A common stock and Class B common stock. The aggregate amount of this dividend was $694 million.
On February 10, 2025, our Board of Directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.76 per share payable on May 9, 2025 to holders of record as of April 9, 2025 of our Class A common stock and Class B common stock. The aggregate amount of this dividend is $691 million.
Repurchased shares of our common stock are considered treasury stock. In December 2024 and 2023, our Board of Directors approved share repurchase programs of our Class A common stock authorizing us to repurchase up to $12.0 billion and $11.0 billion, respectively. The program approved in 2024 became effective in April 2025 after the completion of the program approved in 2023. The timing and actual number of additional shares repurchased will depend on a variety of factors, including cash requirements to meet the operating needs of the business, legal requirements, as well as the share price and economic and market conditions. The following table summarizes our share repurchase authorizations and repurchase activity of our Class A common stock through March 31, 2025, unless otherwise noted:
(in millions, except per share data)
| Remaining authorization at December 31, 2024 | $15,188 |
| Dollar-value of shares repurchased during the three months ended March 31, 2025 | $2,549 |
| Remaining authorization at March 31, 2025 | $12,639 |
| Shares repurchased during the three months ended March 31, 2025 | 4.7 |
| Average price paid per share during the three months ended March 31, 2025 | $541.38 |
| Dollar-value of shares repurchased April 1, 2025 through April 28, 2025 | $884 |
Note: Table may not sum due to rounding.
Recent Accounting Pronouncements
For a description of recent accounting pronouncements, if any, and the potential impact of these pronouncements refer to Note 1 (Summary of Significant Accounting Policies) to the consolidated financial statements included in Part I, Item 1.
Market risk
As filed, 3,163 characters, with its headings, lists and tables. Extracted from the main document; charts and exhibits are in the original on sec.gov.
Market risk is the potential for economic losses to be incurred on market risk sensitive instruments arising from adverse changes in factors such as foreign currency exchange rates and interest rates. Our exposure to market risk from changes in foreign currency exchange rates and interest rates is limited. Management monitors risk exposures on an ongoing basis and establishes and oversees the implementation of policies governing our funding, investments and use of derivative financial instruments to manage these risks.
Foreign currency and interest rate exposures are managed through our risk management activities, which are discussed further in Note 16 (Derivative and Hedging Instruments) to the consolidated financial statements included in Part I, Item 1.
Foreign Exchange Risk
We enter into foreign exchange derivative contracts to manage currency exposure associated with anticipated receipts and disbursements occurring in a currency other than the functional currency of the entity. We may also enter into foreign currency derivative contracts to offset possible changes in value of assets and liabilities due to foreign exchange fluctuations. The objective of these activities is to reduce our exposure to gains and losses resulting from fluctuations of foreign currencies against our functional currencies, principally the U.S. dollar and euro. The effect of a hypothetical 10% adverse change in the value of the functional currencies could result in a fair value loss of approximately $459 million and $475 million on our foreign exchange derivative contracts outstanding at March 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024, respectively, before considering the offsetting effect of the underlying hedged activity.
We are also subject to foreign exchange risk as part of our daily settlement activities. To manage this risk, we enter into short duration foreign exchange derivative contracts based upon anticipated receipts and disbursements for the respective currency position. This risk is typically limited to a few days between when a payment transaction takes place and the subsequent settlement with our customers. A hypothetical 10% adverse change in the value of the functional currencies would not have a material impact to the fair value of our short duration foreign exchange derivative contracts outstanding at March 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024.
We are further exposed to foreign exchange rate risk related to translation of our net investment in foreign subsidiaries where the functional currency is different than our U.S. dollar reporting currency. To manage this risk, we may enter into foreign exchange derivative contracts to hedge a portion of our net investment in foreign subsidiaries. As of March 31, 2025, we did not have any foreign exchange derivative contracts designated as a net investment hedge. The effect of a hypothetical 10% adverse change in the value of the U.S. dollar could result in a fair value loss of approximately $279 million on our foreign exchange derivative contracts designated as a net investment hedge at December 31, 2024, before considering the offsetting effect of the underlying hedged activity.
Controls and procedures
As filed, 1,400 characters, with its headings, lists and tables. Extracted from the main document; charts and exhibits are in the original on sec.gov.
Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures
Our disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”)) are designed to ensure that information that is required to be disclosed in the reports under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the rules and forms of the Securities and Exchange Commission and to ensure that information required to be disclosed is accumulated and communicated to management, including our President and Chief Executive Officer and our Chief Financial Officer, to allow timely decisions regarding disclosure. The President and Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Financial Officer, with assistance from other members of management, have reviewed the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures as of the end of the period covered by this Report and, based on their evaluation, have concluded that the disclosure controls and procedures were effective as of such date.
Changes in Internal Control over Financial Reporting
There was no change in Mastercard’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the three months ended March 31, 2025 that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, Mastercard's internal control over financial reporting.
Figures reported in this filing
Standardized line items from the XBRL in this filing, for the period ended 2025-03-31. Comparative periods it repeats are left out.
| Line item | Period | Value | XBRL concept |
|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue | 3 months2025-01-01 to 2025-03-31 | $7.25bn | us-gaap:Revenues |
| Operating income | 3 months2025-01-01 to 2025-03-31 | $4.15bn | us-gaap:OperatingIncomeLoss |
| Interest expense | 3 months2025-01-01 to 2025-03-31 | $182.0m | us-gaap:InterestExpenseNonoperating |
| Income tax | 3 months2025-01-01 to 2025-03-31 | $751.0m | us-gaap:IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit |
| Net income | 3 months2025-01-01 to 2025-03-31 | $3.28bn | us-gaap:ProfitLoss |
| Diluted EPS | 3 months2025-01-01 to 2025-03-31 | $3.59 | us-gaap:EarningsPerShareDiluted |
| Basic EPS | 3 months2025-01-01 to 2025-03-31 | $3.60 | us-gaap:EarningsPerShareBasic |
| Diluted shares (weighted) | 3 months2025-01-01 to 2025-03-31 | 914,000,000 shares | us-gaap:WeightedAverageNumberOfDilutedSharesOutstanding |
| Operating cash flow | 3 months2025-01-01 to 2025-03-31 | $2.38bn | us-gaap:NetCashProvidedByUsedInOperatingActivities |
| Capital expenditure | 3 months2025-01-01 to 2025-03-31 | $159.0m | us-gaap:PaymentsToAcquirePropertyPlantAndEquipment |
| Dividends paid | 3 months2025-01-01 to 2025-03-31 | $694.0m | us-gaap:PaymentsOfDividends |
| Share repurchases | 3 months2025-01-01 to 2025-03-31 | $2.55bn | us-gaap:PaymentsForRepurchaseOfCommonStock |
| Cash and equivalents | At period end2025-03-31 | $7.58bn | us-gaap:CashAndCashEquivalentsAtCarryingValue |
| Current assets | At period end2025-03-31 | $19.80bn | us-gaap:AssetsCurrent |
| Total assets | At period end2025-03-31 | $48.47bn | us-gaap:Assets |
| Current liabilities | At period end2025-03-31 | $17.83bn | us-gaap:LiabilitiesCurrent |
| Total liabilities | At period end2025-03-31 | $41.77bn | us-gaap:Liabilities |
| Long-term debt | At period end2025-03-31 | $18.80bn | us-gaap:LongTermDebtNoncurrent |
| Current portion of debt | At period end2025-03-31 | $0 | us-gaap:LongTermDebtCurrent |
| Shareholders' equity | At period end2025-03-31 | $6.67bn | us-gaap:StockholdersEquity |
Source: SEC EDGAR, the filing index for accession 0001141391-25-000090. Last ingested by Listed: Nov 3, 2026, 19:32 ET. Listed shows no prices and gives no investment advice.