MA vs PLTR: Mastercard and Palantir Technologies compared
The short version
From the latest prices and each company's SEC filings. Who's ahead on each measure, not which to buy.
- Mastercard is the larger company, worth $530.2B, close to Palantir Technologies's $484.0B.
- Palantir Technologies grew revenue faster over the last year (+92.8% vs +14.1%).
- Mastercard keeps more of each dollar of revenue as operating profit (58.3% vs 42.8%).
- On earnings, Mastercard is the cheaper stock (34.7x vs 226.9x).
- Palantir Technologies's price assumes faster free cash flow growth: about 38% a year, against 11% for Mastercard (reverse DCF).
Side by side
The stronger figure is shaded where higher (or, for valuation multiples, lower) reads as better. How the implied growth works.
| Measure | MA | PLTR |
|---|---|---|
| Market cap | $530.2B | $484.0B |
| Share price | $589.14 | $194.12 |
| Revenue (last fiscal year) | $32.8B | $4.5B |
| Free cash flow (last fiscal year) | $17.2B | $2.1B |
| Revenue growth, last year | +14.1% | +92.8% |
| Revenue growth per year, last 5 fiscal years | +14.8% | +30.5% |
| Operating margin | 58.3% | 42.8% |
| Net margin | 46.3% | 49.0% |
| Return on equity | 289.7% | 30.9% |
| P/E (trailing) | 34.7x | 226.9x |
| Price / free cash flow | 31.4x | 230.4x |
| EV / EBITDA | 24.7x | 153.6x |
| FCF growth the price implies | 10.7% | 38.2% |
| Dividend yield | 0.53% | — |
| Debt / equity | 9.28x | 0.18x |
| Fundamental grade | C | B |
| Superinvestors holding it | 19 | 7 |
| Insider purchases, last 12 months | 10 | 10 |
Results from SEC filings
Revenue and free cash flow by fiscal year, from each company's 10-K filings.
Mastercard
| Year | Revenue | Free cash flow | Op. margin |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | $18.9B | $9.1B | 53.4% |
| 2022 | $22.2B | $10.8B | 55.2% |
| 2023 | $25.1B | $11.6B | 55.8% |
| 2024 | $28.2B | $14.3B | 55.3% |
| 2025 | $32.8B | $17.2B | 57.6% |
Palantir Technologies
| Year | Revenue | Free cash flow | Op. margin |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | $1.5B | $321M | -26.7% |
| 2022 | $1.9B | $184M | -8.5% |
| 2023 | $2.2B | $697M | 5.4% |
| 2024 | $2.9B | $1.1B | 10.8% |
| 2025 | $4.5B | $2.1B | 31.6% |
Where the revenue comes from
Mastercard · by products, 2025
Payment network$19.5B59%
Value-added services and solutions$13.3B41%
Palantir Technologies · by segments, 2025
Government Operating Segment$2.4B54%
Commercial$2.1B46%
Compare them in fullFifteen years of statements, quarterly results, DCF and IRR models, and any number of peers side by side.
Open MA in InvestinglyQuestions
Which is bigger, Mastercard or Palantir Technologies?
Mastercard (MA), at $530.2B against $484.0B.
Is MA or PLTR cheaper?
By trailing P/E, Mastercard (34.7x) is cheaper than Palantir Technologies (226.9x). A lower multiple can also mean the market expects less growth.
Which grows faster, MA or PLTR?
Palantir Technologies: revenue grew +92.8% over the last year, against +14.1%.
Prices and ratios as of the last daily update; statements from SEC filings. Information only, not investment advice.