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Mastercard Inc.: Q1 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q1 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 30 April 2026: press release. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Net revenue and services grew: Net revenue was $8.4 billion, up 16% reported and 12% currency-neutral, from $7.3 billion. Value-added services and solutions grew 22%, or 18% currency-neutral. Source
  • Adjusted EPS rose 23%: Net income was $3.9 billion, up 18%. Diluted EPS was $4.35, up 21%. Adjusted diluted EPS was $4.60, up 23%, excluding equity investment gains and losses and special items. Source
  • Rebates and incentives rose 23%: Payment network rebates and incentives rose 23%, or 19% currency-neutral, driven by key drivers and new and renewed deals. Source
  • Latin America led local growth: Latin America gross dollar volume was $252 billion, up 24.1% in US dollars and 13.4% in local currency, the highest local-currency rate among the regions listed. Source
  • Adjusted expenses rose 11%: Adjusted operating expenses rose 11%, or 9% currency-neutral, mainly from higher general and administrative expenses. Adjusted operating margin reached 60.8%, up 1.5 points. Source
  • Buybacks of $4.0 billion: Share repurchases cost $4.0 billion for 7.8 million shares, and dividends totaled $777 million, in the quarter. Source
  • Stablecoin expansion through BVNK: The planned acquisition of BVNK is described as the route to expanding stablecoin solutions. The release reports no completion of the deal. Source

“Mastercard is diversified, future-ready, and delivering. In Q1, net revenue increased 16%, and value-added services and solutions grew 22% year over year”

Michael Miebach, CEO

What changed from last quarter

  • New: A planned acquisition of BVNK is described as part of expanding stablecoin solutions. The prior-quarter release does not mention BVNK. Source
  • New: A $202 million pre-tax restructuring charge appears this quarter. The prior-quarter release reconciliation shows no restructuring charge for Q4 2025 or full year 2025. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Net revenue and services grew: Net revenue was $8.4 billion, up 16% reported and 12% currency-neutral, from $7.3 billion. Value-added services and solutions grew 22%, or 18% currency-neutral. Source
  • Adjusted EPS rose 23%: Net income was $3.9 billion, up 18%. Diluted EPS was $4.35, up 21%. Adjusted diluted EPS was $4.60, up 23%, excluding equity investment gains and losses and special items. Source
  • Operating income rose 18%: Operating income was $4.9 billion, up 18%. Operating margin was 58.4%, up 1.2 points from 57.2% a year earlier. Source
  • Rebates and incentives rose 23%: Payment network rebates and incentives rose 23%, or 19% currency-neutral, driven by key drivers and new and renewed deals. Source

Segments and regions

  • Latin America led local growth: Latin America gross dollar volume was $252 billion, up 24.1% in US dollars and 13.4% in local currency, the highest local-currency rate among the regions listed. Source
  • Europe volume grew 9.2% locally: Europe gross dollar volume was $943 billion, up 17.1% in US dollars and 9.2% in local currency. Purchase transactions rose 7.7%. Source
  • Asia Pacific volume grew 6.3%: Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa gross dollar volume was $645 billion, up 8.9% in US dollars and 6.3% in local currency. Source
  • United States growth lowest listed: United States gross dollar volume was $795 billion, up 4.2% in both US dollars and local currency, the lowest local-currency rate among the regions listed. Source

“we’re advancing agentic commerce with Mastercard Agent Pay and expanding our stablecoin solutions through the planned acquisition of BVNK.”

Michael Miebach, CEO

Products and customers

  • Security, digital and pricing drove services: Value-added services growth came mainly from key drivers, security, digital and authentication, business insights, consumer engagement services and pricing. Source
  • Payment network revenue rose 12%: Payment network net revenue rose 12% reported and 8% currency-neutral. Gross dollar volume, cross-border volume and switched transactions were named as primary drivers. Source
  • Customers issued 3.7 billion cards: Customers had issued 3.7 billion Mastercard and Maestro-branded cards at March 31, 2026, the same count reported at December 31, 2025. Source

Costs, margins and other income

  • Adjusted expenses rose 11%: Adjusted operating expenses rose 11%, or 9% currency-neutral, mainly from higher general and administrative expenses. Adjusted operating margin reached 60.8%, up 1.5 points. Source
  • Reported expenses rose 13%: Reported operating expenses rose 13%, mainly from higher general and administrative expenses, partly offset by lower litigation provisions. Source
  • Other income rose on grants: Other income was favorable by $23 million year over year, mainly from government grant agreements executed in the fourth quarter 2025. Adjusted other income was favorable by $61 million. Source
  • Effective tax rate rose to 19.3%: Effective tax rate was 19.3%, against 18.6%, reflecting lower net discrete tax benefits. Adjusted rate was 19.2%, against 19.1%. Source

“We’re well positioned to capture the next wave of digital payments growth and continue to support secure commerce around the world.”

Michael Miebach, CEO

Capital and shareholder returns

  • Buybacks of $4.0 billion: Share repurchases cost $4.0 billion for 7.8 million shares, and dividends totaled $777 million, in the quarter. Source
  • Further buybacks through April 27: From quarter-end through April 27, the company bought back 3.3 million shares for $1.7 billion. $11.7 billion remains under approved programs. Source
  • Operating cash flow reached $3.0 billion: Net cash provided by operating activities was $2,999 million, against $2,380 million in the first quarter of 2025. Source
  • Cash balance fell in quarter: Cash and cash equivalents were $7,906 million at March 31, 2026, against $10,566 million at December 31, 2025. Source

Strategy and investment

  • Agentic commerce with Agent Pay: Management said it is advancing agentic commerce with Mastercard Agent Pay, alongside its stablecoin expansion. Source
  • Stablecoin expansion through BVNK: The planned acquisition of BVNK is described as the route to expanding stablecoin solutions. The release reports no completion of the deal. Source
  • Restructuring aimed at reinvestment: The restructuring action is described as intended to enable reinvestment supporting long-term growth. The release gives no further detail on its scope. Source
  • Positioned for digital payments growth: The CEO said Mastercard is well positioned to capture the next wave of digital payments growth and support secure commerce. Source

Coming up, as management said on 30 April 2026

  • BVNK acquisition pending: The BVNK acquisition is described as planned. The documents give no closing date. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Gross dollar volume (worldwide) Source$2.7 trillion, up 7% in local currency
Cross-border volume growth Source13% in local currency
Switched transactions growth Source9%

Risks management discussed

  • Financial: Equity investment losses were $66 million pre-tax in Q1 2026, against $29 million a year earlier, mainly from unrealized fair value adjustments. Source
  • Regulatory: Year-ago litigation charges of $151 million related to merchants who opted out of the U.S. merchant class litigation. Litigation provisions were lower this quarter. Source

Other quarters

Summarised with AI from the documents the company filed with the SEC. Every point is checked against the filing before it is shown: management’s own words word for word, figures against the line or table row they come from. A point that fails the check is left out. Source opens the filing at that line.