MasterCard earnings up 14 per cent as buyers switch to plastic
MASTERCARD, the world’s second-biggest credit and debit card company, reported a 14 per cent rise in quarterly profit yesterday as more people across the world used plastic instead of cash.
MasterCard and larger rival Visa have been trying to capture new business in emerging markets, where cash payments still dominate but use of cards is growing at a fast pace.
MasterCard’s worldwide purchase volume increased 14 per cent on a local currency basis to $763bn.
Annual growth in MasterCard’s US purchase volumes rose nine per cent to $267bn from a year earlier.
Consumer confidence in the United States reached a six-year high in the third quarter as prospects for jobs and personal finances improved.
“We had another good quarter with growth across all geographies,” chief executive Ajay Banga said.
MasterCard’s net income rose to $879m, or $7.27 per share, in the third quarter, from $772m, or $6.17 per share, a year earlier.
Net revenue rose 16 per cent to $2.22bn.