Hormel Foods Corp vs MasterCard Inc — how do they compare? Hormel Foods Corp trades at $24.54 (market cap $13.59B), while MasterCard Inc trades at $561.16 (market cap $493.34B). The key difference: MasterCard Inc is far larger — about 36.3× Hormel Foods Corp's market cap, and Hormel Foods Corp pays the higher dividend (4.74%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| HRL | MA | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $13.59B | $493.34B |
Sector | Consumer Staples | Consumer Cyclical |
52-Week High | $29.25 | $598.96 |
52-Week Low | $19.74 | $471.55 |
Enterprise Value | $15.59B | $506.38B |
Dividend Yield | 4.74% | 0.62% |
Volume | — | 4,635,698 |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Hormel Foods (HRL) trades at $25.02, down 0.32% on the day, with a neutral technical signal and bearish moving averages. The company shows mixed fundamentals with a P/E of 29.44 and net income margin of 3.82%, though it has beaten earnings estimates for three consecutive quarters. Recent developments include the appointment of John Ghingo as CEO and the sale of its Brazilian CERATTI business, signaling strategic focus.
Outlook remains cautious with analyst consensus at Hold and a $26.33 price target. Key opportunities include defensive dividend income and operational improvements, while risks involve margin pressure and consumer spending challenges. The stock offers steady income but faces growth headwinds in the current environment.
Mastercard (MA) trades at $563.17, up 0.04% on the day, with a bullish technical signal supported by moving averages and strong institutional buying interest. The company continues to deliver robust financial performance, with Q2 2026 EPS of $5.04 beating estimates of $4.77, marking the third consecutive quarterly beat. Revenue growth remains strong, rising from $22.2B in 2022 to $32.8B in 2025, while maintaining net income margins above 45%. Recent news highlights Mastercard's expansion into AI-driven payments and initiatives to connect underbanked populations.
The outlook for MA remains positive given its consistent earnings beats, high profitability, and dominant market position. However, investors should monitor competitive threats from emerging payment technologies like stablecoins and regulatory scrutiny. With 79% analyst buy ratings and a consensus price target of $660.85, Wall Street sees approximately 17% upside potential from current levels.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Latest headlines on both assets
Hormel Foods is a protein-focused branded food company. Its brands include its namesake Hormel, Spam, Jennie-O, Dinty Moore, Applegate, Wholly Guacamole, and Skippy. The vast majority of the company's revenue is U.S.-based: 64% U.S. retail, 28% U.S. food service, and 8% international. By product type, in fiscal 2021, 23% of revenue was shelf-stable foods, 18% was poultry (branded and commodity), 55% was other perishable food, and 3% was other, primarily nutritional products. The company holds the number-one market position in shelf-stable meat, shelf-stable ready meals, pepperoni, natural/organic deli meat, and guacamole and the number-two position in turkey, bacon, chilled ready meals, and peanut butter.
Read more on HRL →Mastercard Incorporated provides financial transaction processing services. The Company offers payment processing services for credit and debit cards, electronic cash, automated teller machines, and travelers checks. Mastercard serves customers worldwide.
Read more on MA →