Stock Comparison

MA vs RIOT

Mastercard Inc vs Riot Platforms Inc

Who's the better investment? Let's break it down.

The Verdict

RIOT takes this one.

It's not even close. RIOT outscores MA by 6.0 points. That's a significant gap in our deep value framework.

MA

Mastercard Inc

0.8

out of 10

Distressed
Winner
RIOT

Riot Platforms Inc

6.8

out of 10

Solid Pick

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Valuation

MA

Metric

RIOT

$431.8B

Market Cap

$9.3B
27.7

P/E Ratio

Lower may indicate better value

N/A
22.7

Forward P/E

N/A
62.0

Price/Book

N/A
37.4

EV/EBITDA

N/A

Profitability & Growth

MA

Metric

RIOT

45.9%

Profit Margin

-132.8%
N/A

Gross Margin

32.4%
57.9%

Operating Margin

-136.0%
206.1%

Return on Equity

-28.8%
29.5%

Return on Assets

-21.5%
16.8%

Revenue Growth

42.4%
$17.28

EPS

$-2.58

Financial Health

MA

Metric

RIOT

2.5

Debt-to-Equity

Lower = less leverage

0.3
1.0

Current Ratio

Above 1.0 is healthy

1.0
0.7

Beta

Lower = less volatile

3.9
0.7%

Dividend Yield

None

Risk Comparison

MA

Overall
Moderate
Financial
Low
Market
Medium
Competitive
Medium
Execution
Low
Regulatory
Medium

What Could Go Wrong

The biggest risk for Mastercard is a significant regulatory intervention impacting interchange fees or the accelerated, widespread adoption of sovereign real-time payment systems that bypass tradition...

Red Flags

  • 🚩No specific immediate red flags for MA in provided research data.
  • 🚩While not a red flag yet, ongoing discussions around potential government-backed payment systems cou...

RIOT

Overall
Aggressive
Financial
High
Market
High
Competitive
Medium
Execution
High
Regulatory
Medium

What Could Go Wrong

Riot's ambitious pivot to High-Performance Computing (HPC) relies heavily on securing major data center contracts and scaling infrastructure rapidly. If the company fails to secure sufficient utilizat...

Red Flags

  • 🚩Unprofitable Core Business: Q1 2026 EPS of -$1.44 indicates the core Bitcoin mining operations remai...
  • 🚩Significant Capital Expenditure: The rapid build-out of large-scale HPC data centers (e.g., Beacon P...
  • 🚩Bitcoin Price Volatility: While pivoting, Riot's current revenue is still largely tied to Bitcoin mi...

Competitive Moat

MA

Rating

🛡️ Wide

Trend

➡️ Stable to Expanding

Network EffectsBrand PowerSwitching CostsIntangible Assets/IPEfficient Scale

RIOT

Rating

🛡️ Narrow

Trend

📈 Expanding

Cost Advantages (proprietary energy contracts and owned infrastructure allowing for lower operational costs)Efficient Scale (large-scale operational capacity creates efficiency and potential for pricing power)

Investment Thesis

MA0.8/10

If Mastercard continues to leverage its powerful global network to capture significant market share in adjacent high-growth payment flows, such as B2B and government disbursements, and successfully scales its value-added services (cybersecurity, AI-powered analytics) to grow these segments at 20%+ annually, it will sustain 12-15% overall revenue growth and 15%+ EPS growth. This solidifies its posi...

Full MA Analysis
RIOT6.8/10

If Riot successfully scales its Beacon Point HPC data center to full utilization of its initial 100MW capacity by late 2027 and secures multi-year contracts with major AI/ML clients at market-competitive rates, leveraging its low-cost energy infrastructure, it could generate over $500M in annual HPC revenue with strong margins, driving a significant valuation re-rating towards $50B+ as the market ...

Full RIOT Analysis

Price Targets & Strategy

Price Targets & Entry/Exit Strategy

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Growth Catalysts

Growth Catalysts Comparison

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Market Sentiment

Market Sentiment Analysis

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The Deep Dive

MA0.8/10

Mastercard (MA) continues to exemplify market leadership, a robust network effect, and a strategic vision for expanding its global payment infrastructure and value-added services. Its financial health remains exceptionally strong, supporting consistent growth and strategic investments. The Q1 2026 results showing 15.8% YoY revenue growth and 23% YoY adjusted EPS growth are impressive for a company of its scale, and the CFO transition appears orderly. However, with a market capitalization of $433...

Full MA Analysis
RIOT6.8/10

Riot Platforms continues to execute on its strategic pivot towards High-Performance Computing (HPC) and AI data center hosting, leveraging its substantial energy infrastructure. The Q1 2026 revenue beat of $36 million against estimates, along with increased institutional ownership (Jane Street Group's 5.3% stake) and analyst target upgrades (Needham to $28.50), provides validation for its long-term vision. This potential for market leadership in energy-efficient HPC justifies the 10x growth pote...

Full RIOT Analysis

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Not Financial Advice

This comparison is for educational purposes only. We are not financial advisors. Always do your own research and consult a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions.

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