MA vs SQ Stock Comparison
Mastercard Incorporated vs Block, Inc.
SQ leads
SQ leads by 4 AIQ points, primarily on Value and Quality.
Competitive: 3 of 5 evidence groups support SQ.
Mastercard Incorporated
Block, Inc.
The Algovestiq AIQ Score currently favors SQ over MA, 49 versus 45 as of Sep 2, 2026. SQ's advantage is driven primarily by stronger value and quality. 3 of 5 covered evidence groups favor SQ today, and the comparison is rated Competitive on stability: the AIQ gap is narrow at 4 points. SQ lead: Stable — the AIQ differential has held near 4 points over 30 sessions.
Compare Mastercard Incorporated and Block, Inc. across the Algovestiq AIQ Score, valuation, quality, momentum, risk, technicals and analyst expectations.
AIQ Factor Divergence
Where the two separate, on the four dimensions behind the AIQ Score. Bars read outward from a shared zero: further from the centre is a wider gap.
- Value30%24 vs 46SQ +22
- Quality30%32 vs 48SQ +16
- Risk Resilience15%60 vs 57Even
3 of 5 evidence groups favor SQ. SQ’s edge is concentrated in value and quality.
What changed since the last close
Latest scored session 2026-09-01, compared against the prior scored session 2026-08-31.
No factor moved materially.
No new signals fired.
No factor moved materially.
No new signals fired.
SQ's lead was unchanged in the latest snapshot.
Deeper signal detail for each name lives on its own signals page — MA and SQ both carry a full feed there.
The central trade-off
SQ (Block, Inc.): the stronger current systematic profile, led by value and quality.
MA (Mastercard Incorporated): the counter-case, on fundamentals.
Which one fits your objective
The same two names rank differently depending on what you are optimizing for. All six reads are shown at once — none of them is hidden behind a toggle.
Balanced
SQSQ on the overall AIQ Score, which weights Quality and Value at 30% each.
Growth
SQSQ on combined revenue and EPS growth.
Value
SQSQ on the peer-relative Value factor, by 22 points.
Momentum
EvenThe two are level on Momentum.
Lower downside
EvenDownside measures are level or not covered.
Analyst upside
SQSQ on implied upside to the consensus price target.
AIQ vs Wall Street
Where the systematic read and the analyst consensus line up — and where they do not.
| Measure | MA | SQ | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Implied upside to target | +10.5% | +16.4% | SQ has more room |
| Target dispersion | +28.6% | +21.6% | Lower is tighter analyst agreement |
| Consensus | Buy | Buy | Context, not a primary driver |
| Analysts covering | 16 | 6 | Higher coverage generally improves confidence |
Analyst targets are expectations, not predictions. Dispersion matters as much as the midpoint.
AIQ Agreement Matrix
3 of 5 covered evidence groups favor SQ. A wide gap backed by one group is a weaker case than a narrow gap backed by five.
| Evidence group | Favors | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| AIQ Score | SQ | 45 vs 49 |
| Fundamentals | MAon balance | revenue growth 10.5% vs 9.3%; EPS growth 14.5% vs 128.8%; ROE 232.5% vs 1.6%; gross margin 82.7% vs 46.4%; operating margin 59.4% vs 10.2% — MA takes 4 of 5 decided legs, not all of them |
| Valuation | SQ | Value 24 vs 46 |
| Technicals | Not covered | Not covered |
| Risk Resilience | Even | Risk Resilience 60 vs 57 |
| Analyst expectations | SQ | Target upside 10.5% vs 16.4% |
✓ agrees with the overall verdict · ✕ points the other way. Groups marked “not covered” lack data on one or both of MA and SQ and are excluded from the count.
AIQ Decision Stability
The two are close enough that your objective, not the score, should decide.
- The AIQ gap is narrow at 4 points. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
- The lead has been steady session to session. (supports the conclusion holding)
Stability combines the score gap, how broadly the evidence agrees, how steady the lead has been across daily snapshots, the current signal state on both names, and analyst dispersion on SQ.
How the comparison changed
120 daily snapshots · Apr 20 – Sep 1SQ lead: Stable — the AIQ differential has held near 4 points over 30 sessions.
- Today
- SQ +4
- 45 vs 49
- 7 sessions ago
- SQ +2
- 47 vs 49
- 30 sessions ago
- SQ +5
- 44 vs 49
- 90 sessions ago
- SQ +8
- 41 vs 49
The lead has not changed hands in this window.
AIQ Signal Divergence
Only the signals that bear on the head-to-head. A conflicted name is carrying bullish and bearish rules at the same time — the technical evidence is not pointing one way.
5 bullish / 0 bearish
- Golden Cross Active — bullish, trend, long horizon (3.86%)
- EMA Ribbon Expansion Bullish — bullish, trend, medium horizon
- 52-Week High Proximity — bullish, risk, long horizon (1.1%)
No active signals
Price vs model alignment
Whether the latest session's price move confirms what the model did over the same session, or contradicts it.
Neither the price nor the AIQ Score moved enough in the latest session to confirm or contradict the other (price +1.23%, AIQ 0 points).
What would flip this result
A state, not a forecast. These are the specific, observable changes that would reverse the verdict — not a price prediction.
- 1MA closes the Value gap — currently 22 points behind, the largest single contributor to SQ's edge.
- 2MA's existing bullish trend signals translate into factor-score gains — the rules are already firing, but the scores have not yet followed.
- 3SQ starts generating bearish momentum or trend signals.
- 4A regime shift changes factor weighting — the composite weights Quality and Value at 30% each, so a rotation toward either would move the result most.
The full evidence
Every number behind the verdict. The leader is called above each group so you are not left to solve it from the table.
Fundamentals
MA leads on balance| Metric | MA | SQ |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue growth (YoY) | 10.5% | 9.3% |
| EPS growth (YoY) | 14.5% | 128.8% |
| Gross margin | 82.7% | 46.4% |
| Operating margin | 59.4% | 10.2% |
| Return on equity | 232.5% | 1.6% |
| Debt to equity | 4.39 | 0.3 |
Technicals
Split| Metric | MA | SQ |
|---|---|---|
| RSI (14) | 68.6 | — |
| ADX (14) | 37.4 | — |
| Price vs 50-day | 6.9% | — |
| Price vs 200-day | 11.3% | — |
| Volatility (1M, annualized) | 19.5% | — |
Risk
Split| Metric | MA | SQ |
|---|---|---|
| Beta | 0.28 | — |
| Sharpe ratio | -0.07 | — |
| Sortino ratio | -0.11 | — |
| Max drawdown | -21.2% | — |
| Current drawdown | -1.8% | — |
| Annualized volatility | 22.6% | — |
| Value at risk (95%) | -2.1% | — |
Straight answers
Each answer is regenerated from the current snapshot, not written once and left to age.
Which is better, MA or SQ?
On the Algovestiq AIQ Score, SQ is the stronger of the two as of Sep 2, 2026, scoring 49 against MA's 45. The edge comes from value and quality. This is a systematic score, not a recommendation: it ranks the two on the same evidence, it does not know your holding period or tax position.
Is MA or SQ the better buy right now?
SQ carries the stronger systematic profile as of Sep 2, 2026, and the comparison is rated Competitive — 3 of 5 covered evidence groups agree. A Competitive rating means the two are close enough that your objective, not the score, should decide.
Why does the AIQ Score favor SQ over MA?
The composite weights Quality at 30%, Value at 30%, Momentum at 25% and Risk Resilience at 15%. SQ leads Value by 22 points; SQ leads Quality by 16 points. Where the two split, the factor with the larger weight carries the result.
Which has more analyst upside, MA or SQ?
Analyst price targets imply +10.5% upside for MA and +16.4% for SQ, so the Street currently favors SQ. The model and the Street agree here, which is a broader base of evidence than either alone. Analyst targets are expectations, not predictions, and dispersion matters as much as the midpoint.
Which is better value, MA or SQ?
SQ is the better-valued of the two on the peer-relative Value factor. SQ on the peer-relative Value factor, by 22 points. The Value factor reads valuation relative to sector peers and to the company's own fundamental quality, so it is not the same as simply having the lower multiple.
Which has stronger growth, MA or SQ?
SQ on combined revenue and EPS growth. Growth here is measured on reported revenue and earnings, not on forward estimates — it describes what the businesses have delivered, not what the Street expects next.
Which has stronger momentum, MA or SQ?
The two are level on Momentum. Momentum carries 25% of the AIQ composite. It has documented persistence over three- to twelve-month horizons, which makes it a timing input rather than a reason to hold something indefinitely.
Which is riskier, MA or SQ?
The two are close on downside measures. Downside measures are level or not covered. The Risk Resilience factor weights 15% of the composite; position sizing usually responds to it more usefully than the buy/avoid decision does.
Is MA more profitable than SQ?
MA leads on the comparable margin measures — gross margin 82.7% vs 46.4%; operating margin 59.4% vs 10.2%; roe 232.5% vs 1.6%.
Is SQ's lead over MA getting stronger or weaker?
SQ lead: Stable — the AIQ differential has held near 4 points over 30 sessions. This is measured from 120 daily comparison snapshots between 2026-04-20 and 2026-09-01. The lead has not changed hands in that window.
What would change the MA vs SQ verdict?
The result is a state, not a forecast, so it changes when the underlying evidence changes. Concretely: MA closes the Value gap — currently 22 points behind, the largest single contributor to SQ's edge; MA's existing bullish trend signals translate into factor-score gains — the rules are already firing, but the scores have not yet followed; SQ starts generating bearish momentum or trend signals; a regime shift changes factor weighting — the composite weights Quality and Value at 30% each, so a rotation toward either would move the result most.
What do the current signals say about MA and SQ?
MA: 5 bullish / 0 bearish. SQ: No active signals. The most decision-relevant rule on MA is Golden Cross Active (bullish, long horizon).
Compare MA and SQ with others
How this comparison is scored
The Algovestiq AIQ Score composites four factors — Quality (30%), Value (30%), Momentum (25%) and Risk (15%). Sentiment is reported separately as SentimentPulse and is not folded into the composite. Scores refresh every trading day, and this page regenerates from the latest snapshot rather than being written once.
The verdict names a leader, states how broadly six independent evidence groups agree, and rates how durable that conclusion is given the score gap, its recent trajectory and the current signal state on both names.
How to use side-by-side comparison →This comparison is informational and educational, not investment advice. AIQ scores update daily; re-check after earnings, guidance or macro data that materially changes either name’s factor profile.