Credit card giants MasterCard (NYSE:$MA) and Visa (NYSE:$V) both crushed earnings estimates this past week, and both are sitting near new all-time highs. Not bad, considering the line of work they are in.  Given that the global economy has been tepid at best lately and that unemployment remains stubbornly high, you might not expect companies...Read More

As I write this article, China has a slight lead on the United States in Olympic gold, 34-30, but anything can happen over the next week. But whichever country leaves London with the bigger stash of medals, Visa (NYSE:$V) will be accepted in either of them. In fact, Visa is accepted in virtually every country...Read More

“Gimme what I need, uh, MasterCard or Vi-suh.” From Wyclef Jean’s “Perfect Gentleman” The U.S. consumer is in a bit of a pickle.  Jobs are not particularly easy to come by—the June jobs report showed unemployment sticking at 8.2% and only 80,000 new jobs created for the month—and the economy remains sluggish.  True, the average...Read More

Credit card rivals MasterCard (NYSE:$MA) and Visa (NYSE:$V) released earnings on Wednesday, and both knocked the ball out of the park. We’ll start with MasterCard.  This smaller of the two rivals enjoyed earnings growth of 25% in the first quarter and a 17% increase in worldwide purchase volumes.  Not to be outdone, Visa announced a...Read More

Lest I be accused of hero worship, I’ll spare readers another Warren Buffett lovefest article.  Yes, Buffett is a living legend, and yes, he is arguably the best investor of all time.  But these facts are nothing new, and there have already been more articles than I can count written about the man and his...Read More