12 Best Stocks to Buy for the Long Term

2. Mastercard Incorporated (NYSE:MA)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 136

5-Year Average Revenue Growth: 13.00%

5-Year Return: 70.35%

On January 27, Cantor Fitzgerald initiated coverage of Mastercard Incorporated (NYSE:MA) with an Overweight rating and a $650 price target. The firm pointed to the long-term global shift toward electronic payments as a key driver. In its view, MasterCard is positioned to deliver steady, incremental growth through pricing initiatives, the expansion of its VAS product suite, and the rising share of digital transactions. The analyst laid out these points in a research note to investors.

That same day, MasterCard announced a new set of services designed to help customers take practical steps toward using agentic AI in their daily operations. The goal is to move companies closer to what it sees as the next phase of digital transformation.

The Mastercard Agent Suite will combine technical support with customizable AI agents. It draws on the company’s payments expertise, data-driven insights, proprietary technology platforms, and a network of 4,000 global advisors.

Customers will be able to build, test, and deploy fit-for-purpose agents through the Agent Suite. Mastercard’s global advisory team will work alongside clients throughout the process, helping businesses adapt as technology changes. The opportunity is growing. According to eMarketer, a third of enterprise software applications will incorporate agentic AI by 2028. Mastercard also expects a meaningful share of customer interactions and operational tasks to be supported by AI agents by 2030.

Mastercard Incorporated (NYSE:MA) is a technology company operating in the global payments industry. The company connects consumers, financial institutions, merchants, and governments.