12 Best Warren Buffett Stock Picks For Beginners

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4. Mastercard Incorporated (NYSE:MA)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 151

Berkshire Hathaway’s Stake Value: $2,099,249,237

Mastercard Incorporated (NYSE:MA), a global payments technology company, is one of the top Warren Buffett stock picks for beginners. Buffett has held on to his MA stake consistently since 2011. On February 13, 2025, Tigress Financial reiterated a Strong Buy rating on the stock and raised the price target to $685. The investment firm appreciated the company’s 14% YoY revenue growth in Q4 2024, reaching $7.49 billion, driven by its payment network and value-added services. The company’s focus on AI and innovations like Mastercard One Credential supports future growth.

On February 10, Mastercard Incorporated (NYSE:MA) announced a quarterly dividend of 76 cents per share, which will be distributed on May 9, to shareholders on record as of April 9. The company has paid dividends regularly since 2007.

Mastercard Incorporated (NYSE:MA) announced a partnership with MoneyGram on April 2, with the companies aiming to make money transfers faster and easier, both within the United States and across borders. With Mastercard Move, MoneyGram users can send funds nearly instantly to 38 countries, with more to come in 2025.

According to Insider Monkey’s fourth quarter database, 151 hedge funds reported owning stakes in Mastercard Incorporated (NYSE:MA), compared to 131 in the prior quarter. Charles Akre’s Akre Capital Management was one of the top shareholders of the company, with 3.70 million shares worth $1.95 billion.

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