Compare StocksARE vs MA

Alexandria Real Estate Equities (ARE) vs Mastercard Incorporated (MA): Which Is the Better Buy in 2026?

As of 2026-08-03, ARE is undervalued at $51, with a DCF intrinsic value of $9106274826 and a margin of safety of 100%. MA is fairly valued at $573, with an intrinsic value of $558 and a margin of safety of -3%. Of the two, ARE has the wider margin of safety.

ARE
Alexandria Real Estate Equities
$51.45
VS
MA
Mastercard Incorporated
$573.10

Rewards

ARE
  • Gross margin of 68.6% indicates strong pricing power — typical of businesses with significant intellectual property or brand strength.
MA
  • Mastercard Incorporated has maintained ROIC above 15% for 4 consecutive years, indicating a durable competitive advantage.
  • Gross margin of 100.0% indicates strong pricing power — typical of businesses with significant intellectual property or brand strength.
  • Mastercard Incorporated scores 99/100 on the Economic Moat Score (Wide Moat), with roic consistency as the strongest competitive dimension.

Risks

ARE
  • PEG ratio of 3.24 indicates the stock is expensive relative to its expected growth — the market may be pricing in more growth than analysts project.
  • Net debt/EBITDA of 6.7x indicates heavy leverage — it would take over 4 years of EBITDA to pay off net debt.
  • Altman Z-Score of 0.10 places the company in the distress zone — financial patterns resemble those of companies that experienced bankruptcy.
MA
  • High leverage (2.33x net debt/equity) combined with thin interest coverage (-1.0x) poses financial risk.
  • 5 insider sales totaling $22.1M with no purchases in the past 3 months — insiders are reducing their exposure.

Key Valuation Metrics

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ARE
MA
Valuation
$1.41B
Free Cash Flow
$16.96B
N/A
FCF Yield
3.38%
N/A
Trailing P/E
31.54
-58.47
Forward P/E
24.96
Quality & Moat
1.14%
ROIC
55.99%
-4.14%
ROE
241.20%
68.59%
Gross Margin
100.00%
3.24
PEG Ratio
1.76
Balance Sheet Safety
0.64
Net Debt / Equity
2.33
N/A
Interest Coverage
N/A
6.70
Net Debt / EBITDA
0.59
5.60%
Dividend Yield
0.61%
ARE: 3Ties: 1MA: 6
AREMA

Historical Fundamentals

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ARE

Price ÷ Earnings Per Share — how many years of current earnings you're paying for at today's price. Lower P/E may indicate undervaluation. The dashed forward point is the forward P/E — today's price ÷ analyst consensus EPS.

MA

Price ÷ Earnings Per Share — how many years of current earnings you're paying for at today's price. Lower P/E may indicate undervaluation. The dashed forward point is the forward P/E — today's price ÷ analyst consensus EPS.

Price ÷ Earnings Per Share — how many years of current earnings you're paying for at today's price. Lower P/E may indicate undervaluation. The dashed forward point is the forward P/E — today's price ÷ analyst consensus EPS.

$1 Retained Earnings Test

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ARE
N/A
Net losses over 3 years — test not applicable
Company had negative cumulative retained earnings
Σ Retained
$-3.66B
Δ Market Cap
$-96.73
Buffett's "$1 Test": For every $1 of earnings retained, has management created at least $1 of market value?
> $1 created per $1 retained = Value Creator · < $1 created = Value Destroyer
MA
$5.62
created per $1 retained over 3 years
Exceptional Value Creator
Σ Retained
$31.68B
Δ Market Cap
+$177.96B
Buffett's "$1 Test": For every $1 of earnings retained, has management created at least $1 of market value?
> $1 created per $1 retained = Value Creator · < $1 created = Value Destroyer

Buffett's "$1 Test": For every $1 of earnings retained, has management created at least $1 of market value?
> $1 created per $1 retained = Value Creator · < $1 created = Value Destroyer

Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) Analysis

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ARE
100.0% Margin of Safety
Price is 100.0% below estimated fair value
Current Price: $51.45
Fair Value: $9106274826.16
Strongly undervalued
Undervalued
Fairly valued
Overvalued
Strongly overvalued
MA
2.7% Overvalued
Price is 2.7% above estimated fair value
Current Price: $573.10
Fair Value: $557.89
Strongly undervalued
Undervalued
Fairly valued
Overvalued
Strongly overvalued

Reverse DCF — Market-Implied Growth

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ARE

What growth rate is the market pricing in at $51?

-3.6%
Market-Implied FCF Growth Rate

Market below historical growth — potential opportunity.

MA

What growth rate is the market pricing in at $573?

+15.1%
Market-Implied Owner Earnings Growth
Standard FCF implies +13.4%

The market implies +15.1% Owner Earnings growth, roughly in line with history — reasonably priced.

Standard FCF implies +13.4%, reflecting ongoing growth investment.

Economic Moat Score

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ARE
50/100
Narrow Moat
70+ Wide · 40-69 Narrow · <40 None

Narrow moat with margin stability as the key competitive advantage. Improving reinvestment efficiency would strengthen the moat.

Composite score measuring competitive advantage durability across four dimensions: returns above cost of capital, pricing power stability, revenue predictability, and capital efficiency. Based on 4 years of fundamental data.
MA
99/100
Wide Moat
70+ Wide · 40-69 Narrow · <40 None

Wide moat with strength across all dimensions. ROIC Consistency is the standout factor.

Composite score measuring competitive advantage durability across four dimensions: returns above cost of capital, pricing power stability, revenue predictability, and capital efficiency. Based on 4 years of fundamental data.

Forensic Accounting

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ARE
-2.80
Unlikely Manipulator
Above -1.78 = likely manipulator · -2.22 to -1.78 = grey zone

M-Score Trend

Beneish's 8-variable model estimates the probability of earnings manipulation. An M-Score above -1.78 signals elevated risk — companies in this range have historically been 3-5× more likely to be manipulating earnings. Scores between -2.22 and -1.78 fall in a grey zone warranting further investigation.
MA
-2.53
Unlikely Manipulator
Above -1.78 = likely manipulator · -2.22 to -1.78 = grey zone

M-Score Trend

Beneish's 8-variable model estimates the probability of earnings manipulation. An M-Score above -1.78 signals elevated risk — companies in this range have historically been 3-5× more likely to be manipulating earnings. Scores between -2.22 and -1.78 fall in a grey zone warranting further investigation.

Beneish's 8-variable model estimates the probability of earnings manipulation. An M-Score above -1.78 signals elevated risk — companies in this range have historically been 3-5× more likely to be manipulating earnings. Scores between -2.22 and -1.78 fall in a grey zone warranting further investigation.

Ownership Breakdown

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ARE
Insiders 1.4%Institutions 97.0%Retail & Other 1.7%
No. of Institutional Holders869
High insider ownership aligns management incentives with shareholders — a key signal in Buffett-style analysis. Institutional concentration can indicate smart-money conviction but also crowding risk.
MA
Insiders 0.1%Institutions 91.5%Retail & Other 8.3%
No. of Institutional Holders4,764
High insider ownership aligns management incentives with shareholders — a key signal in Buffett-style analysis. Institutional concentration can indicate smart-money conviction but also crowding risk.

High insider ownership aligns management incentives with shareholders. Institutional concentration can indicate smart-money conviction but also crowding risk.

Insider Buying Activity

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ARE
1
Buys (3M)
6
Buys (12M)
Total value (12M): $2.71M
MARCUS JOEL S
Officer and Director
$347,558
@ $46.34 · 2026-05-06
MARCUS JOEL S
Officer and Director
$320,416
@ $42.72 · 2026-05-05
MARCUS JOEL S
Officer and Director
$410,200
@ $41.02 · 2026-05-04
THOMAS GREGORY CALVIN
Chief Technology Officer
$143,500
@ $41.00 · 2026-04-30
MARCUS JOEL S
Officer and Director
$1.35M
@ $53.92 · 2026-02-12
MCGRATH SHEILA K.
Director
$141,360
@ $45.60 · 2025-12-10
Open market purchases · includes direct & indirect ownership · excludes option exercises
MA
0
Buys (3M)
0
Buys (12M)
No open market insider purchases found.
Open market purchases · includes direct & indirect ownership · excludes option exercises

Open market purchases · includes direct & indirect ownership · excludes option exercises.

Insider Selling Activity

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ARE
1
Sells (3M)
4
Sells (12M)
Total value (12M): $546,506
BINDA MARC E.
Chief Financial Officer
$108,000
@ $54.00 · 2026-06-09
KUHN HALLIE E.
Officer
$25,835
@ $48.20 · 2026-04-17
GOSSETT BRET E.
Officer
$251,792
@ $53.55 · 2026-02-27
ALSBROOK MADELEINE THORP
Officer
$160,879
@ $46.15 · 2025-12-16
ALSBROOK MADELEINE THORP
Officer
$446,202
@ $102.34 · 2024-12-16
MOGLIA PETER M
Chief Executive Officer
$1.02M
@ $102.26 · 2024-12-16
RYAN DANIEL J
Officer
$1.03M
@ $103.31 · 2024-12-11
GAVINET ANDRES
Officer
$2.09M
@ $104.29 · 2024-12-11
KASS HUNTER
President
$530,650
@ $106.13 · 2024-12-09
CAIN JAMES P
Director
$42,456
@ $124.87 · 2024-09-16
CIRUZZI VINCENT R. JR
Officer
$855,756
@ $123.29 · 2024-09-13
Direct ownership only · excludes indirect, option exercises, planned (10b5-1) sales & derivatives
MA
5
Sells (3M)
10
Sells (12M)
Total value (12M): $53.72M
MCLAUGHLIN EDWARD GRUNDE
Officer
$10.59M
@ $534.87 · 2026-07-15
ARKELL SANDRA A
Officer
$185,760
@ $540.00 · 2026-07-15
ARKELL SANDRA A
Officer
$216,000
@ $540.00 · 2026-07-07
SESHADRI RAJEEV
Officer
$3.58M
@ $526.37 · 2026-07-02
MCLAUGHLIN EDWARD GRUNDE
Officer
$7.49M
@ $525.19 · 2026-07-01
LING HAI
Officer
$4.48M
@ $499.20 · 2026-02-24
SACHIN J. MEHRA
Chief Financial Officer
$10.20M
@ $591.00 · 2025-09-02
LING HAI
Officer
$2.69M
@ $600.00 · 2025-08-22
SACHIN J. MEHRA
Chief Financial Officer
$10.46M
@ $586.89 · 2025-08-19
SACHIN J. MEHRA
Chief Financial Officer
$3.83M
@ $566.46 · 2025-08-05
GENACHOWSKI JULIUS
Director
$178,049
@ $570.67 · 2025-07-07
KIRKPATRICK LINDA PISTECCHIA
Officer
$536,480
@ $560.00 · 2025-06-30
SESHADRI RAJEEV
Officer
$601,447
@ $546.77 · 2025-06-27
GENACHOWSKI JULIUS
Director
$173,910
@ $561.00 · 2025-06-24
KIRKPATRICK LINDA PISTECCHIA
Officer
$536,480
@ $560.00 · 2025-06-24
SESHADRI RAJEEV
Officer
$508,474
@ $535.80 · 2025-06-20
VOSBURG CRAIG
Officer
$5.02M
@ $532.97 · 2025-06-20
SESHADRI RAJEEV
Officer
$1.76M
@ $561.78 · 2025-06-16
KIRKPATRICK LINDA PISTECCHIA
Officer
$549,373
@ $572.86 · 2025-06-13
VOSBURG CRAIG
Officer
$5.55M
@ $588.18 · 2025-06-12
VOSBURG CRAIG
Officer
$8.22M
@ $585.05 · 2025-06-05
ARKELL SANDRA A
Officer
$218,223
@ $577.31 · 2025-05-15
ARKELL SANDRA A
Officer
$257,535
@ $572.30 · 2025-05-12
MIEBACH MICHAEL
Chief Executive Officer
$8.68M
@ $550.16 · 2025-03-26
MCLAUGHLIN EDWARD GRUNDE
Officer
$3.81M
@ $534.68 · 2025-03-19
VOSBURG CRAIG
Officer
$6.12M
@ $556.14 · 2025-03-05
MIEBACH MICHAEL
Chief Executive Officer
$9.78M
@ $553.76 · 2025-03-05
VOSBURG CRAIG
Officer
$6.19M
@ $562.72 · 2025-02-26
MCLAUGHLIN EDWARD GRUNDE
Officer
$6.18M
@ $564.99 · 2025-02-18
VOSBURG CRAIG
Officer
$7.97M
@ $565.00 · 2025-02-18
MIEBACH MICHAEL
Chief Executive Officer
$10.17M
@ $564.95 · 2025-02-18
SACHIN J. MEHRA
Chief Financial Officer
$2.36M
@ $500.44 · 2024-11-01
MADABHUSHI VENKATA RAJAMANNAR
Officer
$2.30M
@ $491.03 · 2024-09-27
MADABHUSHI VENKATA RAJAMANNAR
Officer
$2.29M
@ $489.86 · 2024-09-20
ARKELL SANDRA A
Officer
$550,000
@ $500.00 · 2024-09-17
MADABHUSHI VENKATA RAJAMANNAR
Officer
$2.31M
@ $493.10 · 2024-09-13
ARKELL SANDRA A
Officer
$528,000
@ $480.00 · 2024-08-29
MASTERCARD FOUNDATION ASSET MANAGEMENT CORPORATION
Beneficial Owner of more than 10% of a Class of Security
$42.19M
@ $468.80 · 2024-08-22
MASTERCARD FOUNDATION ASSET MANAGEMENT CORPORATION
Beneficial Owner of more than 10% of a Class of Security
$42.03M
@ $467.02 · 2024-08-21
SACHIN J. MEHRA
Chief Financial Officer
$3.16M
@ $470.00 · 2024-08-16
LING HAI
Officer
$1.36M
@ $470.00 · 2024-08-16
SACHIN J. MEHRA
Chief Financial Officer
$6.11M
@ $455.00 · 2024-08-05
Direct ownership only · excludes indirect, option exercises, planned (10b5-1) sales & derivatives

Direct ownership only · excludes indirect, option exercises, planned (10b5-1) sales & derivatives.

🎭 Mr. Market's Mood

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ARE
FearGreed
😨Fear(39/100)

"Market is pessimistic — investigate whether fears are temporary or structural"

Composite sentiment score based on 6 market signals. Inspired by Buffett's "Mr. Market" allegory — fear = potential opportunity, greed = potential risk. Must be used alongside fundamental analysis, not in isolation.
MA
FearGreed
😏Greed(67/100)

"Market is optimistic — be cautious and ensure you have a margin of safety"

Composite sentiment score based on 6 market signals. Inspired by Buffett's "Mr. Market" allegory — fear = potential opportunity, greed = potential risk. Must be used alongside fundamental analysis, not in isolation.

Composite sentiment score based on market signals. Inspired by Buffett’s "Mr. Market" allegory — fear = potential opportunity, greed = potential risk. Must be used alongside fundamental analysis, not in isolation.

⚖️ Buffett Signal

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ARE
Awaiting DCF Data

The Buffett Signal cross-references market sentiment with DCF valuation. Configure the DCF Analysis above to generate a signal.

DCF Margin of Safety: N/AMr. Market's Mood: Fear (39)
MA
Awaiting DCF Data

The Buffett Signal cross-references market sentiment with DCF valuation. Configure the DCF Analysis above to generate a signal.

DCF Margin of Safety: N/AMr. Market's Mood: Greed (67)
View ARE Full AnalysisView MA Full Analysis

Frequently Asked Questions: ARE vs MA

Is Alexandria Real Estate Equities or Mastercard Incorporated more undervalued in 2026?

Based on our discounted cash flow model, ARE trades at a 100.0% margin of safety (intrinsic value $9106274826 vs. price $51), compared to MA's -2.7% margin of safety (intrinsic $558 vs. $573).

Which stock has a wider economic moat, Alexandria Real Estate Equities or Mastercard Incorporated?

MA scores 99/100 (Wide moat), while ARE scores 50/100 (Narrow moat). The moat score measures competitive advantage durability across ROIC consistency, margin stability, revenue predictability, and reinvestment efficiency.

Is Alexandria Real Estate Equities in financial distress?

ARE's Altman Z-Score of 0.1 places it in the Distress zone, signaling elevated bankruptcy risk. MA scores 10.6 (Safe zone). The Altman Z-Score is a five-factor model that predicts insolvency within two years; scores below 1.81 indicate significant distress.

Which stock has higher return on invested capital, Alexandria Real Estate Equities or Mastercard Incorporated?

MA earns 56.0% ROIC versus ARE's 1.1%. A higher ROIC means the company generates more profit per dollar of capital employed, a hallmark of durable competitive advantage in Buffett-style analysis.

Which dividend is safer, Alexandria Real Estate Equities's or Mastercard Incorporated's?

MA's dividend earns a safety score of 94/100 (Very Safe), compared to ARE's 59/100 (Borderline). MA has raised its dividend for 3 consecutive years.

ARE vs MA: Which Is the Better Buy in 2026? | SafetyMargin.io