MasterCard Inc., the second-largest U.S. payments network, said fourth-quarter profit rose 11 percent as consumer card spending climbed.
Net income increased to $890 million, or 79 cents a share, from $801 million, or 69 cents, a year earlier, the Purchase, New York-based company said Friday in a statement. The average estimate of 31 analysts surveyed by Bloomberg was for profit of 70 cents a share.
A stronger dollar has hurt revenue gains overseas and lower U.S. gas prices have crimped payments at the pump even as spending on MasterCard’s network climbed. Chief Executive Officer Ajay Banga has focused on working with governments abroad and expanding offerings outside the U.S., whereMasterCard generates most of its revenue.
“Despite a challenging economy, we were able to deliver solid results for the quarter and the full year in 2015,” Banga, 56, said in the statement. “Entering 2016, while uncertainty in the global economy persists, the fundamentals of our business and our approach remain unchanged.”
Visa Inc., the largest payments network, posted fiscal first-quarter profit Thursday that beat analysts’ estimates as consumer card spending increased. American Express Co., the biggest credit-card issuer by purchases, said last week that fourth-quarter profit fell 38 percent to $899 million as expenses rose and the company took a restructuring charge.
