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Mastercard

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FY2013 Annual Report · Mastercard
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A C H I E V I N G   O U R   V I S I O N

A   W O R L D   B E Y O N D   C A S H

MasterCard  
Annual Report  
2013

 
 
 
S U M M A R Y   C O N S O L I D A T E D   F I N A N C I A L   A N D   O T H E R   D A T A

(in millions, except per share and operating data) 

2013 

2012 

2011

                For the Years Ended December 31  

Statement of Operations 

Net Revenue 

General and Administrative 

Advertising and Marketing 

Depreciation and Amortization 

Provision for Litigation Settlement 

Total Operating Expenses 

Operating Income 

Total Other Income (Expense) 

Income before Income Taxes 

Income Tax Expense 

Net Income 

Basic Earnings per Share1 

Diluted Earnings per Share1 

Balance Sheet Data (at period end) 

Cash, Cash Equivalents and

    Investment Securities — Current 

Total Assets 

Equity 

Operating Data

Gross Dollar Volume (in billions)2 

Processed Transactions (in millions)3 

$8,346 

2,649 

841 

258 

95 

3,843 

4,503 

(3) 

4,500 

1,384 

$3,116 

$2.57 

$2.56 

$6,295 

14,242 

7,495 

$4,103 

38,635 

$7,391 

2,429 

775 

230 

20 

3,454 

3,937 

(4) 

3,933 

1,174 

$2,759 

$2.20 

$2.19 

$5,003 

12,462 

6,929 

$3,650 

34,156 

$6,714

2,196 

841

194

770

4,001

2,713 

35 

2,748 

842 

$1,906

$1.49

$1.48

$4,949 

10,693

5,877

$3,251 

27,265

1  The per share amounts have been retroactively restated to reflect the ten-for-one stock split of MasterCard’s Class A and Class B  

common shares, which was effected in the form of a common stock dividend distributed on January 21, 2014.

2  GDV generated by Maestro and Cirrus cards is not included. The data for GDV is provided by MasterCard customers and includes  

information with respect to MasterCard-branded transactions that are not processed by MasterCard and for which MasterCard does  
not earn significant revenues. All data is subject to revision and amendment by MasterCard’s customers subsequent to the date of  
its release, of which revisions and amendments may be material.

3  Data represents all transactions processed by MasterCard, including PIN-based debit transactions, regardless of brand.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
FRO M LEFT TO  RIG HT:

Ajay Banga 
President and Chief Executive Officer

Richard Haythornthwaite 
Chairman of the Board of Directors

A C H I E V I N G   O U R   V I S I O N :  A   W O R L D   B E Y O N D   C A S H 

Looking forward, we will  
continue our leadership  
role in industry efforts to  
ensure payment safety and  
security for everyone—this,  
after all, is the cornerstone  
of our business.

On all fronts 2013 was a good year.  

new areas of growth in markets around the  

We invested in our people, our products and our    

world, expanding acceptance and developing  

technology. We focused on driving the conversion  

new relationships with leading telcos, technology 

from cash to electronic payments, and at the  

providers, handset manufacturers, retailers, mass 

same time, we worked with governments and  

transit operators, just to name a few. And we  

other partners to advance financial inclusion. 

continue to build our business, taking advantage  

Through these efforts, we achieved strong  

of opportunities presented by the ongoing  

financial results, including net revenue and  

convergence of the physical and digital worlds,  

earnings per share growth. We continue to  

and by using our data analytics, loyalty solutions  

deliver against our long-term financial objectives  

and fraud detection and protection services.

and see tremendous opportunity to displace cash  

and checks, which still account for 85 percent  

of the world’s transactions.    

DELIVERING VALUE

When you’re a technology company in the  

payments industry, every transaction is important.  

We made new investments in our processing  

capabilities, including the recent acquisition of  

Provus, a provider of issuer and acquirer processing,  

Our goal is to deliver value and better ways to  

prepaid solutions and ATM processing services in 

pay. We do this by expanding our core products 

Turkey. That, coupled with our acquisition of  

globally, including credit, debit, prepaid and  

Trevica, allows us to increase our processing  

commercial programs and solutions. We seek  

presence in high-growth markets in Europe. 

Creating better shopping and selling experiences 

That’s why we, along with other industry leaders, 

drives us to build innovative platforms and products  

announced a new global standard using tokens  

for consumers and merchants. Through MasterPass™, 

to enhance the security of digital payments and  

a globally interactive platform, we offer a digital  

simplify the purchasing experience when shopping 

wallet service that makes shopping and selling  

on a mobile phone, tablet, personal computer or 

experiences simpler, faster and safer. By the end  

other smart device.

of 2013, we signed more than 30,000 merchants 

and numerous bank partners, and we were live  

THE JOURNEY CONTINUES

in five markets with many more in the pipeline. 

ADVANCING FINANCIAL INCLUSION

Looking forward, we will continue our leadership  

role in industry efforts to ensure payment safety  

and security for everyone—this, after all, is the  

MasterCard is working on government-based  

cornerstone of our business. We will remain focused 

financial inclusion projects in more than 25  

on achieving our vision and advancing financial  

countries around the world. Here are three  

inclusion around the world. At the same time, we 

examples: In Nigeria, the government is piloting  

will continue to create innovative solutions as the 

a national ID program that combines a biometric 

physical and digital worlds converge.  

identification solution with our prepaid payment  

functionality and is the broadest financial inclusion  

initiative of its kind on the African continent.  

In Turkey, together with the Turkish government  

and DenizBank, we introduced a new Social Aid  

Card to bring innovation and efficiency to the  

country’s welfare service. And in Lebanon and  

Jordan, we partnered with the United Nations  

World Food Programme to roll out innovative  

electronic vouchers that will allow hundreds  

of thousands of Syrian refugees to meet their  

We are proud to note that MasterCard has earned 

recognition from various organizations for our  

people, our brand and as a fantastic place to work. 

Every day, our employees around the world are  

focused on making payments easier and making  

a difference in their communities. With their  

passion, creativity, dedication to help others and  

an unyielding commitment to make payments  

safe, simple and smart, our 8,200 employees  

prove that it is possible to do well and do good.  

food needs and help boost the local economy. 

To our shareholders, thank you for your continued 

support in helping us grow.  

OUR COMMITMENT TO SAFETY  
AND SECURITY

For more than 45 years, MasterCard has been  

an industry leader in safeguarding cardholder  

data. It’s what consumers expect and what they  

deserve. As a founder and early proponent of  

EMV technology, our strategy to fight payments 

fraud relies heavily on enabling chip-based  

payments around the world.  In 2012, we  

Richard Haythornthwaite 

Chairman of the Board of Directors

announced our plan for the U.S. migration to  

Ajay Banga 

EMV chip technology. While EMV works in the  

President and Chief Executive Officer 

physical space, we also need to make sure  

we’re ahead of this issue in the digital space.  

UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
Form 10-K

ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF
1934

For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2013 
Or

TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT
OF 1934

For the transition period from              to             

Commission file number: 001-32877

MasterCard Incorporated

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Delaware
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)

2000 Purchase Street
Purchase, NY
(Address of principal executive offices)

13-4172551
(IRS Employer
Identification Number)

10577
(Zip Code)

(914) 249-2000
(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

Title of each Class  

Class A common stock, par value $0.0001 per share 

Name of each exchange on which registered
          New York Stock Exchange

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g): Class B common stock, par value $0.0001 per share

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act.    Yes  
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act.    Yes  
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange 
Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject 
to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.     Yes  

   No   
   No  

   No   

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate Web site, if any, every Interactive Data 
File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for 
such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files)    Yes  

   No   

Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K (§229.405 of this chapter) is not contained 
herein, and will not be contained, to the best of the registrant's knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference 
in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K.   

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting 
company.  See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer” and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. 
(Check One): 

Large accelerated filer

Non-accelerated filer

  (do not check if a smaller reporting company)

  Smaller reporting company

Accelerated filer

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act).   Yes  

   No  

The aggregate market value of the registrant's Class A common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, held by non-affiliates (using the New York 
Stock Exchange closing price as of June 28, 2013, the last business day of the registrant's most recently completed second fiscal quarter) was 
approximately $66.7 billion.  There is currently no established public trading market for the registrant's Class B common stock, par value $0.0001 
per share.  As of February 6, 2014, there were 1,141,285,340 shares outstanding of the registrant’s Class A common stock, par value $0.0001 per 
share and 45,255,390 shares outstanding of the registrant’s Class B common stock, par value $0.0001 per share.

Portions of the registrant's definitive proxy statement for the 2014 Annual Meeting of Stockholders are incorporated by reference into Part III 

hereof.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
MASTERCARD INCORPORATED

FISCAL YEAR 2013 FORM 10-K ANNUAL REPORT

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Item 1.
Item 1A.
Item 1B.
Item 2.
Item 3.
Item 4.

Item 5.

Item 6.
Item 7.
Item 7A.
Item 8.
Item 9.
Item 9A.
Item 9B.

Item 10.
Item 11.
Item 12.

Item 13.
Item 14.

Item 15.

PART I
Business. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Risk Factors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Unresolved Staff Comments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Properties. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Legal Proceedings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Mine Safety Disclosures

PART II
Market for Registrant's Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases 
of Equity Securities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Selected Financial Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations . .
Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Financial Statements and Supplementary Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Changes in and Disagreements With Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure. .
Controls and Procedures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Other Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

PART III
Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Executive Compensation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related 
Stockholder Matters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Principal Accounting Fees and Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

PART IV
Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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2

 
 
In this Report, references to the “Company,” “MasterCard,” “we,” “us” or “our” refer to the MasterCard brand 
generally, and to the business conducted by MasterCard Incorporated and its consolidated subsidiaries, including our 
operating subsidiary, MasterCard International Incorporated.

Forward-Looking Statements

This Report on Form 10-K contains forward-looking statements pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private 
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.  All statements other than statements of historical facts may be forward-
looking statements.  When used in this Report, the words “believe”, “expect”, “could”, “may”, “would”, “will”, “trend” 
and similar words are intended to identify forward-looking statements.  These forward-looking statements relate to the 
Company’s future prospects, developments and business strategies and include, without limitation, statements relating 
to:

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

the Company’s focus on growing, diversifying and building its business;

the  Company's  focus  on  providing  value  to  merchants,  governments,  consumers  and  financial 
institutions;

the Company's development of innovative platforms and solutions; 

the Company's focus on ensuring the safety and security of the payments system;

the stability of economies around the globe;

the Company’s advertising and marketing strategy and investment;

the Company's belief that its existing cash, cash equivalents and investment securities balances, its 
cash  flow  generating  capabilities,  its  borrowing  capacity  and  its  access  to  capital  resources  are 
sufficient to satisfy its future operating cash needs, capital asset purchases, outstanding commitments 
and other liquidity requirements associated with its existing operations and potential obligations; and

the manner and amount of purchases by the Company pursuant to its share repurchase program, 
dependent upon price and market conditions.

Many factors and uncertainties relating to our operations and business environment, all of which are difficult to predict 
and many of which are outside of our control, influence whether any forward-looking statements can or will be achieved.  
Any one of those factors could cause our actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in writing 
in any forward-looking statements made by MasterCard or on its behalf.  We believe there are certain risk factors that 
are important to our business, and these could cause actual results to differ from our expectations.  Such risk factors 
include:  legislation,  competition-related  regulatory  proceedings,  regulation  by  central  banks  and  similar  types  of 
regulatory authorities and litigation related to interchange fees and other practices; regulation established by the Dodd-
Frank Act (as defined below) in the United States; requirement to permit U.S. merchants to surcharge credit cards; 
regulation or other regulatory activity with respect to the payments industry in one jurisdiction or of one product resulting 
in regulation (or impact on pending regulatory proceedings) in other jurisdictions or of other products; competitive 
issues caused by preferential or protective government actions; regulation of the payments industry, consumer privacy, 
data use and/or security; potential or incurred liability and limitations on business resulting from litigation; potential 
changes in tax laws; substantial and increasingly intense competition in the payments industry; potential future changes 
in  the  competitive  landscape;  competitive  pressure  on  pricing;  banking  industry  consolidation;  loss  of  significant 
business  from  significant  customers;  merchant  activity;  the  relationship  of  our  competitors  with  our  issuers  and 
acquirers; our relationship with our issuers and acquirers; brand perceptions and reputation; our work with governments; 
global economic events and the overall business environment; decline in cross-border travel; the effect of general 
economic and global political conditions on consumer spending trends; exposure to loss or illiquidity due to guarantees 
of  settlement  and  certain  other  third-party  obligations;  impact  of  a  failure  or  breach  of  our  security  systems  or 
infrastructure as a result of cyber attacks; disruptions to our transaction processing systems and other services; account 
data breaches; reputation damage from increases in fraudulent activity; the challenges resulting from rapid technological 
developments in the payments industry; the effect of adverse currency fluctuation; acquisition, entry into new businesses 
and other integration issues; and issues relating to our Class A common stock and corporate governance structure.  

3

Please see a complete discussion of these risk factors in Part I, Item 1A - Risk Factors.  We caution you that the important 
factors referenced above may not contain all of the factors that are important to you.  Our forward-looking statements 
speak only as of the date of this report or as of the date they are made, and we undertake no obligation to update our 
forward-looking statements.

Item 1.  Business  

Overview 

MasterCard is a technology company in the global payments industry that connects consumers, financial institutions, 
merchants, governments and businesses worldwide, enabling them to use electronic forms of payment instead of cash 
and checks.  As the operator of the world’s fastest payments network, we facilitate the processing of payment transactions, 
including authorization, clearing and settlement, and deliver related products and services.  We make payments easier 
and more efficient by creating a wide range of payment solutions and services using our family of well-known brands, 
including MasterCard®, Maestro® and Cirrus®.  We also provide value-added offerings such as loyalty and reward 
programs, information services and consulting.  Our network is designed to ensure safety and security for the global 
payments system.  A typical transaction on our network involves four participants in addition to us:  cardholder, merchant, 
issuer (the cardholder’s financial institution) and acquirer (the merchant’s financial institution).  We do not issue cards, 
extend  credit,  determine  or  receive  revenue  from  interest  rates  or  other  fees  charged  to  cardholders  by  issuers,  or 
establish the “merchant discount” rate charged in connection with the acceptance of cards and other payment devices 
that carry our brands.   In most cases, cardholder relationships belong to, and are managed by, our financial institution 
customers.

Our ability to grow is influenced by personal consumption expenditure growth, driving paper-based forms of payment 
toward electronic forms of payment and increasing our share in electronic payments and providing other value-added 
products and services.  We continue to drive growth by:

•  Growing our core businesses globally, both as to our products - credit, debit, prepaid and commercial - and 

increasing the number of payment transactions we process; 

•  Diversifying our business by seeking new areas of growth in markets around the world by focusing on: 

Existing and new markets;

Encouraging consumers and businesses to use MasterCard products for new payment areas, such as 
transit, parking, person-to-person transfers and paying bills; 

Small merchants and merchants who have not historically accepted MasterCard products; and

Financial inclusion for the unbanked and underbanked; and 

•  Building our business by:

taking advantage of the opportunities presented by the ongoing convergence of the physical and 
digital worlds; and

using our data analytics, loyalty solutions and fraud protection and detection services to add value.  

Our technology, expertise and data make payments safe, simple and fast.  We work with merchants to help them enable 
new sales channels, create better purchase experiences, increase revenues and fight fraud.  We help national, state and 
local governments drive increased financial inclusion and efficiency, reduce costs, increase transparency to reduce 
crime and corruption and advance social programs.  For consumers, we provide better, safer and more convenient ways 
to pay. We provide financial institutions with solutions to help them increase revenue and increase preference for their 
MasterCard-branded products.  

4

We generate revenue by charging fees to issuers and acquirers for providing transaction processing and other payment-
related products and services, as well as by assessing these customers based, primarily, on the dollar volume of activity, 
or gross dollar volume (“GDV”), on the cards and other devices that carry our brands.

MasterCard operates in a dynamic and rapidly evolving legal and regulatory environment with heightened regulatory 
and legislative scrutiny and other legal challenges, particularly with respect to interchange fees.  See “Risk Factors-
Legal and Regulatory Risks” in Part I, Item 1A of this Report. 

Payment Services and Solutions

We provide transaction processing and a wide range of payment-related products and services to enable the design, 
packaging and implementation of our products and programs.  Our payment solutions are built upon our expertise in 
payment programs, product development, payment processing technology, loyalty and rewards solutions, payment 
security, consulting and information services and marketing.  

Our Operations and Transaction Processing Network 

Introduction.  We operate the MasterCard Network, our unique and proprietary global payments network that links 
issuers and acquirers around the globe to facilitate the processing of transactions, permitting MasterCard cardholders 
to use their cards and other payment devices at millions of merchants worldwide.  Our network facilitates an efficient 
and secure means for merchants to receive payments, and a convenient, quick and secure payment method for consumers 
and businesses that is accepted worldwide.  We process transactions through our network for our issuer customers in 
more than 150 currencies in more than 210 countries and territories.  

Typical Transaction.  With a typical transaction involving four participants in addition to us, our network supports what 
is often referred to as a “four-party” payments network.  The following diagram depicts a typical point-of-interaction 
transaction:

Typical Point of Interaction Payment Transaction

    Acquirer

(merchant’s 
financial institution)

Authorization and 
Transaction Data 

Authorization and 
Transaction Data 

Transaction 
Data 

$

(less merchant discount) 

   Issuer
(cardholder’s
financial institution)

$

Bill

$

Settlement Bank 

$

 Merchant

Goods and Services

Present Card or Other Device

 Cardholder

In a typical transaction, a cardholder (or an account holder who may not be using a physical card) purchases goods or 
services from a merchant using a card or other payment device.  After the transaction is authorized by the issuer, the 
issuer pays the acquirer an amount equal to the value of the transaction, minus the interchange fee (described below), 
and then posts the transaction to the cardholder's account.  The acquirer pays the amount of the purchase, net of a 
discount (referred to as the “merchant discount” rate, as further described below), to the merchant.  The merchant 
discount rate, among other things, takes into consideration the amount of the interchange fee.   

5

Interchange Fees.  Interchange fees represent a sharing of a portion of payments system costs among the issuers and 
acquirers participating in our four-party payments system.  They reflect the value merchants receive from accepting 
our products and play a key role in balancing the costs consumers and merchants pay.  We  do not earn revenues from 
interchange fees.  Generally, interchange fees are collected from acquirers and paid to issuers to reimburse the issuers 
for a portion of the costs incurred by them in providing services that benefit all participants in the system, including 
acquirers and merchants.  In some circumstances, such as cash withdrawal transactions, this situation is reversed and 
interchange fees are paid by issuers to acquirers.  We or financial institutions establish “default interchange fees” that 
apply when there are no other established settlement terms in place between an issuer and an acquirer.  We administer 
the collection and remittance of interchange fees through the settlement process.  Interchange fees can be a significant 
component of the merchant discount rate, and therefore of the costs that merchants pay to accept electronic payments.  
These fees are currently subject to regulatory, legislative and/or legal challenges in a number of jurisdictions.  See “Risk 
Factors-Legal and Regulatory Risks” in Part I, Item 1A.  

Merchant Discount Rate.  The merchant discount rate is established by the acquirer to cover its costs of both participating 
in the four-party system and providing services rendered to merchants.  The rate takes into consideration the amount 
of the interchange fee which the acquirer generally pays to the issuer. 

Additional Fees and Economic Considerations.  Among the parties in a four-party system, various types of fees may 
be charged to different constituents for various services.  Acquirers may charge merchants processing and related fees 
in addition to the merchant discount rate.  Issuers may also charge cardholders fees for the transaction, including, for 
example, fees for extending revolving credit.  As described below, we charge issuers and acquirers fees for the transaction 
processing and related services we provide. 

In a four-party payments system, the economics of a payment transaction relative to MasterCard vary widely depending 
on such factors as whether the transaction is domestic (and, if it is domestic, the country in which it takes place) or 
cross-border,  whether  it  is  a  point-of-sale  purchase  transaction  or  cash  withdrawal,  and  whether  the  transaction  is 
processed over our network or a third-party network or is handled solely by a financial institution that is both the 
acquirer for the merchant and the issuer to the cardholder (an “on-us” transaction). 

MasterCard Network Architecture.  The MasterCard Network features a globally integrated structure that provides 
scale for our issuer customers, enabling them to expand into regional and global markets.  It features an intelligent 
architecture that enables the network to adapt to the needs of each transaction by blending two distinct processing 
structures-distributed (peer-to-peer) and centralized (hub-and-spoke): 

•  Transactions that require fast, reliable processing, such as those submitted using a contactless card or device 
at a toll booth, can use the network's distributed processing structure, ensuring they are processed close to 
where the transaction occurred.  

•  Transactions that require value-added processing, such as real-time access to transaction data for fraud scoring 
or rewards at the point-of-sale, or customization of transaction data for unique consumer-spending controls, 
use the network's centralized processing structure, ensuring advanced processing services are applied to the 
transaction.  

Our network’s architecture enables us to connect all parties regardless of whether the transaction is occurring at a 
traditional physical location, at an ATM, on the internet or through a connected device. It has 24-hour a day availability 
and world-class response time.  The network incorporates multiple layers of protection, both for continuity purposes 
and to address cyber-security challenges.  We engage in multiple efforts to mitigate against such challenges, including 
regularly testing our systems to address potential vulnerabilities.    

Participation  Standards.    We  establish,  apply  and  enforce  standards  surrounding  participation  in  the  MasterCard 
payments system.  We grant licenses that provide issuers and acquirers that meet specified criteria with certain rights, 
including access to the network and usage of cards and payment devices carrying our brands.  As a condition of our 
licenses,  issuers  and  acquirers  agree  to  comply  with  our  standards  surrounding  participation  and  brand  usage  and 
acceptance.  We monitor areas of risk exposure and enforce our standards to combat fraudulent, illegal and brand-
damaging activity.  Issuers and acquirers are also required to report instances of fraud to us in a timely manner so that 
we can monitor trends and initiate action when appropriate. 

6

Customer Risk Management.  We guarantee the settlement of many of the transactions between our issuers and acquirers 
to ensure the integrity of our network (“settlement exposure”).  We do not, however, guarantee payments to merchants 
by their acquirer, or the availability of unspent prepaid cardholder account balances.  As a guarantor of certain obligations 
of principal customers, we are exposed to customer credit risk arising from the potential financial failure of any principal 
customers of MasterCard, Maestro and Cirrus, and affiliate debit licensees.  Principal customers participate directly in 
MasterCard programs and are responsible for the settlement and other activities of their sponsored affiliate customers. 
To minimize the contingent risk to MasterCard of a failure of a customer to meet its settlement obligations, we monitor 
the financial health of, economic and political operating environments of, and compliance with our standards by, our 
customers.  We employ various strategies to mitigate against these risks.

Processing Services  

Transaction Switching - Authorization, Clearing and Settlement.  Through the MasterCard Network, we enable the 
routing of a transaction to the issuer for its approval, facilitate the exchange of financial transaction information between 
issuers and acquirers after a successfully-conducted transaction, and help to settle the transaction by facilitating the 
exchange of funds between parties via settlement banks chosen by us and the customer.  

Cross-Border and Domestic Processing.  The MasterCard Network processes transactions throughout the world  where 
the merchant country and issuer country are different (cross-border transactions), providing cardholders with the ability 
to use, and merchants to accept, MasterCard cards and other payment devices across multiple country borders.  We 
also provide domestic (or intra-country) transaction processing services to customers in every region of the world, 
which allow issuer customers to facilitate payment transactions between cardholders and merchants within a particular 
country.  We process approximately half of all transactions using MasterCard-branded cards, including most cross-
border transactions.  We process the majority of MasterCard-branded domestic transactions in the United States, United 
Kingdom, Canada, Brazil and a select number of other countries.  Outside of these countries, most domestic transaction 
activity on our products is processed without our involvement.

Extended Processing.  We extend our processing capabilities in the payments value chain in various regions and across 
the globe with an expanded suite of issuer, prepaid, acquirer, third-party, gateway and mobile processing solutions.  
Our offerings include:

•  MasterCard Integrated Processing Solutions® (“IPS”), a debit and prepaid issuer processing platform designed 
to  provide  medium  to  large  global  issuing  customers  with  a  complete  processing  solution  to  help  create 
differentiated  products  and  services  and  allow  quick  deployment  of  payments  portfolios  across  banking 
channels, including authorizing transactions and assisting issuers in managing both their risk and the cards 
issued to their customers. 

• 

Payment gateways, including: (1) DataCash® and MasterCard Internet Gateway Service (MiGs), which offer 
a single interface to provide e-commerce merchants with the ability to process secure payments and offer 
value-added solutions, including outsourced electronic payments, fraud prevention and alternative payment 
options, and (2) the MasterCard Mobile Payments Gateway, a platform that facilitates transaction routing and 
prepaid processing for mobile-initiated transactions for our customers.  

7

MasterCard Programs and Solutions  

We  provide  a  wide  variety  of  payment  solutions  that  support  payment  products  that  customers  can  offer  to  their 
cardholders.  These services facilitate transactions on the MasterCard Network among cardholders, merchants, financial 
institutions and governments in markets globally.  The following chart provides GDV and number of cards featuring 
our logos in 2013 for select programs and solutions: 

Year Ended December 31, 2013

As of December 31, 2013

GDV in billions

% of Total
GDV

Cards in
millions

Percent Increase
from December 31,
2012

MasterCard Branded GDV1

Consumer Credit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $
Commercial Credit. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Debit and Prepaid. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

1,990
322
1,792

48%  
8%
44%  

703
38
540

4%
13%
28%

1  Excludes volume generated by Maestro and Cirrus cards.  As of December 31, 2013, the Maestro logo appeared on 706 million cards, 
representing 2% growth from December 31, 2012. 

Consumer Credit and Charge.  We offer a number of programs that enable issuers to provide consumers with cards 
that enable them to defer payment, either by permitting them to carry a balance in a revolving credit account or  requiring 
payment of the full balance within a specified period.  These programs are designed to meet the needs of our customers 
around the world and address specific consumer segments, including:

• 

Standard - general purpose products for consumers with basic credit card needs, featuring revolving credit, 
security and everyday convenience. 

•  Premium - products designed for more affluent consumers and featuring higher credit lines and spending limits 

and a varying level of enhanced services, including insurance coverage and access benefits.  

•  Affluent - product offerings for the most affluent consumers worldwide that feature our highest purchasing 
capacity,  as  well  as  a  comprehensive  range  of  premium  access  benefits  and  top-tier  services,  and  travel, 
concierge and cardholder protection insurance in some regions.    

Debit.  We support a range of payment solutions that allow our customers to provide consumers with convenient access 
to funds in deposit and other accounts.  Our debit and deposit access programs can be used to make purchases and to 
obtain cash in bank branches, at ATMs and, in some cases at the point of sale.  

•  MasterCard-branded Debit.  MasterCard-branded debit programs provide functionality for both signature-
based and PIN-based authenticated transactions, and are designed to meet the needs of consumers with standard, 
premium and affluent offerings.

•  Maestro-branded Debit.  Maestro is our global PIN-based debit program, and is the only PIN-based solution 
that  operates  globally.    Maestro  has  a  leading  position  among  PIN-based  debit  brands  in  many  markets 
throughout the world, particularly in Europe. 

•  ATM.    Cirrus  is  our  primary  global  cash  access  solution,  providing  domestic  and  cross-border  access  for 
transactions at ATMs that participate in the MasterCard Network, including cash access (withdrawal, advance 
and drawdown), balance inquiries, account transfers and deposits.  

8

Prepaid.  Prepaid programs involve a balance that is funded with monetary value prior to use. Cardholders access funds 
via a traditional magnetic stripe or chip-enabled payment card or other device (such as mobile) that may leverage our 
contactless functionality.  MasterCard customers may implement prepaid payment programs using any of our brands, 
and  we  support  these  programs  with  processing  services.    We  provide  and  customize  programs  to  meet  unique 
commercial and consumer needs in all prepaid segments, with a focus on: 

•  Government, which includes programs targeted to achieve financial inclusion, cost savings and efficiencies 
by moving traditional paper disbursement methods to electronic solutions in programs such as Social Security 
payments, unemployment benefits and others;

•  Commercial, which includes programs targeted to achieve cost savings and efficiencies by moving traditional 
paper disbursement methods to electronic solutions in business applications such as payroll, health savings 
accounts, employee benefits and others; and 

•  Consumer reloadable, which includes programs to address the payment needs of individuals without formal 
banking relationships, individuals who are not traditional users of credit or debit cards or devices or individuals 
who want to segment funds for security or convenience purposes, such as travel.  

We also provide prepaid card program management services through Access Prepaid Worldwide (“Access”).  Through 
Access, we manage and deliver consumer and commercial prepaid travel cards to business partners around the world, 
including  financial  institutions,  retailers,  telecommunications  companies,  travel  agents,  foreign  exchange  bureaus, 
colleges and universities, airlines and governments.  Combined with MasterCard's processing assets (such as IPS) and 
other strategic alliances, these services augment and support issuers of prepaid cards around the world, with a focus 
outside of the United States.  Access enables us to offer end-to-end prepaid solutions encompassing branded switching, 
issuer processing and program management services, primarily focused on the travel sector. 

Commercial.    We  offer  commercial  payment  solutions  that  help  large  corporations,  mid-sized  companies,  small 
businesses and government entities streamline their procurement and payment processes, manage information and 
expenses and reduce administrative costs.  Our offerings and platforms include: 

•  Corporate  cards  (including  premium,  purchasing  and  fleet  cards,  as  well  as  cards  that  combine  these 
functionalities)  that  allow  corporations  to  manage  travel  and  entertainment  expenses,  streamline  the 
procurement process and provide corporations with additional transactional detail.  

• 

SmartData,  a  MasterCard-powered  tool  that  provides  information  reporting  and  expense  management 
capabilities.  

• 

Procurement, travel, purchasing, fleet and other payment programs for government entities.  

•  Credit and debit programs targeted at the small-business segment that offer the ability to gain access to working 

capital, to extend payments and to separate business expenses from personal expenses. 

Payment Innovations.  The continued adoption of mobile devices (such as smartphones and tablets) has resulted in the 
ongoing convergence of the physical and digital worlds, where consumers are increasingly choosing to pay remotely.  
Leveraging our global innovations capability, we are developing new and innovative platforms, products, and solutions 
that take advantage of this convergence and give us the opportunity to lead the transition to digital payments. We do 
this in a number of ways, including:    

•  Creating Better Shopping and Selling Experiences.  We are focused on offering platforms and products to 
make shopping and selling experiences simpler, faster, and safer for both consumers and merchants.  Through 
MasterPass™, a globally interactive platform, we provide a digital wallet service to make online shopping 
safe and easy for all types of transactions - in-store, online and via mobile devices - by storing payment and 
shipping  information  in  one  convenient  and  secure  place.   We  launch  innovations  that  make  it  easier  for 
merchants to accept payments and expand their customer base.  As an example, Simplify Commerce allows 
merchants to quickly accept mobile and e-commerce payments, regardless of brand.  We are also developing 
products and practices to facilitate the growth of acceptance through mobile point-of-sale.  In these cases, 
mobile devices are used as point-of-sale terminals. 
9

•  Engaging with New Partners.  Through numerous active partnerships with mobile leaders around the world-
including Samsung, Deutsche Telekom, and Isis (a joint venture formed in the United States by AT&T, Verizon, 
and T-Mobile)-we enable consumers to securely use their smartphones to make digital payments. Through 
our Open API Services, developers can innovate and create applications using financial and data services 
offered through the MasterCard Developer Zone. 

•  Facilitating the Sending and Receiving of Money.  We provide money transfer and global remittance solutions 
to enable consumers, particularly in developing markets, to send and receive money quickly and securely 
around  the  world.   We  continue  to  enhance  our  personal  payments  capabilities  through  partnerships  with 
companies  such  as  Western  Union,  expanding  our  money  transfer  technology  capabilities  and  providing 
financial  institutions  connected  to  our  network  with  additional  endpoints  to  send  funds  domestically  and 
globally.  

Safety and Security 

Utilizing the MasterCard Network, we work to ensure the safety and security of the overall  payments system.  We 
offer products and services to detect, prevent and respond to fraud and ensure the safety of transactions made on our 
products.    In  many  markets,  many  of  our  products  provide  consumers  with  the  benefit  of  "zero  liability",  or  no 
responsibility for losses, in the event of fraud, and we continue to focus on extending this benefit for other consumers 
around the world.  Safety is a key factor in the design of our products, including our digital and mobile technologies.  

Our solutions to prevent and detect fraud and enhance the safety of transactions include:

•  MasterCard SecureCode®, a global internet authentication solution that permits cardholders to authenticate 

themselves to their issuer using a unique, personal code; 

•  MasterCard  Site  Data  Protection  Service®,  which  assists  customers,  merchants  and  third-party  service 
providers in protecting commercial sites from hacker intrusions and subsequent account data compromises;  

• 

Fraud Rule Manager, our suite of fraud detection and management products and services;  and

•  DataCash Gatekeeper 2.0, fraud prevention tools that we provide for merchants.   

We have been leading the development of industry standards to ensure that high payment security standards are put in 
place for the global payments system.  We continue to work with our customers around the world to encourage the 
replacement of  traditional magnetic-stripe based cards and terminals with chip-enabled products that offer increased 
security and fraud protection, among other things.  We have been a leader in evolving a roadmap for the migration to 
EMV, the international standard for chip technology.  In January 2012, we endorsed EMV as the payments platform 
technology for the U.S. market,  and we are now engaged at all levels in the industry to bring the benefits of this 
technology, including fraud prevention,  to our U.S. customers and consumers.  While EMV provides protection in the 
physical space, we also have been leading the development of standards for safety and security for digital payments.  
These  efforts  include  the  development  of  a  standard  for  tokenization,  which  helps  protect  sensitive  cardholder 
information by generating a unique identifier used only for a specific transaction.  

As part of our leadership on safety and security, we work with many payments industry associations:

•  We  are  on  the  PCI  Security  Standards  Council,  which  develops  comprehensive  standards  and  supporting 

materials to enhance payment card data security; 

•  We are a part owner of and key contributor to EMV Co, which develops standards for chip technology; and 

•  We are on the board of the FIDO Alliance, a group focused on secure online authentication.

We also work with governments around the world to help develop safe and secure transactions for the global 
payments system.

10

Value-Added Services and Solutions  

MasterCard Advisors.    MasterCard Advisors  is  our  global  professional  services  group  which  provides  proprietary 
analysis, data-driven consulting and marketing services solutions to help clients optimize, streamline and grow their 
businesses.  With analyses based on billions of anonymous transactions processed globally, we leverage aggregated 
information and a consultative approach to help financial institutions, merchants, media companies, governments and 
other organizations grow their businesses or otherwise achieve efficiencies.    

Our information services provide a suite of data analytics and products (including reports, benchmarks, models and 
insights) that enable customers to make better business decisions.  Our consulting services group combines professional 
problem-solving skills with payments expertise to provide solutions that address the challenges and opportunities of 
clients with respect to payments.  The managed services group provides solutions via data-driven acquisition of accounts, 
activation of portfolios, conversion of cards, marketing promotions activities and other customer management services.   

Loyalty and Rewards Solutions.  We focus on providing value for consumers on MasterCard payment cards and devices 
through a combination of benefits and services, both paid for and arranged by MasterCard on behalf of our customers.  
Our  services  for  issuers  include  a  scalable  rewards  platform  that  enables  issuers  to  provide  their  consumers  with 
personalized offers and rewards, access to a global airline lounge network, global and local concierge services, a wide 
range of individual insurance coverages, emergency card replacement, emergency cash advance services and a 24-hour 
cardholder service center to provide information related to benefits and rewards programs.  Our suite of services for 
merchants  include  a  targeted  offers  and  rewards  campaign  management  service  for  publishing  offers,  as  well  as 
opportunities for holders of a co-brand or a merchant's loyalty card or a member of a third-party-managed rewards 
program to obtain reward points faster.  We support these services with program management capabilities. 

Marketing   

We manage and promote our brands through advertising, promotions, sponsorships and digital, mobile and social media 
initiatives in order to increase consumer preference for our brands and usage of our products.  We sponsor a variety of 
sporting, entertainment and charity-related marketing properties to align with consumer segments important to us and 
our customers.  Our advertising plays an important role in building brand visibility, usage and overall preference among 
cardholders  globally.   Our  “Priceless®”  advertising  campaign,  which  has  run  in  53  languages  in  112  countries 
worldwide, promotes MasterCard usage benefits and acceptance, markets MasterCard payment products and solutions 
and  provides  MasterCard  with  a  consistent,  recognizable  message  that  supports  our  brand  around  the  globe.   Our 
consumer marketing approach uses consumer-centric research and insights focused on consumers' spending preferences.  
Priceless Cities®, in more than 35 cities across all of our regions, seeks to increase preference for the MasterCard brand 
by connecting consumers to their interests and offering them access to special experiences and offers when they are in 
their home city or traveling.  

MasterCard Revenue Sources   

We generate revenues by assessing our customers primarily based on GDV on the cards and other devices that carry 
our brands and from the fees we charge to our customers for providing transaction processing and other payment-
related products and services.  Our net revenues are classified into the following five categories: 

•  Domestic assessments: Domestic assessments are fees charged to issuers and acquirers based primarily on the 
dollar volume of activity on cards and other devices that carry our brands where the merchant country and the 
issuer country are the same.  

•  Cross-border volume fees: Cross-border volume fees are charged to issuers and acquirers based on the dollar 
volume of activity on cards and other devices that carry our brands where the merchant country and issuer 
country are different.  

• 

Transaction  processing  fees: Transaction  processing  fees  are  charged  for  both  domestic  and  cross-border 
transactions and are primarily based on the number of transactions.  

11

•  Other revenues: Other revenues consist of other payment-related products and services and primarily include 
fees  associated  with  consulting  and  research,  fraud  products  and  services,  loyalty  and  rewards  solutions, 
program management services and a variety of other payment-related products and services. 

•  Rebates and incentives (contra-revenue): Rebates and incentives are provided to certain MasterCard customers 

and are recorded as contra-revenue.  

Pricing varies among our regions, and can be modified for our customers through customer-specific rebate and incentive 
agreements,  which  provide  customers  with  financial  incentives  and  other  support  benefits  to  issue,  accept,  route, 
prioritize and promote our branded products and other payment programs.  These financial incentives may be based 
on GDV or other performance-based criteria, such as issuance of new payment products, increased acceptance of our 
products, launch of new programs or execution of marketing initiatives.

See “Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations - Revenues” in Part II, 
Item 7 for more detail about our revenue, GDV and processed transactions.  

Intellectual Property   

We own a number of valuable trademarks that are essential to our business, including MasterCard®, Maestro® and 
Cirrus®, through one or more affiliates.  We also own numerous other trademarks covering various brands, programs 
and services offered by MasterCard to support our payment programs.  Trademark and service mark registrations are 
generally valid indefinitely as long as they are used and/or properly maintained.  Through license agreements with our 
customers, we authorize the use of our trademarks in connection with our customers'  issuing and merchant acquiring 
businesses.  In addition, we own a number of patents and patent applications relating to payments solutions, transaction 
processing, smart cards, contactless, mobile, electronic commerce, security systems and other matters, many of which 
are important to our business operations.  Patents are of varying duration depending on the jurisdiction and filing date. 

Competition 

We compete in the global payments industry against all forms of payment including:

• 

Paper-based payments  (principally cash and checks); 

•  Card-based payments, including credit, charge, debit, ATM and prepaid products, and limited use products 

such as private-label; 

•  Contactless, mobile and e-commerce payments; and 

•  Other electronic payments, including wire transfers, electronic benefits transfers, bill payments and automated 

clearing house payments.    

We face a number of competitors in the global payments industry:

•  Cash and Check.  Cash and check continue to represent the most widely-used forms of payment, constituting 
approximately 85% of the world’s retail payment transactions.  However, electronic forms of payment are 
increasingly displacing paper forms of payment around the world, benefiting electronic payment brands.  

•  General Purpose Payment Networks.  We compete worldwide with payment networks such as Visa, American 
Express and Discover, among others.  Among global networks, Visa has significantly greater volume than 
we do.  Outside of the United States, networks such as JCB in Japan and UnionPay in China have leading 
positions in their domestic markets.  In the case of UnionPay, it operates the sole domestic payment switch 
in China.  In addition, several governments are promoting, or considering promoting, local networks for 
domestic processing. 

•  Debit.  We compete with ATM and point-of-sale debit networks in various countries, such as Interlink®, 
Plus® and Visa Electron® (owned by Visa Inc.), Star® (owned by First Data Corporation), NYCE® (owned 
by FIS), and Pulse® (owned by Discover), in the United States; Interac in Canada; EFTPOS in Australia; 

12

and Bankserv in South Africa.  In addition, in many countries outside of the United States, local debit brands 
serve as the main brands while our brands are used mostly to enable cross-border transactions, which typically 
represent a small portion of overall transaction volume.     

•  End-to-End  Payments  Networks.    Our  competitors  include  operators  of  proprietary  end-to-end  payments 
networks, such as American Express and Discover, that have direct acquiring relationships with merchants 
and direct issuing relationships with account holders.  These competitors have certain competitive advantages 
over four-party payments systems such as ours.  Among other things, these networks do not require formal 
interchange fees to balance payment system costs between the issuing and acquiring sides of their business, 
even though they have the ability to internally transfer costs in a manner similar to interchange fees.  As a 
result, to date, operators of end-to-end payments networks have generally avoided the same regulatory and 
legislative scrutiny and litigation challenges we face.   

•  Competition  for  Customer  Business.   We  compete  intensely  with  other  payments  networks  for  customer 
business.  Globally, financial institutions typically issue both MasterCard and Visa-branded payment products, 
and we compete with Visa for business on the basis of individual portfolios or programs.  In addition, a number 
of our customers issue American Express and/or Discover-branded payment cards in a manner consistent 
with a four-party system.  We continue to face intense competitive pressure on the prices we charge our issuers 
and acquirers, and we seek to enter into business agreements with them through which we offer incentives 
and other support to issue and promote our payment products.  We also compete for non-financial institution 
partners, such as merchants, governments and telecommunication companies.  

• 

Third-Party  Processors.    We  face  competition,  and  potential  displacement,  from  transaction  processors 
throughout the world, such as First Data Corporation and Total System Services, Inc., which are seeking to 
enhance  their  networks  that  link  issuers  directly  with  point-of-sale  devices  for  payment  transaction 
authorization and processing services.  

•  Alternative Payments Systems and New Entrants.  As the global payments industry becomes more complex, 
we may face increasing competition from emerging payment providers, including networks and others that 
have developed less traditional payment models.  Many of these networks have developed payments systems 
focused on online activity in e-commerce and mobile channels, however they either have or may expand to 
other channels.  These competitors include digital wallet providers such as PayPal®, Google and Amazon, 
mobile operators such as Isis, handset manufacturers, and  social networks such as Facebook®.  We compete 
with these providers in some circumstances, but in some cases they may also be our customers or partner 
with us.  

We compete successfully as a technology-driven company that operates a global payments network within the four-
party model, providing a critical link between consumers, financial institutions, businesses and merchants worldwide.  
We offer secure, unsurpassed acceptance via a highly-adaptable network that is the world's fastest.  We maintain and 
grow our leadership position in payments with the adoption of innovative products and platforms like MasterPass and 
MasterCard  inControl®  (our  platform  featuring  an  array  of  advanced  authorization,  transaction  routing  and  alert 
controls).  We are at the forefront of the effort to reduce the incidence of fraud in global payments, leading industry 
efforts such as EMV migration and tokenization.  Our MasterCard Advisors group is a professional services organization 
dedicated solely to the payments industry.  Our expanded on-soil presence in individual markets and a heightened focus 
on working with governments has improved our ability to serve a broad array of participants in global payments.     

Government Regulation   

General.  Government regulation impacts key aspects of our business.  We are subject to regulations that affect the 
payments industry in the many countries in which our cards and payment devices are used.  See “Risk Factors-Legal 
and Regulatory Risks” in Part I, Item 1A of this Report. 

13

Interchange  Fees.    Interchange  fees  associated  with  four-party  payments  systems  like  ours  are  being  reviewed  or 
challenged in various jurisdictions around the world.  Examples include:

• 

• 

• 

• 

legislation to regulate interchange fees (such the Dodd-Frank Act in the United States and the legislation 
proposed by the European Commission in July 2013); 

competition-related regulatory proceedings (such as the European Commission's December 2007 decision 
restricting  our  cross-border  interchange  fees,  which  is  pending  appeal,  as  well  as  proceedings  in  several 
jurisdictions, including several European Union member states); 

central bank regulation (such as in Australia); and

litigation (such as the merchant litigations in the United States and private lawsuits in Canada and the United 
Kingdom).  

For more detail, see our risk factors in “Risk Factors - Legal and Regulatory Risks” in Part I, Item 1A  of this Report 
related to interchange fees and related practices receiving significant and increasingly intense legal, regulatory and 
legislative scrutiny worldwide, and the Dodd-Frank Act.  Also see Note 18 (Legal and Regulatory Proceedings) to the 
consolidated financial statements included in Part II, Item 8. 

No-Surcharge Rules.  We have historically implemented policies in certain regions that prohibit merchants from charging 
higher  prices  to  consumers  who  pay  using  MasterCard  products  instead  of  other  means.   Authorities  in  several 
jurisdictions have acted to end or limit the application of these no-surcharge rules (or indicated interest in doing so), 
including the Reserve Bank of Australia (the “RBA”) and the Canadian Competition Bureau (the “CCB”).  Additionally, 
pursuant to the terms of settlement of the U.S. merchant class litigation, in January 2013 we modified our no-surcharge 
rules to permit U.S. merchants to surcharge credit cards, subject to certain limitations.  

Data  Protection  and  Information  Security.   Aspects  of  our  operations  or  business  are  subject  to  privacy  and  data 
protection regulation in the United States, the European Union and elsewhere.  For example, in the United States, we 
and  our  customers  are  respectively  subject  to  Federal Trade  Commission  and  federal  banking  agency  information 
safeguarding requirements under the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act that require the maintenance of a written, comprehensive 
information  security  program.    Regulatory  authorities  around  the  world  are  considering  numerous  legislative  and 
regulatory proposals concerning privacy and data protection. In addition, the interpretation and application of these 
privacy and data protection laws in the United States, Europe and elsewhere are often uncertain and in a state of flux.  
See our risk factor in "Risk Factors - Legal and Regulatory Risks" in Part I, Item 1A of this Report related to regulation 
in the areas of consumer privacy, data use and/or security.  

Anti-Money Laundering.  MasterCard is subject to anti-money laundering (“AML”) laws and regulations, including 
the regulatory requirements of Section 352 of the USA PATRIOT Act.  We have implemented a comprehensive AML 
program designed to prevent our payment network from being used to facilitate money laundering and other illicit 
activity.   Our AML  compliance  program  is  comprised  of  policies,  procedures  and  internal  controls,  including  the 
designation of a compliance officer, and is designed to address these legal and regulatory requirements and assist in 
managing money laundering and terrorist financing risks.  

Economic Sanctions.  We are subject to regulations imposed by the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”) 
restricting financial transactions and other dealings with Cuba, Iran, Syria and Sudan and with persons and entities 
included in OFAC's list of Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons (the “SDN List”).  Cuba, Iran, Syria 
and  Sudan  have  been  identified  by  the  U.S.  State  Department  as  terrorist-sponsoring  states.  We  have  no  offices, 
subsidiaries or affiliated entities located in these countries and do not license financial institutions domiciled in these 
countries.  We have established a risk-based compliance program that includes policies, procedures and controls that 
are designed to prevent us from having business dealings with prohibited countries, individuals or entities.  This includes 
obligating issuers and acquirers to screen cardholders and merchants, respectively, against the SDN list.    

Banking Agency Supervision.  We are or may be subject to regulations related to our role in the financial industry and 
our relationship with our financial institution customers.  Certain of our operations are periodically reviewed by the 
U.S. Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council under its authority to examine financial institutions' technology 
service providers.  

14

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and Financial Stability Oversight Council.  The Consumer Financial Protection 
Bureau (the “CFPB”) has significant authority to regulate consumer financial products in the United States, including 
consumer  credit,  deposit,  payment,  and  similar  products.    In  addition,  the  Financial  Stability  Oversight  Council 
(“FSOC”) is tasked with, among other things, identifying payment, clearing and settlement systems in the United States 
that are “systemically important” under the applicable statutory standard.  Such systems will be subject to new regulation, 
supervision and examination requirements.  It is not entirely clear whether and/or to what extent the CFPB will regulate 
broader aspects of payment card network operations, and to date, MasterCard has not been designated “systemically 
important.”  See our risk factor in "Risk Factors - Legal and Regulatory Risks" in Part I, Item 1A related to the Dodd-
Frank Act.

Retail Payments System Regulation.  Regulators in several countries around the world either have, or are seeking to 
establish, authority to regulate certain aspects of the payments systems in their countries.  Such authority could result 
in regulation of various aspects of our business.  Payment system oversight also could be used to provide resources or 
preferential treatment or other protection to selected domestic payments and processing providers, such as in Russia 
and Ukraine.  See our risk factor in "Risk Factors - Legal and Regulatory Risks" in Part I, Item 1A related to government 
actions that may prevent us from competing effectively against providers of domestic payments or processing services 
in certain countries.  

Issuer Practice Regulation.  Our customers are subject to numerous regulations and investigations applicable to banks 
and other financial institutions in their capacity as issuers and otherwise, impacting MasterCard as a consequence.  Such 
regulations and investigations have related to bank overdraft practices and issuance and other practices related to prepaid 
cards.    

Regulation of Internet Transactions.  Under the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act, payment transactions 
must be coded and blocked for certain types of Internet gambling transactions.  The legislation applies to payments 
system participants, including MasterCard and our U.S. customers, and is implemented through a federal regulation.  
In addition, the U.S. Congress (and some states) continues its consideration of regulatory initiatives in digital-related 
areas, such as cyber-security, copyright and trademark infringement and privacy.    

Additional Regulatory Developments.  Various regulatory agencies also continue to examine a wide variety of issues, 
including  campus  cards,  virtual  currencies,  payment  card  add-on  products,  identity  theft,  account  management 
guidelines, privacy, disclosure rules, security and marketing that would impact our customers directly.  

Seasonality

See “Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations-Seasonality” in Part II, 
Item 7 of this Report.

Financial Information About Geographic Areas

See Note 21 (Segment Reporting) to the consolidated financial statements included in Part II, Item 8 of this Report for 
certain geographic financial information.

Employees   

As of December 31, 2013, we employed approximately 8,200 persons, of which approximately 3,800 were employed 
outside of the United States.  We consider our relationship with employees to be good. 

Additional Information

MasterCard Incorporated was incorporated as a Delaware stock corporation in May 2001.  We conduct our business 
principally through MasterCard Incorporated's principal operating subsidiary, MasterCard International Incorporated 
(“MasterCard International”), a Delaware non-stock (or membership) corporation that was formed in November 1966.  
In May 2006, we completed a plan for a new ownership and governance structure for MasterCard Incorporated (including 
an initial public offering of a new class of common stock (the “IPO”)).  For more information about our capital structure, 
including our Class A common stock (our voting stock) and Class B common stock (our non-voting stock), see Note 
13 (Stockholders' Equity) to the consolidated financial statements included in Part II, Item 8.

15

Website and SEC Reports 

The Company's internet address is www.mastercard.com.  From time to time, we may use our website as a channel of 
distribution  of  material  company  information.    Financial  and  other  material  information  is  routinely  posted  and 
accessible on the investor relations section of our corporate website.  In addition, you may automatically receive e-
mail alerts and other information about MasterCard by enrolling your e-mail address by visiting “E-Mail Alerts” in the 
investor relations section of our corporate website. 

Our annual report on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K and amendments to 
those reports are available, without charge, for review on the investor relations section of our corporate website as soon 
as reasonably practicable after they are filed with, or furnished to, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.  The 
information contained on our website is not incorporated by reference into this Report.

Item 1A.  Risk Factors

Legal and Regulatory Risks  

Interchange fees and acceptance practices receive significant and intense legal, regulatory and legislative scrutiny 
worldwide, and the resulting decisions, regulations and legislation may have a material adverse impact on our 
overall business and results of operations.    

Interchange fees are generally the largest component of the costs that acquirers charge merchants in connection with 
the acceptance of payment cards.  They are also a factor on which we compete with other payment providers and 
therefore an important determinant of the volume of transactions we process over our network.  We do not earn revenues 
from interchange fees.  We have historically set default interchange fees in the United States and certain other countries.  
In  some  jurisdictions,  interchange  fees  and  related  practices  are  subject  to  legislation,  regulation  and  litigation  as 
electronic forms of payment have become more important to local economies.  Regulators and legislative bodies in a 
number of countries, as well as merchants, are seeking to reduce these fees through legislation, competition-related 
regulatory proceedings, central bank regulation and/or litigation.    

Examples of legislative activity related to interchange fees include:

• 

In July 2013, the European Commission proposed legislation relating to payment system regulation of cards 
issued and acquired within the European Economic Area (the “EEA”). The proposed legislation includes, 
among other things, the following elements: (1) a cap on credit and debit interchange fees of 30 and 20 basis 
points per transaction, respectively, initially for intra-EEA cross-border consumer transactions (these cross-
border rates are comparable to the consumer rates MasterCard has applied for Europe on a weighted average 
basis since July 2009), and subsequently for all domestic consumer transactions in the EEA; (2) restrictions 
on our “honor all cards” rule with respect to products with different levels of interchange; (3) a prohibition of 
surcharging by merchants for products that are subject to regulated interchange rates; (4) the prohibition of 
rules that prevent an issuer from “co-badging” (that is, putting a competing brand on its credit or debit cards); 
and (5) the separation of brand and processing in terms of legal form, organization and decision making.  
Procedurally, the proposed legislation is currently being debated, and may be potentially amended, by the 
European Union Parliament.  The proposed legislation will also need to be reviewed by the Council of Ministers 
and the European Commission before it can be adopted. Any final legislation, if approved by the European 
Union Parliament and the Council of Ministers, could be different than what is in the initial proposal.  

• 

In Poland and Hungary, legislation became effective in January 2014 capping domestic interchange fees, and 
similar legislation is being considered in other jurisdictions such as Portugal and Israel.  

Examples of competition-related regulatory proceedings or inquiries around the world with respect to interchange fees 
and acceptance practices include:  

• 

In December 2007, the European Commission issued a negative decision (upheld by a judgment of the General 
Court of the European Union, which we are appealing) with respect to our cross-border interchange fees for 
consumer credit and debit cards under European Union competition rules.  

16

• 

In  February  2007,  the  Office  of  Fair Trading  in  the  United  Kingdom  commenced  a  new  investigation  of 
MasterCard Europe’s U.K. interchange fees (which is suspended pending the outcome of our appeal of the 
European Commission decision).  

Examples of regulation, or potential regulation, by central banks and similar types of regulatory authorities around the 
world with respect to interchange fees and acceptance practices include: 

•  The Reserve Bank of Australia enacted regulations in 2002 (which have been subsequently reviewed and not 
withdrawn) controlling the costs that can be considered in setting interchange fees for four-party payment card 
systems such as ours and capping the average of such interchange fees. 

• 

In September 2010, the South African Reserve Bank commenced a process to determine the manner in which 
interchange fees for all payments systems in South Africa should be set.  

•  The Minister of Finance in Canada is considering revising the voluntary “Code of Conduct”, which addresses 
issues  for  payment  card  industry  participants  in  Canada,  to  address  issues  related  to  interchange  rates, 
transparency of acceptance costs, premium payment product and merchant discount rates. 

• 

In 2013, the United Kingdom passed legislation to create a new regulatory body that would have the authority 
to regulate payment systems, and the government is in the process of determining the scope of this authority.  

See Note 18 (Legal and Regulatory Proceedings) to the consolidated financial statements included in Part II, Item 8 
for a detailed description of regulatory proceedings and inquiries into interchange fees.  We believe that regulators are 
increasingly cooperating on interchange matters and, as a result, developments in any one jurisdiction may influence 
regulators’ approach to interchange fees in other jurisdictions.  See our risk factor in “Risk Factors - Legal and Regulatory 
Risks” in this Part I, Item 1A related to the impact of new regulations or other legislative or regulatory activity in one 
jurisdiction or of one product to other jurisdictions or other products.  

Additionally, merchants are seeking to reduce interchange fees and impact acceptance rules through litigation.  Such 
litigation includes: 

• 

• 

• 

In the United States, merchants have filed approximately 50 class action or individual suits alleging that our 
interchange fees and acceptance rules violate federal antitrust laws.  These suits (the settlement of which has 
received  final  court  approval)  alleged,  among  other  things,  that  our  purported  setting  of  interchange  fees 
constitutes horizontal price-fixing between and among MasterCard and its customer banks, and MasterCard, 
Visa  and  their  customer  banks  in  violation  of  Section 1  of  the  Sherman Act,  which  prohibits  contracts, 
combinations or conspiracies that unreasonably restrain trade.  The suits sought treble damages, attorneys' 
fees and injunctive relief. 

In Canada, a number of class action suits have been filed against MasterCard, Visa and a number of large 
Canadian  banks  relating  to  MasterCard  and  Visa  interchange  fees  and  rules  related  to  interchange  fees, 
including “honor all cards” and “no surcharge” rules. 

In the United Kingdom, a number of retailers have filed claims against us for unspecified damages with respect 
to MasterCard’s cross-border interchange fees and its U.K. and Ireland domestic interchange fees.  

See Note 18 (Legal and Regulatory Proceedings) to the consolidated financial statements included in Part II, Item 8 
for more details regarding the allegations contained in these complaints and the status of these proceedings.

If issuers cannot collect, or we are forced to reduce, interchange fees, issuers will be unable to use interchange fees to 
recoup a portion of the costs incurred for their services.  This could reduce the number of financial institutions willing 
to participate in our four-party payments system, lower overall transaction volumes, and/or make proprietary end-to-
end networks or other forms of payment more attractive.  Issuers could also choose to charge higher fees to consumers 
to attempt to recoup a portion of the costs incurred for their services, thereby making our card programs less desirable 
to consumers and reducing our transaction volumes and profitability.  In addition, issuers could attempt to decrease the 
expense of their card and other payment programs by seeking a reduction in the fees that we charge to them.  This could 
also result in less innovation and fewer product offerings.  We are devoting substantial management and financial 

17

resources to the defense of interchange fees in regulatory proceedings, litigation and legislative activity.  The potential 
outcome of any legislative, regulatory or litigation action could have a more positive or negative impact on MasterCard 
relative to its competitors.  If we are ultimately unsuccessful in our defense of interchange fees, any such legislation, 
regulation and/or litigation may have a material adverse impact on our overall business and results of operations.  In 
addition, regulatory proceedings and litigation could result in MasterCard being fined and/or having to pay civil damages.   

The Dodd-Frank Act may have a material adverse impact on our overall business and results of operations.   

The Dodd-Frank Act enacted in the United States includes provisions that provide for the regulation by the Federal 
Reserve of debit and prepaid interchange fees and certain other network industry practices.  Among other things, it 
requires debit and prepaid “interchange transaction fees” (referred to in the Dodd-Frank Act as fees established, charged 
or received by a payment card network for the purpose of compensating an issuer for its involvement in an electronic 
debit transaction) to be “reasonable and proportional to the cost incurred by the issuer with respect to the transaction.”  
Additionally, it provides that neither an issuer nor a payment card network may establish exclusive network arrangements 
for debit or prepaid cards or inhibit the ability of a merchant to choose among different networks for routing debit or 
prepaid transactions. 

The Federal Reserve regulations implementing these provisions limit per-transaction U.S. debit and prepaid interchange 
fees to 21 cents plus five basis points.  The issuer may receive a fraud prevention adjustment of an additional one cent 
if it meets certain requirements.  The regulations contain exemptions from the interchange limitations for issuers that, 
together with their affiliates, have less than $10 billion in assets, as well as for debit cards issued pursuant to a government-
administered payment program and certain reloadable prepaid cards.  Also, while the regulations do not directly regulate 
network fees, they make clear that network fees cannot be used to circumvent the interchange fee restrictions.  See our 
risk factor in “Risk Factors - Legal and Regulatory Risks” in this Part I, Item 1A with respect to interchange fees and 
related practices receiving significant and increasingly intense legal, regulatory and legislative scrutiny worldwide.  
Issuers and networks are required to file various types of information regarding debit and prepaid transactions with the 
Federal Reserve periodically, and such information could be used by the Federal Reserve to reexamine and potentially 
re-set the interchange cap.  With respect to network arrangements and transaction routing, the regulations require debit 
and prepaid cards to be enabled with two unaffiliated payments networks.  The regulations also provide that an issuer 
or payments network may not inhibit the ability of any person that accepts or honors a debit or prepaid card to direct 
the routing of the card transaction for processing over any network enabled on the card.  

In July 2013, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia (the “District Court”) granted summary judgment in 
favor of a group of retailers and retailer trade associations, overturning these Federal Reserve regulations with regard 
to interchange fees and network non-exclusivity.  The District Court’s decision requires the Federal Reserve to revise 
its regulations to consider only incremental authorization, clearing and settlement costs in determining the level of 
interchange fees, as well as require two unaffiliated networks for routing transactions for each authentication method 
(PIN and signature).  The Federal Reserve has appealed the decision to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of 
Columbia Circuit (the “Appellate Court”) and the District Court has issued an order staying its decision pending this 
appeal.  As a result, the Federal Reserve’s debit interchange regulations remain in effect until the appellate process is 
completed.  The Appellate Court has granted a motion to expedite the Federal Reserve’s appeal and a decision is expected 
in 2014.  If the District Court’s ruling is upheld, the Federal Reserve would be required to revise its regulations in 
accordance with the ruling. It is not clear at what level the Federal Reserve would set the interchange fees, although, 
based on the decision, the level of interchange fees likely would be significantly reduced. 

The CFPB and FSOC were both created under the Dodd-Frank Act.  The CFPB has significant authority to regulate 
consumer financial products, although it is not clear whether and/or to what extent it will regulate broader aspects of 
payment  card  networks.   The  FSOC  is  tasked  with  identifying  payment,  clearing  and  settlement  systems  that  are 
“systemically important”.  If MasterCard were designated “systemically important”, it would be subject to new risk 
management regulations relating to its payment, clearing and settlement activities.  New regulations could address 
areas  such  as  risk  management  policies  and  procedures;  collateral  requirements;  participant  default  policies  and 
procedures; the ability to complete timely clearing and settlement of financial transactions; and capital and financial 
resource requirements.  Also, a “systemically important” payments system could be required to obtain prior approval 
from the Federal Reserve or another federal agency for changes to its system rules, procedures or operations that could 
materially affect the level of risk presented by that payments system.  These developments or actions could increase 

18

the cost of operating our business and may make electronic payment transactions less attractive to card issuers, as well 
as consumers.  This could result in a reduction in our payments volume and revenues. 

If issuers, acquirers and/or merchants modify their business operations or otherwise take actions in response to this 
legislation, the Federal Reserve’s regulations and/or any revised rules that have the result of reducing the number of 
debit or prepaid transactions we process or the network fees we collect, the Dodd-Frank Act could have a material 
adverse  impact  on  our  overall  business  and  results  of  operations.    In  order  to  successfully  compete  in  such  an 
environment, we and our customers would each need to adjust our strategies accordingly.

We  entered  into  an  agreement  to  settle  the  current  U.S.  merchant  class  litigation  that,  among  other  things, 
requires  us  to  not  restrict  U.S.  merchants,  subject  to  certain  conditions,  from  surcharging  credit  card 
transactions, which could impact the use of electronic payments and result in a decrease in our overall transaction 
volumes and could in turn materially and adversely impact our results of operations.  

We have historically implemented policies, referred to as no-surcharge rules, in certain regions, including the United 
States, that prohibit merchants from charging higher prices to consumers who pay using MasterCard products instead 
of other means.  As part of the terms of the settlement of the U.S. merchant class litigation entered into by the Company 
in October 2012 (which has received final court approval), the Company and Visa have modified their no-surcharge 
or comparable rules to permit U.S. merchants to surcharge credit cards, subject to certain limitations (including ensuring 
that MasterCard or Visa cardholders are not unfairly subject to surcharging relative to cardholders of competing credit 
card  networks  such  as American  Express,  Discover  and  PayPal,  should  those  networks  enforce  rules  that  restrict 
surcharging).  It is possible that over time U.S. merchants in some or all merchant categories may choose to surcharge 
as permitted by the rule change, which could make credit card programs less desirable to consumers in the United 
States.  In the event that such merchants surcharge credit cards, this could result in consumers having a less favorable 
view of our products and/or using alternative means of payment instead of electronic products, which could result in 
a decrease in our overall transaction volumes, and which in turn could materially and adversely impact our results of 
operations. 

New regulations or other regulatory activity with respect to the payments industry in one jurisdiction or of one 
product may lead to new regulations (or impact pending regulatory proceedings) in other jurisdictions or of 
other products.  

Regulators around the world increasingly look at each other's approaches to the regulation of the payments and other 
industries. Consequently, a development in any one country, state or region may influence regulatory approaches in 
other countries, states or regions.  For example, the December 2007 European Commission decision with respect to 
cross-border  interchange  fees  could  also  lead  to  additional  competition  authorities  in  European  member  states 
commencing investigations or proceedings regarding domestic interchange fees or initiating regulation.  The General 
Court’s judgment in May 2012 upholding the European Commission’s decision has increased the possibility of such 
actions, as well as the possibility of an adverse outcome for us in related and pending matters.  Similarly, new laws and 
regulations in a country, state or region involving one product may cause lawmakers there to extend the regulations to 
another product.  For example, regulations affecting debit transactions (such as the Federal Reserve's rules implementing 
the Dodd-Frank Act) could lead to regulation of other consumer products (including credit).  See our risk factor in 
“Risk Factors - Legal and Regulatory Risks” in this Part I, Item 1A with respect to government actions that may prevent 
us from competing effectively against providers of domestic payment services in certain countries. 

As a result, the risks created by any one new law or regulation are magnified by the potential they have to be replicated 
in other jurisdictions or involving other products, affecting our business.  These include matters like interchange rates, 
network standards and network exclusivity and routing agreements.  Conversely, if widely varying regulations come 
into existence worldwide, we may have difficulty adjusting our products, services, fees and other important aspects of 
our business, with the same effect.  Either of these outcomes could materially and adversely affect our overall business 
and results of operations. 

19

Government actions preferring or protecting providers of domestic payment services in certain countries may 
prevent us from competing effectively against those providers, which could adversely affect our ability to maintain 
or increase our revenues.  

Governments in some countries, such as China, Russia, Ukraine and India could act (or have acted) to provide resources 
or preferential treatment or other protection to selected national payment and processing providers, or may otherwise 
create (or have created) and support its own national provider.  This action may displace us from, prevent us from 
entering into, or substantially restrict us from participating in, particular geographies.  As an example, governments in 
some countries are considering, or may consider, regulatory requirements that mandate processing of domestic payments 
either entirely in that country or by only domestic companies.  Such a development would prevent us from utilizing 
our global processing capabilities for customers.  Our efforts to effect change in, or work with, these countries may not 
succeed.  This could adversely affect our ability to maintain or increase our revenues and extend our global brand.  

The payments industry is the subject of increasing global regulatory focus, which may materially and adversely 
affect our overall business and results of operations.  

We are subject to regulations that affect the payments industry in the many countries in which our cards and other 
devices are used.  In particular, many of our customers are subject to regulations applicable to banks and other financial 
institutions in the United States and abroad, and, consequently, we are at times affected by such regulations.  Regulation 
of the payments industry, including regulations applicable to us and our customers, has increased significantly in the 
last several years.  See “Business-Government Regulation” in Part I, Item 1 for a detailed description of such regulation 
and related legislation.  Examples include:  

•  Anti-Money Laundering and Economic Sanctions - We are subject to AML laws and regulations, including 
the USA Patriot Act in the United States, as well as the various economic sanctions programs administered 
by OFAC, including  restrictions on financial transactions with certain countries and with persons and entities 
included on the SDN List. We have policies, procedures and controls designed to comply with applicable AML 
and OFAC sanctions requirements.  We take measures to prevent transactions that do not comply with OFAC 
sanctions,  including  obligating  our  customers  to  screen  cardholders  and  merchants  against  the  SDN  List.  
However, despite these measures, it is possible that such transactions may be processed through our payments 
system.   Activity  such  as  money  laundering  or  terrorist  financing  involving  our  cards  could  result  in  an 
enforcement action, and our reputation may suffer due to our customer's association with those countries, 
persons or entities or the existence of any such transaction.  Any enforcement action or reputational damage 
could reduce the use and acceptance of our products and/or increase our costs, and thereby have a material 
adverse impact on our business. 

•  Retail Payment System Regulation - Authority of regulators in several countries to regulate certain aspects of 
payments systems under which MasterCard operates could result in obligations or restrictions with respect to 
the types of products that we may offer to consumers, the countries in which our cards and other payment 
devices may be used and the types of cardholders and merchants who can obtain or accept our cards.  Such 
obligations and restrictions could be further increased as more jurisdictions provide oversight of payment 
systems.  Moreover, if this oversight is used to provide resources or preferential treatment or protection to 
selected domestic payments and processing providers, it could displace us from, or prevent us from entering 
into, or substantially restrict us from participating in, particular geographies.  See our risk factor in “Risk 
Factors - Legal and Regulatory Risks” in this Part I, Item 1A, with respect to government actions which may 
prevent us from competing effectively against providers of domestic payments services in certain countries.  

• 

Issuer  Practice  Legislation  and  Regulation  -  Our  financial  institution  customers  are  subject  to  numerous 
regulations applicable to issuers and more generally to banks and other financial institutions, which impact 
us as a consequence. Existing or new regulations in these or other areas may diminish the attractiveness of 
our products to our customers and thereby directly impact our business and transaction volumes.

•  Regulation  of  Digital  Transactions  - The  U.S.  Congress  and  some  states  continue  to  consider  regulatory 
initiatives relating to digital areas, including cyber-security, copyright, trademark infringement and privacy.  
Congress may also consider additional legislation to legalize and regulate Internet gambling.  If implemented, 
any  such  regulation  could  impose  additional  compliance  burdens  on  us  and/or  our  customers,  including 

20

requiring us or our customers to monitor, filter, restrict, or otherwise oversee various categories of payment 
card transactions, thereby increasing our costs or decreasing our transaction volumes.  

Increased regulatory focus on us, such as in connection with the matters discussed above, may result in costly compliance 
burdens  and/or  may  otherwise  increase  our  costs,  which  could  materially  and  adversely  impact  our  financial 
performance.  Similarly, increased regulatory focus on our customers may cause such customers to reduce the volume 
of transactions processed through our systems, which could reduce our revenues and materially and adversely impact 
our financial performance.  Finally, failure to comply with the laws and regulations discussed above to which we are 
subject could result in fines, sanctions or other penalties, which could materially and adversely affect our overall business 
and results of operations, as well as have an impact on our reputation.   

Regulation in the areas of consumer privacy, data use and/or security could decrease the number of payment 
cards and devices issued and could increase our costs.  

We are subject to regulations related to privacy, data protection and information security in the jurisdictions in which 
we  do  business.   These  regulations  could  result  in  negative  impacts  to  our  business.     Due  to  recent  account  data 
compromise  events  at  large,  U.S.-based  retailers,  as  well  as  the  disclosure  of  the  monitoring  activities  by  certain 
governmental agencies, there has been heightened legislative and regulatory scrutiny around the world.  Regulation of 
privacy  and  data  protection  and  information  security  may  require  changes  to    our  data    practices  in  regard  to  the 
collection, use, disclosure or security of personal and sensitive information.  Failure to comply with the these laws and 
regulations  could result in fines, sanctions or other penalties, which could materially and adversely affect our results 
of operations and overall business, as well as have an impact on our reputation.  Any additional, or changes to, regulations 
in these areas (as well as the manner in which such laws could be interpreted or applied) may also increase our costs 
to comply with such regulations and could impact aspects of our business such as fraud monitoring and the development 
of information based products and solutions.  In addition, these regulations may increase the costs of our customers to 
issue payment products, which may, in turn, decrease the number of our cards and other payment devices that they 
issue.  Any of these changes could materially and adversely affect our overall business and results of operations.

Liabilities we may incur for any litigation that has been or may be brought against us could materially and 
adversely affect our results of operations.  

We are a defendant on a number of civil litigations and regulatory proceedings and investigations, including among 
others, those alleging violations of competition and antitrust law.  See Note 18 (Legal and Regulatory Proceedings) to 
the consolidated financial statements included in Part II, Item 8 for more details regarding the allegations contained in 
these complaints and the status of these proceedings.  In the event we are found liable in any of these material litigations 
or proceedings, particularly in the event we may be found liable in a large class-action lawsuit or on the basis of an 
antitrust claim entitling the plaintiff to treble damages or under which we were jointly and severally liable, we could 
be subject to significant damages, which could materially and adversely affect our financial condition and results of 
operations.  

Limitations on our business resulting from litigation or litigation settlements may materially and adversely affect 
our overall business and results of operations. 

Certain limitations have been placed on our business in recent years because of litigation and litigation settlements, 
such as changes to our no-surcharge rule in the United States.  Any future limitations on our business resulting from 
litigation or litigation settlements could reduce the volume of business that we do with our customers, which may 
materially and adversely affect our overall business and results of operations.  

Potential changes in the tax laws applicable to us could materially increase our tax payments.  

Potential changes in existing tax laws, such as recent proposals for fundamental tax reform in the United States, including 
the treatment of earnings of controlled foreign corporations, may impact our effective tax rate and tax payments.  This 
could adversely impact our results of operations.  See also Note 17 (Income Tax) to the consolidated financial statements 
included in Part II, Item 8.  

21

Business Risks 

Substantial and increasingly intense competition worldwide in the global payments industry may materially and 
adversely affect our overall business and results of operations.  

The global payments industry is highly competitive.  Our payment programs compete against all forms of payment, 
including paper-based transactions (principally cash and checks); card-based or other electronic payment programs or 
systems,  including  credit,  charge,  debit,  prepaid,  private-label  and  other  types  of  general  purpose  and  limited  use 
programs; contactless, mobile and web-based payment platforms; and other electronic transactions such as wire transfers 
and Automated Clearing House payments.  Within the global general purpose payments industry, we face substantial 
and increasingly intense competition worldwide from systems such as Visa, American Express, Discover, UnionPay, 
JCB and PayPal among others.  In certain jurisdictions, including the United States, Visa has greater volume, scale and 
market share than we do, which may provide significant competitive advantages.  Moreover, some of our traditional 
competitors,  as  well  as  alternative  payment  service  providers,  may  have  substantially  greater  financial  and  other 
resources than we have, may offer a wider range of programs and services than we offer or may use more effective 
advertising and marketing strategies to achieve broader brand recognition or merchant acceptance than we have.  Our 
ability to compete may also be affected by the outcomes of litigation, competition-related regulatory proceedings, 
central bank activity and legislative activity.   

Certain of our competitors, including American Express, Discover, private-label card networks and certain alternative 
payments systems, operate end-to-end payments systems with direct connections to both merchants and consumers.  
These competitors seek to derive competitive advantages from their business models.  For example, operators of end-
to-end payments systems tend to have greater control over consumer and merchant customer service than operators of 
four-party payments systems such as ours, in which we must typically rely on our issuing and acquiring financial 
institution customers.  In addition, even when they operate programs that utilize a four-party system, these competitors 
have generally not attracted the same level of regulatory or legislative scrutiny of their pricing and business practices 
as have operators of four-party payments systems such as ours.  If we continue to attract more regulatory scrutiny than 
these competitors because we operate a four-party system, or we are regulated because of the system we operate in a 
way in which our competitors are not, we could lose business to these competitors.  See “Business-Competition” in 
Part I, Item 1.   

If we are not able to differentiate ourselves from our competitors, drive value for our customers and/or effectively align 
our resources with our goals and objectives, we may not be able to compete effectively against these threats.  Our 
competitors may also more effectively introduce their own innovative programs and services that adversely impact our 
growth.  Our customers can also develop their own competitive services.  We also compete against new entrants that 
have developed alternative payments systems, e-commerce payments systems and payments systems for mobile devices, 
as well as physical store locations.  A number of these new entrants rely principally on the Internet to support their 
services and may enjoy lower costs than we do, which could put us at a competitive disadvantage.  Our failure to 
compete effectively against any of the foregoing competitive threats could materially and adversely affect our overall 
business and results of operations.

Potential future changes in the competitive landscape, including disintermediation from other participants in 
the payments value chain, also could harm our business. 

We expect that there may be future changes in the competitive landscape, including:  

• 

Parties that process our transactions in certain countries may try to eliminate our position as an intermediary 
in the payment process.  For example, merchants could process transactions directly with issuers, or processors 
could process transactions directly between issuers and acquirers.  Large scale consolidation within processors 
could  result  in  these  processors  developing  bilateral  agreements  or  in  some  cases  processing  the  entire 
transaction on their own network, thereby disintermediating us.  

•  Rapid and significant technological changes could occur, resulting in new and innovative payment programs 
that could place us at a competitive disadvantage and that could reduce the use of MasterCard products. 

22

•  Competitors, customers, governments and other industry participants may develop products that compete with 
or replace value-added services we currently provide to support our transaction processing which could, if 
significant numbers of cardholders choose to use them, replace our own processing services or could force us 
to change our pricing or practices for these services. 

• 

Participants in the payments industry may merge, create joint ventures or form other business combinations 
that may strengthen their existing business services or create new payment services that compete with our 
services. 

Our failure to compete effectively against any of the foregoing competitive threats could materially and adversely affect 
our overall business and results of operations. 

We face continued intense competitive pressure on the prices we charge our customers, which may materially 
and adversely affect our business and results of operations.  

We generate revenue from the fees that we charge issuers and acquirers for providing transaction processing and other 
payment-related services and from assessments on the dollar volume of activity on cards and other devices carrying 
our brands.  In order to increase transaction volumes, enter new markets and expand our card base, we seek to enter 
into business agreements with customers through which we offer incentives, pricing discounts and other support to 
customers that issue and promote our products.  In order to stay competitive, we may have to increase the amount of 
these incentives and pricing discounts.  Over the past several years, we have experienced continued pricing pressure.  
The demand from our customers for better pricing arrangements and greater rebates and incentives moderates our 
growth.  We may not be able to continue our expansion strategy to process additional transaction volumes or to provide 
additional services to our customers at levels sufficient to compensate for such lower fees or increased costs in the 
future, which could materially and adversely affect our overall business and results of operations.  In addition, increased 
pressure on prices enhances the importance of cost containment and productivity initiatives in areas other than those 
relating to customer incentives.  We may not succeed in these efforts.   

In the future, we may not be able to enter into agreements with our customers on terms that we consider favorable, and 
we may be required to modify existing agreements in order to maintain relationships and to compete with others in the 
industry.  Some of our competitors are larger and have greater financial resources than we do and accordingly may be 
able to charge lower prices to our customers.  In addition, to the extent that we offer discounts or incentives under such 
agreements, we will need to further increase transaction volumes or the amount of services provided thereunder in 
order to benefit incrementally from such agreements and to increase revenue and profit, and we may not be successful 
in doing so, particularly in the current regulatory environment.  Our customers also may implement cost reduction 
initiatives that reduce or eliminate payment product marketing or increase requests for greater incentives or greater 
cost stability.  These factors could have a material adverse impact on our overall business and results of operations.   

Continuing consolidation or other changes in or affecting the banking industry could result in a loss of business 
for us and create pressure on the fees we charge our customers, resulting in lower prices and/or more favorable 
terms for our customers, which may materially and adversely affect our overall business and results of operations.   

The banking industry has undergone substantial, accelerated consolidation in the past.  Consolidations have included 
customers with  a substantial MasterCard portfolio being acquired by institutions with a strong relationship with  a 
competitor.  If significant consolidation were to continue in the banking industry, it may result in the substantial loss 
of business for us, which could have a material adverse impact on our business and prospects.  In addition, one or more 
of our customers could seek to merge with, or acquire, one of our competitors, and any such transaction could also 
have a material adverse impact on our overall business.  

Consolidation in the banking industry, whether as a result of an acquisition of a substantial MasterCard portfolio by an 
institution with a strong relationship with a competitor or the combination of two institutions with which we have a 
strong relationship, would also produce a smaller number of large customers, which could increase the bargaining 
power of our customers.  This consolidation could lead to lower prices and/or more favorable terms for our customers.  
Any such lower prices and/or more favorable terms could materially and adversely affect our results of operations.  

23

If we lose a significant portion of business from one or more of our largest customers, our revenue could fluctuate 
and decrease significantly in the longer term, which could have a material adverse long-term impact on our 
business.   

Most of our customer relationships are not exclusive and in certain circumstances may be terminated by our customers.  
Our customers can reassess their commitments to us at any time in the future and/or develop their own competitive 
services.  Accordingly, our business agreements with these customers may not reduce the risk inherent in our business 
that customers may terminate their relationships with us in favor of relationships with our competitors, or for other 
reasons, or might not meet their contractual obligations to us. 

In addition, a significant portion of our revenue is concentrated among our five largest customers.  Loss of business 
from any of our large customers could have a material adverse impact on our overall business and results of operations.  

Merchants continue to be focused on the costs of accepting electronic forms of payment, which may lead to 
additional litigation and regulatory proceedings and may increase the costs of our incentive programs, which 
could materially and adversely affect our profitability. 

Merchants are an important constituency in our payments system.  We rely on both our relationships with them, as well 
as their relationships with our issuer and acquirer customers, to expand the acceptance of our cards and payment devices.  
We also work with merchants to help them enable new sales channels, create better purchase experiences, improve 
efficiencies, increase revenues and fight fraud.  In the retail industry, there is a set of larger merchants with increasingly 
global scope.  We believe that these merchants are having a significant impact on all participants in the global payments 
industry, including MasterCard.  Some large merchants have supported the legal, regulatory and legislative challenges 
to interchange fees that MasterCard has been defending, including the U.S. merchant litigations as to which the Company 
recently entered into a settlement agreement (which has received final court approval).  See our risk factor in this Part 
I, Item 1A with respect to interchange fees and related practices receiving significant and increasingly intense legal, 
regulatory and legislative scrutiny worldwide.  Also see our risk factor in “Risk Factors - Legal and Regulatory Risks” 
in this Part I, Item 1A with respect to the Dodd-Frank Act.  The continued focus of merchants on the costs of accepting 
various forms of payment may lead to additional litigation and regulatory proceedings.   

Merchants are also able to negotiate incentives from us and pricing concessions from our issuer and acquirer customers 
as a condition to accepting our payment cards and devices.  As merchants consolidate and become even larger, we may 
have to increase the amount of incentives that we provide to certain merchants, which could materially and adversely 
affect our results of operations.  Competitive and regulatory pressures on pricing could make it difficult to offset the 
costs of these incentives.   

Certain  customers  have  exclusive,  or  nearly  exclusive,  relationships  with  our  competitors  to  issue  payment 
products, and these relationships may adversely affect our ability to maintain or increase our revenues and may 
have a material adverse impact on our business.  

Certain customers have exclusive, or nearly-exclusive, relationships with our competitors to issue payment products, 
and these relationships may make it difficult or cost-prohibitive for us to do significant amounts of business with them 
to increase our revenues.  In addition, these customers may be more successful and may grow faster than the customers 
that primarily issue our cards, which could put us at a competitive disadvantage.  Furthermore, we earn substantial 
revenue from customers with nearly-exclusive relationships with our competitors.  Such relationships could provide 
advantages to the customers to shift business from us to the competitors with which they are principally aligned.  A 
significant loss of our existing revenue or transaction volumes from these customers could have a material adverse 
impact on our business.   

We depend significantly on our relationships with our issuers and acquirers to manage our payments system.  
If we are unable to maintain those relationships, or if our issuers and acquirers are unable to maintain their 
relationships  with  cardholders  or  merchants  that  accept  our  products  for  payment,  our  business  may  be 
materially and adversely affected.  

While we work directly with many stakeholders in the payments system, including merchants and governments, we 
are, and will continue to be, significantly dependent on our relationships with our issuers and acquirers and their further 

24

relationships with cardholders and merchants to support our programs and services.  We do not issue cards or other 
payment devices, extend credit to cardholders or determine the interest rates or other fees charged to cardholders using 
our products.  Each issuer determines these and most other competitive payment program features.  In addition, we do 
not establish the discount rate that merchants are charged for acceptance, which is the responsibility of our acquiring 
customers.  As a result, our business significantly depends on the continued success and competitiveness of our issuing 
and acquiring customers and the strength of our relationships with them.  In turn, our customers' success depends on 
a variety of factors over which we have little or no influence.  If our customers become financially unstable, we may 
lose revenue or we may be exposed to settlement risk.  See our risk factor in “Risk Factors - Business Risks” in this 
Part I, Item 1A with respect to how we guarantee certain third party obligations for further discussion.

With the exception of the United States and a select number of other jurisdictions, most in-country (as opposed to cross-
border) transactions conducted using MasterCard, Maestro and Cirrus cards are authorized, cleared and settled by our 
customers or other processors.  Because we do not provide domestic processing services in these countries and do not, 
as described above, have direct relationships with cardholders, we depend on our close working relationships with our 
customers to effectively manage our brands, and the perception of our payments system, among consumers in these 
countries. We also rely on these customers to help manage our brands and perception among regulators and merchants 
in these countries, alongside our own relationships with them.  From time to time, our customers may take actions that 
we do not believe to be in the best interests of our payments system overall, which may materially and adversely impact 
our business.  If our customers' actions cause significant negative perception of the global payments industry or our 
brands, cardholders may reduce the usage of our programs, which could reduce our revenues and negatively impact 
our results of operations.  

In addition, our competitors may process a greater percentage of domestic transactions in jurisdictions outside the 
United States than we do.  As a result, our inability to control the end-to-end processing on cards and other payment 
devices carrying our brands in many markets may put us at a competitive disadvantage by limiting our ability to maintain 
transaction  integrity  or  introduce  value-added  programs  and  services  that  are  dependent  upon  us  processing  the 
underlying transactions.  

We rely on the continuing expansion of merchant acceptance of our products and programs.  Although our business 
strategy is to invest in strengthening our brands and expanding our acceptance network, there can be no guarantee that 
our efforts in these areas will continue to be successful.  If the rate of merchant acceptance growth slows or reverses 
itself, our business could suffer. 

The marketplace's perception of our brands and reputation may materially and adversely affect our overall 
business.  

Our brands and their attributes are key assets of our business.  The ability to attract and retain cardholders to our branded 
products depends highly upon the external perception of us and our industry.  Our business may be affected by actions 
taken by our customers that impact the perception of our brands.  From time to time, our customers may take actions 
that  we  do  not  believe  to  be  in  the  best  interests  of  our  brands,  such  as  creditor  practices  that  may  be  viewed  as 
“predatory”.  Moreover, adverse developments with respect to our industry or the industries of our customers may also, 
by association, impair our reputation, or result in greater regulatory or legislative scrutiny.  We have also been pursuing 
the use of social media channels at an increasingly rapid pace.  Under some circumstances, our use of social media, or 
the use of social media by others as a channel for criticism or other purposes, could also cause rapid, widespread 
reputational harm to our brands.  Such perception and damage to our reputation could have a material and adverse 
effect to our overall business.   

Our work with governments exposes us to unique risks that could have a material impact on our business and 
results of operations.

As we increase our work with national, state and local governments, both indirectly through financial institutions and 
with them directly as our customers, we may face various risks inherent in associating or contracting directly with 
governments.  These risks include, but are not limited to, the following:

•  Governmental  entities  typically  fund  projects  through  appropriated  monies.    Changes  in  governmental 
priorities or other political developments, including disruptions in governmental operations, could impact 

25

approved funding and result in changes in the scope, or lead to the termination of, the arrangements or contracts 
we or financial institutions enter into with respect to our payment products and services.  

•  Our work with governments subjects us to U.S. and international anti-corruption laws, including the U.S. 
Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and the U.K. Bribery Act.  A violation and subsequent judgment or settlement 
under  these  laws  could  subject  us  to  substantial  monetary  penalties  and  damages  and  have  a  significant 
reputational impact.  

•  Working or contracting with governments, either directly or via our financial institution customers, can subject 
us to heightened reputational risks, including extensive scrutiny and publicity, as well as a potential association 
with the policies of a government as a result of a business arrangement with that government.  Any negative 
publicity or negative association with a government entity, regardless of its accuracy, may adversely affect 
our reputation.

Global economic events in financial markets have directly affected, and may continue to affect, many of our 
customers, merchants that accept our brands and cardholders who use our brands, which could result in a 
material and adverse impact on our overall business and results of operations.     

The competitive and evolving nature of the global payments industry provides both challenges to and opportunities for 
the continued growth of our business.  Adverse economic events (including continued distress in the credit environment, 
continued equity market volatility and additional government intervention) have impacted the financial markets around 
the world.  The economies of the United States and numerous countries around the world have been significantly 
impacted by this economic turmoil.  Countries have experienced credit ratings actions by rating agencies, including 
several in Europe as well as the United States.  In addition, some existing customers have been placed in receivership 
or administration or have a significant amount of their stock owned by their governments.  Many financial institutions 
are facing increased regulatory and governmental influence, including potential further changes in laws and regulations.  
Many of our financial institution customers, merchants that accept our brands and cardholders who use our brands have 
been directly and adversely impacted.  

MasterCard's financial results may be negatively impacted by actions taken by individual financial institutions or by 
governmental or regulatory bodies.  The condition of the economic environment may accelerate the timing of or increase 
the impact of risks to our financial performance.  Such impact may include, but is not limited to, the following:

•  Declining economies, foreign currency fluctuations and the pace of economic recovery can change consumer 
spending behaviors, such as cross-border travel patterns, on which a significant portion of our revenues is 
dependent.

•  Low levels of consumer and business confidence typically associated with recessionary environments and 

those markets experiencing relatively high unemployment, may cause decreased spending by cardholders. 

•  Debt limit and budgetary discussions in the United States could affect the United States’ credit rating and 

could affect consumer confidence and spending. 

•  Our customers may restrict credit lines to cardholders or limit the issuance of new cards to mitigate increasing 

cardholder defaults.

•  Uncertainty and volatility in the performance of our customers' businesses may make estimates of our revenues, 

rebates, incentives and realization of prepaid assets less predictable.

•  Our customers may implement cost reduction initiatives that reduce or eliminate payment card marketing or 

increase requests for greater incentives or greater cost stability.

•  Our customers may decrease spending for value-added services.

•  Government  intervention,  including  the  effect  of  laws,  regulations  and/or  government  investments  in  our 
customers,  may  have  potential  negative  effects  on  our  business  and  our  relationships  with  customers  or 
otherwise alter their strategic direction away from our products.

26

•  Tightening of credit availability could impact the ability of participating financial institutions to lend to us 

under the terms of our credit facility.

•  Our customers may default on their settlement obligations, including as a result of sovereign defaults, causing 
a  liquidity  crisis  for  our  other  customers.    See  Note  19  (Settlement  and  Other  Risk  Management)  to  the 
consolidated  financial  statements  included  in  Part  II,  Item 8  of  this  Report  for  further  discussion  of  our 
settlement exposure.

•  Our overall business and results of operations could be materially and adversely affected by consolidation of 
our customers. See our risk factor in “Risk Factors - Business Risks” in this Part I, Item 1A with respect to 
additional consolidation for further discussion. 

Any of these developments could have a material adverse impact on our overall business and results of operations. 

A decline in cross-border travel could adversely affect our results of operations, as a significant portion of our 
revenue is generated from cross-border transactions.  

We process substantially all cross-border transactions using MasterCard, Maestro and Cirrus-branded cards and generate 
a  significant  amount  of  revenue  from  cross-border  volume  fees  and  transaction  processing  fees.    Revenue  from 
processing cross-border and currency conversion transactions for our customers fluctuates with cross-border travel and 
our customers' need for transactions to be converted into their base currency.  Cross-border travel may be adversely 
affected by world geopolitical, economic, weather and other conditions.  These include the threat of terrorism and 
outbreaks of flu, viruses and other diseases.  Any such decline in cross-border travel could adversely affect our results 
of operations.  

General economic and global political conditions may adversely affect trends in consumer spending, which may 
materially and adversely impact our results of operations.  

The global payments industry depends heavily upon the overall level of consumer, business and government spending.  
General  economic  conditions  (such  as  unemployment,  housing  and  changes  in  interest  rates)  and  other  political 
conditions (such as devaluation of currencies and government restrictions on consumer spending, as well as the impact 
of events in the United States such as deadlines on the debt limit) in key countries in which we operate may adversely 
affect our financial performance by reducing the number or average purchase amount of transactions involving our 
payment cards and devices.  Also, as we are principally based in the United States, a negative perception of the United 
States could impact the perception of our company, which could adversely affect our business.

As  a  guarantor  of  certain  third-party  obligations,  including  those  of  principal  customers  and  affiliate  debit 
licensees, we are exposed to risk of loss or illiquidity.   

We may incur obligations in connection with transaction settlements if an issuer or acquirer fails to fund its daily 
settlement obligations due to technical problems, liquidity shortfalls, insolvency or other reasons.  If a principal customer 
or affiliate debit licensee of MasterCard is unable to fulfill its settlement obligations to other customers, we may bear 
the loss.  In addition, although we are not obligated to do so, we may elect to keep merchants whole if an acquirer 
defaults on its merchant payment obligations, or to keep prepaid cardholders whole if an issuer defaults on its obligation 
to safeguard unspent prepaid funds.  Our MasterCard, Maestro and Cirrus-branded gross legal settlement exposure, 
which is primarily estimated using the average daily card volume during the quarter multiplied by the estimated number 
of days to settle, was approximately $41 billion as of December 31, 2013.  We have a revolving credit facility in the 
amount of $3 billion which could be used for general corporate purposes, including to provide liquidity in the event of 
one or more settlement failures by our customers.  In the event that MasterCard effects a payment on behalf of a failed 
customer, MasterCard may seek an assignment of the underlying receivables from the failed customer.  Subject to 
approval by our Board of Directors, customers may be charged for the amount of any settlement loss incurred during 
these ordinary course activities of MasterCard.  While we believe that we have sufficient liquidity to cover a settlement 
failure by our largest customer on its peak day, the term and amount of our guarantee of obligations to principal customers 
is unlimited.  As a result, concurrent settlement failures of more than one of our larger customers or of several of our 
smaller customers either on a given day or over a condensed period of time may exceed our available resources and 
could materially and adversely affect our overall business. In addition, even if we have sufficient liquidity to cover a 

27

settlement failure, we may not be able to recover the cost of such a payment and may therefore be exposed to significant 
losses, which could materially and adversely affect our results of operations.  Moreover, during 2013, many of our 
financial institution customers continued to be directly and adversely impacted by adverse economic events in the 
global financial markets.  These conditions present increased risk that we may have to perform under our settlement 
guarantees.    For  more  information  on  our  settlement  exposure  and  risk  assessment  and  mitigation  practices  as  of 
December 31, 2013, see Note 19 (Settlement and Other Risk Management) to the consolidated financial statements 
included in Part II, Item 8 of this Report.  

Separately, MasterCard also provides guarantees to certain customers and other companies indemnifying them from 
losses stemming from our failure to perform with respect to our products and services or the failure of third parties to 
perform.  Any significant indemnification obligation which we owe to any such customers or other companies could 
materially and adversely affect our overall business and results of operations.

A  failure  or  breach  of  our  security  systems  or  infrastructure  as  a  result  of  cyber-attacks  could  disrupt  our 
business, result in the disclosure or misuse of confidential or proprietary information, damage our reputation, 
increase our costs and cause losses.  

Information security risks for payments and technology companies such as MasterCard have significantly increased in 
recent years in part because of the proliferation of new technologies, the use of the Internet and telecommunications 
technologies  to  conduct  financial  transactions,  and  the  increased  sophistication  and  activities  of  organized  crime, 
hackers, terrorists and other external parties.  These threats may derive from fraud or malice on the part of our employees 
or third parties, or may result from human error or accidental technological failure. These threats include cyber-attacks 
such as computer viruses, malicious code, phishing attacks or information security breaches.  

Our operations rely on the secure processing, transmission and storage of confidential, proprietary and other information 
in our computer systems and networks.  Our customers and other parties in the payments value chain, as well as our 
cardholders, rely on our digital technologies, computer and email systems, software and networks to conduct their 
operations.  In addition, to access our products and services, our customers and cardholders increasingly use personal 
smartphones, tablet PCs and other mobile devices that may be beyond our control.  We routinely are subject to cyber-
threats and our technologies, systems and networks have been subject to cyber-attacks.  Because of our position in the 
payments value chain, we believe that we are likely to continue to be a target of such threats and attacks.  

To date, we have not experienced any material impact relating to cyber-attacks or other information security breaches.  
However, if one or more of these events occurs, it could lead to security breaches of the networks, systems or devices 
that our customers use to access our products and services which could result in the unauthorized disclosure, release, 
gathering, monitoring, misuse, loss or destruction of confidential, proprietary and other information (including account 
data information) or data security compromises.  Such events could also cause service interruptions, malfunctions or 
other failures in the physical infrastructure or operations systems that support our businesses and customers (such as 
the lack of availability of our value-added systems), as well as the operations of our customers or other third parties.  
Any actual attacks could lead to damage to our reputation with our customers and other parties and the market, additional 
costs to MasterCard (such as repairing systems, adding new personnel or protection technologies or compliance costs), 
regulatory penalties, financial losses to both us and our customers and partners and the loss of customers and business 
opportunities.  If such attacks are not detected immediately, their effect could be compounded.

We maintain an information security program, a business continuity program and insurance coverage, and our processing 
systems incorporate multiple levels of protection, in order to address or otherwise mitigate these risks.  We also test 
our systems to discover and address any potential vulnerabilities.  Despite these mitigation efforts, there can be no 
assurance that we will be immune to these risks and not suffer losses in the future.  Our risk and exposure to these 
matters remain heightened because of, among other things, the evolving nature of these threats, the prominent size and 
scale of MasterCard and our role in the global payments and technology industries, our plans to continue to implement 
our digital and mobile channel strategies and develop additional remote connectivity solutions to serve our customers 
and cardholders when and how they want to be served, our global presence, our extensive use of third party vendors 
and  future  joint  venture  and  merger  and  acquisition  opportunities.   As  a  result,  cyber-security  and  the  continued 
development and enhancement of our controls, processes and practices designed to protect our systems, computers, 
software, data and networks from attack, damage or unauthorized access remain a priority for us.  As cyber-threats 
continue to evolve, we may be required to expend significant additional resources to continue to modify or enhance 

28

our  protective  measures  or  to  investigate  and  remediate  any  information  security  vulnerabilities.  Any  of  the  risks 
described above could materially adversely affect our overall business and results of operations. 

If our transaction processing systems and other services are disrupted or we are unable to process transactions 
or service our customers efficiently or at all, our results of operations would be materially reduced. 

Our transaction processing systems and other key service offerings may experience interruptions as a result of a disaster 
including,  but  not  limited  to,  technology  malfunctions,  fire,  weather  events,  power  outages,  telecommunications 
disruptions, terrorism, workplace violence, accidents or other catastrophic events.  Our visibility in the global payments 
industry may also put us at greater risk of attack by terrorists, activists, or hackers who intend to disrupt our facilities 
and/or systems.  A disaster that occurs at, or in the vicinity of, our primary and/or back-up facilities in any global 
location  could  interrupt  our  services. Although  we  maintain  a  business  continuity  program  to  analyze  risk,  assess 
potential impacts, and develop effective response strategies, we cannot ensure that our business would be immune to 
these risks.  

Additionally, we rely on third-party service providers for the timely transmission of information across our global data 
network.  Inadequate infrastructure in lesser-developed markets could also result in service disruptions, which could 
impact our ability to do business in those markets.  If one of our service providers fails to provide the communications 
capacity or services we require, as a result of natural disaster, operational disruptions, terrorism, hacking or any other 
reason, the failure could interrupt our services.  Because of the intrinsic importance of our processing systems to our 
business, any interruption or degradation could adversely affect the perception of the reliability of products carrying 
our brands and materially reduce our results of operations.   

Account data breaches involving card data stored, processed or transmitted by us or third parties could adversely 
affect our reputation and results of operations.  

We, our issuers and acquirers, merchants and other third parties process, transmit or store cardholder account and other 
information in connection with payment cards and devices.  In addition, our customers may sponsor (or we may certify 
as PCI-compliant) third-party processors to process transactions generated by cards carrying our brands and merchants 
may use third parties to provide services related to card use.  A breach of the systems on which sensitive cardholder 
data and account information are processed, transmitted or stored could lead to fraudulent activity involving cards 
carrying our brands, damage our reputation and lead to claims against us, as well as subject us to regulatory actions.  
We routinely encounter account data compromise events, some of which have been high profile, involving merchants 
and  third-party  payment  processors  that  process,  store  or  transmit  payment  card  data,  which  affect  millions  of 
MasterCard, Visa, Discover, American Express and other types of cardholders.  These events typically involve external 
agents  hacking  the  merchants’  or  third-party  processors’  systems  and  installing  malware  to  compromise  the 
confidentiality and integrity of those systems.  Further data security breaches may subject us to reputational damage 
and/or lawsuits involving payment cards carrying our brands.  While most of these lawsuits do not involve direct claims 
against us, we could face damage claims in various circumstances, which, if upheld, could materially and adversely 
affect our results of operations.  Damage to our reputation or that of our brands resulting from an account data breach 
of either our systems or the systems of our customers, merchants and other third parties could decrease the use and 
acceptance of our cards and other payment devices, as well as the trend toward electronic payments, which in turn 
could have a material adverse impact on our transaction volumes, results of operations and prospects for future growth, 
or increase our costs by leading to additional regulatory burdens being imposed upon us.

An  increase  in  fraudulent  activity  using  our  cards  could  lead  to  reputational  damage  to  our  brands  and/or 
regulatory intervention, which could reduce the use and acceptance of our cards and other payment devices.  

Criminals are using increasingly sophisticated methods to capture cardholder account information to engage in illegal 
activities such as counterfeiting or other fraud.  As outsourcing and specialization become commonplace in the payments 
industry, there are more third parties involved in processing transactions using our cards.  In addition, fraud is more 
likely to occur in transactions where the card is not present, such as e-commerce and mobile commerce transactions, 
which are becoming increasingly prominent. Increased fraud levels involving our cards, or misconduct or negligence 
by third parties processing or otherwise servicing our cards, could lead to regulatory intervention, such as enhanced 
security requirements, as well as damage to our reputation, which could reduce the use and acceptance of our cards or 
increase our compliance costs, and thereby have a material adverse impact on our business.  

29

Rapid  technological  developments  in  our  industry  present  both  operational  and  legal  challenges  (including 
potential intellectual property exposure) which could impact our results of operations or limit our future growth.  

The payments industry is subject to rapid and significant technological changes, including continuing developments 
of  technologies  in  the  areas  of  smart  cards  and  devices,  radio  frequency  and  proximity  payment  devices  (such  as 
contactless payment devices), electronic commerce and mobile commerce, among others.  We cannot predict the effect 
of technological changes on our business.  We rely in part on third parties, including some of our competitors and 
potential  competitors,  for  the  development  of  and  access  to  new  technologies.    We  expect  that  new  services  and 
technologies applicable to the payments industry will continue to emerge, and these new services and technologies 
may be superior to, or render obsolete, the technologies we currently use in our programs and services.  In addition, 
our  ability  to  adopt  new  services  and  technologies  that  we  develop  may  be  inhibited  by  a  need  for  industry-wide 
standards and by resistance from customers or merchants to such changes by the complexity of our systems.  Our ability 
to adopt these technologies can also be inhibited by intellectual property rights of third parties.  We have received, and 
we may in the future receive, notices or inquiries from patent holders (for example, other operating companies or non-
practicing entities) suggesting that we may be infringing certain patents or that we need to license the use of their patents 
to avoid infringement.  Such notices may, among other things, threaten litigation against us or our customers or demand 
significant license fees.  Our future success will depend, in part, on our ability to develop or adapt to technological 
changes and evolving industry standards.  Failure to keep pace with these technological developments could lead to a 
decline in the use of our products, which could have a material adverse impact on our results of operations.   

Adverse currency fluctuations and foreign exchange controls could negatively impact our results of operations. 

During 2013, approximately 61% of our revenue was generated from activities outside the United States.  This revenue 
(and the related expense) could be transacted in a non-functional currency or valued based on a currency other than 
the functional currency of the entity generating the revenues.  Resulting exchange gains and losses are included in our 
net income.  Our risk management activities provide protection with respect to adverse changes in the value of only a 
limited number of currencies and are based on estimates of exposures to these currencies.

In addition, some of the revenue we generate outside the United States is subject to unpredictable currency fluctuations 
(including devaluations of currencies) where the values of other currencies change relative to the U.S. dollar.  If the 
U.S. dollar strengthens compared to currencies in which we generate revenue, this revenue may be translated at a 
materially lower amount than expected.  Furthermore, we may become subject to exchange control regulations that 
might restrict or prohibit the conversion of our other revenue currencies into U.S. dollars.  

The occurrence of currency fluctuations or exchange controls could have a material adverse impact on our results of 
operations.  

Acquisitions, strategic investments or entry into new businesses could disrupt our business and harm our results 
of operations or reputation.  

Although we may continue to make strategic acquisitions of, or acquire interests in joint ventures or other entities 
related to, complementary businesses, products or technologies, we may not be able to successfully partner with or 
integrate any such acquired businesses, products or technologies.  In addition, the integration of any acquisition or 
investment  (including  efforts  related  to  an  acquisition  of  an  interest  in  a  joint  venture  or  other  entity)  may  divert 
management's time and resources from our core business and disrupt our operations.  Moreover, we may spend time 
and money on acquisitions or projects that do not meet our expectations or increase our revenue.  To the extent we pay 
the purchase price of any acquisition in cash, it would reduce our cash reserves available to us for other uses, and to 
the extent the purchase price is paid with our stock, it could be dilutive to our stockholders.  Furthermore, we may not 
be able to successfully finance the business following the acquisition as a result of costs of operations, including any 
litigation risk which may be inherited from the acquisition.  Any acquisition or entry into a new business could subject 
us to new regulations with which we would need to comply, and we could be subject to liability or reputational harm 
to the extent we cannot meet any such compliance requirements.  Our expansion into new businesses could also result 
in unanticipated issues which may be difficult to manage.  Although we periodically evaluate potential acquisitions of 
businesses, products and technologies and anticipate continuing to make these evaluations, we cannot guarantee that 
we will be able to execute and integrate any such acquisitions. 

30

Risks Related to our Class A Common Stock and Governance Structure 

The market price of our common stock could be volatile. 

Securities markets worldwide experience significant price and volume fluctuations.  This market volatility, as well as 
the factors listed below, among others, could affect the market price of our common stock: 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

the continuation of adverse economic events around the world in financial markets as well as political conditions 
and other factors unrelated to our operating performance or the operating performance of our competitors;

quarterly variations in our results of operations or the results of operations of our competitors;

changes in earnings estimates, investors' perceptions, recommendations by securities analysts or our failure 
to achieve analysts' earnings estimates;

the announcement of new products or service enhancements by us or our competitors;

announcements related to litigation, regulation or legislative activity;

potential acquisitions by us of other companies; and

developments in our industry.

Our organizational documents and Delaware law contain terms and provisions that could be considered anti-
takeover provisions or could have an impact on a change in control. 

Provisions contained in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and bylaws and Delaware law could delay 
or  prevent  entirely  a  merger  or  acquisition  that  our  stockholders  consider  favorable.    These  provisions  may  also 
discourage acquisition proposals or have the effect of delaying or preventing entirely a change in control, which could 
harm our stock price.  For example, subject to limited exceptions, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation 
prohibits any person from beneficially owning more than 15% of any of the Class A common stock or any other class 
or series of our stock with general voting power, or more than 15% of our total voting power.  Further, except in limited 
circumstances, no customer or former customer of MasterCard, or any operator, customer or licensee of any competing 
general purpose payment card system, or any affiliate of any such person, may beneficially own any share of Class A 
common stock or any other class or series of our stock entitled to vote generally in the election of directors.  In addition: 

• 

• 

• 

• 

our stockholders are not entitled to the right to cumulate votes in the election of directors;

our stockholders are not entitled to act by written consent;

a  vote  of  80%  or  more  of  all  of  the  outstanding  shares  of  our  stock  then  entitled  to  vote  is  required  for 
stockholders to amend any provision of our bylaws; and

any representative of a competitor of MasterCard or of the Foundation is disqualified from service on our 
board of directors.

A substantial portion of our voting power is held by the Foundation, which is restricted from selling shares for 
an extended period of time and therefore may not have the same incentive to approve a corporate action that 
may be favorable to the other public stockholders.  In addition, the ownership of Class A common stock by the 
Foundation and the restrictions on transfer could discourage or make more difficult acquisition proposals favored 
by the other holders of the Class A common stock. 

As  of  February 6,  2014,  the  Foundation  owned  119,214,210  shares  of  Class A  common  stock,  representing 
approximately 10.4% of our general voting power.  The Foundation may not sell or otherwise transfer its shares of 
Class A common stock prior to April 26, 2026 (twenty years and eleven months following the IPO), except to the extent 
necessary to satisfy its charitable disbursement requirements, for which purpose earlier sales are permitted.  The directors 
of the Foundation are required to be independent of us and our customers.  The ownership of Class A common stock 
by  the  Foundation,  together  with  the  restrictions  on  transfer,  could  discourage  or  make  more  difficult  acquisition 

31

proposals favored by the other holders of the Class A common stock.  In addition, because the Foundation is restricted 
from selling its shares for an extended period of time, it may not have the same interest in short or medium-term 
movements  in  our  stock  price  as,  or  incentive  to  approve  a  corporate  action  that  may  be  favorable  to,  our  other 
stockholders. 

Item 1B.  Unresolved Staff Comments

Not applicable.

Item 2.  Properties

As of December 31, 2013, MasterCard and its subsidiaries owned or leased 126 commercial properties.  We own our 
corporate headquarters, a 472,600 square foot building located in Purchase, New York.  There is no outstanding debt 
on this building.  Our principal technology and operations center is a 528,000 square foot leased facility located in 
O'Fallon, Missouri.  The term of the lease on this facility is 10 years, which commenced on March 1, 2009.  Our leased 
properties in the United States are located in 10 states and in the District of Columbia.  We also lease and own properties 
in 58 other countries.  These facilities primarily consist of corporate and regional offices, as well as our operations 
centers.

We  believe  that  our  facilities  are  suitable  and  adequate  for  the  business  that  we  currently  conduct.    However,  we 
periodically review our space requirements and may acquire or lease new space to meet the needs of our business, or 
consolidate and dispose of facilities that are no longer required.

Item 3.  Legal Proceedings

Refer  to  Notes  10  (Accrued  Expenses)  and  18  (Legal  and  Regulatory  Proceedings)  to  the  consolidated  financial 
statements included in Part II, Item 8. 

Item 4.  Mine Safety Disclosures

Not applicable.

32

PART II

Item 5.  Market for Registrant's Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity 
Securities

The number of shares and per share amounts below have been retroactively restated to reflect the ten-for-one stock 
split of the Company's Class A and Class B common shares, which was effected in the form of a common stock dividend 
distributed on January 21, 2014.  

Price Range of Common Stock 

Our Class A common stock trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “MA”.  The following table sets 
forth the intra-day high and low sale prices for our Class A common stock for the four quarterly periods in each of 2013 
and 2012.  At February 6, 2014, the Company had 54 stockholders of record for its Class A common stock.  We believe 
that the number of beneficial owners is substantially greater than the number of record holders because a large portion 
of our Class A common stock is held in “street name” by brokers.

First Quarter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Second Quarter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Third Quarter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Fourth Quarter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

2013

2012

High
$54.20
59.19
69.50
83.94

Low
$50.10
51.86
56.70
64.74

High
$43.76
46.70
46.18
49.86

Low
$33.63
38.99
40.47
44.74

There is currently no established public trading market for our Class B common stock.  There were approximately 414 
holders of record of our Class B common stock as of February 6, 2014.  

Dividend Declaration and Policy 

During the years ended December 31, 2013 and 2012, we paid the following quarterly cash dividends per share on our 
Class A common stock and Class B Common stock: 

First Quarter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Second Quarter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Third Quarter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Fourth Quarter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Dividend per Share

2013
$0.030
0.060
0.060
0.060

2012
$0.015
0.030
0.030
0.030

On December 10, 2013, our Board of Directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.11 per share paid on February 
10, 2014 to holders of record on January 9, 2014 of our Class A common stock and Class B common stock.  On February 
4, 2014, our Board of Directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.11 per share payable on May 9, 2014 to holders 
of record on April 9, 2014 of our Class A common stock and Class B common stock. 

Subject to legally available funds, we intend to continue to pay a quarterly cash dividend on our outstanding Class A 
common stock and Class B common stock.  However, the declaration and payment of future dividends is at the sole 
discretion of our Board of Directors after taking into account various factors, including our financial condition, operating 
results, available cash and current and anticipated cash needs.  

Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities

In June 2012, the Company’s Board of Directors approved a share repurchase program authorizing the Company to 
repurchase up to $1.5 billion of its Class A common stock.  This program (the "June 2012 Share Repurchase Program") 
became effective in June 2012 at the completion of the Company’s previously announced $2 billion Class A share 
repurchase program. 

33

On February 5, 2013, the Company's Board of Directors approved a share repurchase program authorizing the Company 
to repurchase up to $2 billion of its Class A common stock (the "February 2013 Share Repurchase Program").  This 
share repurchase program became effective at the completion of the Company's June 2012 Share Repurchase Program, 
which occurred in March 2013.

On December 10, 2013, the Company's Board of Directors approved a new share repurchase program authorizing the 
Company  to  repurchase  up  to  $3.5  billion  of  its  Class A  common  stock  (the  "December  2013  Share  Repurchase 
Program").  During January 2014, the Company exhausted its purchases under the February 2013 Share Repurchase 
Program and began purchasing shares under the December 2013 Share Repurchase Program.  As of January 24, 2014, 
the cumulative repurchases by the Company under both the February 2013 Share Repurchase Program and December 
2013 Share Repurchase Program in 2014 totaled approximately 4.2 million shares of Class A common stock for an 
aggregate cost of approximately $351 million, at an average price of $83.00 per share of Class A common stock.  As 
of January 24, 2014, the Company had approximately $3.3 billion remaining under the December 2013 Share Repurchase 
Program.

During the fourth quarter of 2013, MasterCard repurchased a total of approximately 9.8 million shares for $751 million 
at an average price of $76.43 per share of Class A common stock.  The Company’s repurchase activity during the fourth 
quarter of 2013 consisted of open market share repurchases and is summarized in the following table:

Period
October 1 – 31 . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
November 1 – 30 . . . . . . . . . . . .
December 1 – 31. . . . . . . . . . . . .
Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Total Number
of Shares
Purchased

Average Price
Paid per Share
(including
commission cost)

Total Number of
Shares Purchased as
Part of Publicly
Announced Plans or
Programs

Dollar Value of
Shares that may yet
be Purchased under
the  Plans or
Programs  1

— $
$
$
$

4,239,590
5,585,670
9,825,260

—
74.26
78.08
76.43

— $
$
$

4,239,590
5,585,670
9,825,260

912,309,796
597,475,160
3,661,319,309

1  Dollar value of shares that may yet be purchased under the February 2013 Share Repurchase Program and December 2013 Share 
Repurchase Program is as of the end of the period.

34

Item 6.  Selected Financial Data

The statement of operations data presented below for the years ended December 31, 2013, 2012 and 2011, and the 
balance sheet data as of December 31, 2013 and 2012, were derived from the audited consolidated financial statements 
of MasterCard Incorporated included in Part II, Item 8 of this Report.  The statement of operations data presented below 
for the years ended December 31, 2010 and 2009, and the balance sheet data as of December 31, 2011, 2010 and 2009, 
were derived from audited consolidated financial statements not included in this Report.  The data set forth below 
should  be  read  in  conjunction  with,  and  are  qualified  by  reference  to,  “Management's  Discussion  and Analysis  of 
Financial Condition and Results of Operations” in Part II, Item 7 of this Report and our consolidated financial statements 
and notes thereto included in Part II, Item 8 of this Report.

Years Ended December 31,

2013

2012

2011

2010

2009

(in millions, except per share data)

Statement of Operations Data:

Net revenue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $
Total operating expenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Operating income. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Net income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Basic earnings per share1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Diluted earnings per share1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

8,346

$

7,391

$

6,714

$

5,539

$

3,843

4,503

3,116

2.57

2.56

3,454

3,937

2,759

2.20

2.19

4,001

2,713

1,906

1.49

1.48

2,787

2,752

1,846

1.41

1.41

5,099

2,839

2,260

1,463

1.12

1.12

Balance Sheet Data:

Total assets. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 14,242
Long-term obligations under litigation
settlements and debt. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Equity. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Cash dividends declared per share1 . . . . . . . . . . . .

7,495

0.29

—

$ 12,462

$ 10,693

$

8,837

$

7,470

—

6,929

0.12

—

5,877

0.06

4

5,216

0.06

285

3,512

0.06

1  The per share amounts have been retroactively restated to reflect the ten-for-one stock split of the Company's Class A and Class B 
common shares, which was effected in the form of a common stock dividend distributed on January 21, 2014.

Item 7.  Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

The  following  discussion  should  be  read  in  conjunction  with  the  consolidated  financial  statements  and  notes  of 
MasterCard  Incorporated  and  its  consolidated  subsidiaries,  including  MasterCard  International  Incorporated 
(“MasterCard International”) (together, “MasterCard” or the “Company”), included elsewhere in this Report.  Certain 
prior period amounts have been reclassified to conform to the 2013 presentation.  The number of shares and per share 
amounts have been retroactively restated to reflect the ten-for-one stock split.  Percentage changes provided throughout 
"Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" were calculated on amounts 
rounded to the nearest thousand.

Non-GAAP Financial Information

Non-GAAP financial information is defined as a numerical measure of a company's performance that excludes or 
includes amounts so as to be different than the most comparable measure calculated and presented in accordance with 
accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“GAAP”).  Pursuant to the requirements of Regulation 
S-K, portions of this “Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” include 
a reconciliation of certain non-GAAP financial measures to the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures.  
The  presentation  of  non-GAAP  financial  measures  should  not  be  considered  in  isolation  or  as  a  substitute  for  the 
Company's related financial results prepared in accordance with GAAP.  

35

MasterCard  presents  non-GAAP  financial  measures  to  enhance  an  investor's  evaluation  of  MasterCard's  ongoing 
operating results and to facilitate meaningful comparison of its results between periods. MasterCard's management 
uses these non-GAAP financial measures to, among other things, evaluate its ongoing operations in relation to historical 
results, for internal planning and forecasting purposes and in the calculation of performance-based compensation.  More 
specifically, the following non-GAAP financial measures are presented in Management’s Discussion and Analysis of 
Financial Condition and Results of Operations:

• 

Total operating expenses excluding the provisions recorded in 2013 ($95 million), 2012 ($20 million) and 
2011 ($770 million) for settlements relating to U.S. merchant litigations (collectively referred to as the “MDL 
Provision”).  MasterCard excluded these items because MasterCard's management monitors provisions for 
material litigation settlements separately from ongoing operations and evaluates ongoing performance without 
these amounts.  See "Operating Expenses" for the table that provides a reconciliation of operating expenses 
excluding the MDL Provision to the most directly comparable GAAP measure.

•  Effective income tax rate excluding the 2013 and 2011 portions of the MDL Provision.  MasterCard excluded 
these  items  because  MasterCard's  management  monitors  provisions  for  material  litigation  settlements 
separately from ongoing operations and evaluates ongoing performance without these amounts.  See "Income 
Taxes" for the table that provides a reconciliation of the effective income tax rate excluding the 2013 and 2011 
portions of the MDL Provision to the most directly comparable GAAP measure.

Overview

We recorded net income of $3.1 billion, or $2.56 per diluted share in 2013 versus net income of $2.8 billion, or $2.19 
per diluted share in 2012, and net income of $1.9 billion, or $1.48 per diluted share in 2011.  Our 2011 net income was 
significantly impacted by the $770 million portion of the MDL Provision ($495 million after tax) recorded in 2011.  In 
2013 and 2012, the Company increased the provision by $95 million ($61 million after tax) and $20 million ($13 million 
after tax), respectively.  

Our net revenue increased 13% and 10% in 2013 and 2012, primarily driven by increased growth in dollar volume of 
activity on cards carrying our brands and the number of transactions processed by the Company.  In 2013 and 2012, 
both  volume-based  revenue  (domestic  assessments  and  cross-border  volume  fees)  and  transaction-based  revenue 
(transaction  processing  fees)  increased  compared  to  2012  by  12%  and  13%,  respectively.    In  2013  and  2012,  our 
processed transactions increased 13% and 25% versus the comparable periods in 2012 and 2011, respectively.  In 2013 
and 2012, our volumes increased 14% and 15%, on a local currency basis, versus the comparable periods in 2012 and 
2011, respectively.  Rebates and incentives as a percentage of gross revenue were 26% in both 2013 and 2012, and 
24% in 2011.  

Operating expenses in 2013 increased $389 million, or 11%, from 2012 and decreased $547 million, or 14%, in 2012 
from 2011 primarily due to the 2011 portion of the MDL Provision.  We generated net cash flows from operations of 
$4.1  billion  for  the year ended  December 31, 2013,  compared to  $2.9  billion  and  $2.7 billion  for the  years ended 
December 31, 2012 and 2011, respectively.  

36

The following table provides a summary of our operating results for the years ended December 31, 2013, 2012 and 
2011: 

For the Years Ended December 31,

Percent Increase (Decrease)

2013

2012

2011

2013

2012

(in millions, except per share data and percentages)

Net revenue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $

8,346

$

7,391

$

6,714

Operating expenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Operating income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Operating margin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Income tax expense . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Effective income tax rate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

3,843
4,503
54.0%

1,384
30.8%

3,454
3,937
53.3%

1,174
29.9%

4,001
2,713
40.4%

842
30.6%

Net income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $

3,116

Diluted earnings per share . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $
Diluted weighted-average shares outstanding . . .

2.56
1,215

$

$

2,759

2.19
1,258

$

$

1,906

1.48
1,284

13%

11%
14%
**

18%
**

13%

17%
(3)%

10%

(14)%
45%
**

40%
**

45%

48%
(2)%

**  Not meaningful.

Business Environment 

We process transactions from more than 210 countries and territories and in more than 150 currencies.  Net revenue 
generated in the United States was 39% of total revenue in both 2013 and 2012, and 40% in 2011.  No individual 
country, other than the United States, generated more than 10% of total revenue in any such period, but differences in 
market growth, economic health, and foreign exchange fluctuations in certain countries can have an impact on the 
proportion of revenue generated outside the United States over time.  While the global nature of our business helps 
protect  our  operating  results  from  adverse  economic  conditions  in  a  single  or  a  few  countries,  the  significant 
concentration of our revenue generated in the United States makes our business particularly susceptible to adverse 
economic conditions in the United States.

The competitive and evolving nature of the global payments industry provides both challenges to and opportunities for 
the continued growth of our business.  Adverse economic events (including continued distress in the credit environment, 
continued equity market volatility and additional government intervention) have impacted the financial markets around 
the world.  The economies of the United States and numerous countries around the world have been significantly 
impacted by this economic turmoil.  Countries have experienced credit ratings actions by ratings agencies, including 
several in Europe as well as the United States.  In addition, some existing customers have been placed in receivership 
or administration or have a significant amount of their stock owned by their governments.  Many financial institutions 
are facing increased regulatory and governmental influence, including potential further changes in laws and regulations.  
Many of our financial institution customers, merchants that accept our brands and cardholders who use our brands have 
been directly and adversely impacted.

MasterCard’s financial results may be negatively impacted by actions taken by individual financial institutions or by 
governmental or regulatory bodies.  In addition, further political instability or a decline in economic conditions in the 
countries in which the Company operates may accelerate the timing of or increase the impact of risks to our financial 
performance.  As a result, our revenue may be negatively impacted, or the Company may be impacted in several ways.  
MasterCard continues to monitor political and economic conditions around the world to identify opportunities for the 
continued growth of our business and to evaluate the evolution of the global payments industry.  Notwithstanding recent 
encouraging trends, the extent and pace of economic recovery in various regions remains uncertain and the overall 
business environment may present challenges for MasterCard to grow its business.  For a full discussion see "Risk 
Factors - Business Risk" in Part I, Item 1A of this Report.  

In addition, our business and our customers’ businesses are subject to regulation in many countries.  Regulatory bodies 
may seek to impose rules and price controls on certain aspects of our business and the payments industry.  For further 

37

 
 
 
  
discussion, see Note 18 (Legal and Regulatory Proceedings) to the consolidated financial statements included in Part 
II, Item 8 and our risk factor in "Risk Factors - Legal and Regulatory Risks" in Part I, Item 1A of this Report .  Further, 
information  security  risks  for  global  payments  and  technology  companies  such  as  MasterCard  have  significantly 
increased in recent years.  Although to date we have not experienced any material impacts relating to cyber-attacks or 
other information security breaches, there can be no assurance that we will be immune to these risks and not suffer 
such losses in the future.  See our risk factor in "Risk Factors - Business Risks" in Part I, Item 1A of this Report related 
to a failure or breach of our security systems or infrastructure as a result of cyber-attacks. 

Impact of Foreign Currency Rates

Our overall operating results can be impacted by changes in foreign currency exchange rates, especially the strengthening 
or weakening of the U.S. dollar versus the euro and Brazilian real.  The functional currency of MasterCard Europe, our 
principal European operating subsidiary, is the euro, and the functional currency of our Brazilian subsidiary is the 
Brazilian real.  Accordingly, the strengthening or weakening of the U.S. dollar versus the euro and Brazilian real impacts 
the translation of our European and Brazilian subsidiaries’ operating results into the U.S. dollar.  For 2013 as compared 
to 2012, the U.S. dollar strengthened against the Brazilian real but weakened against the euro.  For 2012 compared to 
2011, the U.S. dollar strengthened against both the euro and the Brazilian real.  The net foreign currency impact of 
changes in the U.S. dollar average exchange rates against the euro and Brazilian real increased net income in 2013 
compared to 2012 by 1 percentage point.  Conversely, net income in 2012 was negatively impacted by currency by 
approximately 7 percentage points when compared to 2011.  

In addition, changes in foreign currency exchange rates directly impact the calculation of gross dollar volume ("GDV") 
and gross euro volume (“GEV”), which are used in the calculation of our domestic assessments, cross-border volume 
fees and volume related rebates and incentives.  In most non-European regions, GDV is calculated based on local 
currency spending volume converted to U.S. dollars using average exchange rates for the period.  In Europe, GEV is 
calculated based on local currency spending volume converted to euros using average exchange rates for the period.  
As a result, our domestic assessments, cross-border volume fees and volume related rebates and incentives are impacted 
by  the  strengthening  or  weakening  of  the  U.S.  dollar  versus  primarily  non-European  local  currencies  and  the 
strengthening or weakening of the euro versus primarily European local currencies.  The strengthening or weakening 
of the U.S. dollar is evident when GDV growth on a U.S. dollar converted basis is compared to GDV growth on a local 
currency basis.  In 2013, GDV on a U.S. dollar converted basis increased 12%, versus GDV growth on a local currency 
basis of 14%.  In 2012, GDV on a U.S. dollar converted basis increased 12%, versus GDV growth on a local currency 
basis of 15%.  The Company attempts to manage these foreign currency exposures through its foreign exchange risk 
management activities, which are discussed further in Note 20 (Foreign Exchange Risk Management) to the consolidated 
financial statements included in Part II, Item 8 of this Report.

The Company generates revenue and has financial assets in countries at risk for currency devaluation.  While these 
revenues and financial assets are not material to MasterCard on a consolidated basis, they could be negatively impacted 
if a devaluation of local currencies occurs relative to the U.S. dollar.

Financial Results

Revenue

Revenue Description

MasterCard’s  business  model  involves  four  participants  in  addition  to  us:  cardholders,  merchants,  issuers  (the 
cardholders’ financial institutions) and acquirers (the merchants’ financial institutions).  Our gross revenue is generated 
by assessing our customers based primarily on the dollar volume of activity on the cards and other devices that carry 
our brands and from the fees that we charge our customers for providing transaction processing and other payment-
related products and services.  Our revenue is based upon transactional information accumulated by our systems or 
reported by our customers.  Our primary revenue billing currencies are the U.S. dollar, euro and Brazilian real.

38

The  price  structure  for  our  products  and  services  is  complex  and  is  dependent  on  the  nature  of  volumes,  types  of 
transactions and type of  products and services we offer to our customers.  Our revenue can be significantly impacted 
by the following:

•  Domestic or cross-border transactions;

• 

Signature-based or PIN-based transactions;

•  Geographic region or country the transaction occurs in;

•  Volumes/transactions subject to tiered rates;

• 

Processed or not processed by MasterCard and;

•  Amount of usage of our other products or services.

The Company classifies its net revenue into the following five categories:

1. 

2. 

3. 

Domestic assessments: Domestic assessments are fees charged to issuers and acquirers based primarily 
on the dollar volume of activity on cards and other devices that carry our brands where the merchant 
country and the issuer country are the same.  Domestic assessments include items such as card assessments, 
which  are  fees  charged  on  the  number  of  cards  issued  or  assessments  for  specific  purposes,  such  as 
acceptance development or market development programs.  

Cross-border volume fees: Cross-border volume fees are charged to issuers and acquirers based on the 
volume of activity on cards and other devices that carry our brands where the merchant country and the 
issuer country are different.  In general, a cross-border transaction generates higher revenue than a domestic 
transaction since cross-border fees are higher than domestic fees, and in most cases also include fees for 
currency conversion.  

Transaction processing fees: Transaction processing fees are charged for both domestic and cross-border 
transactions and are primarily based on the number of transactions.  Transaction processing fees include 
charges to issuers for the following:

• 

Transaction Switching fees for the following services:

Authorization is the process by which a transaction is routed to the issuer for approval.  
In certain circumstances such as when the issuer's systems are unavailable or cannot 
be contacted,  MasterCard or others on behalf of the issuer approve in accordance with 
either the issuer's instructions or applicable rules (also known as "stand-in").  

Clearing  is  the  exchange  of  financial  transaction  information  between  issuers  and 
acquirers after a transaction has been successfully conducted at the point of interaction.  
MasterCard  clears  transactions  among  customers  through  our  central  and  regional 
processing systems. 

Settlement is facilitating the exchange of funds between parties.  

• 

Connectivity fees are charged to issuers and acquirers for network access, equipment and the 
transmission of authorization and settlement messages.  These fees are based on the size of the 
data being transmitted through and the number of connections to the Company’s network.

4. 

Other revenues: Other revenues consist of other payment-related products and services and are primarily 
associated with the following:

• 

• 

Consulting and research fees are primarily generated by MasterCard Advisors, the Company’s 
professional advisory services group. 

Fraud products and services used to prevent or detect fraudulent transactions.  This includes 
fees for warning bulletins provided to issuers and acquirers either electronically or in paper form.

39

• 

• 

• 

Loyalty  and  rewards  solutions  fees  are  charged  to  issuers  for  benefits  provided  directly  to 
consumers with MasterCard-branded cards, such as insurance, assistance for lost cards, locating 
ATMs and rewards programs.

Program management services provided to  prepaid card  issuers consist of foreign exchange 
margin, commissions, load fees, and ATM withdrawal fees paid by cardholders on the sale and 
encashment of prepaid cards.  

The Company also charges for a variety of other payment-related products and services, including 
account and transaction enhancement services, rules compliance and publications.

5. 

Rebates and incentives (contra-revenue): Rebates and incentives are provided to certain MasterCard 
customers and are recorded as contra-revenue.  

Revenue Analysis

Gross revenue in 2013 and 2012 increased $1.3 billion and $1.1 billion, or 13% versus 2012 and 2011, respectively, 
primarily driven by increased growth in dollar volume of activity on cards carrying our brands and  increased transactions.  
Rebates and incentives in 2013 and 2012 increased $326 million and $472 million, or 12% and 22%, versus 2012 and 
2011, respectively, due to the impact from new, renewed and expired agreements.  Our net revenue in 2013 and 2012 
increased 13% and 10% versus 2012 and 2011, respectively.

Our revenue is primarily based on volumes and transactions, which are driven by the dollar volume of activity on cards 
and other devices carrying our brands and the number of transactions.  In 2013 and 2012, our GDV increased 14% and 
15% on a local currency basis and our processed transactions increased 13% and 25%, respectively.  

The following table provides a summary of the trend in volume and transaction growth:

MasterCard Branded GDV1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Asia Pacific/Middle East/Africa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Canada. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Europe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Latin America . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
United States . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Cross-border Volume1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Processed Transactions Growth. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

1 Excludes volume generated by Maestro and Cirrus cards.  

Years Ended December 31,

2013

2012

Growth
(USD)

Growth
(Local)

Growth
(USD)

Growth
(Local)

12%

17%

3%

16%

12%

7%

12%

22%

7%

9%

10%

9%

14%

21%

7%

15%

16%

7%

18%
13%

15%

23%

8%

16%

19%

9%

16%
25%

A significant portion of our revenue is concentrated among our five largest customers.  In 2013, the net revenue from 
these customers was approximately $2.1 billion, or 25%, of total net revenue.  The loss of any of these customers or 
their  significant  card  programs  could  adversely  impact  our  revenue.    In  addition,  as  part  of  our  business  strategy, 
MasterCard, among other efforts, enters into business agreements with customers.  These agreements can be terminated 
in a variety of circumstances.  See our risk factor in "Risk Factor - Business Risks" in Part I, Item 1A of this Report 
for further discussion.  

40

The significant components of our net revenue for the years ended December 31, 2013, 2012 and 2011 were as follows:

Domestic assessments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $
Cross-border volume fees. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Transaction processing fees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Other revenues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Gross revenue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Rebates and incentives (contra-revenue) . . . . . . .
Net revenue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $

Percent Increase (Decrease)

2013

$

$

2013

For the Years Ended December 31,
20111
20121
(in millions, except percentages)
3,494
2,343
3,017
1,154
10,008
(2,617)
7,391

3,805
2,793
3,359
1,331
11,288
(2,942)
8,346

3,170
2,094
2,595
1,000
8,859
(2,145)
6,714

9%
19%
11%
15%
13%
12%
13%

$

$

2012

10%
12%
16%
15%
13%
22%
10%

1 

Certain prior period amounts have been reclassified to conform to the 2013 presentation.  Net revenue is not impacted.

The following table summarizes the primary drivers of net revenue growth in 2013 and 2012:

For the Years Ended December 31,

Volume

Pricing

2013

2012

2013

2012

Domestic assessments . . . . . .

Cross-border volume fees . . .

Transaction processing fees. .

Other revenues. . . . . . . . . . . .

Rebates and incentives . . . . .

13%

14%

11%

**

8%

14% — %

15%

7 %

21% — %

**

4 %

10% (2)%

Foreign 
Currency1

Other

2013

2012

2012
(3)% 3
1 % (3)% (3)% (2)%

2% — % (3)% (4)% 3
2%

2013

3% — % (3)% — % (5)%
1 % (3)% 10 % 4 14 % 4
6 % 5 14 % 5

1% — % (3)%

4%

Total Growth
2012 2

2013

9%

19%

11%

15%

12%

10%

12%

16%

15%

22%

Net revenue . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

12%

14%

4 %

3% — % (3)% (3)% (4)%

13%

10%

** Not applicable

1 Reflects translation from the euro and Brazilian real to the U.S. dollar.
2 Certain prior period amounts have been reclassified to conform to the 2013 presentation.  Net revenue is not impacted.
3 Includes impact of the allocation of revenue to service deliverables which are recorded in other revenue when services are performed.
4 Positively impacted by acquisitions, consulting fees, fraud service fees and other payment-related products and services.
5 Rebates and incentives, other includes the impact from new, renewed and expired agreements.

Operating Expenses  

Our  operating  expenses  are  comprised  of  general  and  administrative,  advertising  and  marketing,  depreciation  and 
amortization expenses, and the respective amounts recorded for the MDL Provision.  Operating expenses increased in 
2013 by $389 million, or 11%, primarily due to higher general and administrative expenses and the $95 million  portion 
of the MDL Provision recorded in 2013.  Operating expenses decreased in 2012 by $547 million, or 14% compared to 
2011, primarily due to the $770 million portion of the MDL Provision recorded in 2011 (versus the $20 million portion 
of the MDL Provision recorded in 2012).  Excluding the impact of the MDL Provision, operating expenses increased 
$314 million, or 9%, in 2013 compared to 2012 and increased $203 million, or 6%, in 2012 compared to 2011.  

41

 
 
 
The following table compares and reconciles operating expenses, excluding the MDL Provision, which is a non-GAAP 
financial measure, to the operating expenses including the MDL Provision, which is the most directly comparable 
GAAP measurement.  Management believes this analysis facilitates understanding of our ongoing operating expenses 
and allows for a more meaningful comparison between periods.

For the Years Ended December 31,

2013

2012

2011

Actual

MDL
Provision

Non-
GAAP

Actual

MDL
Provision

Non-
GAAP

Actual

MDL
Provision

Non-
GAAP

(in millions, except percentages)

General and
administrative . . . . . . . . . . $2,649
Advertising and
marketing . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Depreciation and
amortization . . . . . . . . . . .
Provision for litigation
95
settlement . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Total operating expenses. . $3,843

841

258

$ — $2,649

$2,429

$ — $2,429

$2,196

$ — $2,196

—

—

841

258

775

230

—

—

775

230

841

194

—

—

841

194

(95)
(95)

—
$3,748

20
$3,454

(20)
(20)

—
$3,434

770
$4,001

(770)
$ (770)

—
$3,231

$

$

Total operating expenses
as a percentage of net
revenue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

General and Administrative

46.0%

44.9%

46.7%

46.5%

59.6%

48.1%

General and administrative expenses increased compared to 2012, primarily due to an increase in personnel costs.  
General and administrative expenses increased in 2012 compared to 2011, primarily due to increased personnel costs, 
the net impact of currency hedging activities and the remeasurement of financial assets denominated in a currency other 
than the functional currency of the entity holding those assets.  The net impact of foreign currency relating to the 
translation of general and administrative expenses from our functional currencies to U.S. dollars increased general and 
administrative expenses by less than 1 percentage point in 2013, and reduced general and administrative expenses by 
approximately 2 percentage points in 2012.

The major components of general and administrative expenses for the years ended December 31, 2013, 2012 and 2011 
were as follows:

For the Years Ended December 31,

Percent Increase (Decrease)

2013

2012

2011

2013

2012

Personnel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $
Professional fees. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Data processing and telecommunications . . . . . .
Foreign exchange activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Other. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
General and administrative expenses . . . . . . . . . . $

1,739
251
226
2
431
2,649

$

$

** Not meaningful

$

(in millions, except percentages)
1,565
237
201
27
399
2,429

1,453
235
171
(13)
350
2,196

11%
6%
12%
**
8%
9%

$

8%
1%
18%
**
14%
11%

• 

• 

Personnel expense increased in 2013 compared to 2012 and in 2012 compared to 2011.  The 
increase in 2013 and 2012 was primarily due to an increase in the number of employees to support 
the Company's strategic initiatives.  

Professional fees consist primarily of third-party services, legal costs to defend our outstanding 
litigation and the evaluation of regulatory developments that impact our industry and brand.  
Professional fees increased  in 2013 versus 2012 primarily due to higher third-party service 
expenses. 

42

 
 
 
• 

• 

Data  processing  and  telecommunication  expense  consists  of  expenses  to  support  our  global 
payments  network  infrastructure,  expenses  to  operate  and  maintain  our  computer  and 
telecommunication system.  These expenses vary with business volume growth, system upgrades 
and usage.  

Other expenses include loyalty and rewards solutions, travel and entertainment, rental expense 
for our facilities, litigation settlements not related to the MDL Provision, investment related 
expenses and other miscellaneous operating expenses.  The change in other expenses in 2013 
compared to 2012 was primarily due to increased costs associated with loyalty and rewards 
programs, investment related expenses and increased meeting and travel expenses to support 
business and strategy development efforts.  The 2012 increase in other expenses versus 2011 
was  primarily  due  to  increased  costs  associated  with  loyalty  and  rewards  programs  and  the 
acquisition of Access Prepaid Worldwide ("Access") in 2011.  

Advertising and Marketing

Our brands, principally MasterCard, are valuable strategic assets that drive acceptance and usage of our products and 
facilitate our ability to successfully introduce new service offerings and access new markets globally.  Our advertising 
and marketing strategy is to increase global MasterCard brand awareness, preference and usage through integrated 
advertising,  sponsorship,  promotions,  interactive  media  and  public  relations  programs  on  a  global  scale.   We  will 
continue to invest in marketing programs at the regional and local levels and sponsor diverse events aimed at multiple 
target audiences.  In 2013, advertising and marketing expenses increased $66 million, or 8%, mainly due to new and 
renewed  sponsorships  and  increased  media  spend  to  support  our  strategic  initiatives.   Advertising  and  marketing 
expenses decreased $66 million, or 8%, in 2012 mainly due to the non-recurrence of certain promotions and the impact 
of changes in foreign currency rates.  The net impact of foreign currency relating to the translation of advertising and 
marketing expenses from our functional currencies to U.S. dollars increased advertising and marketing expenses by 
less than 1 percentage point in 2013, and decreased advertising and marketing expense by 3 percentage points in 2012.

Depreciation and Amortization

Depreciation and amortization expenses increased $28 million, or 12%, in 2013 and $36 million, or 18%, in 2012.  The 
increase in depreciation and amortization expense in both 2013 and 2012 was primarily due to increased amortization 
of capitalized software costs.  

Provision for Litigation Settlement

As of December 31, 2013, the accrued litigation related to the MDL Provision was $886 million versus $726 million 
as of December 31, 2012.  In the fourth quarter of 2013, MasterCard recorded an incremental net pre-tax charge of $95 
million related to the opt out merchants.  The accrual also includes $68 million related to the timing of MasterCard's 
administration of the short-term reduction in default credit interchange from U.S. issuers.  There is a corresponding 
equal amount presented in settlement due from customers.  During 2012, accrued litigation related to the MDL Provision 
decreased due to the payment of $64 million to individual merchant plaintiffs, partially offset by an increase of $20 
million in the MDL Provision.  See Note 18 (Legal and Regulatory Proceedings) to the consolidated financial statements 
included in Part II, Item 8 of this Report for further discussion. 

Other Income (Expense)

Other income (expense) is comprised primarily of investment income, interest expense, our share of income (losses) 
from equity method investments and other gains and losses.  Total other expense decreased $1 million in 2013 compared 
to 2012, primarily related to an adjustment in interest expense due to the reversal of tax reserves, partially offset by 
increased expenses from investments in joint ventures.  The decrease in other income in 2012 of $39 million compared 
to 2011 was primarily due to lower investment income, increased expenses from investments in joint ventures and an 
adjustment to the earnout related to the Company's acquisition of Access in 2011.

43

Income Taxes

The effective income tax rates for the years ended December 31, 2013, 2012 and 2011 were 30.8%, 29.9% and 30.6%, 
respectively.   The  effective  tax  rate  for  2013  was  higher  than  the  effective  tax  rate  for  2012  primarily  due  to  the 
recognition of a discrete benefit relating to additional export incentives in 2012 and a lower benefit related to foreign 
repatriations in 2013, partially offset by a more favorable mix of earnings in 2013.  The effective tax rate for 2012 was 
lower than the effective tax rate for 2011 primarily due to discrete benefits related to additional export incentives and 
the conclusion of tax examinations in certain jurisdictions, as well as a larger benefit from the domestic production 
activities deduction in the U.S. related to our authorization software.  

The provision for income taxes differs from the amount of income tax determined by applying the U.S. federal statutory 
income tax rate of 35% to pretax income for the years ended December 31, as a result of the following:

For the years ended December 31,

2013

2012

2011

Amount

Percent

Amount

Percent

Amount

Percent

(in millions, except percentages)

Income before income tax expense. . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 4,500

$ 3,933

$ 2,748

1,575
Federal statutory tax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
19
State tax effect, net of federal benefit. . . . . . . . . . .
(208)
Foreign tax effect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
13
Non-deductible expenses and other differences . . .
(1)
Tax exempt income. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Foreign repatriation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
(14)
Income tax expense. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 1,384

1,376
35.0 %
23
0.4 %
(175)
(4.6)%
(21)
0.3 %
(2)
— %
(0.3)%
(27)
30.8 % $ 1,174

35.0 %
0.6 %
(4.4)%
(0.5)%
(0.1)%
(0.7)%
29.9 % $

961
14
(133)
34
(3)
(31)
842

35.0 %
0.5 %
(4.9)%
1.2 %
(0.1)%
(1.1)%
30.6 %

The Company's GAAP effective tax rates for 2013 and 2011 were affected by the tax benefits related to the MDL 
Provision as illustrated in the table below.  The effective tax rate was 29.9% in 2012 including and excluding the portion 
of the MDL Provision recorded in 2012.  

GAAP to Non-GAAP effective tax rate reconciliation

For the years ended December 31,

2013

2011

Actual

MDL
Provision

Non-
GAAP

Actual

MDL
Provision

Non-
GAAP

Income before income taxes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 4,500
(1,384)
Income tax expense. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Net income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 3,116

$

$

(in millions, except percentages)
95
$
(34)
61

$ 2,748
(842)
$ 1,906

$ 4,595
(1,418)
$ 3,177

$

770
(275)
495

$ 3,518
(1,117)
$ 2,401

Effective tax rate. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

30.8%

30.9%

30.6%

31.8%

During 2013, the Company's unrecognized tax benefits related to tax positions taken during the current and prior periods 
increased by $63 million.  The increase in the Company's unrecognized tax benefits for 2013 was primarily due to 
judgments related to current year tax positions.  As of December 31, 2013, the Company's unrecognized tax benefits 
related to positions taken during the current and prior period were $320 million, all of which would reduce the Company's 
effective tax rate if recognized.

In 2010, in connection with the expansion of the Company's operations in the Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa 
region, the Company's subsidiary in Singapore, MasterCard Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd. (“MAPPL”), received an incentive 
grant from the Singapore Ministry of Finance.  See Note 17 (Income Taxes) to the consolidated financial statements 
included in Part II, Item 8 of this Report for further discussion.  

44

Liquidity and Capital Resources

We need liquidity and access to capital to fund our global operations, credit and settlement exposure, capital expenditures, 
investments in our business and current and potential obligations.  The Company generates the cash required to meet 
these needs through operations.  The following table summarizes the cash, cash equivalents and investment securities 
balances and credit available to the Company at December 31:

Years Ended December 31,

2013

2012

2011

Cash, cash equivalents and available-for-sale investment securities1 . . . . . . . $
Unused line of credit2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

6.3

3.0

(in billions)
5.0
$

$

3.0

4.9

2.8

1 Excludes restricted cash related to the U.S. merchant class litigation settlement of $723 million and $726 million at December 31, 2013 
and 2012, respectively. 
2 The Company did not use any funds from the line of credit during the periods presented, except for business continuity planning and related 
purposes.  

The increase in net cash provided by operations is primarily due to increases in net income in 2013 and 2012.  Cash, 
cash equivalents and available-for-sale investment securities held by our foreign subsidiaries (i.e., any entities where 
earnings would be subject to U.S. tax upon repatriation) was $3.6 billion and $2.5 billion at December 31, 2013 and 
2012, respectively, or 57% and 50% of our total cash, cash equivalents and available-for-sale investment securities as 
of such dates.  It is our present intention to permanently reinvest the undistributed earnings associated with our foreign 
subsidiaries  as  of  December 31,  2013  outside  of  the  United  States  (as  disclosed  in  Note  17  (Income  Tax)  to  the 
consolidated  financial  statements  included  in  Part  II,  Item  8  of  this  Report),  and  our  current  plans  do  not  require 
repatriation of these earnings.  If these earnings are needed for U.S operations or can no longer be permanently reinvested 
outside of the United States, the Company would be subject to U.S. tax upon repatriation.

Our liquidity and access to capital could be negatively impacted by global credit market conditions.  The Company 
guarantees the settlement of many of the MasterCard, Cirrus and Maestro branded transactions between our issuers 
and acquirers.  See Note 19 (Settlement and Other Risk Management) to the consolidated financial statements in Part 
II, Item 8 of this Report for a description of these guarantees.  Historically, payments under these guarantees have not 
been significant; however, historical trends may not be an indication of the future.  The risk of loss on these guarantees 
is specific to individual customers, but may also be driven significantly by regional or global economic conditions, 
including, but not limited to the health of the financial institutions in a country or region.  

Our liquidity and access to capital could also be negatively impacted by the outcome of any of the legal or regulatory 
proceedings to which we are a party.  See our risk factor in "Risk Factors - Legal and Regulatory Risks" in Part I, Item 
1A and Note 18 (Legal and Regulatory Proceedings) to the consolidated financial statements included in Part II, Item 
8 of this Report; and Part II, Item 7 (Business Environment) of this Report for additional discussion of these and other 
risks facing our business.

Cash Flow

The table below shows a summary of the cash flows from operating, investing and financing activities for the years 
ended December 31:

2013

2012

(in millions)

2011

Cash Flow Data:
Net cash provided by operating activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $
Net cash used in investing activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Net cash used in financing activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

$

4,135
(4)
(2,629)

$

2,948
(2,839)
(1,798)

2,684
(748)
(1,215)

Net cash provided by operating activities for the years ended December 31, 2013 and 2012 was $4.1 billion and $2.9 
billion, respectively, primarily due to net income.  

45

 
 
Net  cash  used  in  investing  activities  for  the  year  ended  December 31,  2013  was  primarily  related  to  purchases  of 
investment securities and increased property, plant and equipment and capitalized software, partially offset by net 
proceeds from sales and maturities of investment securities.  Net cash used in investing activities for the year ended 
December 31, 2012 was primarily related to purchases of investment securities and the payment related to U.S. merchant 
class litigations into escrow, partially offset by net proceeds from sales and maturities of investment securities.  

Net cash used in financing activities for the years ended December 31, 2013 and 2012 was primarily related to the 
repurchase of the Company’s Class A common stock and dividend payments to our stockholders.  

The table below shows a summary of the balance sheet data at December 31:

2013

2012

(in millions)

2011

Balance Sheet Data:
Current assets. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $
Current liabilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Long-term liabilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Equity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

$

10,950
6,032
715
7,495

$

9,357
4,906
627
6,929

7,741
4,217
599
5,877

The Company believes that its existing cash, cash equivalents and investment securities balances, its cash flow generating 
capabilities, its borrowing capacity and its access to capital resources are sufficient to satisfy its future operating cash 
needs, capital asset purchases, outstanding commitments and other liquidity requirements associated with its existing 
operations and potential obligations.

Credit Availability

On November 16, 2013, the Company extended its committed unsecured revolving credit facility, dated as of November 
16, 2012 (the “Credit Facility”), for an additional year.  The expiration date of the Credit Facility is November 15, 
2018.  The available funding under the Credit Facility will remain at $3 billion through November 16, 2017 and then 
decrease to $2.95 billion during the final year of the Credit Facility agreement.  Other terms and conditions of the Credit 
Facility remain unchanged.  The option to request that each lender under the Credit Facility extend its commitment 
was provided pursuant to the terms of the Credit Facility agreement.  Borrowings under the Credit Facility are available 
to provide liquidity for general corporate purposes, including providing liquidity in the event of one or more settlement 
failures by the Company's customers.  In addition, for business continuity planning and related purposes, the Company 
may borrow and repay amounts under the Credit Facility from time to time.  The facility fee and borrowing cost under 
the Credit Facility are contingent upon the Company's credit rating.  At December 31, 2013, the applicable facility fee 
was 8 basis points on the average daily commitment (whether or not utilized).  In addition to the facility fee, interest 
on borrowings under the Credit Facility would be charged at the London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) plus an 
applicable margin of 79.5 basis points, or an alternative base rate.  MasterCard had no borrowings under the Credit 
Facility at December 31, 2013 and 2012. 

The  Credit  Facility  contains  customary  representations,  warranties,  events  of  default  and  affirmative  and  negative 
covenants, including a financial covenant limiting the maximum level of consolidated debt to earnings before interest, 
taxes, depreciation and amortization.  MasterCard was in compliance in all material respects with the covenants of the 
Credit Facility at December 31, 2013 and 2012.  The majority of Credit Facility lenders are customers or affiliates of 
customers of MasterCard. 

On August 2, 2012, the Company filed a universal shelf registration statement to provide additional access to capital, 
if needed. Pursuant to the shelf registration statement, the Company may from time to time offer to sell debt securities, 
preferred stock, Class A common stock, depository shares, purchase contracts, units or warrants in one or more offerings.

46

Dividends and Share Repurchases

MasterCard has historically paid quarterly dividends on its outstanding Class A common stock and Class B common 
stock.  Subject to legally available funds, we intend to continue to pay a quarterly cash dividend.  However, the declaration 
and payment of future dividends is at the sole discretion of our Board of Directors after taking into account various 
factors, including our financial condition, operating results, available cash and current and anticipated cash needs.  The 
following table summarizes the annual, per share dividends paid in the years reflected:

Years Ended December 31,

2013

2012

2011

(in millions, except per share data)

Cash dividend, per share . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $
Cash dividends paid. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $

0.210

255

$

$

0.105

132

$

$

0.060

77

On December 10, 2013, our Board of Directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.11 per share paid on February 
10, 2014 to holders of record on January 9, 2014 of our Class A common stock and Class B common stock.  The 
aggregate amount of this dividend was $131 million.  

On February 4, 2014, our Board of Directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.11 per share payable on May 9, 
2014 to holders of record on April 9, 2014 of our Class A common stock and Class B common stock.  The aggregate 
amount of this dividend is estimated to be $131 million. 

Shares in the Company's common stock that are repurchased are considered treasury stock.  The timing and actual 
number  of  additional  shares  repurchased  will  depend  on  a  variety  of  factors,  including  the  operating  needs  of  the 
business, legal requirements, price, and economic and market conditions.  On December 10, 2013, our Board of Directors 
approved a new share repurchase program authorizing the Company to repurchase up to $3.5 billion of its Class A 
common stock.  During January 2014, the Company exhausted its purchases under the February 2013 Share Repurchase 
Program and began purchasing shares under the December 2013 Share Repurchase Program.  As of January 24, 2014, 
the cumulative repurchases by the Company under both the February 2013 Share Repurchase Program and December 
2013 Share Repurchase Program in 2014 totaled approximately 4.2 million shares of Class A common stock for an 
aggregate cost of approximately $351 million, at an average price of $83.00 per share of Class A common stock.  As 
of January 24, 2014, the Company had approximately $3.3 billion remaining under the December 2013 Share Repurchase 
Program.  

The following table summarizes the Company's share repurchase authorizations of its Class A common stock through 
December 31, 2013, as well as historical purchases:

Authorization Dates

December 
 2013

February 
2013

June 
 2012

April 
 20111

Total

(in millions, except average price data)

Board authorization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $
Remaining authorization at December 31, 2012 . . . . .
Dollar-value of shares repurchased in 2013 . . . . . . . . . $
Remaining authorization at December 31, 2013 . . . . . $
Shares repurchased in 2013 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Average price paid per share in 2013. . . . . . . . . . . . . . $

3,500

$

2,000

**

**

— $

1,839

3,500

$

—

161

29.2

— $

63.01

$

$

$

$

$

1,500

604

604

$

$

$

— $

11.7

2,000

$

9,000

— $

— $

— $

—

604

2,443

3,661

40.9

51.72

$

— $

59.78

** Not applicable
1  The initial authorization in September 2010 for $1 billion was amended in April 2011 to increase the authorization to $2 billion. 

47

Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements 

MasterCard has no off-balance sheet debt, other than lease arrangements and other commitments as presented in the 
Future Obligations table that follows.

Future Obligations 

The following table summarizes our obligations as of December 31, 2013 that are expected to impact liquidity and 
cash flow in future periods.  We believe we will be able to fund these obligations through cash generated from operations 
and our cash balances.

Payments Due by Period

Total

2014

2015 - 2016

2017 - 2018

2019 and
thereafter

Capital leases 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $
Operating leases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Debt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Other long-term obligations 2 . . . . . . . . . . .
Sponsorship, licensing and other 3 . . . . . .
Employee benefits 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Total 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $

9
125
35

600
95
864

$

$

(in millions)
1
$
48
—

198
11
258

$

$

$

8
24
35

347
13
427

— $
29
—

34
16
79

$

—
24
—

21
55
100

1 The capital lease for the global technology and operations center located in O’Fallon, Missouri has been excluded from this table, since the 
Company holds refunding revenue bonds equal to the payments due on the lease.  See Note 7 (Property, Plant and Equipment) included in 
Part II, Item 8 of this Report for further information. 
2 The table does not include the $886 million provision as of December 31, 2013 related to the merchant opt outs and the U.S. merchant class 
litigation since the opt outs are not fixed and determinable and the Company has made a payment into escrow to fund the U.S. merchant 
class litigation or has a corresponding equal amount presented in settlement due from customers.  See Note 18 (Legal and Regulatory 
Proceedings) to the consolidated financial statements included in Part II, Item 8 of this Report for further discussion.
3 Amounts primarily relate to sponsorships to promote the MasterCard brand.  Future cash payments that will become due to our customers 
under agreements which provide pricing rebates on our standard fees and other incentives in exchange for transaction volumes are not 
included in the table because the amounts due are contingent on future performance.  MasterCard has accrued $1.5 billion as of December 
31, 2013 related to customer and merchant agreements.  
4 Amounts relate to committed, unfunded postemployment benefits and minimum funding requirements for defined benefit plans.
5 The Company has recorded a liability for unrecognized tax benefits of $320 million at December 31, 2013 and estimates that approximately 
$1 million of this liability is expected to be settled within the next 12 months.  These amounts have been excluded from the table since the 
settlement period for the non-current portion of this liability cannot be reasonably estimated.  The timing of these payments will ultimately 
depend on the progress of tax examinations with the various authorities.

Seasonality

The Company does not experience meaningful seasonality.  No individual quarter in 2013, 2012 or 2011 accounted for 
more than 30% of net revenue.

Critical Accounting Estimates 

The application of U.S. GAAP requires the Company to make estimates and assumptions about certain items and future 
events that directly affect the Company's reported financial condition.  We have established detailed policies and control 
procedures to provide reasonable assurance that the methods used to make estimates and assumptions are well controlled 
and are applied consistently from period to period.  The accounting estimates and assumptions discussed in this section 
are those that the Company considers to be the most critical to its financial statements.  An accounting estimate is 
considered critical if both (a) the nature of the estimate or assumption is material due to the levels of subjectivity and 
judgment involved, and (b) the impact within a reasonable range of outcomes of the estimate and assumption is material 
to the Company's financial condition.  Senior management has discussed the development, selection and disclosure of 
these estimates with the Audit Committee of the Company's Board of Directors.  The Company's significant accounting 
policies, including recent accounting pronouncements, are described in Note 1 (Summary of Significant Accounting 
Policies) to the consolidated financial statements included in Part II, Item 8 of this Report. 

48

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
A quantitative sensitivity analysis is provided where that information is reasonably available, can be reliably estimated 
and provides material information to investors.  The amounts used to assess sensitivity (e.g., 10 percent) are included 
to allow users of this Report to understand a general direction cause and effect of changes in the estimates and do not 
represent management's predictions of variability.  For all of these estimates, it should be noted that future events rarely 
develop exactly as forecasted, and estimates require regular review and adjustment. 

Revenue Recognition

Application of the various accounting principles in U.S. GAAP related to the measurement and recognition of revenue 
requires the Company to make judgments and estimates.  Specifically, complex arrangements with nonstandard terms 
and  conditions  may  require  significant  contract  interpretation  to  determine  the  appropriate  accounting.    Domestic 
assessment revenue requires an estimate of our customers' performance in order to recognize domestic assessments 
revenue.  Rebates and incentives are recorded as a reduction to gross revenue based on these estimates.  We consider 
various factors in estimating customer performance, including a review of specific transactions, historical experience 
with that customer and market and economic conditions.  Differences between actual results and the Company's estimates 
are adjusted in the period the customer reports actual performance.  If our customers' actual performance is not consistent 
with our estimates of their performance, net revenue may be materially different.  

Loss Contingencies

The Company is currently involved in various claims and legal proceedings.  The Company regularly reviews the status 
of each significant matter and assesses its potential financial exposure.  If the potential loss from any claim or legal 
proceeding is considered probable and the amount can be reasonably estimated, the Company accrues a liability for 
the estimated loss.  Significant judgment is required in both the determination of probability and the determination of 
whether an exposure is reasonably estimable.  Our judgments are subjective based on the status of the legal or regulatory 
proceedings,  the  merits  of  our  defenses  and  consultation  with  in-house  and  outside  legal  counsel.    Because  of 
uncertainties related to these matters, accruals are based only on the best information available at the time.  As additional 
information becomes available, the Company reassesses the potential liability related to its pending claims and litigation 
and may revise its estimates.  Due to the inherent uncertainties of the legal and regulatory process in the multiple 
jurisdictions in which we operate, our judgments may be materially different than the actual outcomes.

Income Taxes

In calculating our effective tax rate, we need to make estimates regarding the timing and amount of taxable and deductible 
items which will adjust the pretax income earned in various tax jurisdictions.  Through our interpretation of local tax 
regulations, adjustments to pretax income for income earned in various tax jurisdictions are reflected within various 
tax filings.  Although we believe that our estimates and judgments discussed herein are reasonable, actual results may 
be materially different than the estimated amounts.

We record a valuation allowance to reduce our deferred tax assets to the amount that is more likely than not to be 
realized.  Significant judgment is required in determining the valuation allowance.  We consider projected future taxable 
income and ongoing tax planning strategies in assessing the need for the valuation allowance.  If it is determined that 
we are able to realize deferred tax assets in excess of the net carrying value or to the extent we are unable to realize a 
deferred tax asset, we would adjust the valuation allowance in the period in which such a determination is made, with 
a corresponding increase or decrease to earnings.

We record tax liabilities for uncertain tax positions taken, or expected to be taken, which may not be sustained or may 
only be partially sustained, upon examination by the relevant taxing authorities.  We consider all relevant facts and 
current authorities in the tax law in assessing whether any benefit resulting from an uncertain tax position is more likely 
than not to be sustained and, if so, how current law impacts the amount reflected within these financial statements.  If 
upon examination, we realize a tax benefit which is not fully sustained or is more favorably sustained, this would 
decrease or increase earnings in the period.  In certain situations, the Company will have offsetting tax credits or taxes 
in other jurisdictions.

We do not record U.S. income tax expense for foreign earnings which we intend to reinvest indefinitely to expand our 
international operations.  We consider business plans, planning opportunities, and expected future outcomes in assessing 

49

the needs for future expansion and support of our international operations.  If our business plans change or our future 
outcomes differ from our expectations, U.S. income tax expense and our effective tax rate could increase or decrease 
in that period.

Valuation of Assets

The valuation of assets acquired in a business combination and asset impairment reviews require the use of significant 
estimates and assumptions.  The acquisition method of accounting for business combinations requires the Company to 
estimate the fair value of assets acquired, liabilities assumed, and any non-controlling interest in the acquiree to properly 
allocate purchase price consideration between assets that are depreciated and amortized from goodwill.  Impairment 
testing for assets, other than goodwill and indefinite-lived intangible assets, requires the allocation of cash flows to 
those assets or group of assets and if required, an estimate of fair value for the assets or group of assets.  The Company’s 
estimates are based upon assumptions believed to be reasonable, but which are inherently uncertain and unpredictable.  
These  valuations  require  the  use  of  management’s  assumptions,  which  would  not  reflect  unanticipated  events  and 
circumstances that may occur.  

We evaluate goodwill and indefinite-lived intangible assets for impairment on an annual basis or sooner if indicators 
of impairment exist.  In the fourth quarter of 2012, the Company early adopted new Financial Accounting Standards 
Board (FASB) guidance that simplifies how an entity tests indefinite-lived intangible assets for impairment, allowing 
a qualitative assessment to be performed, which is similar to the FASB guidance for evaluating goodwill for impairment.  
In performing these qualitative assessments, we consider relevant events and conditions, including but not limited to, 
macroeconomic trends, industry and market conditions, overall financial performance, cost factors, company-specific 
events, legal and regulatory factors and the Company's market capitalization.  If the qualitative assessments indicate 
that it is more likely than not that the fair value of the reporting unit or indefinite-lived intangible assets are less than 
their carrying amounts, the Company must perform a quantitative impairment test.  

Item 7A.  Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk 

Market risk is the potential for economic losses to be incurred on market risk sensitive instruments arising from adverse 
changes in market factors such as interest rates, foreign currency exchange rates and equity price risk.  Our exposure 
to market risk from changes in interest rates, foreign exchange rates and equity price risk is limited.  Management 
establishes  and  oversees  the  implementation  of  policies  governing  our  funding,  investments  and  use  of  derivative 
financial instruments.  We monitor risk exposures on an ongoing basis.  The effect of a hypothetical 10% adverse change 
in foreign currency rates could result in a fair value loss of approximately $189 million on our foreign currency derivative 
contracts outstanding at December 31, 2013 related to the hedging program.  A 100 basis point adverse change in 
interest rates would not have a material impact on the Company's financial assets or liabilities at December 31, 2013 
and 2012.  In addition, there was no material equity price risk at December 31, 2013 or 2012.  The Dodd-Frank Wall 
Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act in the United States includes provisions related to derivative financial 
instruments.  The Company believes the adoption of such provisions will not have a material adverse effect on the 
Company's financial position or results of operations.

Foreign Exchange Risk

We enter into forward contracts to manage risk associated with anticipated receipts and disbursements which are either 
transacted in a non-functional currency or valued based on a currency other than our functional currency.  We also enter 
into foreign currency derivative contracts to offset possible changes in value due to foreign exchange fluctuations of 
earnings, assets and liabilities denominated in currencies other than the functional currency of the entity.  The objective 
of  these  activities  is  to  reduce  our  exposure  to  transaction  gains  and  losses  resulting  from  fluctuations  of  foreign 
currencies against our functional and reporting currencies, principally the U.S. dollar and euro.  The terms of the forward 
contracts are generally less than 18 months.

50

As  of  December 31,  2013,  all  forward  contracts  to  purchase  and  sell  foreign  currency  had  been  entered  into  with 
customers of MasterCard.  MasterCard’s derivative contracts are summarized below: 

December 31, 2013

December 31, 2012

Notional

Estimated Fair
Value

Notional

Estimated Fair
Value

Commitments to purchase foreign currency . . . . . . . $
Commitments to sell foreign currency. . . . . . . . . . . .

$

23
1,722

(in millions)
(1) $
1

$

76
1,571

(1)
(2)

Our settlement activities are subject to foreign exchange risk resulting from foreign exchange rate fluctuations.  This 
risk is typically limited to the one business day between setting the foreign exchange rates and clearing the financial 
transactions.

Interest Rate Risk

Our interest rate sensitive assets are our investments in debt securities, which we generally hold as available-for-sale 
investments.  Our general policy is to invest in high quality securities, while providing adequate liquidity and maintaining 
diversification to avoid significant exposure.  The fair value and maturity distribution of the Company's available for 
sale investments as of December 31 was as follows: 

Financial Instrument

Summary Terms

Maturity

Fair Market
Value at
December 31,
2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019
and
there-
after

Municipal securities . . . . Fixed / Variable Interest

$

267

$ 200

$

(in millions)
10
$
57

$ — $ — $ —

Corporate securities . . . . Fixed / Variable Interest

1,426

U.S. Government and

Agency securities . . . Fixed / Variable Interest

Asset-backed securities. . Fixed / Variable Interest

Auction rate securities . . Variable Interest

Other . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Fixed / Variable Interest

560

364

11

79

646

376

307

—

33

464

122

49

—

37

290

31

8

—

7

Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

$

2,707

$1,562

$ 729

$ 346

$

9

12

—

—

2

23

$

15

9

—

—

—

24

$

2

10

—

11

—

23

Financial Instrument

Summary Terms

Fair Market
Value at
December 31,
2012

Maturity

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

(in millions)

2018
and
there-
after

Municipal securities . . . . Fixed / Variable Interest

$

531

$ 174

$ 136

$

78

$

Corporate securities . . . . Fixed / Variable Interest

1,246

U.S. Government and

Agency securities . . . Fixed / Variable Interest

Taxable short-term bond
funds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Fixed / Variable Interest

Asset-backed securities. . Fixed / Variable Interest

Auction rate securities . . Variable Interest

Other . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Fixed / Variable Interest

582

210

316

32

66

607

355

—

259

—

23

470

150

—

45

—

27

159

37

—

8

—

15

Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

$

2,983

$1,418

$ 828

$ 297

$

55

1

22

—

—

—

1

79

$

38

$

9

8

—

4

—

—

59

$

$

50

—

10

—

—

32

—

92

1 

Short-term bond funds of $210 million had no contractual maturity. 

51

 
At December 31, 2013, we have a credit facility which provides liquidity for general corporate purposes, including 
providing liquidity in the event of one or more settlement failures by the Company's customers.  This credit facility 
has variable rates, which are applied to the borrowing based on terms and conditions set forth in the agreement.  See 
Note 12 (Debt) to the consolidated financial statements in Part II, Item 8 of this Report for additional information on 
the Company's current and prior credit facilities.  We had no borrowings under the current or prior credit facilities at 
December 31, 2013 or 2012.  

Equity Price Risk

The Company did not have significant equity price risk as of December 31, 2013 and 2012.  

52

Item 8.   Financial Statements and Supplementary Data

MASTERCARD INCORPORATED

INDEX TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

MasterCard Incorporated

  As of December 31, 2013 and 2012 and for the years ended December 31, 2013, 2012 and 2011

Management's Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Consolidated Balance Sheet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Consolidated Statement of Operations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Consolidated Statement of Changes in Equity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Page

54

55

56

57

58

59

60
61

53

MANAGEMENT'S REPORT ON INTERNAL CONTROL OVER FINANCIAL REPORTING

The management of MasterCard Incorporated (“MasterCard”) is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate 
internal control over financial reporting.  Internal control over financial reporting is a process designed to provide 
reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for 
external reporting purposes in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.  
Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements.  
As  required  by  Section  404  of  the  Sarbanes-Oxley Act  of  2002,  management  has  assessed  the  effectiveness  of 
MasterCard's internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2013.  In making its assessment, management 
has utilized the criteria set forth in Internal Control - Integrated Framework (1992 Framework) issued by the Committee 
of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO).  Management has concluded that, based on its 
assessment,  MasterCard's  internal  control  over  financial  reporting  was  effective  as  of  December 31,  2013.    The 
effectiveness of MasterCard's internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2013 has been audited by 
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, as stated in their report which appears 
on the next page.

54

[PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS letterhead]

REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

To the Board of Directors and Shareholders
of MasterCard Incorporated:

In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements listed in the accompanying index present fairly, in all material 
respects, the financial position of MasterCard Incorporated and its subsidiaries at December 31, 2013 and December 31, 
2012, and the results of their operations and their cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 
2013 in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.  Also in our opinion, 
the Company maintained, in all material respects, effective internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 
2013,  based  on  criteria  established  in  Internal  Control  -  Integrated  Framework  (1992  Framework)  issued  by  the 
Committee  of  Sponsoring  Organizations  of  the  Treadway  Commission  (COSO).    The  Company's  management  is 
responsible for these financial statements, for maintaining effective internal control over financial reporting and for its 
assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting, included in the accompanying Management's 
Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting.  Our responsibility is to express opinions on these financial 
statements, and on the Company's internal control over financial reporting based on our integrated audits.  We conducted 
our audits in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States).  Those 
standards  require  that  we  plan  and  perform  the  audits  to  obtain  reasonable  assurance  about  whether  the  financial 
statements  are  free  of  material  misstatement  and  whether  effective  internal  control  over  financial  reporting  was 
maintained in all material respects.  Our audits of the financial statements included examining, on a test basis, evidence 
supporting  the  amounts  and  disclosures  in  the  financial  statements,  assessing  the  accounting  principles  used  and 
significant estimates made by management, and evaluating the overall financial statement presentation.  Our audit of 
internal control over financial reporting included obtaining an understanding of internal control over financial reporting, 
assessing the risk that a material weakness exists, and testing and evaluating the design and operating effectiveness of 
internal control based on the assessed risk.  Our audits also included performing such other procedures as we considered 
necessary in the circumstances.  We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinions.

A company's internal control over financial reporting is a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding 
the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance 
with generally accepted accounting principles.  A company's internal control over financial reporting includes those 
policies and procedures that (i) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly 
reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the company; (ii) provide reasonable assurance that transactions 
are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting 
principles, and that receipts and expenditures of the company are being made only in accordance with authorizations 
of management and directors of the company; and (iii) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely 
detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the company's assets that could have a material effect on 
the financial statements.

Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements.  
Also, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become 
inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may 
deteriorate.

/s/ PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP

New York, New York
February 14, 2014 

55

MASTERCARD INCORPORATED

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET

ASSETS

Cash and cash equivalents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $
Restricted cash for litigation settlement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Investment securities available-for-sale, at fair value . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Accounts receivable. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Settlement due from customers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Restricted security deposits held for customers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Prepaid expenses and other current assets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Deferred income taxes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Total Current Assets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Property, plant and equipment, net . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Deferred income taxes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Goodwill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Other intangible assets, net . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Other assets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Total Assets. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $

LIABILITIES AND EQUITY

Accounts payable. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $
Settlement due to customers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Restricted security deposits held for customers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Accrued litigation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Accrued expenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Other current liabilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Total Current Liabilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Deferred income taxes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Other liabilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Total Liabilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Commitments and Contingencies
Stockholders’ Equity
Class A common stock, $0.0001 par value; authorized 3,000,000,000 shares,

1,341,541,110 and 1,336,049,030 shares issued and 1,148,838,370 and 1,184,050,750
outstanding, respectively . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Class B common stock, $0.0001 par value; authorized 1,200,000,000 shares, 45,350,070

and 48,388,400 issued and outstanding, respectively . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Additional paid-in-capital . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Class A treasury stock, at cost, 192,702,740 and 151,998,280 shares, respectively . . . . . . . .
Retained earnings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Accumulated other comprehensive income. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Total Stockholders’ Equity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Non-controlling interests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Total Equity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Total Liabilities and Equity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $

December 31,

2013

2012

(in millions, except share data)

3,599
723
2,696
966
1,351
911
471
233
10,950
526
70
1,122
672
902
14,242

338
1,433
911
886
2,101
363
6,032
117
598
6,747

—

—
3,762
(6,577)
10,121
178
7,484
11
7,495
14,242

$

$

$

$

2,052
726
2,951
925
1,117
777
681
128
9,357
472
60
1,092
672
809
12,462

357
1,064
777
726
1,748
234
4,906
104
523
5,533

—

—
3,641
(4,139)
7,354
61
6,917
12
6,929
12,462

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

56

 
MASTERCARD INCORPORATED

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS

For the Years Ended December 31,
2012

2011

2013

Net Revenue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $
Operating Expenses
General and administrative . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Advertising and marketing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Depreciation and amortization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Provision for litigation settlement. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Total operating expenses. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Operating income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Other Income (Expense)
Investment income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Interest expense. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Other income (expense), net . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Total other income (expense) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Income before income taxes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Income tax expense. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Net Income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $

Basic Earnings per Share . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $
Basic Weighted-Average Shares Outstanding. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Diluted Earnings per Share . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $
Diluted Weighted-Average Shares Outstanding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(in millions, except per share data)
8,346

7,391

$

$

2,649
841
258
95
3,843
4,503

38
(14)
(27)
(3)
4,500
1,384
3,116

2.57
1,211
2.56
1,215

$

$

$

2,429
775
230
20
3,454
3,937

37
(20)
(21)
(4)
3,933
1,174
2,759

2.20
1,253
2.19
1,258

$

$

$

6,714

2,196
841
194
770
4,001
2,713

52
(25)
8
35
2,748
842
1,906

1.49
1,279
1.48
1,284

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

57

 
 
 
 
MASTERCARD INCORPORATED

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME

For the Years Ended December 31,

2013

2012

2011

Net Income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $
Other comprehensive income (loss):

Foreign currency translation adjustments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

3,116

113

Defined benefit pension and postretirement plans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Income tax effect. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Defined benefit pension and other postretirement plans, net of income tax

effect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Investment securities available-for-sale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Income tax effect. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Investment securities available-for-sale, net of income tax effect . . . . . . . . . .

Reclassification adjustment for investment securities available-for-sale . . . . .
Income tax effect. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Reclassification adjustment for investment securities available-for-sale, net

of income tax effect. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

13
(5)

8

(3)
2
(1)

(5)
2

(3)

(in millions)
2,759
$

$

1,906

63

(8)
3

(5)

9
(3)
6

(2)
1

(1)

(75)

(31)
11

(20)

(11)
4
(7)

8
(3)

5

Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Comprehensive Income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $

117
3,233

$

63
2,822

$

(97)
1,809

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

58

 
 
 
 
MASTERCARD INCORPORATED
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN EQUITY

Retained
Earnings 
(Accumulated 
Deficit)

Accumulated
Other
Comprehensive
Income (Loss), 
Net of Tax

Total

Common Stock

Class A

Class B

Additional
Paid-In
Capital

Class A
Treasury
Stock

Non-
Controlling
Interests

(in millions, except per share data)

Balance at December 31, 2010 . . . $ 5,216
1,906

Net income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

$

$

2,915

1,906

Activity related to non-
controlling interests . . . . . . . . . .

Other comprehensive loss, net
of tax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Cash dividends declared on
Class A and Class B common
stock, $0.06 per share. . . . . . . . .

(2)

(97)

(76)

Purchases of treasury stock . . . .

(1,148)

Share-based payments . . . . . . . .

Conversion of Class B to Class
A common stock . . . . . . . . . . . .

78

—

Balance at December 31, 2011. . . .
Net income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

5,877

2,759

Activity related to non-
controlling interests . . . . . . . . . .

Other comprehensive income,
net of tax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Cash dividends declared on
Class A and Class B common
stock, $0.12 per share. . . . . . . . .

3

63

Purchases of treasury stock . . . .

(1,748)

Share-based payments . . . . . . . .

Conversion of Class B to Class
A common stock . . . . . . . . . . . .

125

—

Balance at December 31, 2012 . . .
Net income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

6,929

3,116

Activity related to non-
controlling interests . . . . . . . . . .

Other comprehensive income,
net of tax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Cash dividends declared on
Class A and Class B common
stock, $0.29 per share. . . . . . . . .

(1)

117

—

—

(76)

—

—

—

4,745

2,759

—

—

—

—

—

7,354

3,116

—

—

(349)

(349)

Purchases of treasury stock . . . .

(2,443)

Share-based payments . . . . . . . .

Conversion of Class B to Class
A common stock . . . . . . . . . . . .

126

—

—

—

—

(150)

(150)

95

—

—

(97)

—

—

—

—

(2)

—

—

63

—

—

—

—

61

—

—

117

—

—

—

—

$ — $ — $

3,445

$ (1,250) $

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

74

—

—

—

—

—

(1,148)

4

—

3,519

(2,394)

—

—

—

—

—

122

—

—

—

—

—

(1,748)

3

—

3,641

(4,139)

—

—

—

—

—

121

—

—

—

—

—

(2,443)

5

—

Balance at December 31, 2013 . . . $ 7,495

$

10,121

$

178

$ — $ — $

3,762

$ (6,577) $

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

59

11

—

(2)

—

—

—

—

—

9

—

3

—

—

—

—

—

12

—

(1)

—

—

—

—

—

11

 
 
 
 
MASTERCARD INCORPORATED

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS

Operating Activities
Net income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating
activities:

Depreciation and amortization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Share-based payments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Deferred income taxes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Other . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:

Accounts receivable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Income taxes receivable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Settlement due from customers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Prepaid expenses. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Accrued litigation and legal settlements. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Accounts payable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Settlement due to customers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Accrued expenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Net change in other assets and liabilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Net cash provided by operating activities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Investing Activities

Purchases of investment securities available-for-sale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Proceeds from sales of investment securities available-for-sale . . . . . . . . .
Proceeds from maturities of investment securities available-for-sale . . . . .
Purchases of property, plant and equipment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Capitalized software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Proceeds from maturities of investment securities held-to-maturity . . . . . .
Investment in nonmarketable equity investments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Decrease (increase) in restricted cash for litigation settlement . . . . . . . . . .
Acquisition of businesses, net of cash acquired . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Other investing activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Net cash used in investing activities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Financing Activities

Purchases of treasury stock. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Dividends paid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Proceeds from debt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Cash proceeds from exercise of stock options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Tax benefit for share-based compensation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Other financing activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Net cash used in financing activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Cash and cash equivalents - beginning of period . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Cash and cash equivalents - end of period . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $

For the Years Ended December 31,
2011
2012
2013

(in millions)

3,116

$

2,759

$

1,906

258
63
(119)
67

(42)
153
(194)
(70)
160
(20)
322
315
126
4,135

(2,526)
1,488
1,321
(155)
(144)
36
(20)
3
—
(7)
(4)

(2,443)
(255)
35
26
19
(11)
(2,629)
45
1,547
2,052
3,599

$

230
—
241
52

(121)
(185)
(500)
(81)
(44)
(2)
348
221
30
2,948

(2,981)
390
891
(96)
(122)
—
(118)
(726)
(70)
(7)
(2,839)

(1,748)
(132)
—
31
47
4
(1,798)
7
(1,682)
3,734
2,052

$

194
35
(175)
17

(162)
—
(114)
27
467
67
74
296
52
2,684

(899)
485
63
(77)
(100)
300
(74)
—
(460)
14
(748)

(1,148)
(77)
—
19
12
(21)
(1,215)
(54)
667
3,067
3,734

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

60

 
 
 
 
MASTERCARD INCORPORATED

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Note 1. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Organization

MasterCard  Incorporated  and  its  consolidated  subsidiaries,  including  MasterCard  International  Incorporated 
(“MasterCard  International”  and  together  with  MasterCard  Incorporated,  “MasterCard”  or  the  “Company”),  is  a 
technology  company  in  the  global  payments  industry  that  connects  consumers,  financial  institutions,  merchants, 
governments and businesses worldwide, enabling them to use electronic forms of payment instead of cash and checks.  
The Company facilitates the processing of payment transactions including authorization, clearing and settlement, and 
delivers related products and services.  The Company makes payments easier and more efficient by creating a wide 
range of payment solutions and services through a family of well-known brands, including MasterCard, Maestro and 
Cirrus.  The Company also provides value-added offerings such as loyalty and reward programs, information services 
and consulting.  The Company’s network is designed to ensure safety and security for the global payments system.  A 
typical  transaction  on  the  Company's  network  involves  four  participants  in  addition  to  the  Company:    cardholder, 
merchant,  issuer  (the  cardholder’s  financial  institution)  and  acquirer  (the  merchant’s  financial  institution).    The 
Company's customers encompass a vast array of entities, including financial institutions and other entities that act as 
"issuers" and "acquirers", as well as merchants, governments, telecommunication companies and other businesses.  The 
Company does not issue cards, extend credit, determine or receive revenue from interest rates or other fees charged to 
cardholders by issuers, or establish the “merchant discount” rate charged in connection with the acceptance of cards 
and other payment devices that carry MasterCard's brands.

Significant Accounting Policies

Consolidation and basis of presentation - The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of MasterCard 
and its majority-owned and controlled entities, including any variable interest entities ("VIEs") for which the Company 
is the primary beneficiary.  Intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated in consolidation.  Certain 
prior period amounts have been revised or reclassified to conform to the 2013 presentation.  The Company follows 
accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”).

The Company is a variable interest holder in certain entities.  These variable interests arise from contractual, ownership 
or other monetary interests in the entities.  The Company evaluates if the entity has sufficient equity at risk to finance 
their activities without additional subordinated financial support from other parties, if equity investors lack the ability 
to control the entity's most significant activities, have voting rights that are disproportionate to their ownership interest, 
or lack the ability to absorb expected losses or receive expected returns (referred to as VIEs).  The Company consolidates 
a VIE if it is the primary beneficiary, defined as the entity that has both (i) the power to direct the activities that most 
significantly impact the VIE's economic performance and (ii) the obligation to absorb the losses and/or the right to 
receive benefits from the VIE that could potentially be significant to the VIE.  To determine whether MasterCard 
qualifies as the primary beneficiary, the Company considers both qualitative and quantitative factors regarding the 
nature, size and form of the Company's involvement with the VIE.  The Company assesses whether or not it is the 
primary beneficiary of a VIE on an ongoing basis. Investments in VIEs for which the Company is not considered the 
primary  beneficiary  are  not  consolidated  and  are  accounted  for  as  equity  method  or  cost  method  investments  and 
recorded in other assets on the consolidated balance sheet.  At December 31, 2013 and 2012, there were no VIEs which 
required consolidation.

Non-controlling interests represent the equity interest not owned by the Company and is recorded for consolidated 
entities in which the Company owns less than 100% of the interests.  Changes in a parent's ownership interest while 
the parent retains its controlling interest are accounted for as equity transactions, and upon loss of control, retained 
ownership interests are remeasured at fair value, with any gain or loss recognized in earnings.  For each of the years 
ended December 31, 2013, 2012 and 2011, income from non-controlling interests was de minimis and, as a result, 
amounts are included in the consolidated statement of operations within other income (expense).  Prior period amounts 
have been revised to conform to this presentation.  

61

MASTERCARD INCORPORATED

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS – (Continued)

The Company accounts for investments in common stock or in-substance common stock under the equity method of 
accounting when it has the ability to exercise significant influence over the investee, generally when it holds between 
20% and 50% ownership in the entity.  In addition, investments in flow-through entities such as limited partnerships 
and limited liability companies are also accounted for under the equity method when the Company has the ability to 
exercise significant influence over the investee, generally when the investment ownership percentage is equal to or 
greater  than  5%  of  the  outstanding  ownership  interest.    The  excess  of  the  cost  over  the  underlying  net  equity  of 
investments accounted for under the equity method is allocated to identifiable tangible and intangible assets and liabilities 
based on fair values at the date of acquisition.  The amortization of the excess of the cost over the underlying net equity 
of investments and MasterCard's share of net earnings or losses of entities accounted for under the equity method of 
accounting is included in other income (expense) on the consolidated statement of operations.  

The Company accounts for investments in common stock or in-substance common stock under the cost method of 
accounting when it does not exercise significant influence, generally when it holds less than 20% ownership in the 
entity or when the interest in a limited partnership or limited liability company is less than 5% and the Company has 
no significant influence over the operation of the investee.  Investments in companies that MasterCard does not control, 
but that are not in the form of common stock or in-substance common stock, are also accounted for under the cost 
method of accounting.  Investments for which the equity method or cost method of accounting is used are recorded in 
other assets on the consolidated balance sheet.

Use of estimates - The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make 
estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets 
and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the 
reporting periods.  Future events and their effects cannot be predicted with certainty; accordingly, accounting estimates 
require the exercise of judgment.  The accounting estimates used in the preparation of the Company's consolidated 
financial statements may change as new events occur, as more experience is acquired, as additional information is 
obtained and as the Company's operating environment changes.  Actual results may differ from these estimates.

Revenue recognition - Revenue is recognized when persuasive evidence of an arrangement exists, delivery has occurred 
or services have been rendered, the price is fixed or determinable, and collectibility is reasonably assured.  Revenue is 
generally  derived  from  transactional  information  accumulated  by  our  systems  or  reported  by  our  customers.   The 
Company's  revenue  is  based  on  the  volume  of  activity  on  cards  that  carry  the  Company's  brands,  the  number  of 
transactions processed or the nature of other payment-related products and services.

Volume-based revenue (domestic assessments and cross-border volume fees) is recorded as revenue in the period it is 
earned, which is when the related volume is generated on the cards.  Certain revenue is based upon information reported 
to us by our customers.  Transaction-based revenue (transaction processing fees) is calculated by multiplying the number 
and type of transactions by their contractual price.  Transaction-based fees are recognized as revenue in the same period 
as the related transactions occur.  Other payment-related products and services are recognized as revenue in the same 
period as the related transactions occur or services are rendered.

MasterCard has business agreements with certain customers that provide for rebates or other support when the customers 
meet certain volume hurdles as well as other support incentives such as marketing, which are tied to performance.  
Rebates and incentives are recorded as a reduction of revenue at the later of (a) when the revenue is recognized by the 
Company or (b) at the time the rebate or incentive is offered to the customer.  Rebates and incentives are calculated 
based upon estimated performance and the terms of the related business agreements.  In addition, MasterCard may 
make payments to a customer directly related to entering into an agreement, which are deferred and amortized over 
the life of the agreement on a straight-line basis.

Business combinations - The Company accounts for business combinations under the acquisition method of accounting.  
The  Company  measures  the  tangible  and  intangible  identifiable  assets  acquired,  liabilities  assumed,  and  any 
noncontrolling interest in the acquiree, at their fair values at the acquisition date.  Acquisition-related costs are expensed 
as incurred and are included in general and administrative expenses.  Any excess of purchase price over the fair value 
of net assets acquired, including identifiable intangible assets, is recorded as goodwill.

62

MASTERCARD INCORPORATED

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS – (Continued)

Intangible assets - Intangible assets consist of capitalized software costs, trademarks, tradenames, customer relationships 
and other intangible assets, which have finite lives, and customer relationships which have indefinite lives.  Intangible 
assets with finite useful lives are amortized over their estimated useful lives, on a straight-line basis, which range from 
one  to  ten  years.    Capitalized  software  includes  internal  and  external  costs  incurred  directly  related  to  the  design, 
development and testing phases of each capitalized software project.

Impairment  of  assets  -  Long-lived  assets,  other  than  goodwill  and  indefinite-lived  intangible  assets,  are  tested  for 
impairment  whenever  events  or  circumstances  indicate  that  their  carrying  amount  may  not  be  recoverable.    If  the 
carrying value of the asset cannot be recovered from estimated future cash flows, undiscounted and without interest, 
the fair value of the asset is calculated using the present value of estimated net future cash flows.  If the carrying amount 
of the asset exceeds its fair value, an impairment is recorded.

Goodwill and indefinite-lived intangible assets are tested annually for impairment in the fourth quarter, or sooner when 
circumstances indicate an impairment may exist, using a qualitative analysis.  Goodwill and indefinite-lived intangible 
assets are tested for impairment at the reporting unit level.  A reporting unit is an operating segment, or one level below 
an operating segment (the "component" level) if discrete financial information is prepared and regularly reviewed by 
management at the segment level.  Components are aggregated as a single reporting unit if they have similar economic 
characteristics.  The impairment evaluation utilizes a qualitative assessment to determine whether it is more likely than 
not that the fair value of the reporting unit or indefinite-lived intangible asset is less than its carrying amount and 
whether it is necessary to perform a quantitative impairment test.  If, after performing a qualitative assessment, it is 
determined that it is more likely than not that the fair value of the reporting unit or indefinite-lived intangible asset is 
less than its carrying amount, then it would be necessary to use the quantitative impairment test to identify potential 
impairment and measure the amount of an impairment loss to be recognized (if any).  The quantitative impairment test 
is not necessary if, after performing the qualitative assessment, it is determined that it is more likely than not that the 
fair value of the reporting unit or indefinite-lived intangible asset exceeds its carrying amount.  Impairment charges, 
if any, are recorded in general and administrative expenses.  

Litigation - The Company is a party to certain legal and regulatory proceedings with respect to a variety of matters.  
The Company evaluates the likelihood of an unfavorable outcome of all legal or regulatory proceedings to which it is 
a party and accrues a loss contingency when the loss is probable and reasonably estimable.  These judgments are 
subjective based on the status of the legal or regulatory proceedings, the merits of its defenses and consultation with 
in-house and external legal counsel.  Legal costs are expensed as incurred and recorded in general and administrative 
expenses.

Settlement and other risk management - MasterCard's rules guarantee the settlement of many of the MasterCard, Cirrus 
and Maestro-branded transactions between its issuers and acquirers.  Settlement exposure is the outstanding settlement 
risk to customers under MasterCard's rules due to the difference in timing between the payment transaction date and 
subsequent settlement.  While the term and amount of the guarantee are unlimited, the duration of settlement exposure 
is short term and typically limited to a few days.  In the event that MasterCard effects a payment on behalf of a failed 
customer, MasterCard may seek an assignment of the underlying receivables of the failed customer.  Subject to approval 
by the Company's Board of Directors, customers may be charged for the amount of any settlement loss incurred during 
the ordinary course activities of the Company.

The Company also enters into agreements in the ordinary course of business under which the Company agrees to 
indemnify third parties against damages, losses and expenses incurred in connection with legal and other proceedings 
arising from relationships or transactions with the Company.  As the extent of the Company's obligations under these 
agreements depends entirely upon the occurrence of future events, the Company's potential future liability under these 
agreements is not determinable.  The Company accounts for each of its guarantees by recording the guarantee at its 
fair value at the inception or modification date through earnings.

Income taxes - The Company follows an asset and liability based approach in accounting for income taxes as required 
under GAAP.  Deferred income tax assets and liabilities are recorded to reflect the tax consequences on future years 
of temporary differences between the financial statement carrying amounts and income tax bases of assets and liabilities.  
63

MASTERCARD INCORPORATED

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS – (Continued)

Deferred income taxes are displayed as separate line items or are included in other current liabilities on the consolidated 
balance sheet.  Valuation allowances are provided against assets which are not more likely than not to be realized.  The 
Company recognizes all material tax positions, including uncertain tax positions in which it is more likely than not that 
the position will be sustained based on its technical merits and if challenged by the relevant taxing authorities.  At each 
balance sheet date, unresolved uncertain tax positions are reassessed to determine whether subsequent developments 
require a change in the amount of recognized tax benefit.  The allowance for uncertain tax positions is recorded in other 
current and noncurrent liabilities on the consolidated balance sheet.

The Company records interest expense related to income tax matters as interest expense in its statement of operations.  
The Company includes penalties related to income tax matters in the income tax provision.  The Company does not 
provide for U.S. federal income tax and foreign withholding taxes on undistributed earnings from non-U.S. subsidiaries 
when such earnings are intended to be reinvested indefinitely outside of the U.S.

Cash and cash equivalents - Cash and cash equivalents include certain investments with daily liquidity and with a 
maturity of three months or less from the date of purchase.  Cash equivalents are recorded at cost, which approximates 
fair value.

Restricted cash - The Company classifies cash as restricted when the cash is unavailable for withdrawal or usage for 
general  operations.    Restrictions  may  include  legally  restricted  deposits,  contracts  entered  into  with  others,  or  the 
Company's statements of intention with regard to particular deposits.  In December 2012, the Company made a payment 
into a qualified cash settlement fund related to its U.S. merchant class litigation.  The Company has presented these 
funds as restricted cash for litigation settlement since the use of the funds under the qualified cash settlement fund is 
restricted for payment under the settlement agreement.  In January 2014, $164 million was returned to MasterCard 
from  the  qualified  cash  settlement  fund  related  to  the  opt  out  merchants  and  will  be  reclassified  to  cash  and  cash 
equivalents.  See Note 18 (Legal and Regulatory Proceedings) for further detail. 

Fair value - The Company measures certain financial assets and liabilities at fair value on a recurring basis by estimating 
the price that would be received upon the sale of an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between 
market  participants.   The  Company  classifies  these  recurring  fair  value  measurements  into  a  three-level  hierarchy 
("Valuation Hierarchy").

The Valuation Hierarchy is based upon the transparency of inputs to the valuation of an asset or liability as of the 
measurement date.  A financial instrument's categorization within the Valuation Hierarchy is based upon the lowest 
level of input that is significant to the fair value measurement.  The three levels of the Valuation Hierarchy are as 
follows: 

Level 1-inputs to the valuation methodology are quoted prices (unadjusted) for identical assets or liabilities 
in active markets.

Level 2-inputs to the valuation methodology include quoted prices for similar assets and liabilities in active 
markets, quoted prices for identical assets and liabilities in inactive markets and inputs that are observable for 
the asset or liability, either directly or indirectly, for substantially the full term of the financial instrument.

Level  3-inputs  to  the  valuation  methodology  are  unobservable  and  cannot  be  directly  corroborated  by 
observable market data.

Certain assets and liabilities are measured at fair value on a nonrecurring basis.  The Company's assets and liabilities 
measured at fair value on a nonrecurring basis include property, plant and equipment, nonmarketable equity investments, 
goodwill and other intangible assets.  These assets are subject to fair value adjustments in certain circumstances, such 
as when there is evidence of impairment.

The valuation methods for goodwill and other intangible assets involve assumptions concerning comparable company 
multiples, discount rates, growth projections and other assumptions of future business conditions.  As the assumptions 
employed to measure these assets and liabilities on a nonrecurring basis are based on management's judgment using 

64

MASTERCARD INCORPORATED

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS – (Continued)

internal and external data, these fair value determinations are classified in Level 3 of the Valuation Hierarchy.  The 
Company has not elected to apply the fair value option to its eligible financial assets and liabilities.

Investment securities - The Company classifies investments in debt securities as held-to-maturity or available-for-sale 
and classifies investments in equity securities as available-for-sale or trading, if a readily available fair value can be 
determined.   Available-for-sale  securities  that  are  available  to  meet  the  Company's  current  operational  needs  are 
classified as current assets.  Available-for-sale securities that are not available to meet the Company's current operational 
needs are classified as non-current assets.

Investments in debt securities are classified as held-to-maturity when the Company has the intent and ability to hold 
the debt securities to maturity and are stated at amortized cost.  Investments in debt securities not classified as held-
to-maturity are classified as available-for-sale and are carried at fair value, with unrealized gains and losses, net of 
applicable taxes, recorded as a separate component of other comprehensive income on the consolidated statement of 
comprehensive income.  Net realized gains and losses on debt securities are recognized in investment income on the 
consolidated statement of operations.

Investments in equity securities classified as available-for-sale are carried at fair value, with unrealized gains and losses, 
net of applicable taxes, recorded as a separate component of other comprehensive income on the consolidated statement 
of  comprehensive  income.    Net  realized  gains  and  losses  on  available-for-sale  equity  securities  are  recognized  in 
investment income on the consolidated statement of operations.  The specific identification method is used to determine 
realized gains and losses.

Derivative financial instruments - The Company records all derivatives at fair value in other assets and other liabilities 
on the consolidated balance sheet.  The Company's foreign exchange forward contracts are included in Level 2 of the 
Valuation Hierarchy as the fair value of these contracts are based on broker quotes for the same or similar instruments.  
Changes in the fair value of derivative instruments are reported in current-period earnings.  The Company did not have 
any derivative contracts accounted for under hedge accounting as of December 31, 2013 and 2012.

Settlement due from/due to customers - The Company operates systems for clearing and settling payment transactions 
among MasterCard customers.  Net settlements are generally cleared daily among customers through settlement cash 
accounts by wire transfer or other bank clearing means.  However, some transactions may not settle until subsequent 
business days, resulting in amounts due from and due to MasterCard customers.

Restricted security deposits held for MasterCard customers - MasterCard requires collateral from certain customers 
for settlement of their transactions.  The majority of collateral for settlement is in the form of standby letters of credit 
and bank guarantees which are not recorded on the balance sheet.  Additionally, MasterCard holds cash deposits and 
certificates of deposit from certain customers of MasterCard as collateral for settlement of their transactions.  These 
assets are fully offset by corresponding liabilities included on the consolidated balance sheet.  

Property, plant and equipment - Property, plant and equipment are stated at cost less accumulated depreciation and 
amortization.  Depreciation and amortization is computed using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives 
of the assets.  Depreciation of leasehold improvements and amortization of capital leases is included in depreciation 
and amortization expense.

The useful lives of the Company's assets are as follows:

Asset Category
Buildings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Furniture and fixtures and equipment . . . . . . . . .
Leasehold improvements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Capital leases. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Estimated Useful Life
30
2 - 5 years

Shorter of life of improvement or lease term

Lease term

65

MASTERCARD INCORPORATED

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS – (Continued)

Leases - The Company enters into operating and capital leases for the use of premises, software and equipment.  Rent 
expense related to lease agreements that contain lease incentives is recorded on a straight-line basis over the term of 
the lease.

Pension and other postretirement plans - The Company recognizes the overfunded or underfunded status of its single-
employer defined benefit plans or postretirement plans as assets or liabilities on its balance sheet and recognizes changes 
in the funded status in the year in which the changes occur through other comprehensive income.  The funded status 
is measured as the difference between the fair value of plan assets and the benefit obligation at December 31, the 
measurement date.  The fair value of plan assets represents the current market value of the pension assets.  Overfunded 
plans are aggregated and recorded in long-term other assets, while underfunded plans are aggregated and recorded as 
accrued expenses and long-term other liabilities.

Net periodic pension and postretirement benefit cost/(income) is recognized in general and administrative expenses in 
the consolidated statement of operations.  These costs include service costs, interest cost, expected return on plan assets, 
amortization  of  prior  service  costs  or  credits  and  gains  or  losses  previously  recognized  as  a  component  of  other 
comprehensive income or loss.  

Defined contribution savings plans - The Company's contributions to defined contribution savings plans are recorded 
when the employee renders service to the Company.  The charge is recorded in general and administrative expenses. 

Advertising expense - The cost of media advertising is expensed when the advertising takes place.  Advertising production 
costs are expensed as incurred.  Promotional items are expensed at the time the promotional event occurs.  Sponsorship 
costs are recognized over the period of benefit.

Foreign  currency  remeasurement  and  translation  -  Monetary  assets  and  liabilities  are  remeasured  to  functional 
currencies using current exchange rates in effect at the balance sheet date.  Non-monetary assets and liabilities are 
recorded at historical exchange rates.  Revenue and expense accounts are remeasured at the weighted-average exchange 
rate  for  the  period.    Resulting  exchange  gains  and  losses  related  to  remeasurement  are  included  in  general  and 
administrative expenses on the consolidated statement of operations.

Where  a  non-U.S.  currency  is  the  functional  currency,  translation  from  that  functional  currency  to  U.S.  dollars  is 
performed for balance sheet accounts using current exchange rates in effect at the balance sheet date and for revenue 
and expense accounts using a weighted-average exchange rate for the period.  Resulting translation adjustments are 
reported as a component of other comprehensive income (loss).

Stock split - On December 10, 2013, the Board of Directors declared a ten-for-one stock split of the Company's Class 
A and Class B common shares, which was effected in the form of a common stock dividend distributed on January 21, 
2014.  Except for the amount of authorized shares and par value, all references to share and per share amounts in the 
consolidated  financial  statements  and  accompanying  notes  to  the  consolidated  financial  statements  have  been 
retroactively restated to reflect the stock split.

Treasury stock - The Company records the repurchase of shares of its common stock at cost on the settlement date of 
the transaction.  These shares are considered treasury stock, which is a reduction to stockholders' equity.  Treasury stock 
is included in authorized and issued shares but excluded from outstanding shares.

Share-based payments - The Company measures share-based compensation expense at the grant date, based on the 
estimated  fair  value  of  the  award  and  uses  the  straight-line  method  of  attribution,  net  of  estimated  forfeitures,  for 
expensing awards over the requisite employee service period.  The Company estimates the fair value of its non-qualified 
stock option awards using a Black-Scholes valuation model.  The fair value of restricted stock units ("RSUs"), including 
performance stock units ("PSUs") granted prior to 2013, is determined and fixed on the grant date based on the Company's 
stock price, adjusted for the exclusion of dividend equivalents.  The Monte Carlo simulation valuation model was used 
to determine the grant date fair value of PSUs granted in the first quarter of 2013.  All share-based compensation 
expenses are recorded in general and administrative expenses. 

66

MASTERCARD INCORPORATED

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS – (Continued)

Earnings per share - The Company calculates basic earnings per share ("EPS") by dividing net income by the weighted-
average number of common shares outstanding during the year.  Diluted EPS is calculated by dividing net income by 
the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding during the year, adjusted for the potentially dilutive effect 
of stock options and unvested stock units using the treasury stock method.  For the year ended December 31, 2011, the 
dilutive effect of stock options is calculated including the effects of certain equity instruments granted in share-based 
payment transactions under the two-class method.  Unvested share-based payment awards which receive non-forfeitable 
dividend  rights,  or  dividend  equivalents,  are  considered  participating  securities  and  are  required  to  be  included  in 
computing  basic  EPS  under  the  two-class  method.   The  Company  declared  non-forfeitable  dividends  on  unvested 
restricted stock units and contingently issuable performance stock units (“Unvested Units”) which were granted prior 
to 2009.

Recent accounting pronouncements

Balance sheet offsetting - In January 2013, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued accounting 
guidance clarifying the scope of its previously issued requirements to disclose gross and net amounts of eligible financial 
assets and financial liabilities recognized on the balance sheet.  The Company adopted the revised accounting guidance 
effective January 1, 2013.  See Note 20 (Foreign Exchange Risk Management) for additional disclosures related to the 
new guidance.

Comprehensive income - In February 2013, new accounting guidance was issued by the FASB that requires disclosure 
of amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income to net income.  The Company adopted the 
revised accounting guidance effective January 1, 2013.  See Note 14 (Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income) for 
additional disclosures related to the new guidance.  

Foreign currency - In March 2013,  the FASB issued clarifying accounting guidance on the release of cumulative 
translation adjustment into net income when an entity ceases to have a controlling financial interest in a subsidiary or 
a group of assets that is a business within a foreign entity.  The Company will adopt the revised accounting guidance 
effective January 1, 2014 and does not anticipate that this new accounting guidance will have a material impact on its 
consolidated financial statements.

Income taxes - In July 2013, the FASB issued accounting guidance that requires entities to present an unrecognized tax 
benefit net with certain deferred tax assets when specific requirements are met.  The Company will adopt the revised 
accounting guidance effective January 1, 2014 and does not anticipate that this new guidance will have a material 
impact on its consolidated financial statements.

Note 2. Acquisitions

The Company made no acquisitions in 2013.  In 2012, the Company completed three acquisitions for an aggregate cost 
of $70 million.  The excess of purchase consideration over net assets acquired was recorded as goodwill.  The goodwill 
is not expected to be deductible for local tax purposes.  

On  December  9,  2010,  MasterCard  entered  into  an  agreement  to  acquire  the  prepaid  card  program  management 
operations of Travelex Holdings Ltd., since renamed Access Prepaid Worldwide (“Access”).  Pursuant to the terms of 
the acquisition agreement, the Company acquired Access on April 15, 2011, at a purchase price of 295 million U.K. 
pound sterling, or $481 million, including adjustments for working capital, and contingent consideration (an “earn-
out”) of up to an additional 35 million U.K. pound sterling, or approximately $57 million, based on full year 2011 
revenue.   The  Company  recognized  a  current  liability  related  to  the  earn-out  of  6  million  U.K.  pound  sterling,  or 
approximately $9 million.  The fair value of the earn-out arrangement was estimated by applying a probability-weighted 
income approach.  The full year revenue for 2011 did not meet the requirements for payment of the earn-out and 
therefore the liability was eliminated and the Company recorded other income of $9 million in 2011.  

In connection with the acquisition of Access, the Company recognized $6 million of acquisition-related expenses, which 
consisted primarily of professional fees related to completing the transaction.  These amounts were included in general 

67

MASTERCARD INCORPORATED

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS – (Continued)

and administrative expenses.  The consolidated financial statements include the operating results of Access from the 
date of the acquisition.  Pro forma information related to acquisitions was not included because the impact on the 
Company's consolidated results of operations was not considered to be material.

Note 3. Earnings Per Share

The components of basic and diluted EPS for common shares for each of the years ended December 31 were as follows:

2013

2012

2011

(in millions, except per share data)

Numerator:

Net income. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $
Less: Net income allocated to Unvested Units . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Net income allocated to common shares . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $

3,116
—
3,116

$

$

2,759
—
2,759

$

$

Denominator1:

Basic EPS weighted-average shares outstanding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Dilutive stock options and stock units. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Diluted EPS weighted-average shares outstanding2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

1,211
4
1,215

1,253
4
1,258

Earnings per Share

Basic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $
Diluted . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $

2.57
2.56

$
$

2.20
2.19

$
$

1,906
—
1,906

1,279
4
1,284

1.49
1.48

*  Table may not sum due to rounding.

1  The number of shares and per share amounts have been retroactively restated to reflect the ten-for-one stock split of the Company's 
Class A and Class B common shares, which was effected in the form of a common stock dividend distributed on January 21, 2014. 

2  For the years presented, the calculation of diluted EPS excluded a minimal amount of anti-dilutive share-based payment awards.

Note 4. Supplemental Cash Flows

The following table includes supplemental cash flow disclosures for each of the years ended December 31:

Cash paid for income taxes, net of refunds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $
Cash paid for interest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Cash paid for legal settlements1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Non-cash investing and financing activities:

Dividends declared but not yet paid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Assets recorded pursuant to capital lease . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Fair value of assets acquired, net of cash acquired . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Fair value of liabilities assumed related to acquisitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

2013

2012

2011

(in millions)

1,215

$

1,046

$

2

—

131

7

—

—

—

65

37

11

73

3

908

—

303

19

14

549

89

1 Amounts in 2012 primarily represent payments under settlement agreements related to the U.S. merchant litigations.  Amounts paid into 
escrow related to the U.S. merchant class litigation is not included in this table.  Amounts in 2011 primarily represent payments under a 
settlement agreement relating to the U.S. federal antitrust litigation between MasterCard and American Express Company.  Under the 
terms of the American Express Settlement, MasterCard made 12 quarterly payments of $150 million beginning in the third quarter of 
2008.  The Company made its final quarterly payment of $150 million in June 2011.  

68

 
 
 
MASTERCARD INCORPORATED

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS – (Continued)

Note 5. Fair Value and Investment Securities

Financial Instruments – Recurring Measurements

In accordance with accounting requirements for financial instruments, the Company is disclosing the estimated fair 
values as of December 31, 2013 and 2012 of the financial instruments that are within the scope of the accounting 
guidance, as well as the methods and significant assumptions used to estimate the fair value of those financial instruments.  
Furthermore, the Company classifies its fair value measurements in the Valuation Hierarchy.  No transfers were made 
among the three levels in the Valuation Hierarchy during the years ended December 31, 2013 and 2012.

The distribution of the Company’s financial instruments which are measured at fair value on a recurring basis within 
the Valuation Hierarchy was as follows:

December 31, 2013

Quoted Prices
in Active
Markets
(Level 1)

Significant
Other
Observable
Inputs
(Level 2)

Significant
Unobservable
Inputs
(Level 3)

Municipal securities1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $
U.S. Government and Agency securities2 . . . . .
Taxable short-term bond funds . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Corporate securities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Asset-backed securities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Auction rate securities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Other . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $

— $
—
—
—
—
—
—
— $

$

(in millions)
267
560
—
1,426
364
—
79
2,696

$

— $
—
—
—
—
11
—
11

$

December 31, 2012

Quoted Prices
in Active
Markets
(Level 1)

Significant
Other
Observable
Inputs
(Level 2)

Significant
Unobservable
Inputs
(Level 3)

Municipal securities1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $
U.S. Government and Agency securities2 . . . . .
Taxable short-term bond funds . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Corporate securities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Asset-backed securities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Auction rate securities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Other . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $

— $
—
210
—
—
—
—
210

$

$

(in millions)
531
582
—
1,246
316
—
63
2,738

$

— $
—
—
—
—
32
—
32

$

Fair
Value

267
560
—
1,426
364
11
79
2,707

Fair
Value

531
582
210
1,246
316
32
63
2,980

1  Available-for-sale municipal securities are carried at fair value and are included in the above tables.  However, a held-to-maturity 
municipal bond was carried at amortized cost and excluded from the table at December 31, 2012.  
2  Excludes amounts held in escrow related to the U.S. merchant class litigation settlement of $723 million and $726 million at December 
31, 2013 and 2012, respectively, which would be included in Levels 1 and 2 of the Valuation Hierarchy.  See Note 10 (Accrued Expenses 
and Accrued Litigation) and Note 18 (Legal and Regulatory Proceedings) for further details.  

The fair value of the Company's taxable short-term bond funds are based on quoted prices for identical investments in 
active markets and are therefore included in Level 1 of the Valuation Hierarchy.  

69

 
 
 
 
 
 
MASTERCARD INCORPORATED

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS – (Continued)

The  fair  value  of  the  Company's  available-for-sale  municipal  securities,  U.S.  Government  and Agency  securities, 
corporate securities, asset-backed securities and other fixed income securities included in the Other category are based 
on quoted prices for similar assets in active markets and are therefore included in Level 2 of the Valuation Hierarchy.  
The Company's foreign currency derivative contracts have also been classified within Level 2 in the Other category of 
the Valuation Hierarchy, as the fair value is based on broker quotes for the same or similar derivative instruments.  See 
Note 20 (Foreign Exchange Risk Management) for further details.  

The  Company's  auction  rate  securities  (“ARS”)  investments  have  been  classified  within  Level  3  of  the Valuation 
Hierarchy as their valuation requires substantial judgment and estimation of factors that are not currently observable 
in the market due to the lack of trading in the securities.  When a determination is made to classify a financial instrument 
within Level 3, the determination is based upon the significance of the unobservable parameters to the overall fair value 
measurement.    However,  the  fair  value  determination  for  Level  3  financial  instruments  may  include  observable 
components.  This valuation may be revised in future periods as market conditions evolve.  The Company has considered 
the lack of liquidity in the ARS market and the lack of comparable, orderly transactions when estimating the fair value 
of its ARS portfolio.  Historically, the Company used the income approach, which included a discounted cash flow 
analysis of the estimated future cash flows adjusted by a risk premium for the ARS portfolio, to estimate the fair value 
of its ARS portfolio.  The Company estimated the fair value of its ARS portfolio to be a 10% discount to the par value 
as of December 31, 2013 and 2012.  The Company did not realize any material losses on its ARS portfolio during the 
year ended December 31, 2013.  

Financial Instruments - Non-Recurring Measurements

Certain financial instruments are carried on the consolidated balance sheet at cost, which approximates fair value due 
to their short-term, highly liquid nature.  These instruments include cash and cash equivalents, restricted cash, accounts 
receivable, settlement due from customers, restricted security deposits held for customers, prepaid expenses, accounts 
payable, settlement due to customers and accrued expenses.  In addition, nonmarketable equity investments are measured 
at fair value on a nonrecurring basis for purposes of initial recognition and impairment testing.

Settlement and Other Guarantee Liabilities

The Company estimates the fair value of its settlement and other guarantees using the market pricing approach which 
applies market assumptions for relevant though not directly comparable undertakings, as the latter are not observable 
in the market given the proprietary nature of such guarantees.  At December 31, 2013 and 2012, the carrying value and 
fair value of settlement and other guarantee liabilities were not material.  Settlement and other guarantee liabilities are 
classified as Level 3 of the fair value hierarchy as their valuation requires substantial judgment and estimation of factors 
that are not currently observable in the market.  For additional information regarding the Company's settlement and 
other guarantee liabilities, see Note 19 (Settlement and Other Risk Management). 

Refunding Revenue Bonds

The Company holds refunding revenue bonds with the same payment terms, and which contain the right of set-off with 
a capital lease obligation related to the Company's global technology and operations center located in O'Fallon, Missouri.  
The Company has netted the refunding revenue bonds and the corresponding capital lease obligation in the consolidated 
balance sheet and estimates that the carrying value approximates the fair value for these bonds.  See Note 7 (Property, 
Plant and Equipment) for further details.

Non-Financial Instruments

Certain assets and liabilities are measured at fair value on a nonrecurring basis for purposes of initial recognition and 
impairment testing.  The Company's non-financial assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a nonrecurring basis 
include property, plant and equipment, goodwill and other intangible assets.  These assets are subject to fair value 
adjustments in certain circumstances, such as when there is evidence of impairment.  

70

MASTERCARD INCORPORATED

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS – (Continued)

The valuation methods for goodwill and other intangible assets involve assumptions concerning comparable company 
multiples, discount rates, growth projections and other assumptions of future business conditions.  The Company uses 
a weighted income and market approach for estimating the fair value of its reporting unit, when necessary.  As the 
assumptions employed to measure these assets on a nonrecurring basis are based on management's judgment using 
internal and external data, these fair value determinations are classified in Level 3 of the Valuation Hierarchy.

Amortized Costs and Fair Values – Available-for-Sale Investment Securities

The major classes of the Company’s available-for-sale investment securities, for which unrealized gains and losses are 
recorded as a separate component of other comprehensive income on the consolidated statement of comprehensive 
income, and their respective amortized cost basis and fair values as of December 31, 2013 and 2012 were as follows:

Amortized
Cost

December 31, 2013

Gross
Unrealized
Gain

Gross
Unrealized
Loss

Fair
Value

Municipal securities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $
U.S. Government and Agency securities . . . . . .
Taxable short-term bond funds . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Corporate securities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Asset-backed securities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Auction rate securities1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Other . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $

267
560
—
1,425
364
12
79
2,707

Amortized
Cost

Municipal securities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $
U.S. Government and Agency securities . . . . . .
Taxable short-term bond funds . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Corporate securities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Asset-backed securities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Auction rate securities1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Other . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $

522
582
209
1,245
316
35
66
2,975

(in millions)
— $
—
—
2
—
—
—
2

$

December 31, 2012

Gross
Unrealized
Gain

Gross
Unrealized
Loss

(in millions)

9
—
1
2
—
—
—
12

$

$

— $
—
—
(1)
—
(1)
—
(2) $

— $
—
—
(1)
—
(3)
—
(4) $

267
560
—
1,426
364
11
79
2,707

Fair
Value

531
582
210
1,246
316
32
66
2,983

$

$

$

$

1  

The unrealized losses related to ARS, which have been in an unrealized loss position longer than 12 months, but have not been deemed 
other-than-temporarily impaired.  The ARS are included in other assets on the consolidated balance sheet.  See Note 6 (Prepaid Expenses 
and Other Assets).

The municipal securities are primarily comprised of tax-exempt bonds and are diversified across states and sectors.  
The U.S. government and agency securities are primarily invested in U.S. government treasury bills and bonds and 
U.S. government sponsored agency bonds and discount notes.  Taxable short-term bond funds were primarily invested 
in U.S. government and sponsored  agency securities, corporate bonds and mortgage-backed securities.  Corporate 
securities are comprised of commercial paper and corporate bonds.  The asset-backed securities are investments in 
bonds which are collateralized primarily by automobile loan receivables.  The ARS are exempt from U.S. federal income 
tax and are fully collateralized by student loans with guarantees (ranging from approximately 95% to 98% of principal 
and interest) by the U.S. government via the Department of Education.

71

 
 
 
 
 
MASTERCARD INCORPORATED

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS – (Continued)

Beginning on February 11, 2008, the auction mechanism that normally provided liquidity to the ARS investments began 
to fail.  Since mid-February 2008, all investment positions in the Company’s ARS investment portfolio have experienced 
failed auctions.  The securities for which auctions have failed have continued to pay interest in accordance with the 
contractual terms of such instruments and will continue to accrue interest and be auctioned at each respective reset date 
until the auction succeeds, the issuer redeems the securities or they mature.  As of December 31, 2013, the ARS market 
remained illiquid, but issuer call and redemption activity in the ARS student loan sector has occurred periodically since 
the auctions began to fail.  During 2013, 2012 and 2011, the Company did not sell any ARS in the auction market, but 
there were calls at par.

The table below includes a roll-forward of the Company’s ARS investments from January 1, 2012 to December 31, 
2013.

Significant
Unobservable
Inputs (Level 3)

(in millions)

Fair value, December 31, 2011. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $
Calls, at par . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Recovery of unrealized losses due to issuer calls. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Fair value, December 31, 2012. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Calls, at par . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Recovery of unrealized losses due to issuer calls. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Fair value, December 31, 2013. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $

70
(42)
4
32
(23)
2
11

The Company evaluated the estimated impairment of its ARS portfolio to determine if it was other-than-temporary.  
The Company considered several factors including, but not limited to, the following: (1) the reasons for the decline in 
value (changes in interest rates, credit event, or market fluctuations); (2) assessments as to whether it is more likely 
than not that it will hold and not be required to sell the investments for a sufficient period of time to allow for recovery 
of the cost basis; (3) whether the decline is substantial; and (4) the historical and anticipated duration of the events 
causing the decline in value.  The evaluation for other-than-temporary impairments is a quantitative and qualitative 
process, which is subject to various risks and uncertainties.  The risks and uncertainties include changes in credit quality, 
market liquidity, timing and amounts of issuer calls, and interest rates.  The securities are fully collateralized by student 
loans with guarantees (ranging from approximately 95% to 98% of principal and interest) by the U.S. government via 
the Department of Education.  As of December 31, 2013, the Company believed that the unrealized losses on the ARS 
were not related to credit quality but rather due to the lack of liquidity in the market.  The Company believes that it is 
more likely than not that the Company will hold and not be required to sell its ARS investments until recovery of their 
cost basis which may be at maturity or earlier if called.  Therefore, the Company does not consider the unrealized losses 
to  be  other-than-temporary.    The  Company  estimated  a  10%  discount  to  the  par  value  of  the ARS  portfolio  at 
December 31, 2013 and 2012.  The pre-tax impairment included in accumulated other comprehensive income related 
to the Company’s ARS was $1 million and $3 million as of December 31, 2013 and 2012, respectively.  A hypothetical 
increase of 100 basis points in the discount rate used in the discounted cash flow analysis would have increased the 
impairment by less than $1 million at December 31, 2013 and $2 million at December 31, 2012.

72

 
 
MASTERCARD INCORPORATED

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS – (Continued)

Investment Maturities:

The maturity distribution based on the contractual terms of the Company’s investment securities at December 31, 2013 
was as follows:

Due within 1 year . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $
Due after 1 year through 5 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Due after 5 years through 10 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Due after 10 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Total. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $

Securities due after ten years are primarily ARS.  

Investment Income:

Available-For-Sale

Amortized
Cost

Fair Value

(in millions)

1,562
1,121
11
13
2,707

$

$

1,562
1,122
11
12
2,707

Components of net investment income for each of the years ended December 31 were as follows:

Interest income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $
Investment securities available-for-sale:

Gross realized gains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Gross realized losses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Total investment income, net. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $

2013

2012
(in millions)

2011

33

$

36

$

7
(2)
38

$

2
(1)
37

$

44

10
(2)
52

Interest  income  primarily  consists  of  interest  income  generated  from  cash,  cash  equivalents,  investment  securities 
available-for-sale and investment securities held-to-maturity. 

Note 6. Prepaid Expenses and Other Assets

Prepaid expenses and other current assets consisted of the following at December 31:

2013

2012

$

(in millions)
239
—
36
4
192
471

$

222
36
77
163
183
681

Customer and merchant incentives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $
Investment securities held-to-maturity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Prepaid income taxes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Income taxes receivable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Other . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Total prepaid expenses and other current assets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $

73

MASTERCARD INCORPORATED

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS – (Continued)

Other assets consisted of the following at December 31:

2013

2012

Customer and merchant incentives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $
Nonmarketable equity investments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Auction rate securities available-for-sale, at fair value. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Income taxes receivable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Other . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Total other assets. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $

$

(in millions)
531
229
11
78
53
902

$

404
249
32
72
52
809

Certain customer and merchant business agreements provide incentives upon entering into the agreement.  Customer 
and merchant incentives represent payments made or amounts to be paid to customers and merchants under business 
agreements.  Amounts to be paid for these incentives and the related liability were included in accrued expenses and 
other liabilities.  Once the payment is made, the liability is relieved.  Costs directly related to entering into such an 
agreement are deferred and amortized over the life of the agreement.

Investments for which the equity method or historical cost method of accounting is used are recorded in other assets 
on the consolidated balance sheet.  MasterCard’s share of net earnings or losses of entities accounted for under the 
equity method of accounting is included in other income (expense) on the consolidated statement of operations.  The 
Company accounts for nonmarketable equity investments under the historical cost method of accounting when those 
investments do not qualify for the equity method of accounting. 

Note 7. Property, Plant and Equipment

Property, plant and equipment consisted of the following at December 31:

2013

2012

Building and land . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $
Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Furniture and fixtures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Leasehold improvements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Property, plant and equipment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Less accumulated depreciation and amortization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Property, plant and equipment, net . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $

$

(in millions)
451
344
48
77
920
(394)
526

$

419
314
54
71
858
(386)
472

Effective  March  1,  2009,  MasterCard  executed  a  ten-year  lease  between  MasterCard,  as  tenant,  and  the  Missouri 
Development Finance Board (“MDFB”), as landlord, for MasterCard's global technology and operations center located 
in O'Fallon, Missouri.  This lease includes a bargain purchase option and is thus classified as a capital lease.  The 
building and land assets and capital lease obligation were recorded at $154 million which represented the lesser of the 
present value of the minimum lease payments and the fair value of the building and land assets at the inception of the 
lease.  The Company received refunding revenue bonds issued by MDFB in the same amount, $154 million, with the 
same payment terms as the capital lease and which contain the legal right of offset with the capital lease.  The Company 
has netted its investment in the MDFB refunding revenue bonds and the corresponding capital lease obligation in the 
consolidated balance sheet.  The related leasehold improvements will continue to be amortized over the economic life 
of the improvements.

As of December 31, 2013 and 2012, capital leases, excluding the capital lease noted above, of $30 million and $23 
million, respectively, were included in equipment.  Accumulated amortization of these capital leases was $21 million 
and $10 million as of December 31, 2013 and 2012, respectively.

74

MASTERCARD INCORPORATED

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS – (Continued)

Depreciation and amortization expense for the above property, plant and equipment was $92 million, $84 million and 
$77 million for the years ended December 31, 2013, 2012 and 2011, respectively. 

Note 8. Goodwill

The changes in the carrying amount of goodwill for the years ended December 31, 2013 and 2012 were as follows:

Beginning balance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $
Goodwill acquired during the year . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Foreign currency translation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Ending balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $

2013

2012

(in millions)

1,092

$

1,014

—

30

48

30

1,122

$

1,092

During 2012, the Company acquired three businesses and recognized $48 million of related goodwill.  The Company 
had no accumulated impairment losses for goodwill at December 31, 2013 or 2012.  Based on annual impairment 
testing, the Company's reporting unit is not at significant risk of goodwill impairment.

Note 9. Other Intangible Assets

The following table sets forth net intangible assets, other than goodwill, at December 31: 

2013

2012

Gross
Carrying
Amount

Accumulated
Amortization

Net
Carrying
Amount

Gross
Carrying
Amount

Accumulated
Amortization

Net
Carrying
Amount

(in millions)

Amortized intangible assets:
     Capitalized software . . . . . . . . . . . . $
     Trademarks and tradenames . . . . . .
     Customer relationships . . . . . . . . . .
     Other . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Total. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Unamortized intangible assets:
     Customer relationships . . . . . . . . . .
Total. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $

$

699
49
237
20
1,005

(404) $
(38)
(84)
(8)
(534)

201
1,206

$

—
(534) $

295
11
153
12
471

201
672

$

$

786
48
230
11
1,075

(506) $
(31)
(54)
(5)
(596)

193
1,268

$

$

—
(596) $

280
17
176
6
479

193
672

The increase in the net carrying amount of capitalized software in 2013 was primarily related to additions in internally 
developed software and purchased software.   The increase in the net carrying amount of capitalized software in 2012 
was  primarily  related  to  additions  in  internally  developed  software,  purchased  software  and  acquisitions.    Certain 
intangible assets, including amortizable and unamortizable customer relationships and trademarks and tradenames, are 
denominated in foreign currencies.  As such, the change in intangible assets includes a component attributable to foreign 
currency translation. 

75

MASTERCARD INCORPORATED

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS – (Continued)

Amortization and impairment expense on the assets above amounted to $166 million, $149 million and $118 million 
in 2013, 2012 and 2011, respectively.  The following table sets forth the estimated future amortization expense on 
amortizable intangible assets on the balance sheet at December 31, 2013 for the years ending December 31: 

2014 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $

2015 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

2016 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

2017 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

2018 and thereafter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

$

(in millions)

178

133

74

31

55

471

Note 10. Accrued Expenses and Accrued Litigation

Accrued expenses consisted of the following at December 31:

Customer and merchant incentives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $
Personnel costs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Advertising . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Income and other taxes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Other . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Total accrued expenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $

2013

2012

(in millions)

1,286
413
149
95
158
2,101

$

$

1,058
354
122
94
120
1,748

As of December 31, 2013 and 2012, the Company's provision related to U.S. merchant litigations was $886 million 
and $726 million, respectively.  These amounts are not included in the accrued expenses table above and are separately 
reported as accrued litigation on the consolidated balance sheet.  In the fourth quarter of 2013, MasterCard recorded 
an incremental net pre-tax charge of $95 million related to the opt out merchants.  The accrued litigation item also 
includes $68 million related to the timing of MasterCard's administration of the short-term reduction in default credit 
interchange from U.S. issuers.  There is a corresponding equal amount presented in settlement due from customers.  
See Note 18 (Legal and Regulatory Proceedings) for further discussion of the U.S. merchant class litigation.

76

 
MASTERCARD INCORPORATED

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS – (Continued)

Note 11. Pension Plans, Postretirement Plans, Savings Plans and Other Benefits

The Company maintains various pension, postretirement, savings and other postemployment benefit plans that cover 
substantially all employees worldwide.

U.S. employees hired before July 1, 2007 participate in a non-contributory, qualified, defined benefit pension plan (the 
“Qualified Plan”) with a cash balance feature.  In 2010, the Company amended the Qualified Plan to phase out participant 
pay credit percentages in the years 2011 and 2012 and eliminate the pay credit effective January 1, 2013.  Plan participants 
continue to earn interest credits.  In 2013, the Company recorded a $2 million partial settlement charge from lump sum 
distribution activity in the Qualified Plan.  The Company also recognized corresponding effects in accumulated other 
comprehensive income and deferred taxes.

The Company also has an unfunded non-qualified supplemental executive retirement plan (the “Non-qualified Plan”) 
that provides certain key employees with supplemental retirement benefits in excess of limits imposed on qualified 
plans by U.S. tax laws.  The Non-qualified Plan had settlement gains in 2011 resulting from payments to participants.  

Internationally-based employees of the Company participate in plans that cover various pension and postemployment 
benefits specific to their country of employment.  These benefits are incorporated into the disclosures below as they 
are not a material component of the total benefit obligations, fair value of plan assets, or plan funded status.  Prior 
period amounts have been revised to conform to this presentation.  The term “Pension Plans” includes the Qualified 
Plan, the Non-qualified Plan and these international defined benefit pension plans. 

The Company maintains a postretirement plan providing health coverage and life insurance benefits for substantially 
all  of  its  U.S.  employees  hired  before  July  1,  2007.    The  U.S.  postretirement  plan  and  the  various  international 
postemployment benefit plans are collectively referred to as the “Postretirement Plans”.  

77

MASTERCARD INCORPORATED

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS – (Continued)

The Company uses a December 31 measurement date for its Pension Plans and its Postretirement Plans (collectively 
the "Plans").  The following table sets forth the Plans' funded status, key assumptions and amounts recognized in the 
Company's consolidated balance sheet at December 31:

Change in benefit obligation
Benefit obligation at beginning of year. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $
Service cost . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Interest cost . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Plan participants' contributions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Actuarial (gain) loss . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Benefits paid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Benefit obligation at end of year. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $

Change in plan assets
Fair value of plan assets at beginning of year. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $
Actual return on plan assets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Employer contributions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Plan participants' contributions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Benefits paid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Fair value of plan assets at end of year . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $

Funded status
Fair value of plan assets at end of year . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $
Benefit obligation at end of year. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Funded status at end of year . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $

Amounts recognized on the consolidated balance sheet
consist of:
Prepaid expenses, long term . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $
Accrued expenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Other liabilities, long term . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

$

Amounts recognized in accumulated other comprehensive
income consist of:
Net actuarial loss (gain) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $
Prior service credit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

$

Weighted-average assumptions used to determine end of year
benefit obligations
Discount rate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Rate of compensation increase

Qualified Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Non-Qualified Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
International pension plans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Postretirement Plans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

* Not Applicable

78

Pension Plans

Postretirement Plans

2013

2012

2013

2012

(in millions)

268
10
10
—
6
(13)
281

267
11
10
—
(13)
275

275
281
(6)

$

$

$

$

$

$

— $
(2)
(4)
(6)

$

52
—
52

$

$

244
11
10
—
14
(11)
268

243
25
10
—
(11)
267

267
268
(1)

5
(3)
(3)
(1)

50
—
50

$

$

$

$

$

$

$

$

$

$

93
3
3
1
(16)
(4)
80

$

$

— $
—
3
1
(4)
— $

— $
80
(80)

$

— $
(4)
(76)
(80)

$

87
2
3
1
6
(6)
93

—
—
5
1
(6)
—

—
93
(93)

—
(4)
(89)
(93)

(8)
—
(8)

$

$

7
—
7

4.46%

3.50%

4.75%

3.75%

            *

            *

5.00%
2.82%             *
            *

            *

            *
5.00%             *
            *

            *
            *
            *

3.00%

5.37%

 
 
 
MASTERCARD INCORPORATED

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS – (Continued)

The accumulated benefit obligation of the Pension Plans was $280 million and $267 million at December 31, 2013 and 
2012, respectively.  

The benefit obligations and plan assets of the Pension Plans that had benefit obligations in excess of plan assets were 
as follows at December 31, 2013 and 2012:

Projected benefit obligation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $
Accumulated benefit obligation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Fair value of plan assets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

2013

2012

$

(in millions)
281
280
275

6
5
—

The assumed health care cost trend rates at December 31 for the Postretirement Plans were as follows:

Health care cost trend rate assumed for next year . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Rate to which the cost trend rate is expected to decline (the ultimate trend rate) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Year that the rate reaches the ultimate trend rate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

2013

2012

7.50%
5.00%
2019

8.00%
5.00%
2019

Components of net periodic benefit cost recorded in general and administrative expenses were as follows for the Plans 
for each of the years ended December 31:

Pension Plans

Postretirement Plans

2013

2012

2011

2013

2012

2011

Service cost . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $
Interest cost . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Expected return on plan assets . . . . . . .
Settlement (gain) loss . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Amortization:
     Actuarial loss (gain) . . . . . . . . . . . . .
     Prior service credit . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Net periodic benefit cost . . . . . . . . . . . . $

10
10
(13)
2

3
—
12

$

$

$

11
10
(14)
—

4
(2)
9

$

(in millions)

$

14
12
(19)
(1)

2
(2)
6

$

3
3
—
—

—
—
6

$

$

2
3
—
—

—
—
5

$

$

3
3
—
—

(1)
—
5

Other changes in plan assets and benefit obligations recognized in other comprehensive income for the years ended 
December 31 were as follows:

Pension Plans

Postretirement Plans

2013

2012

2011

2013

2012

2011

Settlement gain (loss) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $
Current year actuarial loss (gain) . . . . .
Amortization of actuarial (loss) gain . .
Amortization of prior service credit . . .
Total recognized in other
comprehensive income (loss) . . . . . . . . $
Total recognized in net periodic benefit
cost and other comprehensive income . $

(2) $
7
(3)
—

2

14

$

$

— $
4
(4)
2

2

11

$

$

(in millions)

1
15
(2)
2

16

22

$

$

$

— $
(15)
—
—

(15) $

(9) $

— $
6
—
—

6

11

$

$

—
15
1
—

16

21

79

MASTERCARD INCORPORATED

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS – (Continued)

The estimated amounts that are expected to be amortized from accumulated other comprehensive income into net 
periodic benefit cost in 2014 are as follows:

Pension Plans

Postretirement
Plans

(in millions)

Actuarial loss . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $

4

$

—

Weighted-average assumptions used to determine net periodic benefit cost were as follows for the years ended December 
31:

Pension Plans

Postretirement Plans

2013

2012

2011

2013

2012

2011

Discount rate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Expected return on plan assets . . . . . . .

3.30%

3.29%

Rate of compensation increase:

Qualified Plan. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

     *

Non-Qualified Plan. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

International pension plans. . . . . . . . .

5.00%

2.24%

Postretirement Plans . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

     *

4.25%

6.00%

5.37%

5.00%

5.00%

8.00%

5.37%

5.00%

     *

     *

     *

     *

3.75%

4.25%

5.25%

     *

     *

     *

     *

     *

     *

     *

     *

     *

     *

     *

     *

5.37%

5.37%

5.37%

* Not Applicable

The assumed health care cost trend rates have a significant effect on the amounts reported for the Postretirement Plans.  
A one-percentage point change in assumed health care cost trend rates for 2013 would have the following effects:

1% increase

1% decrease

(in millions)

Effect on postretirement obligation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $

7

$

(6)

The effect on total service and interest cost components would be less than $1 million.

The Company's discount rate assumptions are based on a yield curve derived from high quality corporate bonds, which 
is matched to the expected cash flows to each of the respective Plans.  

For the Qualified Plan, the Company considered the following to determine the assumption for the expected weighted-
average return on plan assets: (1) historical return data for both the equity and fixed income markets over the past ten-, 
twenty- and thirty-year periods; (2) projected returns for both equity and fixed income; and (3) the weighting of assets 
within our portfolio at December 31, 2013 by class. 

Plan assets are managed with a long-term perspective intended to ensure that there is an adequate level of assets to 
support benefit payments to participants over the life of the Qualified Plan.  Plan assets are managed within asset 
allocation ranges, towards targets of 80% fixed income, 12% large/medium cap U.S. equity, 4% small cap U.S. equity, 
and 4% non-U.S. equity.  Considering the asset allocation along with intent to maintain a majority of Plan assets in 
fixed income securities, the Company reduced the 2013 expected return on plan assets assumption from 6% to 5%.

The Valuation Hierarchy of the Qualified Plan's assets is determined using a consistent application of the categorization 
measurements for the Company's financial instruments.  See Note 1 (Summary of Significant Accounting Policies).

Mutual funds (including small cap U.S. equity securities and non-U.S. equity securities) are public investment vehicles 
valued at quoted market prices, which represent the net asset value of the shares held by the Qualified Plan and are 
80

MASTERCARD INCORPORATED

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS – (Continued)

therefore included in Level 1 of the Valuation Hierarchy.  Commingled funds (including large/medium cap U.S. equity 
securities and fixed income securities) are valued at unit values provided by investment managers, which are based on 
the fair value of the underlying investments utilizing public information, independent external valuation from third-
party services or third-party advisors, and are therefore included in Level 2 of the Valuation Hierarchy.

The following tables set forth by level, within the Valuation Hierarchy, the Pension Plans' assets at fair value as of 
December 31, 2013 and 2012:

December 31, 2013

Quoted Prices in
Active Markets
(Level 1)

Significant
Other
Observable
Inputs (Level 2)

Significant
Unobservable
Inputs (Level 3)

Fair Value

(in millions)

Mutual funds:

Money market . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $

115

$

— $

— $

Domestic small cap equity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

International equity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Common and collective funds:

Domestic large cap equity. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Domestic fixed income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Insurance contracts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $

10

9

—

—

—

—

—

31

101

9

—

—

—

—

—

134

$

141

$

— $

115

10

9

31

101

9

275

December 31, 2012

Quoted Prices in
Active Markets
(Level 1)

Significant
Other
Observable
Inputs (Level 2)

Significant
Unobservable
Inputs (Level 3)

Fair Value

Mutual funds:

Money market . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $

Domestic small cap equity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

International equity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Common and collective funds:

Domestic large cap equity. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Domestic fixed income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $

2

12
12

—

—

26

$

$

(in millions)

— $

— $

—
—

32

209

241

—
—

—

—

$

— $

2

12
12

32

209

267

Pursuant to the requirements of the Pension Protection Act of 2006, the Company did not have a mandatory contribution 
to the Qualified Plan in 2013, 2012 or 2011.  However, the Company did make voluntary contributions of $10 million 
and $20 million to the Qualified Plan in 2012 and 2011, respectively.  The Company is not required to contribute to 
the Qualified Plan in 2014 and does not intend to make a contribution in 2014.  The international defined benefit pension 
plans are subject to statutory regulations for funding and the Company estimates it will contribute approximately $10 
million to these plans in 2014.  The Company does not make any contributions to the Non-qualified Plan or to its 
Postretirement Plans, other than funding benefit payments.  

81

MASTERCARD INCORPORATED

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS – (Continued)

The following table summarizes expected benefit payments through 2023 for the Pension Plans and the Postretirement 
Plans, including those payments expected to be paid from the Company's general assets.  Since the majority of the 
benefit payments for the Pension Plans are made in the form of lump-sum distributions, actual benefit payments may 
differ from expected benefit payments.

Postretirement Plans

Pension Plans

Benefit
Payments

Expected
Subsidy
Receipts

Net Benefit
Payments

(in millions)

2014 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $

2015 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

2016 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

2017 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

2018 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

2019 - 2023 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

$

24

22

19

20
22

92

4

4

4

4
5

25

$

— $

—

—

—
—

1

4

4

4

4
5

24

Savings Plans

Substantially all of the Company's U.S. employees are eligible to participate in a defined contribution savings plan (the 
“Savings Plan”) sponsored by the Company.  The Savings Plan allows employees to contribute a portion of their base 
compensation  on  a  pre-tax  and  after-tax  basis  in  accordance  with  specified  guidelines.   The  Company  matches  a 
percentage of employees' contributions up to certain limits.  In addition, the Company has several defined contribution 
plans outside of the United States.  The Company's contribution expense related to all of its defined contribution plans 
was $51 million, $41 million and $35 million for 2013, 2012 and 2011, respectively.

Severance Plans

The  Company  provides  limited  postemployment  benefits  to  eligible  former  employees,  primarily  severance  under 
formal severance plans.  The Company accounts for severance expense by accruing the expected cost of the severance 
benefits expected to be provided  after employment over their relevant service periods.  The Company updates the 
assumptions in determining the severance accrual by evaluating the actual severance activity and long-term trends 
underlying the assumptions.  Total severance expense of $24 million, $29 million and $23 million in 2013, 2012 and 
2011, respectively, was included in general and administrative expenses in the accompanying consolidated statement 
of operations. 

Note 12. Debt

On November 16, 2013, the Company extended its committed unsecured revolving credit facility, dated as of November 
16, 2012 (the “Credit Facility”) for an additional year.  The expiration date of the Credit Facility is November 15, 2018.  
The available funding under the Credit Facility will remain at $3 billion through November 16, 2017 and then decrease 
to $2.95 billion during the final year of the Credit Facility agreement.  Other terms and conditions of the Credit Facility 
remain unchanged.  The option to request that each lender under the Credit Facility extend its commitment was provided 
pursuant to the terms of the Credit Facility agreement.  Borrowings under the Credit Facility are available to provide 
liquidity for general corporate purposes, including providing liquidity in the event of one or more settlement failures 
by the Company's customers.  In addition, for business continuity planning and related purposes, the Company may 
borrow and repay amounts under the Credit Facility from time to time.  The facility fee and borrowing cost under the 
Credit Facility are contingent upon the Company's credit rating.  At December 31, 2013, the applicable facility fee was 
8 basis points on the average daily commitment (whether or not utilized).  In addition to the facility fee, interest on 
borrowings under the Credit Facility would be charged at the London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) plus an applicable 

82

MASTERCARD INCORPORATED

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS – (Continued)

margin of 79.5 basis points, or an alternative base rate.  MasterCard had no borrowings under the Credit Facility at 
December 31, 2013 and 2012. 

The  Credit  Facility  contains  customary  representations,  warranties,  events  of  default  and  affirmative  and  negative 
covenants, including a financial covenant limiting the maximum level of consolidated debt to earnings before interest, 
taxes, depreciation and amortization.  MasterCard was in compliance in all material respects with the covenants of the 
Credit Facility at December 31, 2013 and 2012.  The majority of Credit Facility lenders are customers or affiliates of 
customers of MasterCard.  

On August 2, 2012, the Company filed a universal shelf registration statement to provide additional access to capital, 
if needed.  Pursuant to the shelf registration statement, the Company may from time to time offer to sell debt securities, 
preferred stock, Class A common stock, depository shares, purchase contracts, units or warrants in one or more offerings.

The Company also has $35 million in debt outside the United States that is included in other current liabilities on the 
consolidated balance sheet at December 31, 2013.

Note 13. Stockholders’ Equity

Classes of Capital Stock

MasterCard's amended and restated certificate of incorporation authorizes the following classes of capital stock: 

Class
A

B

Par Value Per
Share
$0.0001

$0.0001

Authorized
Shares
(in millions)

Dividend and Voting Rights

3,000 One vote per share

Dividend rights

1,200 Non-voting

Dividend rights

Preferred

$0.0001

— No shares issued or outstanding at December 31,

2013 and 2012, respectively.  Dividend and voting
rights are to be determined by the Board of Directors
of the Company upon issuance.

Ownership and Governance Structure

Equity ownership and voting power of the Company's shares were allocated as follows as of December 31:

2013

2012

Equity
Ownership

General Voting
Power

Equity
Ownership

General Voting
Power

Public Investors (Class A stockholders). . . . . . . . . . .
Principal or Affiliate Customers (Class B
stockholders) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
The MasterCard Foundation (Class A stockholders).

86.1%

3.8%
10.1%

89.5%

—%
10.5%

85.9%

3.9%
10.2%

89.4%

—%
10.6%

Class B Common Stock Conversions

Shares of Class B common stock are convertible on a one-for-one basis into shares of Class A common stock.  Entities 
eligible to hold our Class B common stock are defined in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation (generally 
our principal or affiliate customers), and they are restricted from retaining ownership of shares of Class A common 

83

MASTERCARD INCORPORATED

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS – (Continued)

stock.  Class B stockholders are required to subsequently sell or otherwise transfer any shares of Class A common stock 
received pursuant to such a conversion.  

The MasterCard Foundation

In connection and simultaneously with its 2006 initial public offering (the "IPO"), the Company issued and donated 
135 million newly authorized shares of Class A common stock to The MasterCard Foundation (the “Foundation”).  The 
Foundation is a private charitable foundation incorporated in Canada that is controlled by directors who are independent 
of the Company and its principal customers.  Under the terms of the donation, the Foundation became able to resell 
the donated shares in May 2010 and to the extent necessary to meet charitable disbursement requirements dictated by 
Canadian tax law.  Under Canadian tax law, the Foundation is generally required to disburse at least 3.5% of its assets 
not  used  in  administration  each  year  for  qualified  charitable  disbursements.    However,  the  Foundation  obtained 
permission from the Canadian tax authorities to defer the giving requirements for up to ten years, which was extended 
in 2011 to 15 years.  The Foundation, at its discretion, may decide to meet its disbursement obligations on an annual 
basis or to settle previously accumulated obligations during any given year.  The Foundation will be permitted to sell 
all of its remaining shares beginning twenty years and eleven months after the consummation of the IPO.

Stock Repurchase Programs

In June 2012, the Company’s Board of Directors approved a share repurchase program authorizing the Company to 
repurchase up to $1.5 billion of its Class A common stock (the "June 2012 Share Repurchase Program").  This program 
became effective in June 2012 at the completion of the Company’s previously announced $2 billion Class A share 
repurchase program.  (This $2 billion repurchase program consisted of $1 billion authorized in September 2010 and 
$1 billion authorized in April 2011.)    

On February 5, 2013, the Company's Board of Directors approved a share repurchase program authorizing the Company 
to repurchase up to $2 billion of its Class A common stock (the "February 2013 Share Repurchase Program").  This 
program became effective at the completion of the Company's June 2012 Share Repurchase Program, which occurred 
in March 2013.  

On December 10, 2013, the Company's Board of Directors approved a new share repurchase program authorizing the 
Company  to  repurchase  up  to  $3.5  billion  of  its  Class A  common  stock  (the  "December  2013  Share  Repurchase 
Program").  During January 2014, the Company exhausted its purchases under the February 2013 Share Repurchase 
Program and began purchasing shares under the December 2013 Share Repurchase Program.  As of January 24, 2014, 
the cumulative repurchases by the Company under both the February 2013 Share Repurchase Program and December 
2013 Share Repurchase Program in 2014 totaled approximately 4.2 million shares of Class A common stock for an 
aggregate cost of approximately $351 million, at an average price of $83.00 per share of Class A common stock.  As 
of January 24, 2014, the Company had approximately $3.3 billion remaining under the December 2013 Share Repurchase 
Program.

84

MASTERCARD INCORPORATED

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS – (Continued)

The following table summarizes the Company's share repurchase authorizations of its Class A common stock through 
December 31, 2013, as well as historical purchases:

Authorization Dates

December
2013

February
2013

June
2012

April          
20111

Total

(in millions, except average price data)

Board authorization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $
Dollar-value of shares repurchased in 2011 . . . . . . . . . .
Remaining authorization at December 31, 2011 . . . . . .
Dollar-value of shares repurchased in 2012 . . . . . . . . . .
Remaining authorization at December 31, 2012 . . . . . .
Dollar-value of shares repurchased in 2013 . . . . . . . . . . $
Remaining authorization at December 31, 2013 . . . . . . $
Shares repurchased in 2011 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Average price paid per share in 2011. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Shares repurchased in 2012 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Average price paid per share in 2012. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Shares repurchased in 2013 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Average price paid per share in 2013. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $
Cumulative shares repurchased through 
December 31, 2013 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Cumulative average price paid per share . . . . . . . . . . . . $

3,500

$

2,000

$

1,500

**

**

**

**

**

**

**

**

— $
$

3,500

1,839
161

**

**

**

**

—

**

**

**

**

29.2

— $

63.01

—
— $

29.2
63.01

$

$

$
$

$

$

$

$

$

$

$

$

**

**

896

604

$
604
— $

**

**

19.5

46.02

11.7

51.72

31.1
48.16

$

$

$

$

2,000

1,148

852

852

$

$

$

$

— $

— $
— $

44.3

25.89

21.1

40.35

—

$

$

9,000

1,148

852

1,748

604

2,443
3,661

44.3

25.89

40.6

43.07

40.9

— $

59.78

65.4
30.56

$

125.7
42.45

Not applicable

** 
1  The initial authorization in September 2010 for $1 billion was amended in April 2011 to increase the authorization to $2 billion.

Note 14. Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)

The changes in the balances of each component of accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) for the years ended 
December 31, 2013 and 2012 were as follows:

Foreign
Currency
Translation
Adjustments

Defined Benefit
Pension and
Other
Postretirement
Plans, Net of Tax

Investment
Securities
Available-for-
Sale, Net of Tax

Accumulated
Other
Comprehensive
Income (Loss)

Balance at December 31, 2011 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $

Current period other comprehensive income (loss) *. . .
Balance at December 31, 2012 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Current period other comprehensive income (loss) *. . .
Balance at December 31, 2013 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $

30

63

93

113

206

$

$

(in millions)
(32) $
(5)
(37)
8

(29) $

— $

5

5
(4)

1

$

(2)
63

61

117

178

*  During the years ended December 31, 2013 and 2012, $6 million and $13 million of deferred costs related to the Company's Pension 
Plans and Postretirement Plans were reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income to general and administrative expense.  
In addition, $5 million and $1 million of net gains on available-for-sale investment securities were recognized in investment income 
during the years ended December 31, 2013 and 2012, respectively.  Tax amounts related to these items are insignificant.  

85

MASTERCARD INCORPORATED

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS – (Continued)

Note 15. Share-Based Payment and Other Benefits

In May 2006, the Company implemented the MasterCard Incorporated 2006 Long-Term Incentive Plan, which was 
amended and restated as of October 13, 2008 (the “LTIP”).  The LTIP is a shareholder-approved omnibus plan that 
permits the grant of various types of equity awards to employees.  

The Company has granted non-qualified stock options (“Options”), restricted stock units (“RSUs”) and performance 
stock units (“PSUs”) under the LTIP.  The options, which expire ten years from the date of grant, generally vest ratably 
over four years from the date of grant.  The RSUs and PSUs vest after three to four years.  The Company uses the 
straight-line method of attribution for expensing equity awards.  Compensation expense is recorded net of estimated 
forfeitures.  Estimates are adjusted as appropriate.

Upon termination of employment, a participant's unvested awards are forfeited.  However, when a participant terminates 
employment due to disability or retirement more than six months after receiving the award, the participant retains all 
of their awards without providing additional service to the Company.  Retirement eligibility is dependent upon age and 
years of service.  Compensation expense is recognized over the shorter of the vesting periods stated in the LTIP or the 
date the individual becomes eligible to retire but not less than six months.

There are approximately 116 million shares of Class A common stock authorized for equity awards under the LTIP.  
Although the LTIP permits the issuance of shares of Class B common stock, no such shares have been authorized for 
issuance.  Shares issued as a result of option exercises and the conversions of RSUs and PSUs were funded primarily 
with the issuance of new shares of Class A common stock.

Stock Options

The fair value of each option is estimated on the date of grant using a Black-Scholes option pricing model.  The following 
table presents the weighted-average assumptions used in the valuation and the resulting weighted-average fair value 
per option granted for the years ended December 31:

Risk-free rate of return . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Expected term (in years) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Expected volatility. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Expected dividend yield . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Weighted-average fair value per option granted . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $

0.8%

5.00

27.1%

0.5%

1.2%

6.25

35.2%

0.3%

2.6%

6.25

33.7%

0.2%

12.33

$

14.85

$

8.91

2013

2012

2011

The risk-free rate of return was based on the U.S. Treasury yield curve in effect on the date of grant.  In 2013, the 
expected term and the expected volatility were based on  historical MasterCard information.  In 2012 and 2011, the 
Company utilized the simplified method for calculating the expected term of the option based on the vesting terms and 
the contractual life of the option.  The expected volatility in 2012 and 2011 was based on the average of the implied 
volatility of MasterCard and a blend of the historical volatility of MasterCard and the historical volatility of a group 
of comparable companies.  The expected dividend yields were based on the Company's expected annual dividend rate 
on the date of grant.

86

MASTERCARD INCORPORATED

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS – (Continued)

The following table summarizes the Company's option activity for the year ended December 31, 2013:

Options

(in thousands)

Weighted-Average
Exercise Price

Weighted-Average
Remaining
Contractual Term

Aggregate
Intrinsic Value

(in years)

(in millions)

Outstanding at January 1, 2013 . . . . . . . . . .
Granted . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Exercised . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Forfeited/expired . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Outstanding at December 31, 2013 . . . . . . .
Exercisable at December 31, 2013 . . . . . . .

Options vested and expected to vest at
December 31, 2013 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

6,415

1,832

$

$

(1,242) $

(45) $

6,960

2,965

6,862

$

$

$

25

52

21

46

33

21

32

7.1

5.7

7.1

$

$

$

355

185

351

As of December 31, 2013, there was $24 million of total unrecognized compensation cost related to non-vested options.  
The cost is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of 2.6 years.

Restricted Stock Units

The following table summarizes the Company's RSU activity for the year ended December 31, 2013:

Units

(in thousands)

Weighted-Average
Grant-Date Fair
Value

Weighted-Average
Remaining
Contractual Term

Aggregate
Intrinsic Value

(in years)

(in millions)

Outstanding at January 1, 2013 . . . . . . . . . .
Granted . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Converted . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Forfeited/expired . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Outstanding at December 31, 2013 . . . . . . .
RSUs vested and expected to vest at
December 31, 2013 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

5,456

1,530

$

$

(1,496) $

(160) $

5,330

5,165

$

$

30

52

23

36

38

38

1.1

1.1

$

$

445

432

The fair value of each RSU is the closing stock price on the New York Stock Exchange of the Company's Class A 
common stock on the date of grant, adjusted for the exclusion of dividend equivalents.  Upon vesting, a portion of the 
RSU award may be withheld to satisfy the minimum statutory withholding taxes.  The remaining RSUs will be settled 
in shares of the Company's Class A common stock after the vesting period.  As of December 31, 2013, there was $83 
million of total unrecognized compensation cost related to non-vested RSUs.  The cost is expected to be recognized 
over a weighted-average period of 1.8 years.

87

MASTERCARD INCORPORATED

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS – (Continued)

Performance Stock Units

The following table summarizes the Company's PSU activity for the year ended December 31, 2013:

Weighted-Average         

Weighted-Average
Remaining
Contractual Term

Aggregate
Intrinsic Value

Units

(in thousands)

Issue-Date Fair 
Value1,

Outstanding at January 1, 2013 . . . . . . . . . .
Issued. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Performance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Converted . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Forfeited/expired . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Outstanding at December 31, 2013 . . . . . . .
PSUs vested and expected to vest at
December 31, 2013 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

1,135

180

49

$

$

$

(577) $

— $

787

771

$

$

27

56

32

52

—

37

37

(in years)

(in millions)

0.9

0.9

$

$

66

64

1 For PSUs issued in 2012 and 2011, the grant date is not established until the performance terms are fixed and the ultimate number of 
shares to be issued is determined.  PSUs issued and converted during 2013 show a weighted-average grant-date fair value in the above 
figure. 

In 2013, PSUs containing performance and market conditions were issued.  Performance measures used to determine 
the  actual number  of shares  that  vest  after three  years  include net  revenue growth,  EPS  growth,  and  relative total 
shareholder return (“TSR”).  Relative TSR is considered a market condition, while net revenue and EPS growth are 
considered performance conditions.  The Monte Carlo simulation valuation model is used to determine the grant-date 
fair value.  

The PSUs issued in 2012 and 2011 contain performance conditions based on the Company's performance against an 
annually predetermined return on equity goal, with an average return on equity per year over the three-year period 
commencing on January 1 of the grant year.  The initial fair value of each PSU is the closing price on the New York 
Stock Exchange of the Company's Class A common stock on the date of issuance.  Given that the performance conditions 
are subjective and not fixed on the date of issuance, these PSUs will be remeasured at the end of each reporting period, 
at fair value, until the time the performance conditions are fixed and the ultimate number of shares to be issued is 
determined.  The grant-date fair value for each PSU issued in 2011 is $82. 

Compensation expenses for PSUs are recognized over the requisite service period if it is probable that the performance 
target will be achieved and subsequently adjusted if the probability assessment changes.  As of December 31, 2013, 
there was $11 million of total unrecognized compensation cost related to non-vested PSUs.  The cost is expected to be 
recognized over a weighted-average period of 1.5 years.

88

MASTERCARD INCORPORATED

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS – (Continued)

Additional Information

On July 18, 2006, the Company's stockholders approved the MasterCard Incorporated 2006 Non-Employee Director 
Equity Compensation Plan, which was amended and restated as of June 5, 2012 (the “Director Plan”).  The Director 
Plan provides for awards of Deferred Stock Units (“DSUs”) to each director of the Company who is not a current 
employee of the Company. 

The following table includes additional share-based payment information for each of the years ended December 31: 

2013

2012

2011

(in millions, except weighted-average fair value)

Share-based compensation expense: Options, RSUs and PSUs . . . . . . $
Income tax benefit recognized for equity awards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Income tax benefit related to options exercised. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Additional paid-in-capital balance attributed to equity awards . . . . . . .

121

$

42

16

233

$

88

30

27

187

Options:
Total intrinsic value of Options exercised . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
RSUs:
Weighted-average grant-date fair value of awards granted . . . . . . . . . .
Total intrinsic value of RSUs converted into shares of Class A
common stock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
PSUs:
Weighted-average issue-date fair value of awards granted . . . . . . . . . .
Total intrinsic value of PSUs converted into shares of Class A
common stock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
DSUs:
General and administrative expense . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Total intrinsic value of DSUs converted into shares of Class A
common stock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

48

52

78

56

29

2

2

77

42

91

39

27

1

2

79

28

7

151

22

26

4

22

93

1

2    

89

 
MASTERCARD INCORPORATED

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS – (Continued)

Note 16. Commitments 

At  December 31,  2013,  the  Company  had  the  following  future  minimum  payments  due  under  non-cancelable 
agreements:

Total

Capital
Leases        

Operating
Leases

(in millions)

Sponsorship,
Licensing &
Other

2014 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $
2015 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2016 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2017 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2018 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Thereafter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $

379
163
84
41
22
45
734

$

$

8
1
—
—
—
—
9

$

$

24
25
23
18
11
24
125

$

$

347
137
61
23
11
21
600

Included in the table above are capital leases with a net present value of minimum lease payments of $9 million.  In 
addition, at December 31, 2013, $46 million of the future minimum payments in the table above for operating leases, 
sponsorship, licensing and other agreements was accrued.  Consolidated rental expense for the Company’s leased office 
space was $38 million, $36 million and $30 million for the years ended December 31, 2013, 2012 and 2011, respectively.  
Consolidated lease expense for automobiles, computer equipment and office equipment was $14 million, $11 million 
and $9 million for the years ended December 31, 2013, 2012 and 2011, respectively.

Note 17. Income Taxes

The total income tax provision for the years ended December 31 is comprised of the following components:

Current
Federal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $
State and local . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Foreign. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Deferred
Federal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
State and local . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Foreign. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Income tax expense . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $

2013

2012

(in millions)

2011

1,010
33
456
1,499

(100)
(4)
(11)
(115)
1,384

$

$

524
24
390
938

248
7
(19)
236
1,174

$

$

619
30
369
1,018

(155)
(6)
(15)
(176)
842

The domestic and foreign components of income before income taxes for the years ended December 31 are as follows:

2013

2012

(in millions)

2011

United States . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $
Foreign. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Income before income taxes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $

2,741
1,759
4,500

$

$

2,508
1,425
3,933

$

$

1,415
1,333
2,748

MasterCard has not provided for U.S. federal income and foreign withholding taxes on approximately $3.5 billion of 
undistributed earnings from non-U.S. subsidiaries as of December 31, 2013 because such earnings are intended to be 
reinvested indefinitely outside of the United States.  If these earnings were distributed, foreign tax credits may become 

90

 
MASTERCARD INCORPORATED

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS – (Continued)

available under current law to reduce the resulting U.S. income tax liability.  However, it is not practicable to determine 
the amount of the tax and credits.  

The provision for income taxes differs from the amount of income tax determined by applying the U.S. federal statutory 
income tax rate of 35.0% to pretax income for the years ended December 31, as a result of the following:

Income before income tax expense . . $

4,500

$

3,933

$

2,748

2013

2012

2011

Amount

Percent

Amount

Percent

Amount

Percent

(in millions, except percentages)

Federal statutory tax . . . . . . . . . . . . .

1,575

35.0 %

1,376

35.0 %

961

35.0 %

State tax effect, net of federal benefit
Foreign tax effect. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Non-deductible expenses and other
differences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Tax exempt income . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Foreign repatriation . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Income tax expense . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $

19
(208)

13
(1)
(14)
1,384

0.4 %
(4.6)%

0.3 %
— %
(0.3)%
30.8 % $

23
(175)

(21)
(2)
(27)
1,174

0.6 %
(4.4)%

(0.5)%
(0.1)%
(0.7)%
29.9 % $

14
(133)

34
(3)
(31)
842

0.5 %
(4.9)%

1.2 %
(0.1)%
(1.1)%
30.6 %

Effective Income Tax Rate

The effective income tax rates for the years ended December 31, 2013, 2012 and 2011 were 30.8%, 29.9% and 30.6%, 
respectively.   The  effective  tax  rate  for  2013  was  higher  than  the  effective  tax  rate  for  2012  primarily  due  to  the 
recognition of a discrete benefit relating to additional export incentives in 2012 and a lower benefit related to foreign 
repatriations in 2013, which was partially offset by a more favorable mix of earnings in 2013.  The effective tax rate 
for 2012 was lower than the effective tax rate for 2011 primarily due to discrete benefits related to additional export 
incentives and the conclusion of tax examinations in certain jurisdictions, as well as a larger benefit from the domestic 
production activities deduction in the U.S. related to the Company's authorization software. 

In 2010, in connection with the expansion of the Company's operations in the Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa 
region, the Company's subsidiary in Singapore, MasterCard Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd. (“MAPPL”) received an incentive 
grant from the Singapore Ministry of Finance.  The incentive had provided MAPPL with, among other benefits, a 
reduced income tax rate for the 10-year period commencing January 1, 2010 on taxable income in excess of a base 
amount.  The Company continued to explore business opportunities in this region, resulting in an expansion of the 
incentives being granted by the Ministry of Finance, including a further reduction to the income tax rate on taxable 
income in excess of a revised fixed base amount commencing July 1, 2011 and continuing through December 31, 2025.  
Without the incentive grant, MAPPL would have been subject to the statutory income tax rate on its earnings.  For 
2013, 2012 and 2011, the impact of the incentive grant received from the Ministry of Finance resulted in a reduction 
of MAPPL's income tax liability of $76 million, or $0.62 per diluted share, $64 million, or $0.51 per diluted share, and 
$44 million, or $0.34 per diluted share, respectively.

91

MASTERCARD INCORPORATED

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS – (Continued)

Deferred Taxes

Deferred tax assets and liabilities represent the expected future tax consequences of temporary differences between the 
carrying amounts and the tax basis of assets and liabilities.  The components of deferred tax assets and liabilities at 
December 31 are as follows:

2013

2012

(in millions)

Deferred Tax Assets
Accrued liabilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $
Compensation and benefits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
State taxes and other credits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Net operating losses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Other items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Less: Valuation allowance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Total Deferred Tax Assets. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Deferred Tax Liabilities
Prepaid expenses and other accruals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Intangible assets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Property, plant and equipment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Other items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Total Deferred Tax Liabilities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

$

124
201
99
39
46
(28)
481

50
97
116
37
300

Net Deferred Tax Assets1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $

181

$

91
173
96
34
31
(25)
400

56
113
122
42
333

67

1  $5 million and $17 million of current deferred tax liabilities have been included in other current liabilities on the balance sheet at December 31, 
2013 and 2012, respectively.

The 2013 and 2012 valuation allowances relate primarily to the Company's ability to recognize tax benefits associated 
with certain foreign net operating losses.  The recognition of these benefits is dependent upon the future taxable income 
in such foreign jurisdictions and the ability under tax law in these jurisdictions to utilize net operating losses following 
a change in control.  

A reconciliation of the beginning and ending balance for the Company's unrecognized tax benefits for the years ended 
December 31, is as follows:

Beginning balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $
Additions:

Current year tax positions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Prior year tax positions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Reductions:

Prior year tax positions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Settlements with tax authorities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Expired statute of limitations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Ending balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $

2013

2012

(in millions)

2011

257

$

214

$

80
12

(8)
(2)
(19)
320

$

58
15

(21)
(2)
(7)
257

$

165

34
23

(2)
(1)
(5)
214

The entire unrecognized tax benefits of $320 million, if recognized, would reduce the effective tax rate.  It is possible 
that the amount of unrecognized benefit with respect to the Company's uncertain tax positions may change within the 
next twelve months.  An estimate of the range of possible changes cannot be made until the issues are further developed, 

92

MASTERCARD INCORPORATED

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS – (Continued)

the examinations close or the statutes expire.  The Company is subject to tax in the United States, Belgium, Singapore 
and various other foreign jurisdictions, as well as state and local jurisdictions.  The Company has effectively settled its 
U.S. federal income tax obligations through 2008.  With limited exception, the Company is no longer subject to state 
and local or foreign examinations by tax authorities for years before 2002.

It is the Company's policy to account for interest expense related to income tax matters as interest expense in its statement 
of operations, and to include penalties related to income tax matters in the income tax provision.  For the years ended 
December 31, 2013, 2012 and 2011, the Company recorded tax-related interest income of $4 million, $1 million and 
$2 million, respectively, in its consolidated statement of operations.  At December 31, 2013 and 2012 the Company 
had a net income tax-related interest payable of $17 million and $15 million, respectively, in its consolidated balance 
sheet.   At  December 31,  2013  and  2012,  the  amounts  the  Company  had  recognized  for  penalties  payable  in  its 
consolidated balance sheet were not significant.  

Note 18. Legal and Regulatory Proceedings

MasterCard is a party to legal and regulatory proceedings with respect to a variety of matters in the ordinary course of 
business.   Some  of  these  proceedings  are  based  on  complex  claims  involving  substantial  uncertainties  and 
unascertainable damages.  Accordingly, except as discussed below, it is not possible to determine the probability of 
loss or estimate damages, and therefore, except as discussed below, MasterCard has not established reserves for any 
of these proceedings.  Except as identified below, MasterCard does not believe that the outcome of any existing legal 
or regulatory proceedings to which it is a party will have a material adverse effect on its results of operations, financial 
condition or overall business.  However, with respect to the matters discussed below, an adverse judgment or other 
outcome or settlement with respect to any such proceedings could result in fines or payments by MasterCard and/or 
could require MasterCard to change its business practices.  In addition, an adverse outcome in a regulatory proceeding 
could lead to the filing of civil damage claims and possibly result in damage awards in amounts that could be significant.  
Any of these events could have a material adverse effect on MasterCard’s results of operations, financial condition and 
overall business.  

Department of Justice Antitrust Litigation and Related Private Litigations 

In April 2005, a complaint was filed in California state court on behalf of a putative class of consumers under California 
unfair competition law (Section 17200) and the Cartwright Act (the “Attridge action”).  The claims in this action seek 
to leverage a 1998 action by the U.S. Department of Justice against MasterCard International, Visa U.S.A., Inc. and 
Visa International Corp.  In that action, a federal district court concluded that both MasterCard’s Competitive Programs 
Policy and a Visa bylaw provision that prohibited financial institutions participating in the respective associations from 
issuing competing proprietary payment cards (such as American Express or Discover) constituted unlawful restraints 
of trade under the federal antitrust laws.  The state court in the Attridge action granted the defendants' motion to dismiss 
the plaintiffs’ state antitrust claims but denied the defendants' motion to dismiss the plaintiffs' Section 17200 unfair 
competition claims.  In September 2009, MasterCard executed a settlement agreement that is subject to court approval 
in the separate California consumer litigations (see “U.S. Merchant and Consumer Litigations”).  The agreement includes 
a release that the parties believe encompasses the claims asserted in the Attridge action.  In August 2010, the Court in 
the California consumer actions granted final approval to the settlement.  The plaintiff from the Attridge action and 
three other objectors filed appeals of the settlement approval.  In January 2012, the Appellate Court reversed the trial 
court's settlement approval and remanded the matter to the trial court for further proceedings.  In August 2012, the 
parties in the California consumer actions filed a motion seeking approval of a revised settlement agreement.  The trial 
court granted final approval of the settlement in April 2013, to which the objectors have appealed.    

U.S. Merchant and Consumer Litigations 

Commencing in October 1996, several class action suits were brought by a number of U.S. merchants against MasterCard 
International and Visa U.S.A., Inc. challenging certain aspects of the payment card industry under U.S. federal antitrust 
law.  The plaintiffs claimed that MasterCard's “Honor All Cards” rule (and a similar Visa rule), which required merchants 
who accept MasterCard cards to accept for payment every validly presented MasterCard card, constituted an illegal 

93

MASTERCARD INCORPORATED

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS – (Continued)

tying arrangement in violation of Section 1 of the Sherman Act.  In June 2003, MasterCard International signed a 
settlement agreement to settle the claims brought by the plaintiffs in this matter, which the Court approved in December 
2003.  Pursuant to the settlement, MasterCard agreed, among other things, to create two separate “Honor All Cards” 
rules in the United States - one for debit cards and one for credit cards. 

In addition, individual or multiple complaints have been brought in 19 states and the District of Columbia alleging state 
unfair competition, consumer protection and common law claims against MasterCard International (and Visa) on behalf 
of putative classes of consumers.  The claims in these actions largely mirror the allegations made in the U.S. merchant 
lawsuit  and  assert  that  merchants,  faced  with  excessive  interchange  fees,  have  passed  these  overhead  charges  to 
consumers in the form of higher prices on goods and services sold.  MasterCard has successfully resolved the cases in 
all of the jurisdictions except California, where there continues to be outstanding cases.  As discussed above under 
“Department of Justice Antitrust Litigation and Related Private Litigations,” in September 2009, the parties to the 
California state court actions executed a settlement agreement subject to approval by the California state court.  In 
August 2010, the court granted final approval of the settlement, subsequent to which MasterCard made a payment of 
$6 million required by the settlement agreement.  As noted above in more detail, the plaintiff from the Attridge action 
and three other objectors have filed appeals of the trial court’s final approval in April 2013 of a revised settlement.

ATM Non-Discrimination Rule Surcharge Complaints 

In October 2011, a trade association of independent Automated Teller Machine (“ATM”) operators and 13 independent 
ATM operators filed a complaint styled as a class action lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia 
against both MasterCard and Visa (the “ATM Operators Complaint”).  Plaintiffs seek to represent a class of non-bank 
operators of ATM terminals that operate ATM terminals in the United States with the discretion to determine the price 
of the ATM access fee for the terminals they operate.  Plaintiffs allege that MasterCard and Visa have violated Section 
1 of the Sherman Act by imposing rules that require ATM operators to charge non-discriminatory ATM surcharges for 
transactions processed over MasterCard’s and Visa’s respective networks that are not greater than the surcharge for 
transactions over other networks accepted at the same ATM.  Plaintiffs seek both injunctive and monetary relief equal 
to treble the damages they claim to have sustained as a result of the alleged violations and their costs of suit, including 
attorneys’ fees.  Plaintiffs have not quantified their damages although they allege that they expect damages to be in the 
tens of millions of dollars.  

Subsequently, multiple related complaints were filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia alleging 
both  federal  antitrust  and  multiple  state  unfair  competition,  consumer  protection  and  common  law  claims  against 
MasterCard and Visa on behalf of putative classes of users of ATM services (the “ATM Consumer Complaints”).  The 
claims in these actions largely mirror the allegations made in the ATM Operators Complaint described above, although 
these complaints seek damages on behalf of consumers of ATM services who pay allegedly inflated ATM fees at both 
bank and non-bank ATM operators as a result of the defendants’ ATM rules.  Plaintiffs seek both injunctive and monetary 
relief equal to treble the damages they claim to have sustained as a result of the alleged violations and their costs of 
suit, including attorneys’ fees.  Plaintiffs have not quantified their damages although they allege that they expect damages 
to be in the tens of millions of dollars.  

In January 2012, the plaintiffs in the ATM Operators Complaint and the ATM Consumer Complaints filed amended 
class action complaints that largely mirror their prior complaints.  MasterCard moved to dismiss the complaints for 
failure to state a claim.  In February 2013, the district court granted MasterCard's motion to dismiss the complaints.  
The plaintiffs’ motion seeking approval to amend their complaints was denied by the district court in December 2013.  
The plaintiffs have appealed the dismissal of both their complaints and their motion to amend their complaints.  

Interchange Litigation and Regulatory Proceedings 

Interchange fees represent a sharing of payment system costs among the financial institutions participating in a four-
party payment card system such as MasterCard’s.  Typically, interchange fees are paid by the acquirer to the issuer in 
connection with purchase transactions initiated with the payment system's cards.  These fees reimburse the issuer for 
a portion of the costs incurred by it in providing services which are of benefit to all participants in the system, including 

94

MASTERCARD INCORPORATED

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS – (Continued)

acquirers and merchants.  MasterCard or  financial institutions establish default interchange fees in certain circumstances 
that  apply  when  there  is  no  other  interchange  fee  arrangement  between  the  issuer  and  the  acquirer.    MasterCard 
establishes a variety of interchange rates depending on such considerations as the location and the type of transaction, 
collects the interchange fee on behalf of the institutions entitled to receive it and remits the interchange fee to eligible 
institutions.  MasterCard's interchange fees and other practices are subject to regulatory and/or legal review and/or 
challenges in a number of jurisdictions, including the proceedings described below.  At this time, it is not possible to 
determine the ultimate resolution of, or estimate the liability related to, any of these interchange proceedings (except 
as otherwise indicated below), as the proceedings involve complex claims and/or substantial uncertainties and, in some 
cases, could include unascertainable damages or fines.  Except as described below, no provision for losses has been 
provided in connection with them.  Some of the proceedings described below could have a significant impact on our 
customers in the applicable country and on MasterCard’s level of business in those countries.  The proceedings reflect 
the significant and intense legal, regulatory and legislative scrutiny worldwide that interchange fees and acceptance 
practices have been receiving.  When taken as a whole, the resulting decisions, regulations and legislation with respect 
to interchange fees and acceptance practices may have a material adverse effect on the Company’s prospects for future 
growth and its overall results of operations, financial position and cash flows.  

United States.  In June 2005, the first of a series of complaints were filed on behalf of merchants (the majority of the 
complaints are styled as class actions, although a few complaints were filed on behalf of individual merchant plaintiffs) 
against MasterCard International Incorporated, Visa U.S.A., Inc., Visa International Service Association and a number 
of financial institutions.  Taken together, the claims in the complaints are generally brought under both Sections 1 and 
2 of the Sherman Act, which prohibit monopolization and attempts or conspiracies to monopolize a particular industry, 
and some of these complaints contain unfair competition law claims under state law.  The complaints allege, among 
other things, that MasterCard, Visa, and certain financial institutions conspired to set the price of interchange fees, 
enacted point of sale acceptance rules (including the no surcharge rule) in violation of antitrust laws and engaged in 
unlawful tying and bundling of certain products and services.  The cases have been consolidated for pre-trial proceedings 
in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York in MDL No. 1720.  The plaintiffs have filed a consolidated 
class action complaint that seeks treble damages, as well as attorneys’ fees and injunctive relief. 

In July 2006, the group of purported merchant class plaintiffs filed a supplemental complaint alleging that MasterCard’s 
initial public offering of its Class A Common Stock in May 2006 (the “IPO”) and certain purported agreements entered 
into between MasterCard and financial institutions in connection with the IPO: (1) violate U.S. antitrust laws and (2) 
constituted a fraudulent conveyance because the financial institutions allegedly attempted to release, without adequate 
consideration, MasterCard’s right to assess them for MasterCard's litigation liabilities.  In November 2008, the district 
court granted MasterCard's motion to dismiss the plaintiffs’ supplemental complaint in its entirety with leave to file an 
amended complaint.  The class plaintiffs repled their complaint.  The causes of action and claims for relief in the 
complaint generally mirror those in the plaintiffs' original IPO-related complaint although the plaintiffs have attempted 
to expand their factual allegations based upon discovery that has been garnered in the case.  The class plaintiffs seek 
treble damages and injunctive relief including, but not limited to, an order reversing and unwinding the IPO.  In July 
2009, the class plaintiffs and individual plaintiffs served confidential expert reports detailing the plaintiffs’ theories of 
liability and alleging damages in the tens of billions of dollars.  The defendants served their expert reports in December 
2009 rebutting the plaintiffs’ assertions both with respect to liability and damages. 

In February 2011, MasterCard and MasterCard International Incorporated entered into each of: (1) an omnibus judgment 
sharing and settlement sharing agreement with Visa Inc., Visa U.S.A. Inc. and Visa International Service Association 
and a number of financial institutions; and (2) a MasterCard settlement and judgment sharing agreement with a number 
of financial institutions.  The agreements provide for the apportionment of certain costs and liabilities which MasterCard, 
the Visa parties and the financial institutions may incur, jointly and/or severally, in the event of an adverse judgment 
or settlement of one or all of the cases in the merchant litigations.  Among a number of scenarios addressed by the 
agreements, in the event of a global settlement involving the Visa parties, the financial institutions and MasterCard, 
MasterCard would pay 12% of the monetary portion of the settlement.  In the event of a settlement involving only 
MasterCard and the financial institutions with respect to their issuance of MasterCard cards, MasterCard would pay 
36% of the monetary portion of such settlement. 

95

MASTERCARD INCORPORATED

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS – (Continued)

In October 2012, the parties entered into a definitive settlement agreement with respect to the merchant class litigation 
and the defendants separately entered into a settlement agreement with the individual merchant plaintiffs (the terms of 
which were consistent with a memorandum of understanding that was executed by the parties in July 2012).  The 
settlements included cash payments that were apportioned among the defendants pursuant to the omnibus judgment 
sharing and settlement sharing agreement described above.  MasterCard also agreed to provide class members with a 
short-term reduction in default credit interchange rates and to modify certain of its business practices, including its No 
Surcharge Rule.  The court granted final approval of the settlement in December 2013, which has been appealed by 
objectors to the settlement.   

Merchants representing slightly more than 25% of the MasterCard and Visa purchase volume over the relevant period 
chose to opt out of the class settlement.  MasterCard anticipates that most of the larger merchants who opted out of the 
settlement will initiate separate actions seeking to recover damages, and over 25 opt-out complaints have been filed 
on behalf of numerous merchants in various jurisdictions.  Those cases are in the early stages and the defendants have 
consolidated all of these matters (except for one state court action) in front of the same court that is overseeing the 
approval of the settlement.  In addition, certain competitors have raised objections to the settlement, including Discover.  
Discover’s objections include a challenge to the settlement on the grounds that certain of the rule changes agreed to in 
the settlement constitute a restraint of trade in violation of Section 1 of the Sherman Act.    

MasterCard recorded a pre-tax charge of $770 million in the fourth quarter of 2011 and an additional $20 million pre-
tax charge in the second quarter of 2012 relating to the settlement agreements described above.  In 2012, MasterCard 
paid $790 million with respect to the settlements, of which $726 million was paid into a qualified cash settlement fund 
related to the merchant class litigation.  At December 31, 2013, MasterCard had $723 million in the qualified cash 
settlement fund classified as restricted cash on its balance sheet.  The class settlement agreement provided for a return 
to the defendants of a portion of the class cash settlement fund based upon the percentage of purchase volume represented 
by the opt out merchants.  This resulted in $164 million from the cash settlement fund being returned to MasterCard 
in January 2014 and reclassified at that time from restricted cash to cash and cash equivalents.  In the fourth quarter of 
2013,  MasterCard  recorded  an  incremental  net  pre-tax  charge  of  $95  million  related  to  these  opt  out  merchants, 
representing a change in its estimate of possible losses relating to these matters.  Accordingly, as of December 31, 2013, 
MasterCard had accrued a liability of $818 million as a reserve for both the merchant class litigation and the filed and 
anticipated opt out merchant cases.  

The portion of the accrued liability relating to the opt out merchants does not represent an estimate of a loss, if any, if 
the opt out merchant matters were litigated to a final outcome, in which case MasterCard cannot estimate the potential 
liability.  MasterCard’s estimate involves significant judgment and may change depending on progress in settlement 
negotiations or depending upon decisions in any opt out merchant cases.  In addition, in the event that the merchant 
class litigation settlement approval is overturned on appeal, a negative outcome in the litigation could have a material 
adverse effect on MasterCard’s results of operations, financial position and cash flows. 

Canada.  In December 2010, the Canadian Competition Bureau (the “CCB”) filed an application with the Canadian 
Competition Tribunal to strike down certain MasterCard rules related to point-of-sale acceptance, including the “honor 
all cards” and “no surcharge” rules.  In July 2013, the Competition Tribunal issued a decision in MasterCard’s favor 
and dismissed the CCB’s application, which was not appealed.  In December 2010, a complaint styled as a class action 
lawsuit was commenced against MasterCard in Quebec on behalf of Canadian merchants.  That suit essentially repeated 
the allegations and arguments of the CCB application to the Canadian Competition Tribunal and sought compensatory 
and punitive damages in unspecified amounts, as well as injunctive relief.  In March 2011, a second purported class 
action lawsuit was commenced in British Columbia against MasterCard, Visa and a number of large Canadian financial 
institutions,  and  in  May  2011  a  third  purported  class  action  lawsuit  was  commenced  in  Ontario  against  the  same 
defendants.  These suits allege that MasterCard, Visa and the financial institutions have engaged in a conspiracy to 
increase or maintain the fees paid by merchants on credit card transactions and establish rules which force merchants 
to accept all MasterCard and Visa credit cards and prevent merchants from charging more for payments with MasterCard 
and Visa premium cards.  The British Columbia suit seeks compensatory damages in unspecified amounts, and the 
Ontario suit seeks compensatory damages of $5 billion.  The British Columbia and Ontario suits also seek punitive 

96

MASTERCARD INCORPORATED

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS – (Continued)

damages in unspecified amounts, as well as injunctive relief, interest and legal costs.  In April 2012, the Quebec suit 
was amended to include the same defendants and similar claims as in the British Columbia and Ontario suits.  With 
respect to the status of the proceedings: (1) the Quebec suit has been stayed, (2) the Ontario suit is being temporarily 
suspended while the British Columbia suit proceeds, and (3) the British Columbia court held a class certification hearing 
in April 2013.  Additional complaints styled as class actions have been filed in Saskatchewan and Alberta.  The claims 
in these complaints largely mirror the claims in the British Columbia and Ontario suits.  If the class action lawsuits are 
ultimately  successful,  negative  decisions  could  have  a  significant  adverse  impact  on  the  revenue  of  MasterCard’s 
Canadian customers and on MasterCard's overall business in Canada and could result in substantial damage awards.  

European  Union.    In  September  2003,  the  European  Commission  issued  a  Statement  of  Objections  challenging 
MasterCard Europe’s cross-border default interchange fees and, in June 2006, it issued a supplemental Statement of 
Objections covering credit, debit and commercial card fees.  In December 2007, the European Commission announced 
a decision that applies to MasterCard's default cross-border interchange fees for MasterCard and Maestro branded 
consumer payment card transactions in the European Economic Area (“EEA”) (the European Commission refers to 
these as “MasterCard's MIF”), but not to commercial card transactions (the European Commission stated publicly that 
it has not yet finished its investigation of commercial card interchange fees).  The decision required MasterCard to stop 
applying the MasterCard MIF, to refrain from repeating the conduct, and not apply its then recently adopted (but never 
implemented) Maestro SEPA and Intra-Eurozone default interchange fees to debit card payment transactions within 
the Eurozone.  The decision did not impose a fine on MasterCard, but provides for a daily penalty of up to 3.5% of 
MasterCard's daily consolidated global turnover in the preceding business year (which MasterCard estimates to be 
approximately $0.8 million per day) in the event that MasterCard fails to comply.  To date, MasterCard has not been 
assessed any such penalty.  In March 2008, MasterCard filed an application for annulment of the European Commission’s 
decision with the General Court of the European Union.  

Following discussions with the European Commission, MasterCard announced that, effective in June 2008, MasterCard 
would temporarily repeal its then current default intra-EEA cross-border consumer card interchange fees in conformity 
with the decision.  In October 2008, MasterCard received an information request from the European Commission in 
connection with the decision concerning certain pricing changes that MasterCard implemented as of October 2008.  In 
March 2009, MasterCard gave certain undertakings to the European Commission and, in response, in April 2009, the 
Commissioner for competition policy and the Directorate-General for Competition informed MasterCard that, subject 
to  MasterCard’s  fulfilling  its  undertakings,  they  do  not  intend  to  pursue  proceedings  for  non-compliance  with  or 
circumvention of the December 2007 decision or for infringing the antitrust laws in relation to the October 2008 pricing 
changes,  the  introduction  of  new  cross-border  consumer  default  interchange  fees  or  any  of  the  other  MasterCard 
undertakings.  MasterCard’s undertakings include:  (1) repealing the October 2008 pricing changes; (2) adopting a 
specific methodology for the setting of cross-border consumer default interchange fees; (3) establishing new default 
cross-border consumer card interchange fees as of July 2009 such that the weighted average interchange fee for credit 
card transactions does not exceed 30 basis points and for debit card transactions does not exceed 20 basis points; (4) 
introducing a new rule prohibiting its acquirers from requiring merchants to process all of their MasterCard and Maestro 
transactions with the acquirer; and (5) introducing a new rule requiring its acquirers to provide merchants with certain 
pricing information in connection with MasterCard and Maestro transactions.  The undertakings were effective until 
the General Court of the European Union issued a judgment in May 2012. 

In  May  2012,  the  General  Court  of  the  European  Union  issued  a  judgment  dismissing  the  Company’s  appeal  and 
upholding the European Commission’s decision.  In August 2012, the Company appealed the judgment to the European 
Union Court of Justice (the “ECJ”).  The Advocate General to the ECJ issued a non-binding opinion in January 2014 
recommending that the ECJ reject MasterCard’s appeal.  Historically, in a majority of cases, the ECJ has followed the 
Advocate General’s opinions.  MasterCard anticipates that the ECJ will issue its final decision sometime in 2014.  
Should the ECJ ultimately reject MasterCard’s appeal, the European Commission’s December 2007 decision will be 
upheld.  Although the interim agreement with the European Commission, by its terms, formally ended on the day of 
the General Court’s judgment, MasterCard intends to act consistent with the terms of the agreement. 

97

MASTERCARD INCORPORATED

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS – (Continued)

In addition, the European Commission decision could lead to additional competition authorities in European Union 
member states commencing investigations or proceedings regarding domestic interchange fees or initiating regulation.  
The possibility of such actions has increased due to the judgment of the General Court.  The judgment also increases 
the  possibility  of  an  adverse  outcome  for  the  Company  in  related  and  pending  matters  (such  as  the  interchange 
proceedings in Hungary, Italy and Poland, as indicated below).  In addition, the European Commission’s decision could 
lead, and in the case of the United Kingdom and Belgium has led, to the filing of private actions against MasterCard 
Europe by merchants and/or consumers which, if MasterCard is unsuccessful in its appeal of the General Court decision, 
could result in MasterCard owing substantial damages. 

In April 2013, the European Commission announced that it has opened proceedings to investigate: (1) MasterCard’s 
interregional interchange fees that apply when a card issued outside the EEA is used at a merchant location in the EEA, 
(2) central acquiring rules, which apply when a merchant uses the services of an acquirer established in another country 
and (3) other business rules and practices (including the “honor all cards” rule).  

Additional Litigations in Europe.  In the United Kingdom, beginning in May 2012, a number of retailers have filed 
claims against MasterCard for unspecified damages with respect to MasterCard’s cross-border interchange fees and its 
U.K. and Ireland domestic interchange fees.  In June 2013, the court denied MasterCard’s request to stay the proceedings 
pending the result of MasterCard's appeal of the European Union General Court's judgment discussed above, but the 
court indicated it would not issue a final decision until the Court of Justice issues its decision.  In Belgium, a retailer 
filed  claims  in  December  2012  for  unspecified  damages  with  respect  to  MasterCard’s  cross-border  and  domestic 
interchange fees paid in Belgium, Greece and Luxembourg.  

Additional Interchange Proceedings.  In February 2007, the Office for Fair Trading of the United Kingdom (the “OFT”) 
commenced an investigation of MasterCard's current U.K. default credit card interchange fees and so-called “immediate 
debit” cards to determine whether such fees contravene U.K. and European Union competition law.  The OFT had 
informed MasterCard that it did not intend to issue a Statement of Objections or otherwise commence formal proceedings 
with respect to the investigation prior to the judgment of the General Court of the European Union with respect to 
MasterCard's appeal of the December 2007 cross-border interchange fee decision of the European Commission, and 
this period was extended until the completion of MasterCard's appeal to the Court of Justice.  If the OFT ultimately 
determines that any of MasterCard’s U.K. interchange fees contravene U.K. and European Union competition law, it 
may issue a new decision and possibly levy fines accruing from the date of its first decision.  Such a decision could 
lead to the filing of private actions against MasterCard by merchants and/or consumers which could result in an award 
or  awards  of  substantial  damages  and  could  have  a  significant  adverse  impact  on  the  revenue  of  MasterCard 
International's U.K. customers and MasterCard's overall business in the U.K.

Regulatory authorities in a number of other jurisdictions around the world, including Hungary, Italy, Netherlands and 
Poland, have commenced competition-related proceedings or inquiries into interchange fees and acceptance practices.  
In some of these jurisdictions, fines have been or could be assessed against MasterCard.  These matters could have a 
negative impact on MasterCard’s business in the specific country where the regulatory authority is located but would 
not be expected to have a material impact on MasterCard’s overall revenue.  In addition, regulatory authorities and/or 
central  banks  in  certain  other  jurisdictions,  including  Brazil,  Chile,  Denmark,  Germany,  Latvia,  Portugal,  Russia, 
Singapore and South Africa, are reviewing MasterCard's and/or its customers' interchange fees and/or other practices 
and may seek to commence proceedings related to, or otherwise regulate, the establishment of such fees and/or such 
practices.  

Other Regulatory Proceedings

In addition to challenges to interchange fees, MasterCard’s other standards and operations are also subject to regulatory 
and/or legal review and/or challenges in a number of jurisdictions from time to time.  These proceedings tend to reflect 
the increasing global regulatory focus to which the payments industry is subject and, when taken as a whole with other 
regulatory and legislative action, such actions could result in the imposition of costly new compliance burdens on 
MasterCard and its customers and may lead to increased costs and decreased transaction volumes and revenue.

98

MASTERCARD INCORPORATED

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS – (Continued)

Note 19. Settlement and Other Risk Management

MasterCard's  rules  guarantee  the  settlement  of  many  of  the  MasterCard,  Cirrus  and  Maestro  branded  transactions 
between its issuers and acquirers ("settlement risk").  Settlement exposure is the outstanding settlement risk to customers 
under MasterCard's rules due to the difference in timing between the payment transaction date and subsequent settlement.  
While the term and amount of the guarantee are unlimited, the duration of settlement exposure is short term and typically 
limited to a few days.  Gross settlement exposure is estimated using the average daily card volume during the quarter 
multiplied by the estimated number of days to settle.  The Company has global risk management policies and procedures, 
which include risk standards, to provide a framework for managing the Company's settlement risk.  Customer-reported 
transaction data and the transaction clearing data underlying the settlement exposure calculation may be revised in 
subsequent reporting periods.

In the event that MasterCard effects a payment on behalf of a failed customer, MasterCard may seek an assignment of 
the underlying receivables of the failed customer.  Subject to approval by the Board of Directors, customers may be 
charged for the amount of any settlement loss incurred during these ordinary course activities of the Company.

The Company's global risk management policies and procedures are aimed at managing the settlement exposure.  These 
risk management procedures include interaction with the bank regulators of countries in which it operates, requiring 
customers to make adjustments to settlement processes, and requiring collateral from customers.  MasterCard requires 
certain customers that are not in compliance with the Company's risk standards in effect at the time of review to post 
collateral, typically in the form of cash, letters of credit, or guarantees.  This requirement is based on management's 
review of the individual risk circumstances for each customer that is out of compliance.  In addition to these amounts, 
MasterCard holds collateral to cover variability and future growth in customer programs.  The Company may also hold 
collateral to pay merchants in the event of an acquirer failure.  Although the Company is not contractually obligated 
under  its  rules  to  effect  such  payments  to  merchants,  the  Company  may  elect  to  do  so  to  protect  brand  integrity.  
MasterCard monitors its credit risk portfolio on a regular basis and the adequacy of collateral on hand.  Additionally, 
from time to time, the Company reviews its risk management methodology and standards.  As such, the amounts of 
estimated settlement exposure are revised as necessary.

The  Company's  estimated  settlement  exposure  from  MasterCard,  Cirrus  and  Maestro  branded  transactions  was  as 
follows: 

December 31,
2013

December 31,
2012

Gross settlement exposure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $
Collateral held for settlement exposure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Net uncollateralized settlement exposure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $

(in millions)

40,657
(3,167)
37,490

$

$

37,768
(3,775)
33,993

General economic and political conditions in countries in which MasterCard operates affect the Company's settlement 
risk.  Many of the Company's financial institution customers have been directly and adversely impacted by political 
instability and uncertain economic conditions.  These conditions present increased risk that the Company may have to 
perform under its settlement guarantee.  This risk could increase if political, economic and financial market conditions 
deteriorate further.  The Company's global risk management policies and procedures are revised and enhanced from 
time to time.  Historically, the Company has experienced a low level of losses from financial institution failures.  

MasterCard also provides guarantees to customers and certain other counterparties indemnifying them from losses 
stemming from failures of third parties to perform duties.  This includes guarantees of MasterCard-branded travelers 
cheques issued, but not yet cashed of $503 million and $539 million at December 31, 2013 and 2012, respectively, of 
which $403 million and $434 million at December 31, 2013 and 2012 is mitigated by collateral arrangements.  In 
addition, the Company enters into business agreements in the ordinary course of business under which the Company 
agrees to indemnify third parties against damages, losses and expenses incurred in connection with legal and other 
proceedings arising from relationships or transactions with the Company.  Certain indemnifications do not provide a 
99

MASTERCARD INCORPORATED

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS – (Continued)

stated maximum exposure.  As the extent of the Company's obligations under these agreements depends entirely upon 
the occurrence of future events, the Company's potential future liability under these agreements is not determinable.  
Historically, payments made by the Company under these types of contractual arrangements have not been material. 

Note 20. Foreign Exchange Risk Management

The Company enters into foreign currency forward contracts to manage risk associated with anticipated receipts and 
disbursements which are either transacted in a non-functional currency or valued based on a currency other than its 
functional currency.  The Company also enters into foreign currency derivative contracts to offset possible changes in 
value due to foreign exchange fluctuations of earnings, assets and liabilities denominated in currencies other than the 
functional currency of the entity.  The objective of these activities is to reduce the Company’s exposure to gains and 
losses resulting from fluctuations of foreign currencies against its functional and reporting currencies.  

The  Company  does  not  designate  foreign  currency  derivatives  as  hedging  instruments  pursuant  to  the  accounting 
guidance for derivative instruments and hedging activities.  The Company records the change in the estimated fair value 
of the outstanding derivatives at the end of the reporting period to its consolidated balance sheet and consolidated 
statement of operations.

As  of  December 31,  2013,  all  forward  contracts  to  purchase  and  sell  foreign  currency  had  been  entered  into  with 
customers of MasterCard.  MasterCard’s derivative contracts are summarized below: 

December 31, 2013

December 31, 2012

Notional

Estimated Fair
Value

Notional

Estimated Fair
Value

Commitments to purchase foreign currency . . . . . . . $
Commitments to sell foreign currency. . . . . . . . . . . .
Balance Sheet Location:

Accounts Receivable* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Other Current Liabilities* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

23
1,722

$

$

(in millions)
(1) $
1

76
1,571

13
(13)

$

$

(1)
(2)

12
(15)

* The fair values of derivative contracts are presented on a gross basis on the balance sheet and are subject to enforceable master netting 
arrangements, which contain various netting and setoff provisions.

The amount of gain (loss) recognized in income for the contracts to purchase and sell foreign currency are summarized 
below:

Year Ended December 31,

2013

2012

(in millions)

2011

Foreign currency derivative contracts

General and administrative. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $
Net revenue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $

48
4
52

$

$

22
(6)
16

$

$

(6)
(3)
(9)

The fair value of the foreign currency forward contracts generally reflects the estimated amounts that the Company 
would receive (or pay), on a pre-tax basis, to terminate the contracts at the reporting date based on broker quotes for 
the same or similar instruments.  The terms of the foreign currency forward contracts are generally less than 18 months.  
The Company had no deferred gains or losses related to foreign exchange in accumulated other comprehensive income 
as of December 31, 2013 and 2012 as there were no derivative contracts accounted for under hedge accounting.

The Company’s derivative financial instruments are subject to both market and counterparty credit risk.  Market risk 
is the risk of loss due to the potential change in an instrument’s value caused by fluctuations in interest rates and other 
variables related to currency exchange rates.  The effect of a hypothetical 10% adverse change in foreign currency rates 

100

 
 
 
 
MASTERCARD INCORPORATED

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS – (Continued)

could result in a fair value loss of approximately $189 million on the Company's foreign currency derivative contracts 
outstanding at December 31, 2013 related to the hedging program.  Counterparty credit risk is the risk of loss due to 
failure of the counterparty to perform its obligations in accordance with contractual terms.  To mitigate counterparty 
credit risk, the Company enters into derivative contracts with selected financial institutions based upon their credit 
ratings and other factors.  Generally, the Company does not obtain collateral related to derivatives because of the high 
credit ratings of the counterparties.  

Note 21. Segment Reporting 

MasterCard has concluded it has one operating and reportable segment, “Payment Solutions.”  MasterCard's President 
and Chief Executive Officer has been identified as the chief operating decision-maker.  All of the Company’s activities 
are interrelated, and each activity is dependent upon and supportive of the other.  Accordingly, all significant operating 
decisions are based upon analysis of MasterCard at the consolidated level.

Revenue by geographic market is based on the location of the Company's customer that issued the card, as well as the 
location of the merchant acquirer where the card is being used.  Revenue generated in the U.S. was approximately 39%, 
39%, and 40% of net revenue in 2013, 2012 and 2011, respectively.  No individual country, other than the U.S., generated 
more than 10% of total revenue in those periods.

MasterCard did not have any one customer that generated greater than 10% of net revenue in 2013, 2012 or 2011.  The 
following table reflects the geographical location of the Company's property, plant and equipment, net, as of December 
31:

United States . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $
Other countries. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $

410
116
526

$

$

394
78
472

$

$

384
65
449

2013

2012

(in millions)

2011

101

MASTERCARD INCORPORATED 

SUMMARY OF QUARTERLY DATA (Unaudited) 

2013 Quarter Ended

March 31

June 30

September 30 December 31  

2013 Total

Net Revenue. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $
Operating income. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Net income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Basic earnings per share1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $
Basic weighted-average shares outstanding1 . . .
Diluted earnings per share1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $
Diluted weighted-average shares outstanding1 .

$

$

$

1,906
1,107
766
0.63
1,226
0.62
1,230

$

$

(in millions, except per share data)
2,096
1,228
848
0.70
1,214
0.70
1,217

2,218
1,248
879
0.73
1,205
0.73
1,209

2,126
920
623
0.52
1,201
0.52
1,205

$

$

$

$

$

$

$

8,346
4,503
3,116
2.57
1,211
2.56
1,215

2012 Quarter Ended

March 31

June 30

September 30 December 31

2012 Total

Net Revenue. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $
Operating income. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Net income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Basic earnings per share1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $
Basic weighted-average shares outstanding1 . . .
Diluted earnings per share1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $
Diluted weighted-average shares outstanding1 .

$

$

$

1,758
1,000
682
0.54
1,266
0.54
1,271

$

$

(in millions, except per share data)
1,820
974
700
0.56
1,259
0.56
1,263

1,918
1,064
772
0.62
1,247
0.62
1,251

1,895
899
605
0.49
1,240
0.49
1,246

$

$

$

$

$

$

$

7,391
3,937
2,759
2.20
1,253
2.19
1,258

*  Tables may not sum due to rounding.
1  The number of shares and per share amounts have been retroactively restated to reflect the ten-for-one stock split of the Company's Class 
A and Class B common shares, which was effected in the form of a common stock dividend distributed on January 21, 2014.

102

Item 9.  Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure 

Not applicable. 

Item 9A.  Controls and Procedures

Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures

Our disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Securities Exchange 
Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”)) are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed in the 
reports that we file or submit under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time 
periods specified in the rules and forms of the Securities and Exchange Commission and to ensure that information 
required to be disclosed is accumulated and communicated to management, including our President and Chief Executive 
Officer  and  our  Chief  Financial  Officer,  to  allow  timely  decisions  regarding  disclosure.  The  President  and  Chief 
Executive Officer and the Chief Financial Officer, with assistance from other members of management, have reviewed 
the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures as of December 31, 2013 and, based on their evaluation, 
have concluded that the disclosure controls and procedures were effective as of such date.

Internal Control over Financial Reporting 

In addition, MasterCard Incorporated’s management assessed the effectiveness of MasterCard’s internal control over 
financial  reporting  as  of  December 31,  2013.    Management's  report  on  internal  control  over  financial  reporting  is 
included in Part II, Item 8.  PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, has audited 
the consolidated financial statements included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K and, as part of their audit, has issued 
their report, included herein, on the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting.

Changes in Internal Control over Financial Reporting 

There was no change in MasterCard’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the three months 
ended December 31, 2013 that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, MasterCard’s internal 
control over financial reporting.

Item 9B.  Other Information 

Not applicable. 

103

Item 10.  Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance

PART III

The information required by this Item with respect to our directors and executive officers, code of ethics, procedures 
for recommending nominees, audit committee, audit committee financial experts and compliance with Section 16(a) 
of the Exchange Act will appear in our definitive proxy statement to be filed with the SEC and delivered to stockholders 
in connection with the Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be held on June 3, 2014 (the “Proxy Statement”). 

The aforementioned information in the Proxy Statement is incorporated by reference into this Report.

Item 11.  Executive Compensation

The information required by this Item with respect to executive officer and director compensation will appear in the 
Proxy Statement and is incorporated by reference into this Report.

Item 12.  Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters

The information required by this Item with respect to security ownership of certain beneficial owners and management 
equity and compensation plans will appear in the Proxy Statement and is incorporated by reference into this Report.

Item 13.  Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence

The  information  required  by  this  Item  with  respect  to  transactions  with  related  persons,  the  review,  approval  or 
ratification of such transactions and director independence will appear in the Proxy Statement and is incorporated by 
reference into this Report.

Item 14.  Principal Accounting Fees and Services

The information required by this Item with respect to auditors' services and fees will appear in the Proxy Statement 
and is incorporated by reference into this Report.

PART IV

Item 15.  Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules 

(a) The following documents are filed as part of this Report: 

1 Consolidated Financial Statements

See Index to Consolidated Financial Statements in Part II, Item 8 of this Report. 

2 Consolidated Financial Statement Schedules

None. 

3 The following exhibits are filed as part of this Report or, where indicated, were previously filed and are hereby

incorporated by reference:

Refer to the Exhibit Index included herein.

104

Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly 
caused this Annual Report on Form 10-K to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized. 

SIGNATURES

Date: February 14, 2014

By:

MASTERCARD INCORPORATED

(Registrant)

/s/ AJAY BANGA

Ajay Banga

President and Chief Executive Officer

(Principal Executive Officer)

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this report has been signed below by the 
following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated:

Date: February 14, 2014

Date: February 14, 2014

Date: February 14, 2014

Date: February 14, 2014

Date: February 14, 2014

Date: February 14, 2014

Date: February 14, 2014

/s/ AJAY BANGA
Ajay Banga

President and Chief Executive Officer; Director

(Principal Executive Officer)

/s/ MARTINA HUND-MEJEAN
Martina Hund-Mejean

Chief Financial Officer

(Principal Financial Officer)

/s/ ANDREA FORSTER
Andrea Forster

Corporate Controller

(Principal Accounting Officer)

/s/ SILVIO BARZI
Silvio Barzi

Director

/s/ DAVID R. CARLUCCI
David R. Carlucci

Director

/s/ STEVEN J. FREIBERG
Steven J. Freiberg

Director

/s/ RICHARD HAYTHORNTHWAITE
Richard Haythornthwaite

Chairman of the Board; Director

By:

By:

By:

By:

By:

By:

By:

105

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Date: February 14, 2014

Date: February 14, 2014

Date: February 14, 2014

Date: February 14, 2014

Date: February 14, 2014

Date: February 14, 2014

/s/ NANCY J. KARCH
Nancy J. Karch

Director

/s/ MARC OLIVIÉ
Marc Olivié

Director

/s/ RIMA QURESHI
Rima Qureshi

Director

/s/ JOSÉ OCTAVIO REYES LAGUNES
José Octavio Reyes Lagunes

Director

/s/ JACKSON TAI
Jackson Tai

Director

/s/ EDWARD SUNING TIAN
 Edward Suning Tian

Director

By:

By:

By:

By:

By:

By:

106

Exhibit
Number

3.1(a)

3.1(b)

3.2(a)

3.2(b)

10.1

10.2+

10.3+

10.4+

10.5+

10.6+

10.6.1+

10.6.2+

10.7+

10.8+

-EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibit Description

Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of MasterCard Incorporated (incorporated by 
reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the Company's Current Report on Form 8-K filed September 23, 2010 
(File No. 001-32877)).

Amended and Restated Bylaws of MasterCard Incorporated (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 
3.1 to the Company's Current Report on Form 8-K filed September 23, 2010 (File No. 001-32877)).

Amended  and  Restated  Certificate  of  Incorporation  of  MasterCard  International  Incorporated 
(incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.2 (a) to the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed 
August 2, 2006 (File No. 001-32877)).

Amended and Restated Bylaws of MasterCard International Incorporated (incorporated by reference 
to Exhibit 3.1 to the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed November 3, 2009 (File No. 
001-32877)).

$3,000,000,000 Credit Agreement, dated as of November 16, 2012, among MasterCard Incorporated, 
the several lenders from time to time parties thereto, Citibank, N.A., as managing administrative 
agent, and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. as administrative agent (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 
10.1 to the Company's Current Report on Form 8-K filed November 21, 2012 (File No. 001-32877)).

Employment Agreement between MasterCard International Incorporated and Ajay Banga, dated as 
of July 1, 2010 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Company's Current Report on Form 
8-K filed July 8, 2010 (File No. 001-32877)).

Employment Agreement between Chris A. McWilton and MasterCard International, amended and 
restated as of December 24, 2012 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.4 to the Company's Annual 
Report on Form 10-K filed February 14, 2013 (File No. 001-32877)).

Employment Agreement between Martina Hund-Mejean and MasterCard International, amended and 
restated as of December 24, 2012 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.5 to the Company's Annual 
Report on Form 10-K filed February 14, 2013 (File No. 001-32877)).

Description  of  Employment Arrangement with  Gary  Flood  (incorporated  by  reference  to  Exhibit 
10.11 to the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K filed February 18, 2010 (File No. 001-32877)).

Offer Letter between Ann Cairns and MasterCard International Incorporated, dated June 15, 2011 
(incorporated  by  reference  to  Exhibit  10.8  to  the  Company's Annual Report  on  Form  10-K  filed 
February 16, 2012 (File No. 001-32877)).

Contract of Employment between MasterCard UK Management Services Limited and Ann Cairns, 
dated July 6, 2011 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.8.1 to the Company's Annual Report on 
Form 10-K filed February 16, 2012 (File No. 001-32877)).

Deed of Employment between MasterCard UK Management Services Limited and Ann Cairns, dated 
July 6, 2011 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.8.2 to the Company's Annual Report on Form 
10-K filed February 16, 2012 (File No. 001-32877)).

MasterCard International Incorporated Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan, as amended and 
restated  effective  January  1,  2008  (incorporated  by  reference  to  Exhibit  10.18  to  the  Company's 
Annual Report on Form 10-K filed February 19, 2009 (File No. 001-32877)).

MasterCard International Senior Executive Annual Incentive Compensation Plan, as amended and 
restated effective September 21, 2010 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to the Company's 
Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed November 2, 2010 (File No. 001-32877)).

107

 
  
  
Exhibit
Number

10.9+

10.10+

10.11+

10.12+

10.13+

10.14+

10.15+

10.16+

10.17+

10.18+

10.19+

10.20+

10.21+

10.22

Exhibit Description

MasterCard International Incorporated Restoration Program, as amended and restated January 1, 2007 
unless  otherwise  provided  (incorporated  by  reference  to  Exhibit  10.22  to  the  Company's Annual 
Report on Form 10-K filed February 19, 2009 (File No. 001-32877)).

MasterCard Incorporated Deferral Plan, as amended and restated effective December 1, 2008 for 
account balances established after December 31, 2004 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.25 
to the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K filed February 19, 2009 (File No. 001-32877)).

MasterCard Incorporated 2006 Long Term Incentive Plan, amended and restated effective June 5, 
2012 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q 
filed August 1, 2012 (File No. 001-32877)).

Form of Restricted Stock Unit Agreement for awards under 2006 Long Term Incentive Plan (effective 
for awards granted on and subsequent to March 1, 2011) (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 
to the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed May 1, 2013 (File No. 001-32877)). 

Form of Stock Option Agreement for awards under 2006 Long Term Incentive Plan (effective for 
awards granted on and subsequent to March 1, 2011) (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to 
the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed May 1, 2013 (File No. 001-32877)). 

Form of Performance Unit Agreement for awards under 2006 Long Term Incentive Plan (effective 
for awards granted on and subsequent to March 1, 2011) (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.3 
to the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed May 1, 2013 (File No. 001-32877)).

Form of MasterCard Incorporated Long-Term Incentive Plan Non-Competition and Non-Solicitation 
Agreement for named executive officers (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.17 to the Company's 
Annual Report on Form 10-K filed February 16, 2012 (File No. 001-32877)).

Amended and Restated MasterCard International Incorporated Executive Severance Plan, amended 
and restated as of June 5, 2012 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.5 to the Company's Quarterly 
Report on Form 10-Q filed August 1, 2012 (File No. 001-32877)).

Amended and Restated MasterCard International Incorporated Change in Control Severance Plan, 
amended and restated as of June 5, 2012 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.6 to the Company's 
Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed August 1, 2012 (File No. 001-32877)).

Schedule  of  Non-Employee  Directors'  Annual  Compensation  effective  as  of  June  18,  2013 
(incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed 
July 31, 2013 (File No. 001-32877)).

2006 Non-Employee Director Equity Compensation Plan, amended and restated effective as of June 
5, 2012 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-
Q filed August 1, 2012 (File No. 001-32877)). 

Form  of  Deferred  Stock  Unit Agreement  for  awards  under  2006  Non-Employee  Director  Equity 
Compensation Plan (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.3 to the Company's Quarterly Report 
on Form 10-Q filed July 31, 2013 (File No. 001-32877)).

Form of Restricted Stock Agreement for awards under 2006 Non-Employee Director Equity
Compensation Plan, amended and restated effective June 5, 2012 (incorporated by reference to
Exhibit 10.2 to the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed July 31, 2013 (File No.
001-32877)).

Form of Indemnification Agreement between MasterCard Incorporated and certain of its directors 
(incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed 
May 2, 2006 (File No. 000-50250)).

108

  
Exhibit
Number

10.23

10.24

10.25

10.26

10.27

10.28**

10.29

10.30

10.31

10.32

10.33**

10.34

Exhibit Description

Form of Indemnification Agreement between MasterCard Incorporated and certain of its director 
nominees (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.3 to the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-
Q filed May 2, 2006 (File No. 000-50250)).

Deed of Gift between MasterCard Incorporated and The MasterCard Foundation (incorporated by 
reference to Exhibit 10.28 to Pre-Effective Amendment No. 5 to the Company's Registration Statement 
on Form S-1 filed May 3, 2006 (File No. 333-128337)).

Settlement Agreement, dated as of June 4, 2003, between MasterCard International Incorporated and 
Plaintiffs in the class action litigation entitled In Re Visa Check/MasterMoney Antitrust Litigation 
(incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed 
August 8, 2003 (File No. 000-50250)).

Stipulation and Agreement of Settlement, dated July 20, 2006, between MasterCard Incorporated, 
the several defendants and the plaintiffs in the consolidated federal class action lawsuit titled In re 
Foreign Currency Conversion Fee Antitrust Litigation (MDL 1409), and the California state court 
action  titled  Schwartz  v. Visa  Int'l  Corp.,  et  al.  (incorporated  by  reference  to  Exhibit  10.1  to  the 
Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed November 1, 2006 (File No. 001-32877)).

Release and Settlement Agreement, dated June 24, 2008, by and among MasterCard Incorporated, 
MasterCard International Incorporated and American Express (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 
10.2 to the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed August 1, 2008. (File No. 001-32877)). 

Judgment Sharing Agreement between MasterCard and Visa in the Discover Litigation, dated July 
29, 2008, by and among MasterCard Incorporated, MasterCard International Incorporated, Visa Inc., 
Visa U.S.A. Inc. and Visa International Service Association (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 
10.3 to the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed August 1, 2008. (File No. 001-32877)). 

Release and Settlement Agreement dated as of October 27, 2008 by and among MasterCard, Discover 
and Visa (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-
Q filed November 4, 2008. (File No. 001-32877)). 

Agreement  dated  as  of  October  27,  2008,  by  and  among  MasterCard  International  Incorporated, 
MasterCard  Incorporated,  Morgan  Stanley,  Visa  Inc.,  Visa  U.S.A.  Inc.  and  Visa  International 
Association (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 
10-Q filed November 4, 2008. (File No. 001-32877)).

Agreement  to  Prepay  Future  Payments  at  a  Discount,  dated  as  of  July  1,  2009,  by  and  between 
MasterCard  International  incorporated  and  Co-lead  Counsel,  acting  collectively  as  binding 
representative and agent of the Plaintiffs (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Company's 
Current Report on Form 8-K filed July 2, 2009 (File No. 001-32877)).  

Omnibus Agreement Regarding Interchange Litigation Judgment Sharing and Settlement Sharing, 
dated  as  of  February  7,  2011,  by  and  among  MasterCard  Incorporated,  MasterCard  International 
Incorporated, Visa Inc., Visa U.S.A. Inc., Visa International Service Association and MasterCard's 
customer banks that are parties thereto (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.33 to Amendment 
No.1 to the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K/A filed on November 23, 2011).

MasterCard Settlement and Judgment Sharing Agreement, dated as of February 7, 2011, by and among 
MasterCard Incorporated, MasterCard International Incorporated and MasterCard's customer banks 
that  are  parties  thereto  (incorporated  by  reference  to  Exhibit  10.34  to Amendment  No.1  to  the 
Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K/A filed on November 23, 2011).

Memorandum  of  Understanding,  dated  July  13,  2012,  by  and  among  Counsel  for  MasterCard 
Incorporated and MasterCard International Incorporated; Counsel for Visa, Inc., Visa U.S.A. Inc. and 
Visa International Service Association; Co-Lead Counsel for Class Plaintiffs; and Attorneys for the 
Defendant Banks (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Company's Current Report on 
Form 8-K filed July 16, 2012 (File No. 001-32877)).

109

  
Exhibit
Number

10.35

Exhibit Description

Class Settlement Agreement, dated October 19, 2012, by and among MasterCard Incorporated and 
MasterCard International Incorporated; Visa, Inc., Visa U.S.A. Inc. and Visa International Service 
Association;  the  Class  Plaintiffs  defined  therein;  and  the  Customer  Banks  defined  therein 
(incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed 
October 31, 2012 (File No. 001-32877)).

12.1*

Computation of Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges.

21*

23.1*

31.1*

31.2*

32.1*

32.2*

List of Subsidiaries of MasterCard Incorporated.

Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP.

Certification of Ajay Banga, President and Chief Executive Officer, pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a)/15d-14
(a), as adopted pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.

Certification of Martina Hund-Mejean, Chief Financial Officer, pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a)/15d-14
(a), as adopted pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.

Certification of Ajay Banga, President and Chief Executive Officer, pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 
1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.

Certification of Martina Hund-Mejean, Chief Financial Officer, pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, 
as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.

101.INS*

   XBRL Instance Document

101.SCH*

   XBRL Taxonomy Extension Scheme Document

101.CAL*    XBRL Taxonomy Extension Calculation Linkbase Document

101.DEF*

   XBRL Taxonomy Extension Definition Linkbase Document

101.LAB*    XBRL Taxonomy Extension Label Linkbase Document

101.PRE*

   XBRL Taxonomy Extension Presentation Linkbase Document

+ 

* 

** 

Management contracts or compensatory plans or arrangements. 

Filed or furnished herewith.

Exhibit  omits  certain  information  that  has  been  filed  separately  with  the  U.S.  Securities  and  Exchange 
Commission and has been granted confidential treatment.  

The agreements and other documents filed as exhibits to this report are not intended to provide factual information or 
other disclosure other than with respect to the terms of the agreements or other documents themselves, and should not 
be  relied  upon  for  that  purpose.    In  particular,  any  representations  and  warranties  made  by  the  Company  in  these 
agreements or other documents were made solely within the specific context of the relevant agreement or document 
and may not describe the actual state of affairs as of the date they were made or at any other time.

110

  
  
  
  
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MASTERCARD  
BOARD OF DIRECTORS 

Richard Haythornthwaite 2 
Chairman of the Board 
MasterCard Incorporated; 
Non-Executive Chairman of Centrica PLC

Ajay Banga 
President and Chief Executive Officer 
MasterCard Incorporated

Silvio Barzi 1, 3 
Former Senior Advisor and Executive Officer 
UniCredit Group

David R. Carlucci 1 (Chair), 2 
Former Chairman and Chief Executive Officer 
IMS Health Incorporated

Steven J. Freiberg 1, 3 (Chair) 
Senior Advisor 
The Boston Consulting Group

Nancy J. Karch 2 (Chair), 3 
Director Emeritus 
McKinsey & Company

Marc Olivié 1, 3 
President and Chief Executive Officer 
W. C. Bradley Co.

Rima Qureshi 1, 3 
Senior Vice President, Strategic Projects 
Ericsson

José Octavio Reyes Lagunes 1, 2 
Former Vice Chairman, 
The Coca-Cola Export Corporation 
The Coca-Cola Company

Jackson P. Tai 2, 3 
Former Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer 
DBS Group and DBS Bank Ltd.

Edward Suning Tian 2 
Chairman 
China Broadband Capital Partners, L.P.

MASTERCARD  
EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT 

Ajay Banga 
President and Chief Executive Officer

Ann Cairns 
President, International Markets

Gary J. Flood 
President, Global Products and Solutions

Ronald E. Garrow 
Chief Human Resources Officer

Martina Hund-Mejean 
Chief Financial Officer

Walter M. Macnee 4 
Vice Chairman

Chris A. McWilton 
President, North America

Timothy Murphy 
General Counsel and 
Chief Franchise Officer

Robert Reeg 
President, MasterCard Operations  
& Technology

(1)  Human Resources and Compensation  

Committee

(2)  Nominating and Corporate Governance  

Committee

(3) Audit Committee

(4)  Vice Chairman in the Office of the CEO  
and advisor to the Executive Committee

M A S T E R C A R D   I N F O R M A T I O N   A N D   R E S O U R C E S 

MAJOR OFFICES
Corporate  
Headquarters 
2000 Purchase Street 
Purchase, New York 
10577 U.S.A. 
1.914.249.2000

MasterCard  
Technologies  
Headquarters 
St. Louis, Missouri, 
U.S.A.

Asia/Pacific,  
Middle East and  
Africa Regional  
Headquarters  
Singapore

Canada Regional 
Headquarters 
Toronto, Ontario, 
Canada

Europe Regional 
Headquarters 
Waterloo, Belgium

Latin America and 
Caribbean Regional 
Headquarters 
Miami, Florida, U.S.A.

U.S. Regional  
Headquarters 
Purchase, New York, 
U.S.A.

STOCKHOLDER INFORMATION
Investor Relations 
1.914.249.4565  
investor_relations@mastercard.com

Stockholder Information 
Copies of the company’s Annual Report on 
Form 10-K as well as other periodic filings 
by the company with the U.S. Securities and 
Exchange Commission (SEC) are available 
on the Investor Relations section of our 
website at www.mastercard.com.

Visit our website, www.mastercard.com, for 
updated news releases, stock performance, 
financial reports, recent investments, 
investment community presentations, 
corporate governance and other investor 
information.

STOCK PERFORMANCE
The graph to the right and the table  
below compare the cumulative total 
stockholder return of MasterCard 
Incorporated Class A common stock, 
the S&P 500 Index and the S&P 500 
Financials for the five-year period shown 
on the graph. The graph assumes a 
$100 investment in our Class A common 
stock and each of the indices, and the 
reinvestment of dividends. MasterCard 
Incorporated’s Class B common stock 
is not publicly traded or listed on any 
exchange or dealer quotation system.

TOTAL RETURN TO STOCKHOLDERS
(Includes reinvestment of dividends)

Company / Index 

Base Period 
12/31/08 

Contact the MasterCard  
Board of Directors 
To communicate with the Board of Directors,  
any individual directors or any group or  
committee of directors, correspondence 
should be addressed to the Board of Directors 
or any such individual directors or group or  
committee of directors by either name or 
title. All such correspondence can be sent  
by e-mail to our Corporate Secretary at 
corporate_secretary@mastercard.com or by 
mail to MasterCard Incorporated, Board of 
Directors, 2000 Purchase Street, Purchase, 
New York 10577, attention Bart Goldstein.

Annual Meeting of Stockholders 
The 2014 Annual Meeting of Stockholders 
of MasterCard Incorporated will be held on 
Tuesday, June 3, 8:30 a.m., at MasterCard 
Corporate Headquarters, 2000 Purchase 
Street, Purchase, New York.

Stock Listing and Symbol 
New York Stock Exchange Symbol: MA

Transfer Agent 
Stockholder correspondence: 
Computershare 
P.O. Box 30170 
College Station, TX 77845-3170

Overnight correspondence: 
Computershare 
211 Quality Circle, Suite 210 
College Station, TX 77842 

For holders of Class A common stock: 
U.S. Telephone: 1.800.837.7579 
Non-U.S. Telephone: 1.201.680.6578

For holders of Class B common stock: 
U.S. Telephone: 1.866.337.6318 
Non-U.S. Telephone: 1.201.680.6656

Facsimile: 1.201.680.4671

Independent Registered Public  
Accounting Firm 
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP 
New York, New York

COMPARISON OF CUMULATIVE FIVE-YEAR TOTAL RETURN

$600

$500

$400

$300

$200

$100

$0

12/31/08 

12/31/09 

12/31/10 

12/31/11 

12/31/12 

12/31/13

 MasterCard Incorporated      

 S&P 500 Index      

 S&P 500 Financials

INDEXED RETURNS 
Years Ended

12/31/09 

12/31/10 

12/31/11 

12/31/12 

12/31/13

MasterCard Incorporated 

S&P 500 Index 

S&P 500 Financials 

100 

100 

100 

179.70 

126.46 

117.22 

157.73 

145.51 

131.44 

262.94 

148.59 

109.01 

347.33 

172.37 

140.43 

592.72

228.19

190.46

 
F O R W A R D - L O O K I N G   S T A T E M E N T S

This annual report contains forward-looking information  
pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private  
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward- 
looking statements relate to MasterCard’s future prospects, 
developments and business strategies and include,  
without limitation, statements relating to:

•  MasterCard’s performance against its long-term  

financial objectives;

•  MasterCard’s ability to continue to execute its  

strategy; and

•  MasterCard’s efforts to ensure payment safety  

and security.

Although MasterCard believes that its expectations  
are based on reasonable assumptions, it can give no  
assurance that its objectives will be achieved. Actual  
results may differ materially from such forward-looking 
statements for a number of reasons, including changes in 
financial condition, estimates, expectations or assumptions, 
or changes in general economic or industry conditions, or 
other circumstances such as those set forth in MasterCard 
Incorporated’s filings with the Securities and Exchange 
Commission (SEC), including its Annual Report on Form 
10-K for the year ended December 31, 2013 (which is 
included in this annual report), Quarterly Reports on  
Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K that it has 
filed with the SEC in 2014 MasterCard’s forward-looking 
statements speak only as of the date they are made, and 
MasterCard undertakes no obligation to update publicly  
or revise any forward-looking information.

We are proud to print our annual report entirely on Forest Stewardship Council™ 
(FSC®)-certified paper. FSC certification ensures that the paper in our annual  
report contains fiber from well-managed and responsibly harvested forests  
that meet strict environmental and socioeconomic standards.

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MasterCard  

Annual Report  

2013

© 2014 MasterCard