Performance Insights of Leading Card Issuers: An Analysis of Accounting Practices, Financial Metrics, and Corporate Responsibility Amid Economic Disruption
Keywords:
accounting, finance, performance, financial metrics, sustainabilityAbstract
This study provides a comparative analysis of the financial performance, operational efficiency, and sustainability practices of three leading payment card companies. The analysis spans the pre-COVID growth phase, the economic turmoil of 2020, and the recovery that followed in the post-pandemic period. The findings reveal that Visa and Mastercard, with their transaction-based, asset-light models, demonstrated superior resilience, financial stability, and adaptability. In contrast, American Express’s diversified, credit-exposed model resulted in higher operational costs and liquidity constraints during periods of market stress. This study emphasizes how agile strategies support stability, advancing research on financial agility and crisis management in the financial sector.
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