• Net income of $456 million, or $3.48 per diluted share, excluding special items
• Net income of $452 million, or $3.45 per diluted share, including special items
• Net revenue growth of 2.0%, to $1.4 billion
• Gross dollar volume and purchase volume relatively flat
• Total operating expenses declined 13.3%, excluding special items

Net revenue for the third quarter of 2009 was $1.4 billion, a 2.0% increase versus the same period in 2008. On a constant currency basis (excluding the movement of the euro and the Brazilian real relative to the U.S. dollar), net revenue increased 3.9% compared to the same period in 2008. The higher net revenue in the third quarter this year benefited from:

• Pricing changes that contributed approximately 6 percentage points of the net revenue growth; and
• A 7.6% increase in the number of transactions processed to 5.8 billion.

These factors were partially offset by the impact of slightly lower cross border volumes on third-quarter 2009 revenue, compared to the same period in 2008.

MasterCard's gross dollar volume was relatively flat, up 0.3% on a local currency basis, versus the third quarter of 2008, to $633 billion. Worldwide purchase volume during the quarter was also relatively flat, up 0.4% on a local currency basis, versus the third quarter of 2008, to $480 billion. As of September 30, 2009, the company's financial-institution customers had issued 964 million MasterCard cards, comparable to the number of cards issued at September 30, 2008.

"We are very pleased with our third-quarter financial results, specifically since we began to see signs of stabilization in parts of our business," said Robert W. Selander, MasterCard chief executive officer. "Total processed transactions continued to grow at a high single-digit rate, with double-digit growth coming from our Asia Pacific/Middle East/Africa and Latin America regions. At the same time, our overall cross-border volumes are steadying with our Asia Pacific region demonstrating significant growth in the quarter, and the U.S. showing a lower rate of decline. We continued to aggressively manage costs and improve margins, while still investing in key growth areas across our business.

"Overall, our results once again underscore the global trend toward electronic payments, and the strength of our business model," Selander added. "We continue to make life easier for consumers, businesses and governments, all of whom seek safer, more controllable and more efficient payment alternatives for everyday commerce."

Special items for the third quarter of 2009 represented $6.2 million pre-tax litigation settlement charges. The special item for the third quarter of 2008 represented an $827.5 million net pre-tax charge related to an antitrust litigation settlement.

Excluding special items, total operating expenses decreased 13.3%, to $685 million, during the third quarter of 2009 compared to the same period in 2008. Currency fluctuations contributed 1.3 percentage points to the rate of decline. The decrease in total operating expenses was driven by:

• A 7.9% decrease in general and administrative expenses, primarily resulting from lower professional fees and travel expenses, along with a benefit from foreign exchange remeasurement, versus the comparable period in 2008. These factors were partially offset by increased personnel costs due to severance of $31 million in the third quarter of 2009. Excluding the impact of severance costs in both periods, general and administrative expenses declined 13.8% for the third quarter of 2009. A favorable foreign currency impact represented 1.1 percentage points of both rates of decline; and
• A 29.4% decrease in advertising and marketing expenses versus the year-ago period, primarily related to reduced investments and continued cost containment initiatives. Favorable currency fluctuations representing approximately 1.5 percentage points contributed to the rate of decline.

Including special items, total operating expenses decreased 57.3%, to $691 million, primarily due to the net litigation settlement that occurred in the third quarter of 2008.

Excluding special items, the operating margin was 49.8% for the third quarter of 2009, up 8.8 percentage points over the year-ago period. Including special items, the operating margin was 49.4% for the third quarter of 2009.

MasterCard's effective tax rate was 32.9% in the third quarter of 2009. For the third quarter of 2008, the effective tax rate was 39.7%, excluding special items, and 34.1% including the special items. The difference in the effective tax rate was primarily due to the charge for the net litigation settlement recorded in the third quarter of 2008.

Year-to-Date 2009 Results

For the nine months ended September 30, 2009, MasterCard reported net income of $1.2 billion, or $8.95 per diluted share, excluding the impact of special items, and net income of $1.2 billion, or $8.92 per diluted share, including special items.

Net revenue for the nine months ended September 30, 2009, was $3.8 billion, a 0.9% increase versus the same period in 2008. On a constant currency basis, net revenue increased 4.4%. Increased processed transactions of 7.0% and pricing changes of approximately 6 percentage points contributed to the revenue growth in the year-to-date period. These factors were partially offset by the impact of slightly lower cross border volumes on revenue for the nine months ended September 30, 2009, relative to the comparable period last year.

Total operating expenses decreased 12.5%, to $2.0 billion, for the nine-month period compared to the same period in 2008, excluding special items for both periods. Currency fluctuations contributed 2.5 percentage points of this decrease. Including special items, operating expenses decreased 57.8%.

Total net other expense was $32 million for the nine-month period versus total net other income of $169 million for the same period in 2008, including special items. The decrease in other income was primarily driven by gains from the sale of Redecard securities and the termination of a customer business agreement in 2008.

MasterCard's effective tax rate, excluding special items, was 33.6% in the nine months ended September 30, 2009, versus a rate of 36.7% in the comparable period in 2008. Including the special items, the effective tax rate was 33.6% for the 2009 period, and 40.4% for the 2008 period. The difference in the effective tax rate was primarily due to the impact of the charge for litigation settlements in 2008.

Third-Quarter 2009 Financial Results Conference Call Details

At 9:00 a.m. EST today, the company will host a conference call to discuss its third-quarter 2009 financial results.

The dial-in information for this call is 866-700-6293 (within the U.S.) and 617-213-8835 (outside the U.S.) and the passcode is 63207343. A replay of the call will be available for one week thereafter. The replay can be accessed by dialing 888-286-8010 (within the U.S.) and 617-801-6888 (outside the U.S.) and using passcode 88640718.

The live call and the replay, along with supporting materials, can also be accessed through the Investor Relations section of the company's website at www.mastercard.com.

About MasterCard Incorporated

MasterCard Incorporated advances global commerce by providing a critical economic link among financial institutions, businesses, cardholders and merchants worldwide. As a franchisor, processor and advisor, MasterCard develops and markets payment solutions, processes approximately 21 billion transactions each year, and provides industry-leading analysis and consulting services to financial-institution customers and merchants. Powered by the MasterCard Worldwide Network and through its family of brands, including MasterCard(R), Maestro(R) and Cirrus(R), MasterCard serves consumers and businesses in more than 210 countries and territories. For more information go to www.mastercard.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

Statements in this press release which are not historical facts, including statements about MasterCard's plans, strategies, beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking and subject to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made. Accordingly, except for the company's ongoing obligations under the U.S. federal securities laws, the company does not intend to update or otherwise revise the forward-looking information to reflect actual results of operations, changes in financial condition, changes in estimates, expectations or assumptions, changes in general economic or industry conditions or other circumstances arising and/or existing since the preparation of this press release or to reflect the occurrence of any unanticipated events. Such forward-looking statements include, without limitation:

• The potential stabilization of the company's business, in light of overall economic conditions;
• The company's future investments in key growth areas; and
• The company's ability to continue to benefit from the ongoing shift toward electronic payments.

Actual results may differ materially from such forward-looking statements for a number of reasons, including those set forth in the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including the company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2008, the company's Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K that have been filed with the SEC during 2009, as well as reasons including difficulties, delays or the inability of the company to achieve its strategic initiatives set forth above. Factors other than those listed above could also cause the company's results to differ materially from expected results.

Note that columns in the tables above may not add due to rounding; growth represents change from the comparable year-ago period.

Footnote

The tables set forth the gross dollar volume ("GDV"), purchase volume, cash volume and the number of purchase transactions, cash transactions, accounts, cards and acceptance locations on a regional and global basis for MasterCard(R)-branded and MasterCard Electronic(TM)-branded cards. Growth rates over prior periods are provided for volume-based data.

Debit transactions on Maestro(R) and Cirrus(R)-branded cards, Mondex(R) transactions and transactions involving brands other than MasterCard are not included in the preceding tables.

For purposes of the table: GDV represents purchase volume plus cash volume and includes the impact of balance transfers and convenience checks; "purchase volume" means the aggregate dollar amount of purchases made with MasterCard-branded cards for the relevant period; and "cash volume" means the aggregate dollar amount of cash disbursements obtained with MasterCard-branded cards for the relevant period. The number of cards includes virtual cards, which are MasterCard-branded payment accounts in connection with which functional cards are not generally issued. Acceptance locations include merchant locations, ATMs and other locations where cash may be obtained.

The MasterCard payment product is comprised of credit, charge and debit programs, and data relating to each type of program is included in the tables. Debit programs include MasterCard-branded debit programs where the primary means of cardholder validation at the point of sale is for cardholders either to sign a sales receipt or enter a PIN. The tables include information with respect to transactions involving MasterCard-branded cards that are not processed by MasterCard and transactions for which MasterCard does not earn significant revenues.

Information denominated in U.S. dollars is calculated by applying an established U.S. dollar/local currency exchange rate for each local currency in which MasterCard volumes are reported. These exchange rates are calculated on a quarterly basis using the average exchange rate for each quarter. MasterCard reports period-over-period rates of change in purchase volume and cash volume on the basis of local currency information, in order to eliminate the impact of changes in the value of foreign currencies against the U.S. dollar in calculating such rates of change.

The data set forth in the GDV, purchase volume, purchase transactions, cash volume and cash transactions columns is provided by MasterCard customers and is subject to verification by MasterCard and partial cross-checking against information provided by MasterCard's transaction processing systems. The data set forth in the accounts and cards columns is provided by MasterCard customers and is subject to certain limited verification by MasterCard. A portion of the data set forth in the accounts and cards columns reflects the impact of routine portfolio changes among customers and other practices that may lead to over counting of the underlying data in certain circumstances. In order to provide a true indication of how broadly our cards can be used, MasterCard seeks to provide the most accurate acceptance figures possible and to maintain that MasterCard acceptance is unsurpassed worldwide by periodically validating our results with third parties. The data set forth in the acceptance locations column is derived through a proprietary methodology designed to minimize the impact of multiple acquiring in certain markets. This data is based on information provided by our customers and other third parties and is subject to certain limited verification by MasterCard and partial cross-checking against information provided by MasterCard's transaction processing systems. All data is subject to revision and amendment by MasterCard's customers subsequent to the date of its release.

Performance information for prior periods can be found in the "Investor Relations" section of MasterCard's website at www.mastercard.com.

Note that the figures in the preceding tables may not sum due to rounding.

Note that the figures in the preceding tables may not sum due to rounding.

For more information about these reconciliations, refer to MasterCard Incorporated's Form 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 3, 2009.

SOURCE: MasterCard Incorporated

MasterCard Incorporated
Investor Relations:
Barbara Gasper, 914-249-4565
investor_relations@mastercard.com
or
Media Relations:
Chris Monteiro, 914-249-5826
chris_monteiro@mastercard.com