Aflac Incorporated (AFL)
Aflac sells supplemental health and life insurance, with major operations in the US and Japan.
Financials stock comparison
AFL vs MA: which business are you actually underwriting?
Compare Aflac Incorporated with Mastercard Incorporated using their business models, SEC classifications, fiscal calendars, current primary filings, and the research questions that matter. This is a thesis framework—not a price target or automatic winner.
- Sector
- Financials
- Industry
- Different SIC
- Shared themes
- 2
- Updated
- 2026-02-25
AFL vs MA: quick comparison
| Company fact | AFL | MA |
|---|---|---|
| Company | Aflac Incorporated | Mastercard Incorporated |
| Exchange | NYSE | NYSE |
| Headquarters | Not recorded | Purchase, New York |
| Founded | Not recorded | 1966 |
| SEC industry | Accident & Health Insurance | Services-Business Services, NEC |
| Fiscal year-end | December 31 | December 31 |
| Latest annual filing | 10-K · 2026-02-25 | 10-K · 2026-02-11 |
How the businesses differ
Mastercard Incorporated (MA)
Mastercard runs a global payments network that processes card and digital transactions for banks and merchants. Like its main rival, it profits from payment volumes rather than carrying credit risk.
The useful starting point is not which ticker has performed better. It is whether the two companies convert the same economic forces into revenue and cash flow in the same way. AFL is classified by the SEC as Accident & Health Insurance, while MA is classified as Services-Business Services, NEC. The different industry codes are a warning against treating sector membership as proof of identical economics.
Which thesis does each company fit?
Use the distinction below to decide which filing deserves deeper work. It is a research routing rule, not a recommendation or prediction.
Study AFL when…
- The shape of the yield curve and net interest margins
- Credit quality and loan-loss provisions
- Regulation and capital requirements
- Deal activity and market volatility
Study MA when…
- The shape of the yield curve and net interest margins
- Credit quality and loan-loss provisions
- Regulation and capital requirements
- Deal activity and market volatility
Shared research themes
US marketsInternational markets
SEC filing comparison and disclosure evidence
Start with primary filings because fiscal calendars and accounting presentation can make superficially similar quarters incomparable.AFL's fiscal year ends December 31, while MA's ends December 31. Normalize the reporting periods before comparing growth, margins, capital intensity, or guidance.
The current verified House Clerk snapshot contains 0matched transaction rows for AFLand 0 for MA. These delayed, range-based disclosures can identify a filing to inspect; they do not establish motive, conviction, or a real-time trading signal.
AFL primary filings
MA primary filings
What this comparison cannot tell you
This page does not contain licensed live prices, a valuation model, earnings estimates, portfolio constraints, or a forecast of future returns. SEC classifications can be broad, company descriptions can lag strategic change, and the latest annual filing may predate a material acquisition or divestiture. Read subsequent quarterly and current reports before making a decision.
A stronger business is not automatically the better stock. Starting valuation, expectations, capital structure, cyclicality, dilution, and the probability of each thesis determine the investment outcome. Use this comparison to frame the work, then verify the numbers in the linked filings and current company disclosures.
More comparisons involving AFL or MA
AFL vs MA FAQs
Are AFL and MA direct competitors?
Aflac Incorporated and Mastercard Incorporated sit in the same Financials sector but have different SEC industry classifications. The comparison is most useful for portfolio role and sector exposure, not as a claim that every product competes directly.
Which is better, AFL or MA?
There is no context-free winner. Compare the operating exposures, filing evidence, valuation, balance sheet, and risks against the specific thesis you are testing. This page deliberately does not turn a static profile into a buy or sell recommendation.
Does this AFL vs MA comparison include live prices?
No. Yield Theory does not republish unlicensed real-time market data. Use a regulated broker or licensed quote provider for current prices, then use the primary filings here to test the business thesis.
Where does the company information come from?
Company classifications, fiscal year-ends, and filing links come from the SEC EDGAR submissions API snapshot refreshed 2026-08-10. Business summaries and research themes are maintained by Yield Theory.
Data snapshot: SEC EDGAR submissions API, refreshed 2026-08-10. Independent educational research; not investment advice.
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