Mastercard ( MA ) shareholders might not be too thrilled with the stock's more recent run, but few names have treated buy-and-hold investors to better returns over the long haul. The world's second-largest payments processor has lost some of its luster over the past few years, but that's more to do with the legal and regulatory landscape than the company's operations. Threats to Mastercard's duopoly with Visa ( V ) are overblown, bulls say, and shares are priced for future outperformance for patient investors. Buy-and-hold types who've been in the blue chip stock for ages can attest to Mastercard's strength. And while its competitive moat might not be quite as wide as it once was, the company's global brand remains as powerful as ever. From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger Personal Finance Become a smarter, better informed investor.…