American Express (NYSE:AXP) Announces Quarterly Earnings Results, Beats Expectations By $0.27 EPS

American Express Company (NYSE:AXP) released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday. The payment services company reported $4.28 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $4.01 by $0.27, FiscalAI reports. The business had revenue of $14.22 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $18.60 billion. American Express had a return on equity of 33.49% and a net margin of 15.00%.American Express’s revenue was up 11.4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the firm posted $3.64 earnings per share. American Express updated its FY 2026 guidance to 17.300-17.900 EPS.

Here are the key takeaways from American Express’ conference call:

• American Express reported a strong Q1 — revenue up 11% (10% FX‑adjusted) and EPS of $4.28 (+18%) — and management reaffirmed full‑year guidance of 9%–10% revenue growth and EPS $17.30–$17.90 while increasing marketing and technology investments.
• Premium‑product momentum is driving growth — the Platinum refresh has accelerated spend with high retention after the fee increase, over 70% of new accounts are fee‑paying, and international billings grew double digits.
• Credit and margin strength remain intact — delinquency and write‑off rates are below 2019 levels, provisions included a small reserve release, and net interest income grew ~12%, outpacing balance growth.
• Management is pushing strategic growth initiatives — a one‑year commercial product expansion (eight new/enhanced offerings) and AI initiatives like the ACE developer kit and Agent Purchase Protection aim to open new revenue channels in agentic commerce.
• Near‑term risks could weigh on upside — recent travel disruptions caused airline refund activity and softness, exits of small‑business co‑brand portfolios will modestly depress SME spend growth, and elevated marketing/tech investments limit immediate EPS upside.

American Express Price Performance

American Express stock opened at $318.51 on Friday. The company has a current ratio of 1.59, a quick ratio of 1.58 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.68. The company has a market capitalization of $218.43 billion, a PE ratio of 20.70, a P/E/G ratio of 1.40 and a beta of 1.13. American Express Company has a 12 month low of $257.21 and a 12 month high of $387.49. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $314.12 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $344.38.

American Express Increases Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, May 8th. Shareholders of record on Friday, April 3rd will be given a $0.95 dividend. This is a boost from American Express’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.82. This represents a $3.80 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.2%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, April 2nd. American Express’s dividend payout ratio is 24.69%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several analysts recently weighed in on AXP shares. TD Cowen reaffirmed a “hold” rating on shares of American Express in a research note on Thursday, January 8th. Morgan Stanley reduced their price objective on American Express from $395.00 to $385.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, April 16th. Wells Fargo & Company dropped their target price on American Express from $425.00 to $415.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, April 9th. Truist Financial dropped their target price on American Express from $400.00 to $360.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Monday, March 23rd. Finally, Bank of America increased their target price on American Express from $381.00 to $387.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday. Eight research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, thirteen have issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $361.05.

Insider Transactions at American Express

In other news, insider Anna Marrs sold 27,425 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $350.01, for a total transaction of $9,599,024.25. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider directly owned 20,394 shares in the company, valued at $7,138,103.94. This trade represents a 57.35% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Also, insider Denise Pickett sold 23,385 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $356.91, for a total value of $8,346,340.35. Following the transaction, the insider owned 7,754 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $2,767,480.14. This trade represents a 75.10% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders have sold a total of 73,944 shares of company stock valued at $26,114,366 over the last three months. Company insiders own 0.14% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On American Express

A number of hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in AXP. Brighton Jones LLC raised its position in shares of American Express by 24.4% during the fourth quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 6,481 shares of the payment services company’s stock worth $1,924,000 after acquiring an additional 1,273 shares during the last quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC raised its position in shares of American Express by 13.0% during the second quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC now owns 1,738 shares of the payment services company’s stock worth $554,000 after acquiring an additional 200 shares during the last quarter. Schnieders Capital Management LLC. bought a new position in shares of American Express during the second quarter worth about $428,000. Howland Capital Management LLC raised its position in shares of American Express by 4.2% during the second quarter. Howland Capital Management LLC now owns 2,216 shares of the payment services company’s stock worth $707,000 after acquiring an additional 90 shares during the last quarter. Finally, HUB Investment Partners LLC raised its position in shares of American Express by 19.9% during the second quarter. HUB Investment Partners LLC now owns 2,898 shares of the payment services company’s stock worth $924,000 after acquiring an additional 481 shares during the last quarter. 84.33% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Key American Express News

Here are the key news stories impacting American Express this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q1 beat on profit and spending. Reported EPS of $4.28 topped estimates and management cited the strongest card‑member spending growth in ~3 years, lifting revenue to roughly $18.9B — a clear near‑term earnings beat that supports the business’s premium customer momentum. Reuters: Amex beats profit estimates
• Positive Sentiment: Premium customer mix, partnerships and product pushes underpin growth. Management highlighted strength in travel/luxury categories, an expanding younger card base and strategic deals (including the new NFL global payments partnership) plus AI and product initiatives that should help revenue and fee growth. Benzinga: NFL deal & revenue growth PYMNTS: millennials & AI
• Neutral Sentiment: Long‑term investor backing provides confidence but limited near‑term impact. AXP remains a long‑held Berkshire/Holdings favorite, signaling durable brand and franchise value — useful for long‑term investors but not a catalyst for today’s price move. Yahoo: AXP longest‑held by Buffett
• Neutral Sentiment: Company reaffirmed FY outlook but guidance sits in a wide range. Management reiterated full‑year targets (EPS and revenue ranges), which are roughly in line with consensus but leave room for investor interpretation — neither a clear positive nor outright warning on its own. Yahoo: Amex reaffirms guidance
• Negative Sentiment: Cautious guidance and higher investment/expense plans weighed on the stock. Despite the beat, management signaled increased spending and a conservative EPS/revenue range that disappointed some investors, prompting an intraday selloff. ProactiveInvestors: cautious outlook & rising expenses
• Negative Sentiment: Geopolitical and macro concerns sapped sentiment. Re‑escalation in the Middle East and related inflation/flight‑risk worries made investors more risk‑averse, reducing enthusiasm for cyclical travel/consumer exposure even with positive company results. TheStreet: geopolitics and sentiment
• Negative Sentiment: Analyst moves have trimmed upside. Recent price‑target cuts and neutral/hold notes (e.g., broader macro caution reflected in JPMorgan’s earlier PT adjustment) tighten near‑term expectations for the stock. InsiderMonkey: JPMorgan PT cut

American Express Company Profile

American Express is a global financial services company primarily known for its payment card products, travel services and merchant network. Founded in 1850 as an express mail business, the company evolved through the 20th century into a payments and travel-focused organization. Its core activities include issuing consumer and commercial charge and credit cards, operating a global card acceptance and processing network, and providing travel-related services and customer loyalty programs.

American Express issues a range of products for individuals, small businesses and large corporations, including personal cards, business and corporate cards, and co‑brand partnerships with airlines, hotels and retailers.