American Express (NYSE:AXP)‘s stock had its “sell” rating reaffirmed by research analysts at BTIG Research in a research report issued to clients and investors on Friday,Benzinga reports. They currently have a $285.00 target price on the payment services company’s stock. BTIG Research’s target price indicates a potential downside of 10.52% from the company’s previous close.
Several other equities analysts have also recently issued reports on AXP. Morgan Stanley lowered their target price on shares of 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. TD Cowen reaffirmed a “hold” rating on shares of American Express in a report on Thursday, January 8th. Truist Financial cut their price objective on shares of American Express from $400.00 to $360.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Monday, March 23rd. Barclays set a $322.00 target price on shares of American Express in a report on Friday. Finally, Credit Suisse Group set a $328.00 target price on shares of American Express in a report on Monday, January 12th. Eight investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, thirteen have given a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $361.05.
American Express Trading Down 4.3%
American Express (NYSE:AXP – Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, April 23rd. The payment services company reported $4.28 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $4.01 by $0.27. The business had revenue of $14.22 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $18.60 billion. American Express had a net margin of 15.00% and a return on equity of 33.49%. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 11.4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $3.64 EPS. American Express has set its FY 2026 guidance at 17.300-17.900 EPS. On average, research analysts predict that American Express will post 17.53 earnings per share for the current year.
Insider Transactions at American Express
In related news, insider Ravikumar Radhakrishnan sold 15,000 shares of American Express stock in a transaction dated Monday, February 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $356.58, for a total value of $5,348,700.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider directly owned 8,945 shares in the company, valued at $3,189,608.10. The trade was a 62.64% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, insider Denise Pickett sold 23,385 shares of American Express stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $356.91, for a total value of $8,346,340.35. Following the completion of the sale, the insider owned 7,754 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $2,767,480.14. The trade was a 75.10% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Over the last three months, insiders have sold 73,944 shares of company stock valued at $26,114,366. Insiders own 0.14% of the company’s stock.
Institutional Investors Weigh In On American Express
A number of large investors have recently modified their holdings of AXP. Brighton Jones LLC grew its stake 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 lifted its holdings in American Express by 13.0% in the second quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC now owns 1,738 shares of the payment services company’s stock valued at $554,000 after acquiring an additional 200 shares during the period. Schnieders Capital Management LLC. acquired a new position in American Express in the second quarter valued at approximately $428,000. Howland Capital Management LLC lifted its holdings in American Express by 4.2% in the second quarter. Howland Capital Management LLC now owns 2,216 shares of the payment services company’s stock valued at $707,000 after acquiring an additional 90 shares during the period. Finally, HUB Investment Partners LLC lifted its holdings in American Express by 19.9% in the second quarter. HUB Investment Partners LLC now owns 2,898 shares of the payment services company’s stock valued at $924,000 after acquiring an additional 481 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 84.33% of the company’s stock.
Key Headlines Impacting American Express
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
About American Express
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.
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