Wilmington Savings Fund Society FSB Sells 13,936 Shares of American Express Company $AXP

Wilmington Savings Fund Society FSB reduced its position in shares of American Express Company (NYSE:AXP) by 50.8% in the third quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The fund owned 13,474 shares of the payment services company’s stock after selling 13,936 shares during the quarter. Wilmington Savings Fund Society FSB’s holdings in American Express were worth $4,476,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in the company. First Affirmative Financial Network raised its position in shares of American Express by 2.6% during the 3rd quarter. First Affirmative Financial Network now owns 4,792 shares of the payment services company’s stock valued at $1,592,000 after buying an additional 121 shares in the last quarter. Sunbelt Securities Inc. lifted its stake in shares of American Express by 183.3% in the 3rd quarter. Sunbelt Securities Inc. now owns 7,083 shares of the payment services company’s stock valued at $2,353,000 after purchasing an additional 4,583 shares during the last quarter. Captrust Financial Advisors boosted its holdings in shares of American Express by 2.7% in the 3rd quarter. Captrust Financial Advisors now owns 159,906 shares of the payment services company’s stock worth $53,114,000 after purchasing an additional 4,210 shares during the period. Coldstream Capital Management Inc. increased its position in shares of American Express by 20.7% during the 3rd quarter. Coldstream Capital Management Inc. now owns 21,474 shares of the payment services company’s stock valued at $7,133,000 after purchasing an additional 3,689 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Aspire Private Capital LLC raised its holdings in American Express by 5.3% during the 3rd quarter. Aspire Private Capital LLC now owns 5,283 shares of the payment services company’s stock valued at $1,755,000 after buying an additional 266 shares during the period. 84.33% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

American Express Price Performance

AXP opened at $293.99 on Thursday. The company has a market capitalization of $201.86 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 19.10, a PEG ratio of 1.27 and a beta of 1.14. The company has a current ratio of 1.59, a quick ratio of 1.58 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.68. American Express Company has a 12-month low of $220.43 and a 12-month high of $387.49. The business’s fifty day simple moving average is $339.01 and its 200-day simple moving average is $348.31.

American Express (NYSE:AXP) last released its quarterly earnings data on Friday, January 30th. The payment services company reported $3.53 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $3.54 by ($0.01). American Express had a net margin of 15.00% and a return on equity of 33.49%. The firm had revenue of ($17,139.00) million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $18.91 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $3.04 earnings per share. The business’s revenue was up 10.5% compared to the same quarter last year. American Express has set its FY 2026 guidance at 17.300-17.900 EPS. On average, equities research analysts anticipate that American Express Company will post 15.33 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

American Express Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, May 8th. Investors of record on Friday, April 3rd will be issued a dividend of $0.95 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, April 2nd. This is a positive change from American Express’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.82. This represents a $3.80 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.3%. American Express’s dividend payout ratio is 21.31%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities research analysts have recently weighed in on the stock. Morgan Stanley set a $395.00 target price on shares of American Express in a research note on Tuesday, January 20th. BTIG Research reduced their price target on American Express from $328.00 to $285.00 and set a “sell” rating on the stock in a report on Monday. Evercore set a $393.00 target price on American Express in a research report on Tuesday, February 10th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their price target on shares of American Express from $385.00 to $375.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a report on Monday, February 2nd. Finally, Wolfe Research began coverage on shares of American Express in a research report on Monday, December 8th. They issued a “peer perform” rating for the company. Nine equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, thirteen have given a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $354.86.

American Express News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: Amid recent weakness some investors view AXP as a buy-the-dip with intact growth and shareholder returns—the company recently raised its dividend ~16% and bulls point to continued top- and bottom-line momentum. 1 Top Dividend Stock to Buy With Double-Digit Dividend and Earnings Growth
• Positive Sentiment: Some analysts and commentators call AXP an attractive dip-buy, citing continued growth, strong ROE and the company’s guidance for 2026—this support may cap downside. American Express Is An Attractive Dip Buy As Growth Continues
• Neutral Sentiment: Comparative analysis highlights Visa’s network model, cross-border strength and ecosystem investments as competitive advantages vs. AXP, underscoring sector dynamics investors should watch but not an immediate company-specific headwind. Visa vs. American Express: Which Stock Has the Better Charge?
• Neutral Sentiment: Bank of America trimmed AXP’s price target by a small amount but kept a Buy rating after February operating results; this is a minor revision rather than a negative rerating. Bank of America Sees Stable Credit Trends in American Express (AXP) Update
• Neutral Sentiment: Coverage notes and analyst commentary are mixed—some sources present conflicted views on AXP’s near-term trajectory, contributing to investor uncertainty rather than a clear directional trigger. Analysts Offer Insights on Financial Companies: American Express (AXP) and Cboe Global Markets (CBOE)
• Negative Sentiment: High-volume put option purchases point to increased short-term bearish positioning and hedging activity, which can amplify downward pressure on the stock. Stock Traders Purchase High Volume of American Express Put Options (NYSE:AXP)
• Negative Sentiment: BTIG issued a pessimistic forecast for AXP’s share price, adding fresh negative analyst sentiment that likely weighed on investor confidence. BTIG Research Issues Pessimistic Forecast for American Express (NYSE:AXP) Stock Price
• Negative Sentiment: Market commentary flagged why AXP fell more than the broader market today, summarizing the mix of negative notes and option activity as drivers of the larger decline. Here’s Why American Express (AXP) Fell More Than Broader Market

Insider Buying and Selling at American Express

In related news, insider Denise Pickett sold 23,385 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, February 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $356.91, for a total transaction of $8,346,340.35. Following the completion of the sale, the insider directly owned 7,754 shares in the company, valued at $2,767,480.14. This represents a 75.10% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this link. Also, insider Anna Marrs sold 27,425 shares of American Express stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $350.01, for a total value of $9,599,024.25. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider owned 20,394 shares in the company, valued at $7,138,103.94. This trade represents a 57.35% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Over the last ninety days, insiders sold 73,944 shares of company stock worth $26,114,366. 0.20% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

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.