American Express (NYSE:AXP) CEO Sells $99,449,036.16 in Stock

American Express Company (NYSE:AXP) CEO Stephen Squeri sold 299,401 shares of American Express stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, November 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of $332.16, for a total transaction of $99,449,036.16. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer owned 60,567 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $20,117,934.72. The trade was a 83.17% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link.

American Express Price Performance

Shares of AXP stock traded down $3.95 during trading on Friday, hitting $321.02. The company had a trading volume of 2,931,639 shares, compared to its average volume of 3,232,038. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.64, a quick ratio of 1.58 and a current ratio of 1.58. The firm has a market capitalization of $215.26 billion, a P/E ratio of 18.08, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.40 and a beta of 1.09. The stock’s 50-day moving average price is $316.48 and its 200 day moving average price is $325.81. American Express Company has a one year low of $290.97 and a one year high of $387.49.

American Express (NYSE:AXP) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Friday, October 23rd. The payment services company reported $4.68 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $4.50 by $0.18. The firm had revenue of $20.06 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $20.12 billion. American Express had a return on equity of 34.19% and a net margin of 15.80%. The company’s revenue was up 8.9% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $4.14 EPS. American Express has set its FY 2026 guidance at 17.600-17.900 EPS. Equities analysts expect that American Express Company will post 17.98 EPS for the current fiscal year.

American Express Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, November 10th. Stockholders of record on Friday, October 9th will be issued a dividend of $0.95 per share. This represents a $3.80 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.2%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, October 9th. American Express’s dividend payout ratio is 21.40%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On American Express

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of AXP. Flputnam Investment Management Co. bought a new stake in shares of American Express during the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $12,879,000. State Street Corp increased its position in American Express by 40.2% during the 2nd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 40,967,262 shares of the payment services company’s stock worth $13,857,176,000 after purchasing an additional 11,739,541 shares in the last quarter. Evolve Private Wealth LLC bought a new position in American Express in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $5,172,000. Silicon Valley Capital Partners lifted its stake in American Express by 14.9% in the 2nd quarter. Silicon Valley Capital Partners now owns 41,480 shares of the payment services company’s stock valued at $14,030,000 after purchasing an additional 5,365 shares during the last quarter. Finally, OMERS ADMINISTRATION Corp bought a new position in American Express in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $11,642,000. 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: American Express has reduced its share count by 27% since 2016, while diluted earnings per share increased 352% from Q3 2016 to the latest quarter. The article credits its premium brand and network advantages—long-term strengths that have helped shareholders, rather than a new near-term development. Article: American Express Has Cut Its Share Count by 27% Since 2016
• Positive Sentiment: ETFs recorded $41.8 million in net purchases of AXP shares on Nov. 4, providing a modest signal of institutional demand. Article: American Express Sees $41.8 Million in Net ETF Buying
• Negative Sentiment: A report says American Express insider Laureen Seeger sold 69,860 shares. Insider sales can weigh on sentiment, although the provided report does not give context for the transaction. Article: Insider Laureen Seeger Sells 69,860 Shares
• Negative Sentiment: AXP also had a notable decline in the prior session, but the cited coverage does not specify what drove the move. This recent weakness may be weighing on near-term sentiment. Article: American Express Drops 3.5%

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

AXP has been the subject of a number of analyst reports. BMO Capital Markets assumed coverage on American Express in a research note on Thursday, October 8th. They issued an “outperform” rating and a $380.00 price target for the company. Jefferies Financial Group reiterated a “hold” rating and set a $330.00 price objective on shares of American Express in a research note on Friday, October 23rd. Barclays decreased their target price on shares of American Express from $342.00 to $340.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a report on Monday, October 26th. HSBC boosted their target price on shares of American Express from $312.00 to $329.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research report on Monday, July 13th. Finally, TD Cowen dropped their target price on shares of American Express from $338.00 to $335.00 and set a “hold” rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, October 6th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, seventeen have issued a Buy rating, thirteen have assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, American Express presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $365.22.

American Express Company Profile

American Express Company is a global payments and financial services company that operates a card-issuing business and a payments network. Its products and services include consumer, small-business and corporate cards, payment processing, lending, travel services and expense-management solutions.

Founded in 1850 as an express mail business, the company expanded into financial services and became known for its charge cards and travel-related services. Today, it serves cardholders and businesses in the United States and markets around the world, connecting customers, merchants and financial institutions through its network.

Stephen J.