American Express Company $AXP Stock Holdings Boosted by First Trust Advisors LP

First Trust Advisors LP increased its position in American Express Company (NYSE:AXP) by 5.3% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 1,322,520 shares of the payment services company’s stock after acquiring an additional 66,941 shares during the period. First Trust Advisors LP owned approximately 0.19% of American Express worth $439,288,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Valley Wealth Managers Inc. raised its stake in American Express by 153.3% during the 3rd quarter. Valley Wealth Managers Inc. now owns 76 shares of the payment services company’s stock valued at $25,000 after acquiring an additional 46 shares in the last quarter. Manning & Napier Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in American Express in the 3rd quarter valued at about $27,000. Guerra Advisors Inc bought a new position in shares of American Express during the 3rd quarter valued at about $28,000. Halbert Hargrove Global Advisors LLC boosted its position in shares of American Express by 210.7% during the 3rd quarter. Halbert Hargrove Global Advisors LLC now owns 87 shares of the payment services company’s stock valued at $29,000 after purchasing an additional 59 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Grey Fox Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of American Express in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $34,000. 84.33% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

American Express Price Performance

AXP opened at $300.83 on Friday. American Express Company has a 12-month low of $220.43 and a 12-month high of $387.49. The company has a quick ratio of 1.58, a current ratio of 1.59 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.68. The firm has a market capitalization of $206.55 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.55, a PEG ratio of 1.30 and a beta of 1.14. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $350.90 and a 200-day moving average of $349.03.

American Express (NYSE:AXP) last posted its quarterly earnings results 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). The business had revenue of ($17,139.00) million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $18.91 billion. American Express had a net margin of 15.00% and a return on equity of 33.49%. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 10.5% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $3.04 earnings per share. American Express has set its FY 2026 guidance at 17.300-17.900 EPS. Equities analysts forecast that American Express Company will post 15.33 EPS for the current fiscal year.

American Express Increases Dividend

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

Insider Activity at American Express

In related news, insider Denise Pickett sold 23,385 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, February 5th. The shares were 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 approximately $2,767,480.14. This trade represents a 75.10% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, insider Ravikumar Radhakrishnan sold 15,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, February 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $356.58, for a total transaction of $5,348,700.00. Following the transaction, 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. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders sold 73,944 shares of company stock valued at $26,114,366 over the last ninety days. 0.20% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Key Headlines Impacting American Express

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

• Positive Sentiment: Board approved a 16% quarterly dividend increase to $0.95 and emphasized shareholder returns, a supportive sign for income-focused investors. American Express Announces 16% Increase in Quarterly Dividend
• Positive Sentiment: New long-term stadium and NFL team partnerships aim to drive card engagement and incremental transactions in key metro markets — a revenue/TPV growth lever for premium cardholders. American Express announces stadium, NFL team partnerships
• Positive Sentiment: Company is expanding tech initiatives (AI partner Traversal) and planning a new World Trade Center HQ, signaling investment in operations and long-term productivity improvements. American Express Taps AI And Sports Deals As Stock Trades Below Targets
• Neutral Sentiment: Valuation write-ups note the dividend hike and partnerships but also point out the recent pullback — useful context for investors reassessing entry points. Taking A Fresh Look At American Express (AXP) Valuation After Dividend Hike And New Sports Partnerships
• Neutral Sentiment: Company updated its Q1 earnings date and will webcast the annual meeting — housekeeping items that provide upcoming catalysts/communication opportunities. American Express Updates First-Quarter 2026 Earnings Date and Plans to Host Live Audio Webcast of Annual Meeting of Shareholders
• Negative Sentiment: Commentary says the current slide looks more sentiment-driven than business-driven — highlighting panic selling and momentum losses as drivers of the near-term weakness. American Express Stock’s Slide Worsens as Shares Hit $300. Time to Buy?
• Negative Sentiment: Short interest has risen materially, indicating growing bearish positioning that can amplify downward moves. American Express Company (NYSE:AXP) Sees Large Increase in Short Interest
• Negative Sentiment: New premium cards from competitors (Robinhood’s $695 Platinum) are being positioned against Amex’s lucrative premium card franchise — potential pressure on market share and fee income over time. Robinhood’s new $695 Platinum card vs $895 Amex Platinum: Which one has better perks?
• Negative Sentiment: Analysis pointing to a ~12% slip in March cites concerns about disruption (AI, competition) and investor rotation away from expensive financial names. Why American Express Stock Slipped 12% In March

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research analysts have issued reports on AXP shares. Truist Financial dropped their price target on American Express from $420.00 to $400.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Monday, February 2nd. Wall Street Zen cut American Express from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Sunday, November 9th. Royal Bank Of Canada reaffirmed an “outperform” rating and set a $425.00 target price on shares of American Express in a research report on Monday, January 12th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their target price on American Express from $385.00 to $375.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a report on Monday, February 2nd. Finally, Morgan Stanley set a $395.00 price target on American Express in a research report on Tuesday, January 20th. Nine research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, fifteen have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $352.73.

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.