Victory Capital Management Inc. Reduces Holdings in American Express Company $AXP

Victory Capital Management Inc. trimmed its holdings in shares of American Express Company (NYSE:AXP) by 9.8% in the 3rd quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The institutional investor owned 504,827 shares of the payment services company’s stock after selling 54,645 shares during the quarter. Victory Capital Management Inc.’s holdings in American Express were worth $167,683,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also modified their holdings of AXP. Accuvest Global Advisors lifted its position in American Express by 1,177.7% during the third quarter. Accuvest Global Advisors now owns 11,320 shares of the payment services company’s stock valued at $3,760,000 after purchasing an additional 10,434 shares in the last quarter. BlueStem Wealth Partners LLC raised its stake in shares of American Express by 4.4% in the third quarter. BlueStem Wealth Partners LLC now owns 791 shares of the payment services company’s stock worth $263,000 after buying an additional 33 shares during the period. Kahn Brothers Group Inc. purchased a new position in shares of American Express during the 3rd quarter valued at about $382,000. Kelman Lazarov Inc. grew its stake in shares of American Express by 14.8% during the 3rd quarter. Kelman Lazarov Inc. now owns 1,823 shares of the payment services company’s stock valued at $606,000 after acquiring an additional 235 shares during the period. Finally, Elo Mutual Pension Insurance Co increased its holdings in American Express by 14.6% in the 3rd quarter. Elo Mutual Pension Insurance Co now owns 64,927 shares of the payment services company’s stock worth $21,566,000 after acquiring an additional 8,267 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 84.33% of the company’s stock.

American Express Price Performance

Shares of AXP stock opened at $307.86 on Wednesday. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $355.45 and a 200 day moving average price of $349.63. American Express Company has a 52-week low of $220.43 and a 52-week high of $387.49. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.68, a quick ratio of 1.58 and a current ratio of 1.59. The firm has a market capitalization of $211.38 billion, a P/E ratio of 20.00, a P/E/G ratio of 1.30 and a beta of 1.14.

American Express (NYSE:AXP) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Friday, January 30th. The payment services company reported $3.53 EPS 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 business had revenue of ($17,139.00) million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $18.91 billion. During the same period last year, the company earned $3.04 EPS. 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. As a group, sell-side analysts predict that American Express Company will post 15.33 earnings per share for the current year.

American Express Increases Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, May 8th. Investors of record on Friday, April 3rd will be paid a $0.95 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, April 2nd. This represents a $3.80 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.2%. This is a boost from American Express’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.82. American Express’s payout ratio is 21.31%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of research firms have weighed in on AXP. TD Cowen reiterated a “hold” rating on shares of American Express in a research report on Thursday, January 8th. Wolfe Research began coverage on shares of American Express in a research note on Monday, December 8th. They set a “peer perform” rating on the stock. Truist Financial cut their price target on American Express from $420.00 to $400.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research note on Monday, February 2nd. Wall Street Zen downgraded American Express from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Sunday, November 9th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company increased their target price on American Express from $400.00 to $425.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, December 17th. Nine investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, fifteen have issued a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, American Express has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $352.73.

Key Stories Impacting American Express

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

• Positive Sentiment: Board approved a 16% increase in the quarterly dividend to $0.95 (annualized yield ~1.2%), signaling management confidence in cash flow and earnings; dividend payable May 8 with ex-dividend April 2. This is the strongest near-term positive catalyst for income-focused investors. American Express Board Authorizes 16 Percent Increase in Common Shares Dividend
• Positive Sentiment: Coverage highlights AmEx as a provider of high-yield savings products, reinforcing its deposit and consumer-finance franchise outside card spend — a diversification point that supports valuation and margins over time. 3 Clear Winners When Exploring High-Yield Savings Accounts
• Positive Sentiment: AmEx plans a new global headquarters at 2 World Trade Center and will own/occupy a 55‑floor tower — a large, visible long-term investment that management frames as supporting innovation and growth. That underscores corporate commitment to scale and could be viewed positively for strategic positioning. Amex doubles down on NYC
• Neutral Sentiment: Marketing/brand activity: AmEx is sponsoring experiential events (Amex x CARBONE BEACH) during the Miami Grand Prix — supports customer engagement and premium card benefits but is unlikely to move fundamentals in the near term. Major Food Group and American Express to host CARBONE BEACH
• Neutral Sentiment: Media pieces (including analysis of Berkshire’s final-quarter moves) mention AmEx within broader portfolio and sector discussions; useful for sentiment but not direct company-specific catalysts. How Berkshire Hathaway Performed During Buffett’s Final Quarter (AXP)
• Negative Sentiment: Unusual options activity has drawn commentary (headline: “Do Options Traders Know Something About AXP?”) — elevated options volumes can precede sharp moves and heighten short-term volatility; traders should watch option flows and open interest as potential signals. Do Options Traders Know Something About AXP Stock We Don’t?

Insider Activity at American Express

In other American Express news, insider Howard Grosfield sold 8,134 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $346.73, for a total value of $2,820,301.82. Following the completion of the sale, the insider directly owned 9,433 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $3,270,704.09. The trade was a 46.30% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, insider Denise Pickett sold 23,385 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated 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 transaction, the insider owned 7,754 shares in the company, valued at $2,767,480.14. This represents a 75.10% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Over the last 90 days, insiders have sold 73,944 shares of company stock worth $26,114,366. Corporate insiders own 0.20% of the company’s stock.

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.