Welch & Forbes LLC Decreases Holdings in American Express Company $AXP

Welch & Forbes LLC lowered its stake in American Express Company (NYSE:AXP) by 6.3% in the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 81,764 shares of the payment services company’s stock after selling 5,482 shares during the period. Welch & Forbes LLC’s holdings in American Express were worth $24,732,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other large investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in AXP. Evolution Wealth Management Inc. lifted its stake in shares of American Express by 6,600.0% in the 4th quarter. Evolution Wealth Management Inc. now owns 67 shares of the payment services company’s stock valued at $25,000 after purchasing an additional 66 shares during the last quarter. Joseph Group Capital Management purchased a new stake in American Express during the 4th quarter valued at $26,000. Sfam LLC bought a new stake in American Express in the fourth quarter worth $26,000. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd bought a new stake in American Express in the fourth quarter worth $28,000. Finally, Measured Wealth Private Client Group LLC purchased a new position in American Express during the third quarter worth $28,000. 84.33% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several brokerages have recently weighed in on AXP. DZ Bank raised shares of American Express from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $375.00 target price on the stock in a research note on Thursday, June 18th. Freedom Capital upgraded shares of American Express from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a report on Thursday, May 14th. Barclays raised their price objective on shares of American Express from $322.00 to $364.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Tuesday, July 7th. Wells Fargo & Company dropped their target price on American Express from $425.00 to $415.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, April 9th. Finally, UBS Group upped their target price on American Express from $340.00 to $386.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Tuesday, July 7th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, ten have assigned a Buy rating, eleven have issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, American Express presently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $368.70.

American Express News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: American Express is expanding AI across payments, including new tools and security features, which could improve customer experience, fraud prevention, and long-term growth prospects. Can AmEx’s AI Investments Unlock the Next Phase of Growth?
• Positive Sentiment: Bank of America raised its price target on AXP to $391 from $387 and kept a buy rating, signaling continued confidence in upside from current levels. American Express price target raised by Bank of America Corporation
• Positive Sentiment: Some recent commentary says the stock may be a bargain after its pullback this year, with upcoming second-quarter earnings viewed as a potential catalyst for a rebound. Is American Express Stock a Bargain?
• Neutral Sentiment: American Express also broke ground on its new global headquarters at 2 World Trade Center, a long-term strategic project that supports brand and operational growth but is not an immediate earnings driver. American Express Breaks Ground on New Headquarters at 2 World Trade Center
• Negative Sentiment: Recent articles note AXP has been under pressure this year and fell more sharply than the broader market in the latest session, reminding investors that sentiment is still somewhat fragile ahead of earnings. American Express (AXP) Sees a More Significant Dip Than Broader Market: Some Facts to Know

American Express Trading Up 1.1%

Shares of NYSE:AXP traded up $3.80 on Friday, hitting $350.52. 2,791,983 shares of the company’s stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 3,064,715. The stock has a market capitalization of $239.17 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.87, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.44 and a beta of 1.04. American Express Company has a 12 month low of $288.34 and a 12 month high of $387.49. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.73, a current ratio of 1.57 and a quick ratio of 1.56. The business’s 50 day simple moving average is $325.61 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $332.21.

American Express (NYSE:AXP) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, April 23rd. The payment services company reported $4.28 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $4.01 by $0.27. American Express had a net margin of 15.13% and a return on equity of 33.95%. The company had revenue of $14.21 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $18.60 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $3.64 EPS. The firm’s revenue was up 11.4% compared to the same quarter last year. American Express has set its FY 2026 guidance at 17.300-17.900 EPS. Analysts anticipate that American Express Company will post 17.67 EPS for the current fiscal year.

American Express Dividend Announcement

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, August 10th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, July 2nd will be given a dividend of $0.95 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, July 2nd. This represents a $3.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.1%. American Express’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 23.71%.

American Express 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.