American Express Company $AXP Stake Increased by Cohen Klingenstein LLC

Key Points

• Cohen Klingenstein LLC increased its American Express stake by 3.4% in the third quarter, bringing its holdings to 184,387 shares valued at approximately $57.4 million. Institutional investors and hedge funds collectively own 84.33% of AXP.
• Analyst sentiment remains broadly positive, with a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $365.63, although targets range from $230 to $391.
• American Express reported quarterly EPS of $4.53, exceeding the $4.41 consensus estimate, while revenue rose 10% year over year. The company also declared a quarterly dividend of $0.95 per share, or $3.80 annualized.

Cohen Klingenstein LLC increased its stake in shares of American Express Company (NYSE:AXP - Free Report) by 3.4% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 184,387 shares of the payment services company's stock after buying an additional 6,000 shares during the period. American Express comprises 2.0% of Cohen Klingenstein LLC's portfolio, making the stock its 15th largest holding. Cohen Klingenstein LLC's holdings in American Express were worth $57,384,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in AXP. BlackRock Inc. purchased a new position in American Express in the second quarter valued at about $14,208,662,000. State Street Corp lifted its position in shares of 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 valued at $13,857,176,000 after acquiring an additional 11,739,541 shares during the period. Corient Private Wealth LP purchased a new stake in shares of American Express during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $253,945,000. Bank of New York Mellon Corp purchased a new stake in shares of American Express during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $1,263,787,000. Finally, Legal & General Group Plc purchased a new stake in shares of American Express during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $1,138,054,000. 84.33% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research firms recently weighed in on AXP. Guggenheim began coverage on American Express in a report on Monday, July 13th. They issued a "buy" rating on the stock. Bank of America lifted their price objective on American Express from $387.00 to $391.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Thursday, July 9th. Loop Capital reduced their price objective on American Express from $389.00 to $386.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a report on Monday, July 27th. Benchmark initiated coverage on American Express in a research report on Monday, July 13th. They set a "buy" rating on the stock. Finally, BTIG Research lowered their target price on American Express from $315.00 to $230.00 and set a "sell" rating on the stock in a report on Monday, September 7th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fifteen have issued a Buy rating, fourteen have issued a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, American Express currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $365.63.

Key American Express News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Institutional investor support: Harris Oakmark’s third-quarter 2026 investor letter identified American Express as a compelling investment, signaling confidence in the company’s brand, business quality and long-term capital appreciation potential. What Makes American Express (AXP) a Compelling Bet?
• Positive Sentiment: AI commerce opportunity: American Express is developing issuer-side tools, including “Proof of Intent” and AI-powered payment security, to authenticate purchases made by autonomous shopping agents. If successful, the technology could protect against fraud, support higher transaction volumes and create a new payments growth channel. Can American Express Turn AI Commerce Into a New Growth Driver?
• Neutral Sentiment: Marketing partnership: Rakuten launched a limited-edition Naruto Shippuden design for the Rakuten American Express Card. The promotion may improve card engagement and brand visibility, but it does not change the card’s existing rewards or represent a material near-term earnings catalyst. Rakuten Introduces Limited Edition NARUTO SHIPPUDEN Credit Card Design
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst valuation support: Brokerages reportedly have a consensus target price of $365.63, implying meaningful upside relative to the recent trading level. However, the target is forward-looking and does not eliminate regulatory risks. American Express Consensus Target Price
• Negative Sentiment: AML fine and valuation concerns: A reported $350 million anti-money-laundering fine is pressuring the investment case, raising questions about compliance costs, regulatory oversight and whether AXP’s valuation fully reflects its earnings power. American Express Stock May Sit Below Fair Value As AML Fine Lands

American Express Stock Up 2.2%

AXP stock opened at $313.61 on Friday. The company's 50 day simple moving average is $321.67 and its 200-day simple moving average is $325.37. The firm has a market capitalization of $211.79 billion, a PE ratio of 19.03, a P/E/G ratio of 1.31 and a beta of 1.08. American Express Company has a 12 month low of $290.97 and a 12 month high of $387.49. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.66, a current ratio of 1.55 and a quick ratio of 1.54.

American Express (NYSE:AXP - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Friday, July 24th. The payment services company reported $4.53 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $4.41 by $0.12. American Express had a net margin of 15.07% and a return on equity of 34.12%. The business had revenue of $14.99 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $19.70 billion. During the same period last year, the company posted $4.08 EPS. The company's revenue was up 10.0% on a year-over-year basis. American Express has set its FY 2026 guidance at 17.300-17.900 EPS. Equities analysts expect that American Express Company will post 17.65 earnings per share 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. Shareholders of record on Friday, October 9th will be issued a dividend of $0.95 per share. This represents a $3.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.2%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, October 9th. American Express's dividend payout ratio is 23.06%.

American Express Profile

American Express Company NYSE: AXP is a global financial services company that provides payment, lending, travel and related products to consumers, small businesses and corporate customers. Its offerings include consumer and business charge and credit cards, payment solutions, commercial financing, deposit products and rewards programs.

American Express also operates a worldwide merchant network and provides businesses with payment acceptance services, transaction-processing capabilities and data-driven marketing solutions.

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