American Express Company $AXP Stock Holdings Reduced by Meiji Yasuda Asset Management Co Ltd.

Key Points

• Meiji Yasuda Asset Management cut its American Express stake by 14.8% in the fourth quarter, selling 5,571 shares and leaving it with 31,972 shares worth about $11.8 million.
• American Express reported stronger-than-expected earnings of $4.28 per share for the quarter, beating consensus estimates, while revenue rose 11.4% year over year to $14.22 billion. The company also raised its quarterly dividend to $0.95 per share from $0.82.
• Analyst sentiment remains mixed but generally constructive: the stock has an average "Hold" rating and a consensus price target of $359.05, with recent target changes ranging from $285 to $395.

Meiji Yasuda Asset Management Co Ltd. trimmed its holdings in American Express Company (NYSE:AXP - Free Report) by 14.8% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 31,972 shares of the payment services company's stock after selling 5,571 shares during the period. Meiji Yasuda Asset Management Co Ltd.'s holdings in American Express were worth $11,828,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other large investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in AXP. Ameriprise Financial Inc. grew its position in American Express by 27.0% in the third quarter. Ameriprise Financial Inc. now owns 3,970,416 shares of the payment services company's stock worth $1,310,515,000 after acquiring an additional 845,283 shares in the last quarter. Amundi grew its position in American Express by 23.9% in the third quarter. Amundi now owns 2,787,580 shares of the payment services company's stock worth $925,449,000 after acquiring an additional 537,205 shares in the last quarter. Danske Bank A S bought a new stake in American Express in the third quarter worth approximately $153,292,000. PFA Pension Forsikringsaktieselskab bought a new stake in American Express in the fourth quarter worth approximately $166,848,000. Finally, Capital Wealth Planning LLC grew its position in American Express by 18.5% in the third quarter. Capital Wealth Planning LLC now owns 2,169,242 shares of the payment services company's stock worth $720,535,000 after acquiring an additional 337,991 shares in the last quarter. 84.33% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

American Express Price Performance

Shares of American Express stock opened at $309.93 on Friday. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $311.23 and a 200-day simple moving average of $340.89. The company has a current ratio of 1.57, a quick ratio of 1.56 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.73. American Express Company has a 1-year low of $281.46 and a 1-year high of $387.49. The stock has a market capitalization of $211.48 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 19.33, a PEG ratio of 1.26 and a beta of 1.08.

American Express (NYSE:AXP - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, April 23rd. The payment services company reported $4.28 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $4.01 by $0.27. American Express had a net margin of 15.13% and a return on equity of 33.95%. The business had revenue of $14.22 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $18.60 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $3.64 earnings per share. American Express's revenue for the quarter was up 11.4% on a year-over-year basis. American Express has set its FY 2026 guidance at 17.300-17.900 EPS. On average, sell-side analysts expect that American Express Company will post 17.59 earnings per share for the current year.

American Express Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, May 8th. Investors of record on Friday, April 3rd were given a dividend of $0.95 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, April 2nd. This represents a $3.80 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.2%. This is a boost from American Express's previous quarterly dividend of $0.82. American Express's payout ratio is presently 23.71%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several analysts have recently issued reports on AXP shares. Bank of America upped their price target on American Express from $381.00 to $387.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research note on Friday, April 24th. Truist Financial cut their price objective on American Express from $400.00 to $360.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, March 23rd. UBS Group reissued a "neutral" rating and issued a $395.00 price objective on shares of American Express in a research note on Wednesday, February 4th. Morgan Stanley cut their price objective on American Express from $395.00 to $385.00 and set an "equal weight" rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, April 16th. Finally, BTIG Research reissued a "sell" rating and issued a $285.00 price objective on shares of American Express in a research note on Friday, April 24th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, nine have assigned a Buy rating, thirteen have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of $359.05.

Key American Express News

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

• Positive Sentiment: American Express announced a strategic partnership with Fanatics that includes a co-branded Fanatics American Express card, exclusive fan experiences, and broader payment acceptance across select Fanatics channels, which could help drive new card acquisitions and spending volume. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: AmEx expanded its sports-commerce strategy with Fanatics through a rewards integration and new card offering, reinforcing its premium brand and loyalty ecosystem. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: Multiple commentary pieces pointed to American Express as one of Warren Buffett’s favorite long-term holdings, which can support investor confidence in AXP’s durable business model and valuation. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: American Express and Main Street America awarded more than $10 million in grants to over 500 small businesses, underscoring the company’s ongoing support for Main Street merchants and small-business relationships. Article Title

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.

This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to contact@marketbeat.com.