B. Metzler seel. Sohn & Co. AG Purchases 38,519 Shares of American Express Company $AXP

Key Points

• B. Metzler seel. Sohn & Co. AG raised its stake in American Express by 40.8%, purchasing 38,519 shares and finishing the quarter with 132,882 shares valued at about $49.3 million.
• American Express boosted its quarterly dividend from $0.82 to $0.95 (≈16% increase), implying a $3.80 annualized payout and roughly a 1.1% yield.
• Mixed signals for the stock: Q1 showed 6% card‑member spending growth and new AI and NFL partnership initiatives, but analysts’ consensus is a Hold (avg. target ~$359.67) and insiders sold ~73,944 shares (~$26.1M) in the past three months.

B. Metzler seel. Sohn & Co. AG increased its position in American Express Company (NYSE:AXP) by 40.8% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 132,882 shares of the payment services company's stock after purchasing an additional 38,519 shares during the quarter. B. Metzler seel. Sohn & Co. AG's holdings in American Express were worth $49,296,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of the business. Valley Wealth Managers Inc. raised its position in American Express by 153.3% in the third quarter. Valley Wealth Managers Inc. now owns 76 shares of the payment services company's stock worth $25,000 after purchasing an additional 46 shares in the last quarter. Manning & Napier Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in American Express during the third quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Guerra Advisors Inc bought a new stake in shares of American Express in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $28,000. Measured Wealth Private Client Group LLC acquired a new position in shares of American Express in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $28,000. Finally, Halbert Hargrove Global Advisors LLC lifted 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 worth $29,000 after buying an additional 59 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 84.33% of the company's stock.

Key Headlines Impacting American Express

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

• Positive Sentiment: Presenting partner at the 2026 NFL Draft — Amex is using its new NFL Official Payments partnership to roll out exclusive, card‑member experiences that should drive brand engagement and premium card activation. American Express Debuts New Membership Experiences at the 2026 NFL Draft
• Positive Sentiment: Q1 commentary shows premium card momentum — the Q1 earnings transcript notes 6% total card‑member spending growth (7% ex‑leap year), high retention and strong credit performance, supporting revenue and margin outlooks. American Express AXP Q1 2025 Earnings Transcript
• Positive Sentiment: Dividend boost and AI product rollouts are investor positives — recent 16% dividend raise and new AI‑driven payment tools (ACE Developer Kit, Amex Agent features) support income and tech‑led revenue optionality. American Express (AXP) Valuation Check As Earnings, Dividend Rise And New AI Payment Tools Draw Attention
• Neutral Sentiment: Peer results/watchlist — Visa’s upcoming print keeps sector focus on payments growth vs. incentives/costs; investors may trade AXP on any cross‑industry signals after Visa reports. Visa's Q2 Earnings Countdown: Buy the Dip or Wait for the Print?
• Neutral Sentiment: Community programs and brand recognition — Amex Canada’s small‑business grant and inclusion in consumer awards help brand/CSR but have limited near‑term earnings impact. American Express Canada and DMZ's Grant Program Returns to Support Canadian Small Business
• Negative Sentiment: Analyst stance remains cautious — Monness reiterated a Hold, and consensus broker ratings skew toward neutral/hold, limiting catalyst for large upward re‑rating absent a strong beat. American Express: Solid Mid‑Teens Growth but Full Valuation Keeps Risk‑Reward Balanced at Hold
• Negative Sentiment: Earnings and macro risk ahead of print — previews note the print carries extra weight given acquisition, AI focus and a flagged tougher macro; the stock’s year‑to‑date weakness reflects investor worry if guidance/metrics disappoint. Is a Deeper Dive Into AI What American Express Needs to Accelerate Growth?

American Express Stock Up 1.1%

Shares of NYSE AXP opened at $333.43 on Thursday. The firm's 50-day moving average is $314.60 and its 200-day moving average is $344.56. The company has a current ratio of 1.59, a quick ratio of 1.58 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.68. American Express Company has a 1 year low of $257.21 and a 1 year high of $387.49. The firm has a market capitalization of $228.66 billion, a PE ratio of 21.67, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.39 and a beta of 1.13.

American Express (NYSE:AXP - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Friday, January 30th. The payment services company reported $3.53 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $3.54 by ($0.01). American Express had a net margin of 15.00% and a return on equity of 33.49%. The company had revenue of ($17,139.00) million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $18.91 billion. During the same period last year, the company earned $3.04 EPS. The business's revenue for the quarter 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. Equities analysts expect that American Express Company will post 17.53 EPS for the current year.

American Express Increases Dividend

The company also recently declared 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. This is a positive change from American Express's previous quarterly dividend of $0.82. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, April 2nd. This represents a $3.80 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.1%. American Express's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 24.69%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, insider Denise Pickett sold 23,385 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction 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 sale, the insider directly owned 7,754 shares in the company, valued at $2,767,480.14. This trade represents a 75.10% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, insider Anna Marrs sold 27,425 shares of American Express stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $350.01, for a total value of $9,599,024.25. Following the completion of the sale, the insider directly owned 20,394 shares in the company, valued at $7,138,103.94. This represents a 57.35% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders sold a total of 73,944 shares of company stock valued at $26,114,366 in the last three months. Insiders own 0.14% of the company's stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of analysts have weighed in on AXP shares. Royal Bank Of Canada set a $415.00 price target on American Express in a research report on Friday, April 10th. Morgan Stanley reduced their target price on shares of 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. Weiss Ratings lowered shares of American Express from a "buy (b-)" rating to a "hold (c+)" rating in a report on Wednesday, April 15th. UBS Group reissued a "neutral" rating and set a $395.00 price target on shares of American Express in a report on Wednesday, February 4th. Finally, TD Cowen restated a "hold" rating on shares of American Express in a research report on Thursday, January 8th. Seven equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, thirteen have assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of "Hold" and a consensus price target of $359.67.

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.

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