Blue Capital Inc. Acquires Shares of 7,671 American Express Company $AXP

Key Points

• Blue Capital Inc. opened a new position in American Express, buying 7,671 shares worth about $2.84 million in the fourth quarter. The stock now makes up 2.0% of Blue Capital’s portfolio and ranks as its 14th largest holding.
• Institutional interest in AXP remains strong, with several other firms also adding or initiating positions; overall, 84.33% of the stock is owned by institutional investors. Recent analyst actions are mixed, but DZ Bank upgraded the stock to buy with a $375 target.
• American Express reported better-than-expected quarterly EPS of $4.28, though revenue came in below expectations at $14.21 billion. The company also announced a quarterly dividend of $0.95 per share, equal to a 1.1% annualized yield.

Blue Capital Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of American Express Company (NYSE:AXP - Free Report) in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm acquired 7,671 shares of the payment services company's stock, valued at approximately $2,838,000. American Express makes up 2.0% of Blue Capital Inc.'s investment portfolio, making the stock its 14th largest holding.

Other large investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. MV Capital Management Inc. bought a new position in American Express during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $560,000. Sunbelt Securities Inc. increased its stake in American Express by 0.5% in the 4th quarter. Sunbelt Securities Inc. now owns 7,119 shares of the payment services company's stock worth $2,634,000 after acquiring an additional 36 shares during the last quarter. Cambient Family Office LLC purchased a new stake in shares of American Express during the 4th quarter worth approximately $1,880,000. McLaughlin Asset Management Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of American Express during the 4th quarter worth approximately $1,497,000. Finally, Mcguire Capital Advisors Inc. bought a new position in shares of American Express during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $92,000. 84.33% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

American Express News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: DZ Bank upgraded American Express from hold to buy and set a $375 price target, implying meaningful upside from recent levels. Finviz
• Positive Sentiment: One market note says AXP is breaking out through technical resistance, which can attract momentum traders and support the stock. American Express Stock Is Powering the Financial Sector to a Fresh Breakout
• Positive Sentiment: Recent coverage also highlights American Express as an attractive long-term investment and suggests the company still has room to benefit from continued demand in digital payments and premium spending. What Makes American Express Company (AXP) an Attractive Bet?
• Neutral Sentiment: Several articles compare AXP with peers like Mastercard and ask whether the stock still has upside after a strong multi-year run, reflecting ongoing debate over valuation rather than a clear new catalyst. American Express (AXP) Stock After 5-Year 118% Gain Is There Still Upside Potential
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst roundups show mixed sentiment on AXP, which may limit conviction even as the stock trades near recent highs. Analysts Conflicted on These Financial Names: Suncorp Group (OtherSNMYF), Westpac Banking (OtherWEBNF) and American Express (AXP)
• Negative Sentiment: Some commentary suggests Mastercard may offer more upside than American Express, which could weigh on AXP by comparison as investors rotate toward faster-growing payments names. Mastercard vs. American Express: Which Stock Has More Upside Now?

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of research analysts recently weighed in on AXP shares. Morgan Stanley cut their target price on shares of American Express from $395.00 to $385.00 and set an "equal weight" rating for the company in a report on Thursday, April 16th. Freedom Capital raised shares of American Express from a "hold" rating to a "strong-buy" rating in a research note on Thursday, May 14th. Wells Fargo & Company lowered their price objective on shares of American Express from $425.00 to $415.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, April 9th. Weiss Ratings cut shares of American Express from a "buy (b-)" rating to a "hold (c+)" rating in a research note on Wednesday, April 15th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group boosted their target price on shares of American Express from $360.00 to $400.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Tuesday, April 28th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, ten have issued a Buy rating, twelve have assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of "Hold" and an average price target of $360.80.

American Express Price Performance

NYSE:AXP opened at $338.86 on Friday. The firm has a market capitalization of $231.22 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.14, a PEG ratio of 1.40 and a beta of 1.06. 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 has a 50 day simple moving average of $318.70 and a 200-day simple moving average of $335.13. American Express Company has a 1 year low of $288.34 and a 1 year high of $387.49.

American Express (NYSE:AXP - Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Thursday, April 23rd. The payment services company reported $4.28 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $4.01 by $0.27. American Express had a return on equity of 33.95% and a net margin of 15.13%.The firm had revenue of $14.21 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $18.60 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $3.64 EPS. The company's revenue for the quarter 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. Equities analysts forecast that American Express Company will post 17.65 EPS for the current year.

American Express Announces Dividend

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

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.

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