Catalyst Capital Advisors LLC Lowers Stake in American Express Company $AXP

Key Points

• Catalyst Capital Advisors cut its American Express stake by 96.6% in the first quarter, leaving it with just 475 shares worth about $144,000.
• Analysts were mostly cautious: Jefferies and Barclays both reiterated Hold ratings, while the broader consensus remains Moderate Buy with a price target around $374.15.
• American Express reported Q1 EPS of $4.28, topping estimates, and recently declared a quarterly dividend of $0.95 per share payable August 10.

Catalyst Capital Advisors LLC reduced its position in American Express Company (NYSE:AXP) by 96.6% in the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 475 shares of the payment services company's stock after selling 13,605 shares during the quarter. Catalyst Capital Advisors LLC's holdings in American Express were worth $144,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Capital Asset Advisory Services LLC raised its holdings in American Express by 2.4% during the fourth quarter. Capital Asset Advisory Services LLC now owns 1,214 shares of the payment services company's stock valued at $465,000 after acquiring an additional 28 shares during the period. Lantz Financial LLC lifted its position in shares of American Express by 3.6% in the fourth quarter. Lantz Financial LLC now owns 808 shares of the payment services company's stock valued at $299,000 after acquiring an additional 28 shares in the last quarter. Financial Management Network Inc. boosted its stake in shares of American Express by 0.8% in the fourth quarter. Financial Management Network Inc. now owns 3,740 shares of the payment services company's stock worth $1,394,000 after acquiring an additional 29 shares during the period. Central Bank & Trust Co. grew its position in shares of American Express by 1.1% during the fourth quarter. Central Bank & Trust Co. now owns 2,620 shares of the payment services company's stock worth $969,000 after purchasing an additional 29 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Burns J W & Co. Inc. NY grew its position in shares of American Express by 2.1% during the fourth quarter. Burns J W & Co. Inc. NY now owns 1,400 shares of the payment services company's stock worth $518,000 after purchasing an additional 29 shares in the last quarter. 84.33% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

American Express News Roundup

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

• Neutral Sentiment: Jefferies reiterated its Hold rating on American Express, signaling a wait-and-see stance rather than a more bullish upgrade. Jefferies Sticks to Their Hold Rating for American Express (AXP)
• Neutral Sentiment: Barclays also kept a Hold rating on AXP, reinforcing the view that analysts are not seeing an immediate upside catalyst. Barclays Keeps Their Hold Rating on American Express (AXP)
• Neutral Sentiment: Zacks-related coverage noted that American Express has been attracting trading attention, but the article does not point to a fresh operational update or earnings surprise. Here is What to Know Beyond Why American Express Company (AXP) is a Trending Stock
• Neutral Sentiment: Another Zacks piece similarly frames AXP as a trending stock without adding a new fundamental driver. Here is What to Know Beyond Why American Express Company (AXP) is a Trending Stock
• Neutral Sentiment: Coverage ahead of earnings highlighted that American Express was expected to report results soon, but the item itself did not provide a new beat/miss or guidance update. American Express (AXP) Projected to Release Earnings on Friday

American Express Stock Performance

NYSE:AXP opened at $355.44 on Friday. The company has a market cap of $242.52 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.17, a PEG ratio of 1.43 and a beta of 1.04. American Express Company has a 1 year low of $288.34 and a 1 year high of $387.49. The stock's 50 day simple moving average is $329.39 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $331.33. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.73, a current ratio of 1.57 and a quick ratio of 1.56.

American Express (NYSE:AXP - Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, April 23rd. The payment services company reported $4.28 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates 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 during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $18.60 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $3.64 EPS. The company's quarterly 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. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that American Express Company will post 17.67 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

American Express Announces Dividend

The firm 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 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.1%. American Express's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 23.71%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

AXP has been the topic of a number of research analyst reports. UBS Group boosted their price target on American Express from $340.00 to $386.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a report on Tuesday, July 7th. DZ Bank raised shares of American Express from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating and set a $375.00 price objective for the company in a report on Thursday, June 18th. Weiss Ratings reiterated a "hold (c+)" rating on shares of American Express in a research report on Monday, July 13th. Jefferies Financial Group raised shares of American Express from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a report on Monday, July 13th. Finally, Truist Financial upped their target price on shares of American Express from $360.00 to $375.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research report on Wednesday, June 24th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirteen have issued a Buy rating, ten have assigned a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $374.15.

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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