Independent Financial Group LLC Purchases Shares of 7,476 American Express Company $AXP

Key Points

• Independent Financial Group LLC opened a new position in American Express in the first quarter, buying 7,476 shares valued at about $2.26 million.
• American Express continues to draw heavy interest from institutions, with hedge funds and other investors holding 84.33% of the stock.
• Wall Street sentiment is generally positive but mixed: the consensus rating is Moderate Buy with a target price of $374.15, while recent analysts also issued several Hold calls.

Independent Financial Group LLC acquired a new position in American Express Company (NYSE:AXP) in the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor acquired 7,476 shares of the payment services company's stock, valued at approximately $2,261,000.

A number of other hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in AXP. Evolution Wealth Management Inc. increased its holdings in American Express by 6,600.0% in the 4th quarter. Evolution Wealth Management Inc. now owns 67 shares of the payment services company's stock valued at $25,000 after purchasing an additional 66 shares in the last quarter. Joseph Group Capital Management acquired a new position in shares of American Express during the fourth quarter worth about $26,000. Sfam LLC purchased a new stake in shares of American Express in the fourth quarter worth about $26,000. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd purchased a new stake in shares of American Express in the fourth quarter worth about $28,000. Finally, Measured Wealth Private Client Group LLC acquired a new stake in shares of American Express in the third quarter valued at about $28,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 84.33% of the company's stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several equities research analysts recently commented on AXP shares. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upgraded American Express from a "neutral" rating to an "overweight" rating and raised their target price for the company from $328.00 to $400.00 in a report on Monday, July 13th. The Goldman Sachs Group increased their price objective on shares of American Express from $360.00 to $400.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research report on Tuesday, April 28th. Piper Sandler lowered shares of American Express from an "overweight" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Monday, July 13th. Truist Financial boosted 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. Finally, UBS Group upped their target price on shares of American Express from $340.00 to $386.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a research note on Tuesday, July 7th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirteen have issued a Buy rating, ten have issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $374.15.

Trending Headlines about American Express

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 Price Performance

AXP stock opened at $355.44 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 1.56, a current ratio of 1.57 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.73. American Express Company has a 52-week low of $288.34 and a 52-week high of $387.49. The stock's 50 day moving average is $329.39 and its two-hundred day moving average is $331.33. The company has a market capitalization of $242.52 billion, a PE ratio of 22.17, a P/E/G ratio of 1.43 and a beta of 1.04.

American Express (NYSE:AXP - Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Thursday, April 23rd. The payment services company reported $4.28 EPS 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 company had revenue of $14.21 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $18.60 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $3.64 EPS. The business's revenue was up 11.4% on a year-over-year basis. American Express has set its FY 2026 guidance at 17.300-17.900 EPS. Analysts predict that American Express Company will post 17.67 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

American Express Announces Dividend

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

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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