J. Safra Sarasin Holding AG Sells 5,682 Shares of American Express Company $AXP

Key Points

• J. Safra Sarasin Holding AG cut its American Express stake by 70% in the first quarter, selling 5,682 shares and leaving it with 2,436 shares worth about $737,000.
• Despite that sale, institutional ownership remains high, with hedge funds and other institutional investors holding 84.33% of American Express shares overall.
• American Express has drawn mostly positive analyst and business updates, including a JPMorgan Overweight upgrade, a higher Platinum Card annual fee, and a consensus Moderate Buy rating with an average price target of $374.15.

J. Safra Sarasin Holding AG reduced its stake in shares of American Express Company (NYSE:AXP) by 70.0% in the first quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 2,436 shares of the payment services company's stock after selling 5,682 shares during the period. J. Safra Sarasin Holding AG's holdings in American Express were worth $737,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other large investors also recently modified their holdings of the stock. Capital Asset Advisory Services LLC increased its position in American Express by 2.4% in the fourth quarter. Capital Asset Advisory Services LLC now owns 1,214 shares of the payment services company's stock worth $465,000 after buying an additional 28 shares during the last quarter. Lantz Financial LLC raised its stake 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 buying an additional 28 shares during the period. Financial Management Network Inc. lifted its position in shares of American Express by 0.8% during the 4th quarter. Financial Management Network Inc. now owns 3,740 shares of the payment services company's stock valued at $1,394,000 after buying an additional 29 shares during the last quarter. Central Bank & Trust Co. lifted its position in shares of American Express by 1.1% during the 4th quarter. Central Bank & Trust Co. now owns 2,620 shares of the payment services company's stock valued at $969,000 after buying an additional 29 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Burns J W & Co. Inc. NY grew its stake in shares of American Express by 2.1% during the 4th quarter. Burns J W & Co. Inc. NY now owns 1,400 shares of the payment services company's stock worth $518,000 after acquiring an additional 29 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 84.33% of the company's stock.

Key American Express News

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

• Positive Sentiment: JPMorgan upgraded American Express to Overweight and named it a preferred pick, pointing to the company’s stronger spending-linked revenue model even as broader market worries rise.
• Positive Sentiment: American Express raised its Platinum Card annual fee to $895, a roughly 29% increase, and reports say retention remains high — a favorable sign for future card-fee revenue.
• Positive Sentiment: Several articles highlighted American Express as one of Warren Buffett’s key holdings and a stock to watch, which can support investor confidence in the long-term story.
• Positive Sentiment: Research pieces also pointed to strong earnings growth and price momentum, reinforcing expectations for solid fundamentals heading into the July 24 earnings report.
• Neutral Sentiment: American Express was featured in a branded Montauk/EDITION Hotels event, which is positive for marketing and cardholder engagement but unlikely to move the stock materially by itself.
• Neutral Sentiment: Peer-news around Visa’s AI banking assistant and the reported PayPal takeover chatter may influence sentiment for payments names broadly, but the direct impact on AXP is limited.

American Express Stock Performance

NYSE:AXP opened at $358.61 on Thursday. The business's fifty day moving average is $327.75 and its 200 day moving average is $331.30. The firm has a market cap of $244.69 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.37, a PEG ratio of 1.43 and a beta of 1.04. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.73, a quick ratio of 1.56 and a current ratio of 1.57. American Express Company has a 52-week low of $288.34 and a 52-week high of $387.49.

American Express (NYSE:AXP - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, April 23rd. The payment services company reported $4.28 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $4.01 by $0.27. The business had revenue of $14.21 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $18.60 billion. American Express had a return on equity of 33.95% and a net margin of 15.13%.The firm's revenue was up 11.4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $3.64 EPS. American Express has set its FY 2026 guidance at 17.300-17.900 EPS. Research analysts predict that American Express Company will post 17.67 EPS for the current year.

American Express Announces Dividend

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

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities research analysts recently weighed in on the company. Evercore initiated coverage on American Express in a report on Monday. They issued a "neutral" rating for the company. Barclays increased their target price on shares of American Express from $322.00 to $364.00 and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a research report on Tuesday, July 7th. Royal Bank Of Canada downgraded shares of American Express from a "moderate buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Monday. Truist Financial boosted their price target on shares of American Express from $360.00 to $375.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research report on Wednesday, June 24th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group upped their price target on shares of American Express from $360.00 to $400.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Tuesday, April 28th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirteen have given a Buy rating, ten have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat.com, American Express currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $374.15.

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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