Kidder Stephen W Acquires 4,502 Shares of American Express Company $AXP

Key Points

• Kidder Stephen W increased its American Express stake by 68% in the fourth quarter, buying 4,502 additional shares and bringing its total holding to 11,118 shares valued at about $4.1 million.
• American Express agreed to buy TheFork for $700 million, a move that adds more than 50,000 European restaurants to its dining network and supports its premium lifestyle strategy.
• Wall Street remains mixed on AXP: BTIG kept a sell rating with a $285 target, while the broader consensus is Hold with an average price target of $359.05.

Kidder Stephen W boosted its position in shares of American Express Company (NYSE:AXP) by 68.0% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 11,118 shares of the payment services company's stock after buying an additional 4,502 shares during the quarter. American Express accounts for approximately 1.2% of Kidder Stephen W's investment portfolio, making the stock its 28th largest position. Kidder Stephen W's holdings in American Express were worth $4,113,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Capital Asset Advisory Services LLC boosted its stake 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 worth $465,000 after buying an additional 28 shares during the period. Lantz Financial LLC boosted its stake in American Express by 3.6% during the fourth quarter. Lantz Financial LLC now owns 808 shares of the payment services company's stock worth $299,000 after buying an additional 28 shares during the period. Financial Management Network Inc. boosted its stake in American Express by 0.8% during the fourth quarter. Financial Management Network Inc. now owns 3,740 shares of the payment services company's stock worth $1,394,000 after buying an additional 29 shares during the period. Central Bank & Trust Co. boosted its stake in 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 buying an additional 29 shares during the period. Finally, Burns J W & Co. Inc. NY boosted its stake in 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 buying an additional 29 shares during the period. 84.33% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Key American Express News

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

• Positive Sentiment: American Express agreed to buy TheFork for $700 million, adding more than 50,000 European restaurants to its dining network and expanding the company’s premium lifestyle offerings. American Express Expands Dining Ecosystem With TheFork Acquisition From Tripadvisor
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts and market commentary suggest the deal could improve AmEx’s competitive positioning in dining and experiences, which may support customer acquisition and cardholder spending over time. Analysts Offer Insights on Financial Companies: Visa (V) and American Express (AXP)
• Neutral Sentiment: BTIG reaffirmed its sell rating on American Express with a $285 price target, signaling lingering valuation concerns despite the recent stock strength.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

AXP has been the subject of several recent analyst reports. BTIG Research reaffirmed a "sell" rating and set a $285.00 price objective on shares of American Express in a research note on Tuesday. Freedom Capital raised shares of American Express from a "hold" rating to a "strong-buy" rating in a research note on Thursday, May 14th. Loop Capital initiated coverage on shares of American Express in a research note on Thursday, May 21st. They set a "buy" rating and a $389.00 price objective for the company. Royal Bank Of Canada set a $415.00 price objective on shares of American Express in a research note on Friday, April 10th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. dropped their price objective on shares of American Express from $375.00 to $325.00 and set a "neutral" rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, April 9th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, nine have assigned a Buy rating, thirteen have assigned a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of "Hold" and an average target price of $359.05.

American Express Stock Up 1.7%

Shares of AXP opened at $341.06 on Wednesday. The firm has a market capitalization of $232.72 billion, a P/E ratio of 21.28, a P/E/G ratio of 1.36 and a beta of 1.06. American Express Company has a 12-month low of $288.34 and a 12-month high of $387.49. The company has a current ratio of 1.57, a quick ratio of 1.56 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.73. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $317.35 and a 200-day moving average price of $335.49.

American Express (NYSE:AXP - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, April 23rd. The payment services company reported $4.28 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $4.01 by $0.27. The firm had revenue of $14.22 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $18.60 billion. American Express had a net margin of 15.13% and a return on equity of 33.95%. The business's revenue was up 11.4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $3.64 earnings per share. American Express has set its FY 2026 guidance at 17.300-17.900 EPS. Equities research analysts expect that American Express Company will post 17.59 earnings per share for the current year.

American Express Dividend Announcement

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

Want to see what other hedge funds are holding AXP? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for American Express Company (NYSE:AXP - Free Report).

This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to contact@marketbeat.com.