Macquarie Group Ltd. Lowers Holdings in American Express Company $AXP

Key Points

• Macquarie Group Ltd. sharply reduced its stake in American Express, cutting holdings by 79.6% in the fourth quarter and selling 427,951 shares. It ended the period with 109,857 shares valued at about $40.6 million.
• American Express reported stronger-than-expected earnings for the latest quarter, posting $4.28 EPS versus the $4.01 consensus estimate. Revenue rose 11.4% year over year, and the company guided FY 2026 EPS to a range of 17.3 to 17.9.
• The company also announced a quarterly dividend of $0.95 per share, payable August 10 to shareholders of record on July 2. That works out to an annualized dividend of $3.80 and a yield of about 1.2%.

Macquarie Group Ltd. trimmed its holdings in American Express Company (NYSE:AXP) by 79.6% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The fund owned 109,857 shares of the payment services company's stock after selling 427,951 shares during the quarter. Macquarie Group Ltd.'s holdings in American Express were worth $40,604,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in AXP. Norges Bank purchased a new stake in American Express in the fourth quarter valued at $2,464,215,000. Capital World Investors boosted its holdings in American Express by 46.7% in the fourth quarter. Capital World Investors now owns 7,515,675 shares of the payment services company's stock valued at $2,780,424,000 after purchasing an additional 2,393,340 shares during the last quarter. Ameriprise Financial Inc. boosted its holdings in American Express by 27.0% in the third quarter. Ameriprise Financial Inc. now owns 3,970,416 shares of the payment services company's stock valued at $1,310,515,000 after purchasing an additional 845,283 shares during the last quarter. Amundi boosted its holdings in American Express by 23.9% in the third quarter. Amundi now owns 2,787,580 shares of the payment services company's stock valued at $925,449,000 after purchasing an additional 537,205 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Danske Bank A S purchased a new stake in American Express in the third quarter valued at $153,292,000. 84.33% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

American Express Stock Up 2.2%

AXP opened at $325.37 on Friday. American Express Company has a twelve month low of $286.15 and a twelve month high of $387.49. The company has a quick ratio of 1.56, a current ratio of 1.57 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.73. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $315.83 and a 200 day moving average price of $335.98. The company has a market cap of $222.01 billion, a PE ratio of 20.30, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.30 and a beta of 1.06.

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

American Express Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, August 10th. Investors of record on Thursday, July 2nd will be given a dividend of $0.95 per share. This represents a $3.80 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.2%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, July 2nd. American Express's dividend payout ratio is 23.71%.

More American Express News

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

• Positive Sentiment: American Express and Delta Air Lines rolled out refreshed SkyMiles card benefits, updated card designs, and new welcome offers for card members, which could help support cardholder growth and spending. American Express Company (AXP) and Delta Refresh SkyMiles Card Benefits
• Positive Sentiment: CNBC’s “Final Trades” highlighted American Express as a top pick, which can add investor attention and reinforce confidence in the stock. American Express, Live Nation And A Health Care Stock: CNBC's 'Final Trades'
• Neutral Sentiment: Several recent writeups note that analysts remain cautious on American Express, with consensus ratings around “Hold,” suggesting the market may be waiting for clearer evidence of earnings momentum. American Express Company NYSE: AXP Given Consensus Rating of "Hold" by Analysts
• Neutral Sentiment: Coverage also pointed to a cautious post-earnings tone, indicating investors are still assessing whether American Express can sustain growth after its recent results. American Express Draws Cautious Market Attention After Results
• Neutral Sentiment: News that American Express will break ground next month on its tower at Two World Trade Center is strategically important, but it is unlikely to be a near-term stock driver. American Express to break ground on tower next month at Two World Trade Center — major milestone for tragic site

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

AXP has been the topic of several recent analyst reports. 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 target price on the stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered their target price on shares of American Express from $375.00 to $325.00 and set a "neutral" rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, April 9th. Truist Financial lowered their target price on shares of American Express from $400.00 to $360.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, March 23rd. Barclays lowered their target price on shares of American Express from $323.00 to $322.00 and set an "equal weight" rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, April 24th. Finally, Morgan Stanley lowered their target price on shares of American Express from $395.00 to $385.00 and set an "equal weight" rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, April 16th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, nine have assigned a Buy rating, thirteen have issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, American Express has an average rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of $359.05.

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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