Patton Fund Management Inc. Sells 16,065 Shares of American Express Company $AXP

Key Points

• Patton Fund Management sharply cut its American Express stake in Q1, selling 16,065 shares and reducing its position by 95.2% to just 809 shares worth about $245,000.
• Wall Street sentiment is mixed on AXP: recent analyst actions include upgrades from DZ Bank and Freedom Capital, but the consensus rating remains Hold with an average price target of $365.05.
• American Express reported Q1 earnings of $4.28 per share, beating estimates, while revenue reached $14.21 billion and the company reaffirmed a full-year EPS outlook range of 17.3 to 17.9. It also announced a quarterly dividend of $0.95 per share.

Patton Fund Management Inc. decreased its position in American Express Company (NYSE:AXP - Free Report) by 95.2% in the first quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 809 shares of the payment services company's stock after selling 16,065 shares during the quarter. Patton Fund Management Inc.'s holdings in American Express were worth $245,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of the business. Evolution Wealth Management Inc. increased its holdings in shares of American Express by 6,600.0% in the fourth quarter. Evolution Wealth Management Inc. now owns 67 shares of the payment services company's stock worth $25,000 after buying an additional 66 shares during the period. Joseph Group Capital Management purchased a new position in American Express in the 4th quarter worth approximately $26,000. Sfam LLC purchased a new stake in shares of American Express during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd bought a new position in shares of American Express in the fourth quarter worth approximately $28,000. Finally, Wilkerson Advisory Group LLC purchased a new position in shares of American Express in the fourth quarter worth $29,000. 84.33% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities research analysts have weighed in on AXP shares. Weiss Ratings cut shares of American Express from a "buy (b-)" rating to a "hold (c+)" rating in a research report on Wednesday, April 15th. 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 research note on Thursday, June 18th. Royal Bank Of Canada set a $415.00 target price on shares of American Express in a report on Friday, April 10th. Piper Sandler started coverage on American Express in a research note on Monday. They issued an "overweight" rating and a $396.00 target price on the stock. Finally, Freedom Capital upgraded American Express from a "hold" rating to a "strong-buy" rating in a report on Thursday, May 14th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eleven have given a Buy rating, twelve have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of "Hold" and an average price target of $365.05.

American Express Stock Down 0.8%

Shares of NYSE AXP opened at $338.15 on Wednesday. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $321.34 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $333.62. 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 market capitalization of $230.73 billion, a PE ratio of 21.09, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.41 and a beta of 1.06.

American Express (NYSE:AXP - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, April 23rd. The payment services company reported $4.28 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates 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 $14.21 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $18.60 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $3.64 EPS. The company's revenue for the quarter 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. Equities analysts expect that American Express Company will post 17.64 earnings per share for the current year.

American Express Announces Dividend

The company 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. 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 payout ratio is presently 23.71%.

Key American Express News

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

• Positive Sentiment: American Express announced that U.S. card members can now redeem Membership Rewards points directly in Apple Pay checkout, expanding everyday points usage and potentially improving cardholder loyalty and spend. Amex and Apple Pay Enable Users to Pay With Points
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts and market commentary highlighted American Express as a stock worth watching, with bullish write-ups citing resilient lending programs and the company’s credit performance metrics as signs of stable asset quality. Resilient Lending Programs Assert American Express Company (AXP) as a Stock to Buy for Good Returns
• Neutral Sentiment: BTIG raised its price target on American Express but kept a sell rating, signaling mixed analyst sentiment rather than a clear bullish catalyst. American Express price target raised by BTIG Research
• Neutral Sentiment: American Express is also building a stablecoin and blockchain partnerships team, which suggests long-term innovation efforts but is too early to have a clear near-term earnings impact. American Express Builds a Stablecoin Team With VP Role Paying Up to $282,000

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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