Rep. Rick Larsen Sells Off Shares of American Express Company (NYSE:AXP)

Key Points

• Representative Rick Larsen disclosed on April 15 that he sold between $1,001 and $15,000 of American Express (AXP) stock on April 7 in his "RICHARD R LARSEN IRA" account.
• American Express announced a quarterly dividend increase to $0.95 per share (ex-dividend April 2, payable May 8), implying a $3.80 annualized payout and about a 1.2% yield.
• AmEx said it will acquire AI-focused expense-management startup Hyper to add agentic AI capabilities to its commercial platform (expected to close in Q2), though the stock dipped on the news.

Representative Rick Larsen (Democratic-Washington) recently sold shares of American Express Company NYSE: AXP. In a filing disclosed on April 15th, the Representative disclosed that they had sold between $1,001 and $15,000 in American Express stock on April 7th. The trade occurred in the Representative's "RICHARD R LARSEN IRA" account.

Representative Rick Larsen also recently made the following trade(s):

• Sold $1,001 - $15,000 in shares of Broadridge Financial Solutions NYSE: BR on 4/7/2026.
• Sold $1,001 - $15,000 in shares of American Water Works NYSE: AWK on 4/7/2026.
• Sold $1,001 - $15,000 in shares of Paychex NASDAQ: PAYX on 4/7/2026.
• Purchased $1,001 - $15,000 in shares of NextEra Energy NYSE: NEE on 4/7/2026.
• Purchased $1,001 - $15,000 in shares of Wabtec NYSE: WAB on 4/7/2026.
• Purchased $1,001 - $15,000 in shares of Carrier Global NYSE: CARR on 4/7/2026.
• Sold $1,001 - $15,000 in shares of Sonida Senior Living NYSE: SNDA on 4/7/2026.
• Purchased $1,001 - $15,000 in shares of Casey's General Stores NASDAQ: CASY on 4/7/2026.

American Express Price Performance

NYSE:AXP opened at $325.94 on Friday. The stock has a 50 day moving average of $316.83 and a two-hundred day moving average of $344.53. American Express Company has a 12 month low of $239.27 and a 12 month high of $387.49. The firm has a market cap of $223.52 billion, a P/E ratio of 21.18, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.39 and a beta of 1.13. The company has a current ratio of 1.59, a quick ratio of 1.58 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.68.

American Express (NYSE:AXP - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Friday, January 30th. The payment services company reported $3.53 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $3.54 by ($0.01). American Express had a return on equity of 33.49% and a net margin of 15.00%.The firm had revenue of ($17,139.00) million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $18.91 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $3.04 earnings per share. The business's revenue was up 10.5% on a year-over-year basis. American Express has set its FY 2026 guidance at 17.300-17.900 EPS. On average, analysts expect that American Express Company will post 15.33 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

American Express Increases Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, May 8th. Shareholders of record on Friday, April 3rd will be paid a dividend of $0.95 per share. This is an increase from American Express's previous quarterly dividend of $0.82. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, April 2nd. This represents a $3.80 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.2%. American Express's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 24.69%.

American Express News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: AmEx announced it will acquire Hyper, an AI-focused expense-management startup, to add agentic AI capabilities to its commercial services — a strategic step to automate expense workflows and strengthen product differentiation. AmEx to buy Altman-backed Hyper in push for AI-powered expense tools
• Positive Sentiment: Official press release: AmEx frames the Hyper deal as adding AI expertise and expense-management capabilities that will be integrated into its commercial platform; the acquisition is expected to close in Q2. American Express to Acquire Hyper, Adding to Its AI Expertise and Expense Management Capabilities
• Positive Sentiment: AmEx is expanding its AI product stack (ACE developer tools and agent protections) and positioning itself to capture automation demand in corporate spending — a structural growth theme that could improve monetization of commercial accounts over time. Can American Express Build Trust in the Age of AI Commerce?
• Neutral Sentiment: Credit-quality update: AmEx reports stable credit quality with only moderate write-offs, suggesting consumer and commercial credit trends remain manageable heading into earnings. This limits downside from credit surprise risk for the quarter. American Express Reports Stable Credit Quality, Moderate Write-Offs
• Neutral Sentiment: Analysts expect AXP’s earnings to grow and some street notes flag AmEx as set up for an earnings beat next week — this makes the upcoming report a focal point for short-term volatility. American Express (AXP) Earnings Expected to Grow: What to Know Ahead of Next Week's Release
• Negative Sentiment: Despite the Hyper headlines, AXP traded down while the broader market rose — indicating investors either took profits, are awaiting deal details (financial terms were not disclosed) or are positioning ahead of the earnings release. That reaction is pressuring the stock in the near term. American Express (AXP) Stock Dips While Market Gains: Key Facts

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities research analysts have issued reports on the stock. Evercore set a $393.00 target price on shares of American Express in a research note on Tuesday, February 10th. Barclays reduced their target price on shares of American Express from $367.00 to $323.00 and set an "equal weight" rating for the company in a research report on Monday, April 6th. Royal Bank Of Canada set a $415.00 price target on shares of American Express in a research report on Friday, April 10th. BTIG Research dropped their price objective on shares of American Express from $328.00 to $285.00 and set a "sell" rating for the company in a research note on Monday, March 16th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their price objective on shares of American Express from $375.00 to $325.00 and set a "neutral" rating for the company in a report on Thursday, April 9th. Seven equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, fourteen have issued a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of "Hold" and an average target price of $350.70.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On American Express

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Valley Wealth Managers Inc. increased its holdings in shares of American Express by 153.3% during the 3rd quarter. Valley Wealth Managers Inc. now owns 76 shares of the payment services company's stock worth $25,000 after buying an additional 46 shares during the last quarter. Evolution Wealth Management Inc. lifted its holdings in 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 valued at $25,000 after acquiring an additional 66 shares during the last quarter. Joseph Group Capital Management purchased a new position in American Express in the fourth quarter worth approximately $26,000. Sfam LLC purchased a new position in American Express in the fourth quarter worth approximately $26,000. Finally, Manning & Napier Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in American Express during the third quarter worth $27,000. 84.33% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, insider Howard Grosfield sold 8,134 shares of the company's stock in a transaction on Thursday, February 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $346.73, for a total value of $2,820,301.82. Following the transaction, the insider owned 9,433 shares of the company's stock, valued at $3,270,704.09. This represents a 46.30% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, insider Ravikumar Radhakrishnan sold 15,000 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction dated Monday, February 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $356.58, for a total value of $5,348,700.00. Following the sale, the insider directly owned 8,945 shares of the company's stock, valued at $3,189,608.10. The trade was a 62.64% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders have sold 73,944 shares of company stock worth $26,114,366 over the last ninety days. Company insiders own 0.14% of the company's stock.

About Representative Larsen

Rick Larsen (Democratic Party) is a member of the U.S. House, representing Washington's 2nd Congressional District. He assumed office on January 3, 2001. His current term ends on January 3, 2027. Larsen (Democratic Party) is running for re-election to the U.S. House to represent Washington's 2nd Congressional District. He declared candidacy for the 2026 election. Since at least 2011, Larsen has been assigned to the Committee on Armed Services and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Larsen's first position as an elected official was in 1998 as a member of the Snohomish County Council. Larsen earned his bachelor's degree from Pacific Lutheran University. After earning his master's degree in public affairs from the University of Minnesota, Larsen worked as the director of public affairs for the Washington State Dental Association and then as an economic development official with the Port of Everett. He went on to serve on the Snohomish County Council before seeking election to the U.S. House.

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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