Clifford Swan Investment Counsel LLC Lowers Stake in American Express Company $AXP

Clifford Swan Investment Counsel LLC cut its position in American Express Company (NYSE:AXP) by 2.6% in the first quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The firm owned 120,569 shares of the payment services company’s stock after selling 3,201 shares during the quarter. American Express comprises about 1.2% of Clifford Swan Investment Counsel LLC’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 20th biggest holding. Clifford Swan Investment Counsel LLC’s holdings in American Express were worth $36,470,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Norges Bank purchased a new stake in American Express in the 4th quarter worth $2,464,215,000. Capital World Investors lifted its position in shares of 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 acquiring an additional 2,393,340 shares in the last quarter. Pictet Asset Management Holding SA lifted its position in shares of American Express by 73.8% in the first quarter. Pictet Asset Management Holding SA now owns 1,451,606 shares of the payment services company’s stock valued at $438,975,000 after acquiring an additional 616,498 shares in the last quarter. Bank of America Corp DE boosted its stake in shares of American Express by 7.7% in the fourth quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 7,850,298 shares of the payment services company’s stock worth $2,904,218,000 after acquiring an additional 558,533 shares during the period. Finally, Amundi grew its position in shares of American Express by 23.9% during the third quarter. Amundi now owns 2,787,580 shares of the payment services company’s stock worth $925,449,000 after purchasing an additional 537,205 shares in the last quarter. 84.33% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

American Express Stock Down 1.7%

Shares of NYSE AXP opened at $355.44 on Friday. The stock has a market capitalization of $242.53 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.17, a P/E/G ratio of 1.46 and a beta of 1.04. 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’s 50-day moving average price is $329.39 and its 200-day moving average price is $331.33.

American Express (NYSE:AXP) last issued its quarterly earnings data 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. The company had revenue of $14.21 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations 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 for the quarter was up 11.4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $3.64 earnings per share. American Express has set its FY 2026 guidance at 17.300-17.900 EPS. On average, equities research analysts anticipate that American Express Company will post 17.66 EPS for the current fiscal year.

American Express Dividend Announcement

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 issued a dividend of $0.95 per share. This represents a $3.80 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.1%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, July 2nd. American Express’s dividend payout ratio is presently 23.71%.

American Express News Roundup

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

• Neutral Sentiment: Jefferies reiterated its Hold rating on American Express, signaling a wait-and-see stance rather than a more bullish upgrade. Jefferies Sticks to Their Hold Rating for American Express (AXP)
• Neutral Sentiment: Barclays also kept a Hold rating on AXP, reinforcing the view that analysts are not seeing an immediate upside catalyst. Barclays Keeps Their Hold Rating on American Express (AXP)
• Neutral Sentiment: Zacks-related coverage noted that American Express has been attracting trading attention, but the article does not point to a fresh operational update or earnings surprise. Here is What to Know Beyond Why American Express Company (AXP) is a Trending Stock
• Neutral Sentiment: Another Zacks piece similarly frames AXP as a trending stock without adding a new fundamental driver. Here is What to Know Beyond Why American Express Company (AXP) is a Trending Stock
• Neutral Sentiment: Coverage ahead of earnings highlighted that American Express was expected to report results soon, but the item itself did not provide a new beat/miss or guidance update. American Express (AXP) Projected to Release Earnings on Friday

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several analysts recently issued reports on the company. Piper Sandler downgraded American Express from an “overweight” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Monday. Guggenheim started coverage on shares of American Express in a research report on Monday. They set a “buy” rating on the stock. Freedom Capital upgraded shares of American Express from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, May 14th. Evercore initiated coverage on shares of American Express in a research note on Monday. They set a “neutral” rating for the company. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada downgraded shares of American Express from a “moderate buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Monday. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirteen have assigned a Buy rating, ten have assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $374.15.

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.