Clarkston Capital Partners LLC Sells 116,166 Shares of American Express Company $AXP

Clarkston Capital Partners LLC lowered its stake in American Express Company (NYSE:AXP) by 88.8% in the 1st quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The fund owned 14,664 shares of the payment services company’s stock after selling 116,166 shares during the period. Clarkston Capital Partners LLC’s holdings in American Express were worth $4,436,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in AXP. Evolution Wealth Management Inc. raised its holdings in American Express by 6,600.0% during the 4th quarter. Evolution Wealth Management Inc. now owns 67 shares of the payment services company’s stock valued at $25,000 after buying an additional 66 shares during the period. Joseph Group Capital Management bought a new stake in American Express in the fourth quarter worth $26,000. Sfam LLC purchased a new position in American Express during the fourth quarter worth $26,000. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd purchased a new position in American Express during the fourth quarter worth $28,000. Finally, Measured Wealth Private Client Group LLC bought a new position in American Express during the third quarter valued at $28,000. 84.33% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

American Express News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: American Express announced a new global partnership with ALL Accor that will add elite status matching and Membership Rewards points transfers for eligible cardholders, expanding the appeal of its premium travel and loyalty ecosystem. American Express and ALL Accor Expand the Power of Membership with New Global Partnership
• Positive Sentiment: American Express also expanded its B2B payments tools, including new automation features and a Bottomline partnership, which could strengthen commercial payments growth and improve efficiency. Here’s How AXP Strengthens Its B2B Payments Beyond the Platinum Card
• Positive Sentiment: Jim Cramer highlighted strong travel spending trends as a tailwind for American Express, pointing to its premium cardholder base and high-margin annual-fee model. Jim Cramer Highlights Strong Travel Numbers as Fuel for American Express
• Neutral Sentiment: Multiple previews say investors are focused on Friday’s Q2 earnings release, with analysts watching for results to confirm whether spending strength and credit quality can support the stock’s recent momentum. American Express (AXP) Reports Q2 Earnings Tomorrow. Let’s See What Analysts Expect.
• Neutral Sentiment: Options traders are pricing in a sizable post-earnings move, signaling elevated expectations and the potential for volatility after the report. What American Express (AXP) Options Traders Are Expecting Ahead of Earnings
• Negative Sentiment: Near-term trading may stay cautious because the company is entering earnings with investors debating whether the print will meet high expectations, which can pressure the shares if results disappoint. Will American Express Stock Rise or Fall After Earnings?

American Express Stock Down 2.3%

NYSE:AXP opened at $340.61 on Friday. The company has a market cap of $232.41 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.25, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.41 and a beta of 1.04. American Express Company has a twelve month low of $288.34 and a twelve 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 stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $332.26 and a 200-day simple moving average of $330.36.

American Express (NYSE:AXP) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, April 23rd. The payment services company reported $4.28 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $4.01 by $0.27. The firm had revenue of $14.21 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations 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 for the quarter was up 11.4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $3.64 earnings per share. Analysts anticipate that American Express Company will post 17.67 EPS for the current year.

American Express Announces Dividend

The business 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 $0.95 dividend. 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 23.71%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several brokerages have recently weighed in on AXP. Barclays increased their target price on shares of American Express from $322.00 to $364.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Tuesday, July 7th. DZ Bank raised shares of American Express from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $375.00 price objective on the stock in a research report on Thursday, June 18th. Truist Financial raised their price objective on shares of American Express from $360.00 to $375.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, June 24th. Morgan Stanley raised shares of American Express from a “positive” rating to an “overweight” rating in a research note on Monday, July 13th. Finally, HSBC upped their target price on American Express from $312.00 to $329.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research note on Monday, July 13th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twelve have given a Buy rating, ten have issued a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, American Express currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $374.11.

American Express Profile

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.