American Express Company (NYSE:AXP) Given Consensus Recommendation of “Hold” by Brokerages

Posted by ABMN Staff on Jan 12th, 2026

American Express logo Shares of American Express Company (NYSE:AXP) have received an average recommendation of “Hold” from the twenty-seven analysts that are presently covering the firm, Marketbeat Ratings reports. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seventeen have given a hold rating and nine have issued a buy rating on the company. The average 1-year price target among analysts that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $343.9524.

Several brokerages have recently commented on AXP. TD Cowen lifted their target price on American Express from $350.00 to $375.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research note on Thursday. Morgan Stanley set a $370.00 price objective on shares of American Express in a research report on Tuesday, December 16th. DZ Bank upgraded shares of American Express from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating and set a $340.00 price objective on the stock in a report on Tuesday, October 21st. Weiss Ratings upgraded shares of American Express from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “buy (b-)” rating in a research note on Monday, December 29th. Finally, HSBC set a $295.00 price target on shares of American Express and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research note on Friday, October 10th.

View Our Latest Stock Analysis on American Express

American Express Stock Down 1.9%

Shares of AXP stock opened at $375.79 on Monday. American Express has a 52-week low of $220.43 and a 52-week high of $387.49. The stock has a market cap of $258.86 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 25.22, a PEG ratio of 1.57 and a beta of 1.15. The firm’s 50-day moving average is $369.05 and its 200-day moving average is $339.88. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.78, a quick ratio of 1.59 and a current ratio of 1.61.

American Express (NYSE:AXP – Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Friday, January 30th. The payment services company reported ($11.85) EPS for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $3.56 by ($15.41). The business had revenue of ($17,139.00) million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $18.91 billion. American Express had a return on equity of 33.41% and a net margin of 14.97%. Sell-side analysts predict that American Express will post 15.33 EPS for the current year.

American Express Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, February 10th. Stockholders of record on Friday, January 2nd will be given a $0.82 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, January 2nd. This represents a $3.28 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.9%. American Express’s dividend payout ratio is presently 22.01%.

Insider Transactions at American Express

In other American Express news, CMO Elizabeth Rutledge sold 50,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, October 31st. The stock was sold at an average price of $360.21, for a total transaction of $18,010,500.00. Following the transaction, the chief marketing officer owned 85,577 shares in the company, valued at $30,825,691.17. This trade represents a 36.88% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, insider Denise Pickett sold 5,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, October 22nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $350.73, for a total transaction of $1,753,650.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider directly owned 7,726 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,709,739.98. The trade was a 39.29% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Over the last quarter, insiders have sold 57,515 shares of company stock worth $20,658,509. Company insiders own 0.20% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of American Express

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Brighton Jones LLC boosted its stake in shares of American Express by 24.4% in the fourth quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 6,481 shares of the payment services company’s stock valued at $1,924,000 after buying an additional 1,273 shares during the period. Modern Wealth Management LLC raised its holdings in American Express by 0.7% in the 1st quarter. Modern Wealth Management LLC now owns 4,921 shares of the payment services company’s stock valued at $1,324,000 after acquiring an additional 35 shares in the last quarter. Voya Investment Management LLC lifted its position in shares of American Express by 10.9% during the 1st quarter. Voya Investment Management LLC now owns 175,154 shares of the payment services company’s stock valued at $47,125,000 after acquiring an additional 17,265 shares during the period. City Center Advisors LLC bought a new stake in shares of American Express during the 2nd quarter valued at $206,000. Finally, TrueWealth Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in shares of American Express during the 2nd quarter worth $242,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 84.33% of the company’s stock.

Key Headlines Impacting American Express

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

Positive Sentiment: American Express confirmed management will participate in the UBS Financial Services Conference on Feb. 10 — gives investors direct access to management for questions on margins, lending trends and guidance. American Express to Participate in UBS Financial Services Conference
Positive Sentiment: TD Cowen raised its price target to $375 (maintaining a Hold), a modest vote of confidence that suggests limited near-term downside from their view. Benzinga
Positive Sentiment: Analysis pieces highlight product momentum and strength with younger premium cardholders, which supports the longer-term card-spend and customer-retention bull case for AXP. Does AXP’s Younger Premium Cardholders and Product Momentum Change The Bull Case For American Express?
Neutral Sentiment: Coverage and analyst views remain mixed — some outlets list American Express among names with divergent analyst opinions, reflecting varied views on growth vs. credit/lending risks. Analysts’ Opinions Are Mixed on These Financial Stocks
Neutral Sentiment: Benzinga and other aggregator pieces compile multiple analyst viewpoints (9 experts) — useful for context but not a single clear catalyst. The Analyst Verdict: American Express In The Eyes Of 9 Experts
Neutral Sentiment: Broader market narratives (e.g., lists of largest stable holdings after Berkshire’s leadership change) may affect investor appetite for big-cap financials, but impacts on AXP are indirect and uncertain. 74% of the $317B Portfolio … 8 Unstoppable Stocks
Negative Sentiment: President Trump called for a one-year 10% cap on credit-card interest rates starting Jan. 20 — he provided no implementation details, but the proposal elevates regulatory and political risk for card issuers and is cited by the market as a key reason for selling in AXP today. Trump calls for a one-year 10% cap on credit card interest in a Truth Social post Trump calls one year cap on credit card interest rates at 10%

About American Express

(Get Free Report)

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.