Insider Selling: American Express (NYSE:AXP) Insider Sells $8,346,340.35 in Stock

American Express Company (NYSE:AXP) insider Denise Pickett sold 23,385 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, February 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $356.91, for a total transaction of $8,346,340.35. Following the transaction, the insider owned 7,754 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,767,480.14. This trade represents a 75.10% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website.

American Express Stock Up 1.3%

AXP stock opened at $359.26 on Monday. The company has a fifty day moving average price of $368.52 and a 200 day moving average price of $345.67. American Express Company has a 12 month low of $220.43 and a 12 month high of $387.49. The company has a market cap of $247.48 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 23.34, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.52 and a beta of 1.14. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.68, a current ratio of 1.68 and a quick ratio of 1.66.

American Express (NYSE:AXP) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Friday, January 30th. The payment services company reported $3.53 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $3.54 by ($0.01). American Express had a return on equity of 33.49% and a net margin of 15.00%.The business had revenue of ($17,139.00) million for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $18.91 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $3.04 earnings per share. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 10.5% on a year-over-year basis. American Express has set its FY 2026 guidance at 17.300-17.900 EPS. Sell-side analysts expect that American Express Company will post 15.33 earnings per share for the current year.

American Express Dividend Announcement

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, February 10th. Investors of record on Friday, January 2nd will be given a $0.82 dividend. This represents a $3.28 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.9%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, January 2nd. American Express’s payout ratio is 21.31%.

American Express News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: Truist reaffirmed a Buy on AXP, citing the company’s underlying growth despite rising costs after Q4 — this supports upside expectations from analysts who focus on AmEx’s margin and card‑member trends. Truist Maintains Buy Rating on American Express
• Positive Sentiment: AmEx launched a Flexible Payment Option for small businesses (instant line of credit), which can expand payment volume and merchant relationships — a growth catalyst for loan receivables and fees. AmEx Debuts Flexible Payments for Small Businesses
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts and commentators are reassessing AXP’s valuation after double‑digit revenue and earnings growth in the latest quarter and a FY‑2026 EPS guide that implies upside vs. some street estimates. That narrative supports the current uptick. Assessing American Express (AXP) Valuation After Strong Double Digit Revenue And Earnings Growth
• Neutral Sentiment: Multiple news services report that brokerages’ consensus rating is Hold, reflecting mixed views — steady fundamentals but limited near‑term upside per some firms. American Express Company (NYSE:AXP) Receives Consensus Rating of “Hold” from Brokerages
• Neutral Sentiment: Robert W. Baird and other outlets reiterate cautious/hold stances; analysts remain broadly optimistic on long‑term cash flows but cautious on near‑term multiples. Robert W. Baird Keeps Their Hold Rating on American Express (AXP)
• Neutral Sentiment: Market commentary and comparisons (e.g., GBOOY vs AXP) keep AXP on investors’ radar for relative value, but don’t shift consensus decisively. GBOOY or AXP: Which Is the Better Value Stock Right Now?
• Negative Sentiment: A Fool.com piece questions whether AXP is a buy given recent underperformance versus the broader market, a narrative that can cap enthusiasm and limit multiple expansion. Is American Express a Buy, Sell, or Hold in 2026?

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research firms have recently issued reports on AXP. Compass Point reissued a “neutral” rating and issued a $324.00 target price on shares of American Express in a report on Monday, October 20th. Wall Street Zen lowered shares of American Express from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Sunday, November 9th. TD Cowen reissued a “hold” rating on shares of American Express in a research note on Thursday, January 8th. Morgan Stanley set a $395.00 target price on shares of American Express in a research note on Tuesday, January 20th. Finally, DZ Bank raised shares of American Express from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating and set a $340.00 target price on the stock in a report on Tuesday, October 21st. Nine equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, fifteen have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $353.05.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On American Express

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Gratus Wealth Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in American Express by 0.8% during the third quarter. Gratus Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 3,712 shares of the payment services company’s stock worth $1,233,000 after buying an additional 28 shares in the last quarter. Murphy & Mullick Capital Management Corp boosted its stake in shares of American Express by 10.0% during the 3rd quarter. Murphy & Mullick Capital Management Corp now owns 308 shares of the payment services company’s stock worth $105,000 after acquiring an additional 28 shares in the last quarter. Capital Asset Advisory Services LLC grew its holdings in shares of American Express by 2.4% in the 4th quarter. Capital Asset Advisory Services LLC now owns 1,214 shares of the payment services company’s stock worth $465,000 after acquiring an additional 28 shares during the period. Lantz Financial LLC raised its holdings in American Express by 3.6% during the fourth quarter. Lantz Financial LLC now owns 808 shares of the payment services company’s stock worth $299,000 after purchasing an additional 28 shares during the last quarter. Finally, McGlone Suttner Wealth Management Inc. boosted its position in American Express by 1.0% during the third quarter. McGlone Suttner Wealth Management Inc. now owns 2,910 shares of the payment services company’s stock worth $967,000 after purchasing an additional 29 shares in the last quarter. 84.33% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

American Express Company 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.