American Express Company (NYSE:AXP) Sees Significant Growth in Short Interest

American Express Company (NYSE:AXP) was the target of a significant growth in short interest in February. As of February 27th, there was short interest totaling 9,850,572 shares, a growth of 14.3% from the February 12th total of 8,616,704 shares. Currently, 1.4% of the shares of the stock are short sold. Based on an average daily volume of 4,723,051 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 2.1 days. Based on an average daily volume of 4,723,051 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 2.1 days. Currently, 1.4% of the shares of the stock are short sold.

Insider Activity at American Express

In related news, insider Denise Pickett sold 23,385 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $356.91, for a total transaction of $8,346,340.35. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider owned 7,754 shares in the company, valued at $2,767,480.14. This represents a 75.10% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Also, insider Ravikumar Radhakrishnan sold 15,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, February 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $356.58, for a total transaction of $5,348,700.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider directly owned 8,945 shares in the company, valued at $3,189,608.10. This represents a 62.64% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders sold 73,944 shares of company stock worth $26,114,366 over the last three months. Company insiders own 0.20% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On American Express

Hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Gratus Wealth Advisors LLC raised its holdings in American Express by 0.8% in the third quarter. Gratus Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 3,712 shares of the payment services company’s stock valued at $1,233,000 after acquiring an additional 28 shares in the last quarter. Murphy & Mullick Capital Management Corp increased its position in shares of American Express by 10.0% in the 3rd quarter. Murphy & Mullick Capital Management Corp now owns 308 shares of the payment services company’s stock valued at $105,000 after purchasing an additional 28 shares during the last quarter. Capital Asset Advisory Services LLC increased its holdings in American Express by 2.4% in the fourth quarter. Capital Asset Advisory Services LLC now owns 1,214 shares of the payment services company’s stock valued at $465,000 after buying an additional 28 shares during the last quarter. Lantz Financial LLC raised its stake in American Express by 3.6% in the fourth quarter. Lantz Financial LLC now owns 808 shares of the payment services company’s stock valued at $299,000 after buying an additional 28 shares in the last quarter. Finally, McGlone Suttner Wealth Management Inc. raised its stake in American Express by 1.0% in the third quarter. McGlone Suttner Wealth Management Inc. now owns 2,910 shares of the payment services company’s stock valued at $967,000 after buying an additional 29 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 84.33% of the company’s stock.

American Express Stock Performance

Shares of AXP stock opened at $293.99 on Thursday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.68, a quick ratio of 1.58 and a current ratio of 1.59. The firm has a market cap of $201.86 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.10, a P/E/G ratio of 1.27 and a beta of 1.14. The firm’s 50 day moving average price is $339.01 and its 200-day moving average price is $348.31. American Express has a one year low of $220.43 and a one year high of $387.49.

American Express (NYSE:AXP) last posted its earnings results on Friday, January 30th. The payment services company reported $3.53 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $3.54 by ($0.01). The company had revenue of ($17,139.00) million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $18.91 billion. American Express had a net margin of 15.00% and a return on equity of 33.49%. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 10.5% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $3.04 EPS. American Express has set its FY 2026 guidance at 17.300-17.900 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts predict that American Express will post 15.33 EPS for the current year.

American Express Increases Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, May 8th. Stockholders of record on Friday, April 3rd will be paid a $0.95 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, April 2nd. This is a boost from American Express’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.82. This represents a $3.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.3%. American Express’s payout ratio is presently 21.31%.

Key Headlines Impacting American Express

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

• Positive Sentiment: Amid recent weakness some investors view AXP as a buy-the-dip with intact growth and shareholder returns—the company recently raised its dividend ~16% and bulls point to continued top- and bottom-line momentum. 1 Top Dividend Stock to Buy With Double-Digit Dividend and Earnings Growth
• Positive Sentiment: Some analysts and commentators call AXP an attractive dip-buy, citing continued growth, strong ROE and the company’s guidance for 2026—this support may cap downside. American Express Is An Attractive Dip Buy As Growth Continues
• Neutral Sentiment: Comparative analysis highlights Visa’s network model, cross-border strength and ecosystem investments as competitive advantages vs. AXP, underscoring sector dynamics investors should watch but not an immediate company-specific headwind. Visa vs. American Express: Which Stock Has the Better Charge?
• Neutral Sentiment: Bank of America trimmed AXP’s price target by a small amount but kept a Buy rating after February operating results; this is a minor revision rather than a negative rerating. Bank of America Sees Stable Credit Trends in American Express (AXP) Update
• Neutral Sentiment: Coverage notes and analyst commentary are mixed—some sources present conflicted views on AXP’s near-term trajectory, contributing to investor uncertainty rather than a clear directional trigger. Analysts Offer Insights on Financial Companies: American Express (AXP) and Cboe Global Markets (CBOE)
• Negative Sentiment: High-volume put option purchases point to increased short-term bearish positioning and hedging activity, which can amplify downward pressure on the stock. Stock Traders Purchase High Volume of American Express Put Options (NYSE:AXP)
• Negative Sentiment: BTIG issued a pessimistic forecast for AXP’s share price, adding fresh negative analyst sentiment that likely weighed on investor confidence. BTIG Research Issues Pessimistic Forecast for American Express (NYSE:AXP) Stock Price
• Negative Sentiment: Market commentary flagged why AXP fell more than the broader market today, summarizing the mix of negative notes and option activity as drivers of the larger decline. Here’s Why American Express (AXP) Fell More Than Broader Market

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

AXP has been the topic of a number of analyst reports. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their price objective on American Express from $385.00 to $375.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, February 2nd. Credit Suisse Group set a $328.00 price objective on American Express in a research report on Monday, January 12th. Royal Bank Of Canada reissued an “outperform” rating on shares of American Express in a research note on Monday. Wolfe Research initiated coverage on American Express in a research report on Monday, December 8th. They issued a “peer perform” rating on the stock. Finally, UBS Group reaffirmed a “neutral” rating and issued a $395.00 price target on shares of American Express in a research note on Wednesday, February 4th. Nine analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, thirteen have given a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, American Express currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $354.86.

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.