Sunbelt Securities Inc. Grows Holdings in American Express Company $AXP

Sunbelt Securities Inc. grew its stake in shares of American Express Company (NYSE:AXP) by 183.3% in the third quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The firm owned 7,083 shares of the payment services company’s stock after acquiring an additional 4,583 shares during the period. Sunbelt Securities Inc.’s holdings in American Express were worth $2,353,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Fisher Asset Management LLC boosted its position in American Express by 1.7% in the 3rd quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC now owns 8,881,546 shares of the payment services company’s stock valued at $2,950,095,000 after buying an additional 146,586 shares during the period. Norges Bank purchased a new position in shares of American Express during the second quarter worth approximately $1,897,335,000. Capital World Investors raised its stake in shares of American Express by 0.5% during the third quarter. Capital World Investors now owns 5,122,335 shares of the payment services company’s stock valued at $1,701,435,000 after acquiring an additional 24,297 shares in the last quarter. Artisan Partners Limited Partnership boosted its holdings in shares of American Express by 3.0% in the second quarter. Artisan Partners Limited Partnership now owns 4,620,873 shares of the payment services company’s stock valued at $1,473,966,000 after purchasing an additional 133,439 shares during the period. Finally, Capital Research Global Investors grew its stake in American Express by 0.7% in the third quarter. Capital Research Global Investors now owns 4,452,660 shares of the payment services company’s stock worth $1,479,019,000 after purchasing an additional 29,331 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 84.33% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research analysts have commented on AXP shares. 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 report on Monday, February 2nd. Royal Bank Of Canada restated an “outperform” rating on shares of American Express in a report on Monday. Morgan Stanley set a $395.00 target price on shares of American Express in a report on Tuesday, January 20th. Evercore set a $393.00 price target on shares of American Express in a report on Tuesday, February 10th. Finally, TD Cowen reiterated a “hold” rating on shares of American Express in a research note on Thursday, January 8th. Nine investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, thirteen have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $354.86.

American Express Price Performance

AXP opened at $293.99 on Thursday. The firm has a market capitalization of $201.86 billion, a PE ratio of 19.10, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.27 and a beta of 1.14. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.68, a current ratio of 1.59 and a quick ratio of 1.58. The business’s 50-day moving average is $339.01 and its two-hundred day moving average is $348.31. American Express Company has a 1 year low of $220.43 and a 1 year high of $387.49.

American Express (NYSE:AXP) last released its quarterly earnings results on Friday, January 30th. The payment services company reported $3.53 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $3.54 by ($0.01). American Express had a net margin of 15.00% and a return on equity of 33.49%. The firm 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 company posted $3.04 earnings per share. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 10.5% compared to the same quarter last year. American Express has set its FY 2026 guidance at 17.300-17.900 EPS. Research analysts anticipate that American Express Company will post 15.33 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

American Express Increases Dividend

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

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, insider Howard Grosfield sold 8,134 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, February 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $346.73, for a total transaction of $2,820,301.82. Following the transaction, the insider directly owned 9,433 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $3,270,704.09. This represents a 46.30% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, insider Ravikumar Radhakrishnan sold 15,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Monday, February 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $356.58, for a total value of $5,348,700.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider directly owned 8,945 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $3,189,608.10. The trade was a 62.64% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. In the last ninety days, insiders sold 73,944 shares of company stock valued at $26,114,366. Company insiders own 0.20% of the company’s stock.

Key Stories 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

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.