Griffith & Werner Inc. Acquires 1,738 Shares of American Express Company $AXP

Griffith & Werner Inc. increased its holdings in shares of American Express Company (NYSE:AXP) by 19.0% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The fund owned 10,895 shares of the payment services company’s stock after purchasing an additional 1,738 shares during the period. American Express makes up approximately 1.1% of Griffith & Werner Inc.’s holdings, making the stock its 28th largest position. Griffith & Werner Inc.’s holdings in American Express were worth $3,313,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in AXP. Archer Investment Corp bought a new position in American Express in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $25,000. Elevation Wealth Partners LLC lifted its holdings in shares of American Express by 78.8% during the third quarter. Elevation Wealth Partners LLC now owns 93 shares of the payment services company’s stock worth $28,000 after buying an additional 41 shares during the last quarter. John Boyer Inc. acquired a new position in shares of American Express during the third quarter worth approximately $29,000. Cedar Mountain Advisors LLC boosted its position in shares of American Express by 58.3% in the second quarter. Cedar Mountain Advisors LLC now owns 95 shares of the payment services company’s stock valued at $32,000 after acquiring an additional 35 shares during the period. Finally, Frazier Financial Advisors LLC bought a new stake in shares of American Express in the second quarter valued at approximately $33,000. Institutional investors own 84.33% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several equities research analysts have recently issued reports on the stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their price objective on shares of American Express from $360.00 to $365.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Monday, October 26th. TD Cowen cut their target price on shares of American Express from $338.00 to $335.00 and set a “hold” rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, October 6th. Barclays reduced their price target on shares of American Express from $342.00 to $340.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a report on Monday, October 26th. Evercore set a $330.00 price target on shares of American Express in a research report on Tuesday, October 27th. Finally, HSBC raised their price target on shares of American Express from $312.00 to $329.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research report on Monday, July 13th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, seventeen have assigned a Buy rating, thirteen have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $365.22.

More American Express News

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

• Positive Sentiment: American Express has reduced its share count by 27% since 2016, while diluted earnings per share increased 352% from Q3 2016 to the latest quarter. The article credits its premium brand and network advantages—long-term strengths that have helped shareholders, rather than a new near-term development. Article: American Express Has Cut Its Share Count by 27% Since 2016
• Positive Sentiment: ETFs recorded $41.8 million in net purchases of AXP shares on Nov. 4, providing a modest signal of institutional demand. Article: American Express Sees $41.8 Million in Net ETF Buying
• Negative Sentiment: A report says American Express insider Laureen Seeger sold 69,860 shares. Insider sales can weigh on sentiment, although the provided report does not give context for the transaction. Article: Insider Laureen Seeger Sells 69,860 Shares
• Negative Sentiment: AXP also had a notable decline in the prior session, but the cited coverage does not specify what drove the move. This recent weakness may be weighing on near-term sentiment. Article: American Express Drops 3.5%

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, insider Anna Marrs sold 44,910 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, November 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $327.20, for a total value of $14,694,552.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider owned 20,509 shares in the company, valued at approximately $6,710,544.80. This represents a 68.65% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, CEO Stephen J. Squeri sold 299,401 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, November 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of $332.16, for a total transaction of $99,449,036.16. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 60,567 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $20,117,934.72. This represents a 83.17% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders have sold 414,171 shares of company stock worth $137,069,544 over the last 90 days. Corporate insiders own 0.14% of the company’s stock.

American Express Price Performance

Shares of AXP stock opened at $321.02 on Monday. The stock has a 50 day moving average of $316.22 and a two-hundred day moving average of $325.65. The company has a current ratio of 1.58, a quick ratio of 1.58 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.64. American Express Company has a 12 month low of $290.97 and a 12 month high of $387.49. The company has a market capitalization of $215.26 billion, a P/E ratio of 18.08, a P/E/G ratio of 1.35 and a beta of 1.09.

American Express (NYSE:AXP) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Friday, October 23rd. The payment services company reported $4.68 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $4.50 by $0.18. The company had revenue of $20.06 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $20.12 billion. American Express had a return on equity of 34.19% and a net margin of 15.80%. American Express’s revenue for the quarter was up 8.9% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $4.14 EPS. American Express has set its FY 2026 guidance at 17.600-17.900 EPS. As a group, equities analysts expect that American Express Company will post 17.98 EPS for the current year.

American Express Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, November 10th. Investors of record on Friday, October 9th will be given a $0.95 dividend. This represents a $3.80 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.2%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, October 9th. American Express’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 21.40%.

American Express Company Profile

American Express Company is a global payments and financial services company that operates a card-issuing business and a payments network. Its products and services include consumer, small-business and corporate cards, payment processing, lending, travel services and expense-management solutions.

Founded in 1850 as an express mail business, the company expanded into financial services and became known for its charge cards and travel-related services. Today, it serves cardholders and businesses in the United States and markets around the world, connecting customers, merchants and financial institutions through its network.

Stephen J.