American Express Company $AXP Position Reduced by Crawford Investment Counsel Inc.

Crawford Investment Counsel Inc. cut its position in shares of American Express Company (NYSE:AXP) by 2.5% in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 327,341 shares of the payment services company’s stock after selling 8,271 shares during the quarter. American Express accounts for 2.0% of Crawford Investment Counsel Inc.’s portfolio, making the stock its 13th largest position. Crawford Investment Counsel Inc.’s holdings in American Express were worth $121,100,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

A number of other large investors also recently made changes to their positions in the business. Capital Asset Advisory Services LLC increased 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 valued at $465,000 after purchasing an additional 28 shares during the period. Lantz Financial LLC increased its holdings in shares of American Express by 3.6% in the 4th quarter. Lantz Financial LLC now owns 808 shares of the payment services company’s stock valued at $299,000 after purchasing an additional 28 shares during the period. Financial Management Network Inc. increased its holdings in shares of American Express by 0.8% in the 4th quarter. Financial Management Network Inc. now owns 3,740 shares of the payment services company’s stock valued at $1,394,000 after purchasing an additional 29 shares during the period. Central Bank & Trust Co. increased its holdings in shares of American Express by 1.1% in the 4th quarter. Central Bank & Trust Co. now owns 2,620 shares of the payment services company’s stock valued at $969,000 after purchasing an additional 29 shares during the period. Finally, Burns J W & Co. Inc. NY increased its holdings in shares of American Express by 2.1% in the 4th quarter. Burns J W & Co. Inc. NY now owns 1,400 shares of the payment services company’s stock valued at $518,000 after purchasing an additional 29 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 84.33% of the company’s stock.

American Express Trading Up 1.7%

NYSE:AXP opened at $341.06 on Wednesday. The stock’s 50 day moving average price is $317.35 and its 200 day moving average price is $335.49. American Express Company has a 52 week low of $288.34 and a 52 week high of $387.49. The company has a market capitalization of $232.72 billion, a P/E ratio of 21.28, a P/E/G ratio of 1.36 and a beta of 1.06. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.73, a quick ratio of 1.56 and a current ratio of 1.57.

American Express (NYSE:AXP) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, April 23rd. The payment services company reported $4.28 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $4.01 by $0.27. American Express had a return on equity of 33.95% and a net margin of 15.13%.The firm had revenue of $14.22 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $18.60 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $3.64 earnings per share. The firm’s revenue was up 11.4% on a year-over-year basis. American Express has set its FY 2026 guidance at 17.300-17.900 EPS. On average, research analysts forecast that American Express Company will post 17.59 EPS for the current fiscal year.

American Express Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, August 10th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, July 2nd will be issued a dividend of $0.95 per share. This represents a $3.80 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.1%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, July 2nd. American Express’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 23.71%.

More American Express News

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

• Positive Sentiment: American Express agreed to buy TheFork for $700 million, adding more than 50,000 European restaurants to its dining network and expanding the company’s premium lifestyle offerings. American Express Expands Dining Ecosystem With TheFork Acquisition From Tripadvisor
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts and market commentary suggest the deal could improve AmEx’s competitive positioning in dining and experiences, which may support customer acquisition and cardholder spending over time. Analysts Offer Insights on Financial Companies: Visa (V) and American Express (AXP)
• Neutral Sentiment: BTIG reaffirmed its sell rating on American Express with a $285 price target, signaling lingering valuation concerns despite the recent stock strength.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of equities analysts have recently weighed in on the company. BTIG Research reiterated a “sell” rating and issued a $285.00 target price on shares of American Express in a report on Tuesday. Barclays dropped their target price on American Express from $323.00 to $322.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, April 24th. Bank of America upped their target price on American Express from $381.00 to $387.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, April 24th. Weiss Ratings downgraded American Express from a “buy (b-)” rating to a “hold (c+)” rating in a report on Wednesday, April 15th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company dropped their target price on American Express from $425.00 to $415.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, April 9th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, nine have given a Buy rating, thirteen have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $359.05.

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.