Kovitz Investment Group Partners LLC Lowers Stake in American Express Company $AXP

Kovitz Investment Group Partners LLC cut its holdings in shares of American Express Company (NYSE:AXP) by 89.5% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 26,288 shares of the payment services company’s stock after selling 223,161 shares during the period. Kovitz Investment Group Partners LLC’s holdings in American Express were worth $9,725,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the business. State Street Corp increased its position in shares of American Express by 1.3% in the fourth quarter. State Street Corp now owns 29,464,868 shares of the payment services company’s stock valued at $10,900,528,000 after buying an additional 369,967 shares in the last quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC raised its stake in shares of American Express by 1.6% during the 4th quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC now owns 9,023,482 shares of the payment services company’s stock worth $3,338,238,000 after buying an additional 141,936 shares during the period. Bank of America Corp DE lifted its position in shares of American Express by 7.7% during the 4th quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 7,850,298 shares of the payment services company’s stock valued at $2,904,218,000 after buying an additional 558,533 shares in the last quarter. Capital World Investors grew its stake in American Express by 46.7% in the 4th quarter. Capital World Investors now owns 7,515,675 shares of the payment services company’s stock valued at $2,780,424,000 after acquiring an additional 2,393,340 shares during the period. Finally, Norges Bank acquired a new stake in American Express in the 4th quarter valued at $2,464,215,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 84.33% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of equities analysts have weighed in on the stock. Barclays reduced their price objective on shares of American Express from $323.00 to $322.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, April 24th. Bank of America boosted their target price on shares of American Express from $381.00 to $387.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, April 24th. Loop Capital assumed coverage on shares of American Express in a research report on Thursday, May 21st. They set a “buy” rating and a $389.00 price target for the company. The Goldman Sachs Group raised their price target on shares of American Express from $360.00 to $400.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Tuesday, April 28th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered their price objective on American Express from $375.00 to $325.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, April 9th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, ten have given a Buy rating, twelve have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $360.80.

Key Headlines Impacting American Express

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

• Positive Sentiment: DZ Bank upgraded American Express from hold to buy and set a $375 price target, implying meaningful upside from recent levels. Finviz
• Positive Sentiment: One market note says AXP is breaking out through technical resistance, which can attract momentum traders and support the stock. American Express Stock Is Powering the Financial Sector to a Fresh Breakout
• Positive Sentiment: Recent coverage also highlights American Express as an attractive long-term investment and suggests the company still has room to benefit from continued demand in digital payments and premium spending. What Makes American Express Company (AXP) an Attractive Bet?
• Neutral Sentiment: Several articles compare AXP with peers like Mastercard and ask whether the stock still has upside after a strong multi-year run, reflecting ongoing debate over valuation rather than a clear new catalyst. American Express (AXP) Stock After 5-Year 118% Gain Is There Still Upside Potential
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst roundups show mixed sentiment on AXP, which may limit conviction even as the stock trades near recent highs. Analysts Conflicted on These Financial Names: Suncorp Group (OtherSNMYF), Westpac Banking (OtherWEBNF) and American Express (AXP)
• Negative Sentiment: Some commentary suggests Mastercard may offer more upside than American Express, which could weigh on AXP by comparison as investors rotate toward faster-growing payments names. Mastercard vs. American Express: Which Stock Has More Upside Now?

American Express Trading Down 0.5%

Shares of AXP stock opened at $338.86 on Friday. American Express Company has a fifty-two week low of $288.34 and a fifty-two week high of $387.49. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.73, a quick ratio of 1.56 and a current ratio of 1.57. The stock’s fifty day moving average is $318.70 and its two-hundred day moving average is $335.13. The firm has a market capitalization of $231.22 billion, a P/E ratio of 21.14, a PEG ratio of 1.40 and a beta of 1.06.

American Express (NYSE:AXP) last released its earnings results on Thursday, April 23rd. The payment services company reported $4.28 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $4.01 by $0.27. The business had revenue of $14.21 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $18.60 billion. American Express had a net margin of 15.13% and a return on equity of 33.95%. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 11.4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $3.64 earnings per share. American Express has set its FY 2026 guidance at 17.300-17.900 EPS. Research analysts expect that American Express Company will post 17.65 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

American Express Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, August 10th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, July 2nd will be issued a $0.95 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, July 2nd. This represents a $3.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.1%. American Express’s dividend payout ratio is presently 23.71%.

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.