Insider Selling: American Express (NYSE:AXP) Insider Sells 23,385 Shares of Stock

American Express Company (NYSE:AXP) insider Denise Pickett sold 23,385 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $356.91, for a total transaction of $8,346,340.35. Following the transaction, the insider directly owned 7,754 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,767,480.14. This represents a 75.10% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website.

American Express Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE:AXP traded up $4.64 on Friday, reaching $359.26. 3,299,886 shares of the company’s stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 3,151,870. American Express Company has a twelve month low of $220.43 and a twelve month high of $387.49. The company has a fifty day moving average of $368.66 and a 200-day moving average of $344.74. The company has a market capitalization of $247.48 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 23.34, a PEG ratio of 1.49 and a beta of 1.14. The company has a current ratio of 1.68, a quick ratio of 1.66 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.68.

American Express (NYSE:AXP) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Friday, January 30th. The payment services company reported $3.53 earnings per share (EPS) 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 the consensus estimate of $18.91 billion. American Express had a net margin of 15.00% and a return on equity of 33.49%. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 10.5% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $3.04 earnings per share. American Express has set its FY 2026 guidance at 17.300-17.900 EPS. On average, research analysts predict that American Express Company will post 15.33 EPS for the current fiscal year.

American Express Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, February 10th. Investors of record on Friday, January 2nd will be paid a $0.82 dividend. This represents a $3.28 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.9%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, January 2nd. American Express’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 21.31%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

AXP has been the subject of several recent analyst reports. Barclays upped their price objective on American Express from $355.00 to $367.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 6th. BTIG Research reiterated a “sell” rating and set a $328.00 price objective on shares of American Express in a research report on Monday. The Goldman Sachs Group restated a “buy” rating and issued a $420.00 target price on shares of American Express in a research report on Tuesday, January 6th. Royal Bank Of Canada reaffirmed an “outperform” rating and issued a $425.00 target price on shares of American Express in a report on Monday, January 12th. Finally, Evercore set a $400.00 target price on American Express in a research report on Tuesday, January 6th. Nine investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, fifteen have issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $353.05.

Trending Headlines about American Express

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

• Positive Sentiment: Truist reaffirmed a Buy on AXP, citing the company’s underlying growth despite rising costs after Q4 — this supports upside expectations from analysts who focus on AmEx’s margin and card‑member trends. Truist Maintains Buy Rating on American Express
• Positive Sentiment: AmEx launched a Flexible Payment Option for small businesses (instant line of credit), which can expand payment volume and merchant relationships — a growth catalyst for loan receivables and fees. AmEx Debuts Flexible Payments for Small Businesses
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts and commentators are reassessing AXP’s valuation after double‑digit revenue and earnings growth in the latest quarter and a FY‑2026 EPS guide that implies upside vs. some street estimates. That narrative supports the current uptick. Assessing American Express (AXP) Valuation After Strong Double Digit Revenue And Earnings Growth
• Neutral Sentiment: Multiple news services report that brokerages’ consensus rating is Hold, reflecting mixed views — steady fundamentals but limited near‑term upside per some firms. American Express Company (NYSE:AXP) Receives Consensus Rating of “Hold” from Brokerages
• Neutral Sentiment: Robert W. Baird and other outlets reiterate cautious/hold stances; analysts remain broadly optimistic on long‑term cash flows but cautious on near‑term multiples. Robert W. Baird Keeps Their Hold Rating on American Express (AXP)
• Neutral Sentiment: Market commentary and comparisons (e.g., GBOOY vs AXP) keep AXP on investors’ radar for relative value, but don’t shift consensus decisively. GBOOY or AXP: Which Is the Better Value Stock Right Now?
• Negative Sentiment: A Fool.com piece questions whether AXP is a buy given recent underperformance versus the broader market, a narrative that can cap enthusiasm and limit multiple expansion. Is American Express a Buy, Sell, or Hold in 2026?

Institutional Investors Weigh In On American Express

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Advisory Alpha LLC boosted its holdings in shares of American Express by 14.7% during the 4th quarter. Advisory Alpha LLC now owns 3,709 shares of the payment services company’s stock worth $1,373,000 after buying an additional 476 shares in the last quarter. Evoke Wealth LLC grew its holdings in American Express by 12.4% in the fourth quarter. Evoke Wealth LLC now owns 12,177 shares of the payment services company’s stock worth $4,505,000 after purchasing an additional 1,341 shares during the period. Markel Group Inc. increased its stake in American Express by 0.9% in the fourth quarter. Markel Group Inc. now owns 488,500 shares of the payment services company’s stock valued at $180,721,000 after purchasing an additional 4,250 shares in the last quarter. SGL Investment Advisors Inc. grew its stake in shares of American Express by 1.5% in the 4th quarter. SGL Investment Advisors Inc. now owns 2,367 shares of the payment services company’s stock valued at $839,000 after buying an additional 36 shares during the period. Finally, Principle Wealth Partners LLC increased its position in American Express by 0.5% in the 4th quarter. Principle Wealth Partners LLC now owns 8,597 shares of the payment services company’s stock valued at $3,180,000 after buying an additional 43 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 84.33% of the company’s stock.

About American Express

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.