The latest trading session saw American Express (AXP) ending at $295.53, denoting a +0.04% adjustment from its last day's close. The stock outpaced the S&P 500's daily loss of 0.5%. On the other hand, the Dow registered a gain of 0.08%, and the technology-centric Nasdaq decreased by 1.21%.Heading into today, shares of the credit card issuer and global payments company had lost 8.07% over the past month, lagging the Finance sector's loss of 0.28% and the S&P 500's loss of 0.47% in that time.The investment co ...

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 Form 10-K ☑ ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024 OR ☐ TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 For the transition period from to Commission File No. 1-7657 American Express Company (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter) New York 13-4922250 (State or other jurisdiction of incorporatio ...

Global integrated payments company American Express Company (AXP) closed 2024 performance on a high note, reporting impressive fourth-quarter results. Strong card member spending and fee growth fueled its performance alongside new customer acquisitions, particularly among Millennials and Gen Z.Key Highlights From AmEx’s Q4EPS: $3.04, beating estimates by 0.33% and up 16% YoY.Network volumes: $464 billion, up 7% YoY.Commercial Services: Pre-tax income of $814 million rose 22% YoY.Revenue outlook: 8-10% growt ...

It’s probably a good sign when one of the greatest investors of all time holds a big stake in a stock that we’re considering for a portfolio addition.One of Warren Buffett’s long-held positions, American Express just delivered its fourth consecutive earnings beat. A Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) stock, American Express continues to defy its skeptics.A global provider of credit card payment products and travel-related services, the company operates through four segments: US Consumer Services, Commercial Services, Inte ...

Core Viewpoint - Warren Buffett has sold over $134 billion worth of stocks from Berkshire Hathaway's portfolio, but he has no intention of selling three specific stocks that account for 28.4% of Berkshire's $303 billion portfolio, which may be worth considering for investors [1][2]. Group 1: American Express - American Express (AXP) represents 15.9% of Berkshire's portfolio and has been a long-term investment for Buffett since the 1960s, currently holding 21.5% of the company due to share repurchases [3][6]. - The company operates its own payment network, allowing it to control more of the transaction economics compared to traditional banks [4][5]. - In 2024, American Express generated $35.2 billion in discount revenue, with a 16% year-over-year increase in card fees contributing $8.5 billion to revenue [6][7]. - The stock has more than doubled in value over the last 15 months, but currently trades at a forward PE of 21, which is considered historically expensive [8]. Group 2: Coca-Cola - Coca-Cola (KO) accounts for 8.4% of Berkshire's portfolio, with Buffett being a long-time fan since the late '80s [9]. - The brand's strength has allowed it to raise prices, achieving a 10% year-over-year price increase last quarter [10]. - Coca-Cola's scale provides advantages in supply chain control and distribution agreements, facilitating product expansion [11]. - The company paid Berkshire $776 million in dividends in 2024, with a history of 62 consecutive years of dividend increases [12]. - Coca-Cola trades at a forward PE of around 22, which aligns with its historical average [13]. Group 3: Occidental Petroleum - Occidental Petroleum (OXY) is a newer addition to Berkshire's portfolio, with Buffett investing $10 billion in preferred shares in 2019 [14]. - Berkshire currently holds approximately $8.5 billion in preferred shares and has acquired 28.2% of the common stock [15]. - The company is significantly exposed to oil prices, with its position in the Permian Basin providing low-cost oil production [16]. - CEO Vicki Hollub projects an additional $1 billion in free cash flow from a recent acquisition, assuming oil prices remain above $70 per barrel [17]. - The stock trades at an enterprise value of just 5.3 times analysts' estimates for 2025 EBITDA, making it an attractive consideration for investors [18].

Warren Buffett has gained the reputation of a buy-and-hold investor, but he has bought and sold many stocks over the years as CEO of Berkshire Hathaway. In 2024, for instance, he pulled a lot of money out of stocks Berkshire owned. Through the third quarter, Berkshire had sold $133 billion worth, including a majority of its Apple position. This is up from $33 billion of equity sales during the same period in 2023.Buffett is raising cash as valuations become more expensive across the stock market. The S&P 50 ...

Berkshire Hathaway has compounded investor capital at a nearly 20% annual rate for decades. That wonderful gain is about double the yearly pace of the broader S&P 500. Such a fantastic track record unsurprisingly draws a lot of attention to what portfolio moves the Oracle of Omaha makes and what his conglomerate owns. The average investor can try to find new ideas.One of Warren Buffett's top positions is in this unstoppable financial stock that has soared 123% in the past 15 months. Should you buy shares in ...

Group 1: Company Overview - American Express operates in the payment processing space, focusing on connecting high-net-worth customers with sellers of goods and services [2] - The company differentiates itself by targeting wealthier customers, who tend to be more resilient during economic downturns [3] Group 2: Investment Perspective - Warren Buffett's investment in American Express is based on a long-term view rather than current excitement about the stock [9] - The current price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio for American Express is over 20x, significantly higher than the 10x ratio during Buffett's previous investments in the mid-1990s [7] - American Express appears expensive based on traditional valuation metrics, with elevated price-to-sales, price-to-cash flow, and price-to-book ratios compared to their five-year averages [8] Group 3: Investment Strategy - Buffett's investment philosophy emphasizes not overpaying for stocks, which is a lesson derived from Benjamin Graham's value investing principles [5][10] - Even a strong company like American Express can be a poor investment if purchased at an inflated price, suggesting that potential investors should wait for a significant price decline before considering an investment [11]

Core Viewpoint - Momentum investing focuses on following a stock's recent price trends, aiming to buy high and sell higher, with the expectation that established trends will continue [1] Company Overview: American Express (AXP) - American Express currently holds a Momentum Style Score of A, indicating strong momentum potential [3] - The company has a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy), suggesting it is positioned for outperformance in the market [4] Price Performance - Over the past week, AXP shares increased by 2.81%, while the Zacks Financial - Miscellaneous Services industry rose by only 0.1% [6] - In the last month, AXP's price changed by 6.82%, significantly outperforming the industry's 0.68% [6] - Over the past quarter, AXP shares have risen by 14.9%, and over the last year, they have increased by 55.3%, compared to the S&P 500's gains of 4.45% and 25.58%, respectively [7] Trading Volume - AXP's average 20-day trading volume is 2,354,050 shares, which serves as a bullish indicator when combined with rising stock prices [8] Earnings Outlook - In the past two months, 8 earnings estimates for AXP have been revised upwards, while only 1 estimate was revised downwards, leading to an increase in the consensus estimate from $15.16 to $15.33 [10] - For the next fiscal year, 5 estimates have moved upwards with no downward revisions, indicating positive earnings momentum [10] Conclusion - Given the strong price performance, positive earnings outlook, and high Momentum Style Score, AXP is recommended as a promising investment opportunity [12]

Core Insights - Berkshire Hathaway maintains a strong focus on the financial sector through its public equity portfolio and insurance businesses [1] - American Express, Visa, and Mastercard are key holdings in Berkshire's portfolio, with potential for growth in 2025 and beyond [2] Company Performance - American Express has been a core holding for Berkshire since 1991, achieving a 58.4% gain in 2024, making it the third best performer in the Dow Jones Industrial Average [3][4] - American Express constitutes 15.9% of Berkshire's portfolio, significantly larger than Visa at 0.9% and Mastercard at 0.7% [5] Business Models - American Express operates a closed-loop payment network, contrasting with Visa and Mastercard's open-loop systems [6] - American Express issues its own cards, allowing for greater control over merchant fees and interest income, while Visa and Mastercard rely on banks for card issuance [7][8] Financial Metrics - American Express has a market cap of $220 billion, compared to $482 billion for Mastercard and $619 billion for Visa [9] - Over the last five years, American Express has delivered a total return of 154%, outperforming Mastercard and Visa [9] Valuation and Dividends - American Express has a forward P/E ratio of 20.5, lower than Visa's 28.6 and Mastercard's 32.3, indicating a more attractive valuation despite lower margins [10] - All three companies have increased dividends significantly over the past decade while repurchasing shares, leading to faster earnings per share growth [12][13] Market Trends - The transition from cash to digital and mobile payments is a long-term advantage for these companies, with Visa and Mastercard being recession-resistant [14] - Financials were the second best performing sector in 2024, with payment processors potentially being better buys due to lower cyclicality [15] Investment Strategy - Investing equally in American Express, Visa, and Mastercard is a reasonable approach for new investors, though individual research is recommended [16] - Visa is highlighted as a top pick among the three, benefiting from sustained economic growth and lower regulations [17]