American Express shares are down 3.43% year-to-date despite 18% EPS growth in the first quarter, creating what some analysts see as a compelling entry point before the company reports second-quarter earnings on July 24. The stock traded around $359.94 on July 14, roughly 20 times forward earnings against management's reaffirmed fiscal 2026 EPS guidance of $17.30 to $17.90. Amex hiked its dividend 16% to 95 cents per share quarterly starting in the first quarter of 2026 and returned $2.3 billion to shareholders in the first quarter through dividends and buybacks. The company's closed-loop network drives over 70% of new accounts into fee-paying products, fueling a 16% FX-adjusted increase in net card fees during the first quarter. Analysts maintain 14 buy ratings versus just one sell, with a consensus price target of $372.22 and a 24/7 Wall St. model target of $390.12.
American Express CompanyArticle highlights compelling entry point ahead of earnings, strong EPS growth, dividend hike, buybacks, and analyst buy ratings.
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