American Express and Snowflake See Significant Options Trading Volume Surge
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Dec 26 2025
0mins
Should l Buy AXP?
Source: NASDAQ.COM
- American Express Options Trading: American Express (AXP) saw options trading volume reach 12,030 contracts, equivalent to approximately 1.2 million shares, representing about 47.1% of its average daily trading volume of 2.6 million shares over the past month, indicating heightened market interest in its future performance.
- High Strike Call Options: The $382.50 strike call option expiring on December 26, 2025, recorded a trading volume of 1,611 contracts today, representing around 161,100 underlying shares, suggesting increased investor expectations for a rise in American Express's stock price.
- Snowflake Options Trading: Snowflake (SNOW) experienced options trading volume of 29,100 contracts, translating to approximately 2.9 million shares, or about 45% of its average daily trading volume of 6.5 million shares over the past month, reflecting strong market confidence in its growth prospects.
- High Strike Call Options: The $225 strike call option expiring on December 26, 2025, saw a trading volume of 2,751 contracts today, equivalent to approximately 275,100 underlying shares, indicating optimistic sentiment among investors regarding Snowflake's future performance.
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Analyst Views on AXP
Wall Street analysts forecast AXP stock price to rise
21 Analyst Rating
8 Buy
12 Hold
1 Sell
Moderate Buy
Current: 331.690
Low
280.00
Averages
379.06
High
425.00
Current: 331.690
Low
280.00
Averages
379.06
High
425.00
About AXP
American Express Company is a global payments and premium lifestyle brand powered by technology. Its card-issuing, merchant-acquiring and card network businesses offer products and services to a broad range of customers, including consumers, small businesses, mid-sized companies and large corporations around the world. Its range of products and services includes credit and charge cards and complementary products and services, including travel, dining, lifestyle and expense management products and services; banking and other payment and financing products and services, including deposits and non-card lending; merchant acquisition and processing, servicing and settlement, fraud prevention, and point-of-sale marketing and information products and services, and network services. These products and services are offered through various channels, including mobile and online applications, affiliate marketing, customer referral programs, third-party service providers, and business partners.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
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- Youth Spending Dynamics: Spending from Gen Z and millennials surged, with Gen Z's billed business increasing by 38% and millennials by 12%, showcasing the company's success in attracting younger customers, despite the hefty marketing expenses of $6.3 billion.
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- Card Fee Revenue Growth: The company reported net card fee revenue of $2.6 billion in Q4, up 17% year-over-year, maintaining a growth trend for 30 consecutive quarters, which suggests that its strategic shift towards high-end customers is effectively enhancing profitability.
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- Efficient Capital Allocation: Unlike many companies, American Express has effectively reduced its share count, avoiding shareholder dilution, which has allowed Buffett's investment cost to decrease from $1.4 billion in 1995 to $1.3 billion in 2025, showcasing its efficient capital allocation.
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See More
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- Billed Business Growth: American Express reported a 9% year-over-year increase in billed business for Q4 2025, reaching approximately $445 billion, indicating resilient consumer spending as the company approaches its Q1 2026 earnings report.
- Card Fee Revenue Surge: The net card fee revenue rose to $2.6 billion in Q4, up 17% year-over-year, highlighting the company's strategic shift towards affluent, fee-paying customers, which is expected to continue driving revenue growth.
- Youth Spending Dynamics: Spending from Gen Z and millennials surged, with Gen Z's billed business increasing by 38% and millennials by 12%, showcasing the company's success in attracting younger customers, despite the hefty marketing expenses of $6.3 billion.
- Credit Quality Monitoring: While American Express maintains strong credit quality, the net write-off rate increased to 2.1% in Q4, prompting investors to monitor this trend for potential impacts on the company's financial health in Q1.
See More
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- Leadership Transition: Warren Buffett retired on December 31, 2025, with Greg Abel stepping in to manage Berkshire Hathaway's $320 billion investment portfolio, marking a significant new era for the company.
- Investment Concentration: Abel's portfolio is heavily weighted, with 10 core holdings accounting for nearly 79% of assets, including Apple at $60 billion, highlighting the company's focus on high-quality assets and long-term growth potential.
- Sustainable Competitive Advantages: Among the 20 billion-dollar investments Abel oversees, many companies like Visa and Sirius XM operate as legal monopolies, ensuring stable revenue streams and risk resilience, reflecting Berkshire's investment strategy.
- Smaller Holdings Adjustment: Abel also manages 18 relatively smaller investments, with significant reductions like the 77% cut in Amazon's stake, indicating a focus on optimizing the portfolio and potentially paving the way for future trading opportunities.
See More
Warren Buffett Retires, Greg Abel Takes Over as CEO of Berkshire Hathaway
- Leadership Transition: Warren Buffett retired as CEO on December 31, 2025, with Greg Abel taking over the management of a $320 billion investment portfolio, marking a new era for Berkshire Hathaway, although Buffett remains as chairman of the board.
- Investment Philosophy Continuity: Abel shares a similar investment philosophy with Buffett, emphasizing value investing and sustainable competitive advantages, particularly by allocating a significant portion of the company's capital to their best ideas.
- Core Holdings Concentration: The ten core positions account for nearly 79% of Berkshire's invested assets, all of which pay dividends and engage in share repurchases, demonstrating strong capital return capabilities, with Abel's management style reflected in these choices.
- Smaller Investment Dynamics: Abel oversees 18 smaller holdings ranging from $5 million to approximately $692 million, many of which are being reduced or removed from the portfolio, indicating a dynamic adjustment strategy in response to market conditions.
See More
American Express Q1 Earnings Preview: Key Insights
- Consumer Spending Trends: American Express is set to report its total billed business for Q1 2026, with Q4 2025 showing a 9% year-over-year increase to approximately $445 billion, indicating resilient consumer spending; if this trend continues, it could positively impact future performance.
- Card Fee Revenue Growth: The company reported net card fee revenue of $2.6 billion in Q4, up 17% year-over-year, maintaining a growth trend for 30 consecutive quarters, which suggests that its strategic shift towards high-end customers is effectively enhancing profitability.
- Young Customer Base: American Express has excelled in attracting millennials and Gen Z, with billed business from Gen Z rising 38% and millennials 12% in Q4, providing strong momentum for future growth, despite marketing expenses reaching $6.3 billion.
- Credit Quality Monitoring: While the company maintains good credit quality, the net write-off rate increased to 2.1% in Q4, prompting investor scrutiny on whether this trend will accelerate in Q1; management's revenue growth guidance of 9% to 10% for 2026 reflects confidence in future prospects.
See More
Buffett's Investment Success with American Express
- Shareholder Equity Growth: American Express has successfully increased Buffett's ownership from 10% to 22% by 2025 through consistent share buybacks and dividends, enhancing shareholder returns and strengthening the company's market position.
- Strong Profitability: American Express has maintained a long-term return on equity of 20%-30%, supported by its premium customer base and strong spending volumes, which provide solid backing for revenue and profit growth.
- Efficient Capital Allocation: Unlike many companies, American Express has effectively reduced its share count, avoiding shareholder dilution, which has allowed Buffett's investment cost to decrease from $1.4 billion in 1995 to $1.3 billion in 2025, showcasing its efficient capital allocation.
- Long-term Investment Value: While American Express is no longer a hidden investment opportunity, its strong cash flows and ongoing share buybacks still position it for solid per-share earnings growth, making it attractive for long-term investors.
See More
Abel Reshapes Berkshire Hathaway's Investment Portfolio
- Portfolio Restructuring: New CEO Greg Abel is swiftly reshaping Berkshire Hathaway's investment portfolio by selling stocks associated with former manager Todd Combs, demonstrating his control over the approximately $300 billion portfolio.
- Management Changes: Following Combs' departure at the end of 2025, Abel is unlikely to replace him, with Ted Weschler continuing to manage about 6% of the portfolio, indicating a preference for maintaining the existing management structure.
- Core Holdings Strategy: In his annual letter, Abel emphasized a focus on core holdings such as Apple, American Express, Coca-Cola, and Moody's, which are expected to compound value over decades, reflecting a long-term investment strategy.
- Amazon Stake Reduction: Berkshire nearly eliminated 80% of its stake in Amazon in Q4 2025, with market speculation linking this decision to Combs' investment style, raising further questions about the company's investment direction.
See More
