American Express Reports Strong Q1 Earnings Amid Market Weakness
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: May 19 2026
0mins
Source: Fool
American Express Co's stock fell 5.00% as it hit a 5-day low, reflecting broader market trends with the Nasdaq-100 down 0.61% and the S&P 500 down 0.57%.
Despite the stock's decline, American Express reported a Q1 earnings per share of $4.28, surpassing analysts' expectations of $4.02, driven by a 17.6% increase from the previous year. The company's revenue grew 10% to $18.9 billion, indicating strong performance among affluent customers, even as it set aside $1.3 billion for credit loss provisions amid economic pressures.
The strong earnings report highlights American Express's resilience in a challenging economic environment, attracting younger customers and maintaining growth in billed business, which rose 9%. This performance may help the company navigate current market uncertainties.
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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: 349.580
Low
280.00
Averages
379.06
High
425.00
Current: 349.580
Low
280.00
Averages
379.06
High
425.00
About AXP
American Express Company is a globally integrated payments company with card-issuing, merchant-acquiring and card network businesses. It offers products and services to a range of customers, including consumers, small businesses, mid-sized companies and large corporations around the world. Its segments include U.S. Consumer Services (USCS), Commercial Services (CS), International Card Services (ICS) and Global Merchant and Network Services (GMNS). USCS offers travel and lifestyle services as well as banking and non-card financing products. CS offers payment and expense management, banking and non-card financing products. ICS provides services to international customers, including travel and lifestyle services, and manages certain international joint ventures and its loyalty coalition business. GMNS operates a payments network that processes and settles card transactions, acquires merchants and provides multichannel marketing programs and capabilities, services and data analytics.
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.
American Express: The Preferred Choice for Young Consumers
- Young Consumer Growth: American Express's young customer segment is its fastest-growing cohort, as millennials and Gen Z increasingly prioritize experiential spending, which could lead to long-term wealth accumulation opportunities for the company.
- Earnings Growth Expectations: Analysts project that American Express will achieve annual earnings growth of 13% to 14% over the next three to five years, indicating that the company's strong performance in the premium credit card market will continue to drive shareholder returns.
- Reasonable Valuation: The stock currently trades at less than 20 times 2026 earnings estimates, and with a 1.1% dividend yield, investors can expect an annual total return of approximately 11%, providing a solid foundation for long-term investment.
- Wealth Accumulation Potential: Using the rule of 72, investors could see their investments double in value every six to seven years, which, while not a quick path to wealth, will significantly enhance wealth over 30 to 40 years, especially as credit card spending behavior becomes increasingly central to consumer habits.
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- Executive Background: Dubra's previous roles at top-tier financial institutions, including serving as CFO for International Operations at Deutsche Bank, Royal Bank of Scotland, and American Express, will provide EonX with a global perspective and strategic guidance, helping the company stand out in a competitive market.
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American Express: The Preferred Choice for Young Consumers
- Young Consumer Growth: American Express's young customer segment is its fastest-growing cohort, as millennials and Gen Z increasingly prioritize experiential spending, which could lead to long-term wealth accumulation opportunities for the company.
- Earnings Growth Expectations: Analysts project that American Express will achieve annual earnings growth of 13% to 14% over the next three to five years, indicating that the company's strong performance in the premium credit card market will continue to drive shareholder returns.
- Reasonable Valuation: The stock currently trades at less than 20 times 2026 earnings estimates, and with a 1.1% dividend yield, investors can expect an annual total return of approximately 11%, providing a solid foundation for long-term investment.
- Wealth Accumulation Potential: Using the rule of 72, investors could see their investments double in value every six to seven years, which, while not a quick path to wealth, will significantly enhance wealth over 30 to 40 years, especially as credit card spending behavior becomes increasingly central to consumer habits.
See More
EonX Technologies Board Changes Announced
- Board Changes: EonX Technologies has announced immediate changes to its board, with Justin Hanka resigning and John Dinan appointed as a new Non-Executive Director, reflecting the company's governance adjustments to align with future growth.
- New CFO Appointment: Carlos Dubra has been appointed as the new Group CFO, bringing a Wharton MBA and deep expertise in payments, strategic finance, and scaling high-growth businesses, which is expected to enhance the company's financial management.
- Executive Background: Dubra's previous roles at top-tier financial institutions, including serving as CFO for International Operations at Deutsche Bank, Royal Bank of Scotland, and American Express, will provide EonX with a global perspective and strategic guidance, helping the company stand out in a competitive market.
- Future Outlook: This personnel change not only optimizes the company's governance structure but also lays a foundation for EonX's strategic planning and market expansion, enhancing investor confidence in the company's long-term development.
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- Portfolio Concentration: Over 50% of Berkshire Hathaway's stock portfolio consists of Dow Jones Industrial Average components, reflecting strong confidence in these high-quality blue-chip stocks, particularly as five stocks account for 59% of the total portfolio value, indicating a long-term bullish outlook.
- Alphabet's Potential: Among Berkshire's top five holdings, Alphabet stands out as the most compelling investment, boasting a market cap of $4.4 trillion, with Google Cloud's revenue growing 63% year-over-year, showcasing robust growth potential in the cloud computing sector.
- Market Share Advantage: According to Statcounter, Google Search holds an impressive 91% market share, while Gmail remains the world's most-used email app, providing strong support for Alphabet's revenue and profitability, ensuring its dominant position in the digital advertising market.
- AI Technology Development: Alphabet is designing and manufacturing its own AI processors to support cloud customers, and its AI assistant Gemini is gradually challenging ChatGPT's market position, suggesting the company will be well-positioned in future tech competition, especially with the global chatbot market expected to grow at an annual rate of 19%.
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- Portfolio Concentration: Over half of Berkshire Hathaway's stock portfolio consists of Dow Jones Industrial Average components, indicating a high level of confidence in these blue-chip stocks, with five stocks alone accounting for 59% of total portfolio value, reflecting strong trust in their future performance.
- Google's Market Position: Google Search holds a remarkable 91% market share, while Gmail remains the world's most-used email app, showcasing Alphabet's robust competitive edge in digital advertising and cloud computing, further solidifying its market leadership.
- Cloud Computing Growth: Google Cloud's revenue surged 63% year-over-year in Q1, significantly boosting operating income, indicating that the company's investments in cloud computing and artificial intelligence are yielding substantial results, with potential for continued performance growth.
- Optimistic Analyst Ratings: The vast majority of analysts rate Alphabet as a strong buy, with a target price of $435.83, representing a 20% upside from its current price, reflecting market optimism regarding its growth potential, particularly in AI and cloud computing innovations.
See More
Investors Concerned About Returns on AI Spending Amid Market Volatility
- Increased Market Volatility: Investor concerns regarding the returns on AI spending by major tech companies have led to significant market volatility, with the S&P 500 momentum index outperforming the broader market by over 70% since 2024, nearing levels seen during the dot-com bubble of the 1990s.
- Investment Strategy Shift: Jefferies recommends that investors hold high-quality, low-momentum stocks to navigate potential AI-induced market turbulence this summer, emphasizing the selection of companies with market values exceeding $10 billion and free cash flow yields above 3%.
- AI Investment Risks: Jefferies highlights that hyperscalers' capital spending in AI is projected to reach $700 billion, yet rising costs and shifting market sentiment could increase the risks associated with AI-led momentum strategies, which previously included materials and defense stocks before the outbreak of war with Iran.
- Strong Individual Stock Performance: AbbVie is rated as a high-quality stock by Jefferies, with an expected compound annual growth rate of nearly 28% from 2026 to 2027 and first-quarter global net revenues of $15 billion, primarily driven by a $7.3 billion immunology portfolio, while Netflix also features on Jefferies' list despite an 18% decline in its stock price so far in 2026.
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- AI Investment Risks: Jefferies highlights increasing market volatility due to concerns over AI investments, recommending that investors hold low-stress quality stocks to navigate potential risks, particularly as overinvestment in AI could lead to market corrections.
- Quality Company Screening: The high-quality companies recommended by Jefferies must have market values exceeding $10 billion, solid fundamentals, and long-term free cash flow yields above 3%, while also being valued at less than 20 times expected earnings over the next year to ensure stability in uncertain markets.
- AbbVie Standout Performance: AbbVie is rated as a top-quality stock by Jefferies, with an expected compound annual growth rate of nearly 28% for 2026-2027 and a free cash flow yield of 5.2%, reflecting a strong growth and cash flow combination, reporting $15 billion in global net revenues in Q1, largely driven by a $7.3 billion immunology portfolio.
- Cautious Outlook for Netflix: Although Netflix also received a high-quality score in Jefferies' model, forecasting a 13% revenue growth for Q2, its stock fell 10% in mid-April due to concentrated content spending in the first half, indicating market caution regarding its future performance.
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