Don’t Fret About Warren Buffett. Berkshire Stock Is Still a Buy.
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Aug 13 2025
0mins
Should l Buy AXP?
Source: Barron's
Berkshire Hathaway's Investment Potential: In a challenging stock market environment, Berkshire Hathaway stands out as a company worth considering for investment opportunities.
Market Conditions: The current market makes it difficult to find high-quality companies at reasonable prices, highlighting the significance of evaluating Berkshire Hathaway.
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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: 316.030
Low
280.00
Averages
379.06
High
425.00
Current: 316.030
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.
Berkshire Hathaway's Future Under Greg Abel: Growth Prospects and Stability
- Leadership Transition: Warren Buffett stepped down as CEO at the end of 2025, with successor Greg Abel reaffirming at the recent shareholder meeting his commitment to maintaining Berkshire's culture and policies, ensuring stability and continued growth for the company in the future.
- Reasonable Valuation: With a forward-looking P/E ratio of 22, close to its five-year average of 21, Berkshire Hathaway presents a reasonable valuation in the current market environment, attracting long-term investors' interest.
- Strong Growth Outlook: The stock has averaged a 10.3% annual growth over the past five years, and it is expected to maintain similar growth in the next five years, potentially increasing its price from $476 to around $767, showcasing robust investment potential.
- Diversified Business Strength: Berkshire's numerous defensive subsidiaries, such as those in insurance and energy, can maintain stability during economic downturns, while its substantial stock portfolio (including Coca-Cola and Apple) continues to provide steady cash flow for the company.
See More
Capital One's Earnings Report Highlights Increasing Consumer Strain
- Earnings Miss: Capital One reported Q1 revenue of $15.2 billion and an adjusted EPS of $4.42, down 2% year-over-year and missing analyst expectations of $15.4 billion and $4.55, indicating increasing financial strain on consumers.
- Rising Loan Loss Provisions: The company's loan-loss provision surged to $4.07 billion, exceeding estimates of $3.77 billion and significantly up from $2.37 billion a year ago, highlighting escalating bad debt risks that could impact future profitability.
- Increasing Delinquency Rates: TransUnion reported that the percentage of credit card holders 90 days late on payments rose to 2.53%, nearing a two-year high, reflecting consumer vulnerability amid record-high credit card balances and ongoing spending pressures.
- Widespread Industry Challenges: The struggles are not limited to Capital One, as both Papa John's and McDonald's reported revenue and earnings misses, underscoring the broader economic challenges affecting various sectors, which could lead to weakened overall market performance.
See More
Rising Consumer Loan Defaults Signal Economic Concerns
- Rising Loan Defaults: Capital One Financial's Q1 report reveals a loan-loss provision of $4.07 billion, exceeding the $3.77 billion estimate, indicating increasing financial strain on consumers that could impact the company's future profitability.
- Consumer Spending Risks: While consumer spending is up, the rise in bad debt is concerning, with Capital One's charge-offs increasing from $2.74 billion to $3.85 billion, reflecting negative economic impacts that may lead to a contraction in the overall consumer market.
- Restaurant Sector Challenges: Reports from Papa John's and McDonald's indicate that the former experienced a 6.4% decline in same-store sales, while the latter relied heavily on value meals to navigate economic pressures, suggesting even strong brands are not immune to economic slowdowns, potentially affecting their market share.
- Increasing Credit Card Delinquencies: TransUnion reports that the percentage of credit card holders 90 days late on payments has risen to a near two-year high of 2.53%, amidst record credit card balances of $1.12 trillion, raising concerns about consumer financial health that could trigger broader economic repercussions.
See More
Visa Reports 17% Revenue Growth in Q2 2026
- Strong Revenue Growth: Visa's revenue for Q2 2026 rose 17% year-over-year to $11.23 billion, exceeding analysts' estimates by $480 million, marking its strongest growth since 2022 and indicating robust market demand recovery.
- Earnings Per Share Increase: Adjusted EPS grew 20% to $3.31, surpassing consensus forecasts by $0.22, reflecting effective cost management and profitability, which boosts investor confidence in its future performance.
- Business Model Advantage: Visa's partnership model with banks rather than issuing its own cards allows for rapid expansion and the introduction of value-added services like cybersecurity and data analytics, enhancing its competitive edge and customer stickiness.
- Optimistic Future Outlook: Despite facing inflation and regulatory pressures, Visa raised its full-year revenue and EPS guidance and launched a $20 billion share repurchase program, with expected revenue and EPS growth rates of 11% and 18% CAGR from fiscal 2025 to 2028.
See More
Visa's Q2 Earnings Exceed Expectations
- Significant Revenue Growth: Visa's revenue for Q2 of fiscal 2026 rose 17% year-over-year to $11.23 billion, exceeding analysts' estimates by $480 million, marking the strongest revenue growth since 2022 and indicating robust market demand recovery.
- Earnings Per Share Increase: The adjusted EPS grew by 20% to $3.31, surpassing the consensus forecast by $0.22, reflecting effective strategies in cost control and revenue enhancement, which bolsters investor confidence.
- Share Buyback Program Launched: Visa announced a new $20 billion stock repurchase program aimed at enhancing shareholder value and boosting market confidence in its future growth, indicating the company's trust in its financial health.
- Long-Term Growth Outlook: Analysts expect Visa's revenue and EPS to grow at CAGRs of 11% and 18% from fiscal 2025 to 2028, and despite facing inflation and regulatory pressures, its strong market position and business model suggest it remains a valuable investment for the future.
See More
American Express Continues Strong Performance
- Significant Earnings Growth: American Express reported $18.9 billion in revenue and $4.28 earnings per share for Q1, marking increases of 10% and 18% respectively, surpassing analysts' expectations of $18.6 billion and about $4 per share, demonstrating the company's resilience amid economic uncertainty.
- High-End Consumer Spending Rebounds: Despite economic pressures, restaurant and airline spending rose by 9% and 8% respectively, indicating the continued strong purchasing power of affluent customers, which further solidifies American Express's market position.
- Stable Outlook: While the market remains cautious about future marketing and technology expenditures, American Express still anticipates revenue growth of 9% to 10% by 2026, reflecting management's confidence in the company's long-term growth prospects.
- Investor Caution: Despite strong performance, the stock price fell due to failure to raise future guidance, highlighting a gap between investor expectations for future growth and the company's actual projections.
See More
Berkshire Hathaway's Future Under Greg Abel: Growth Prospects and Stability
- Leadership Transition: Warren Buffett stepped down as CEO at the end of 2025, with successor Greg Abel reaffirming at the recent shareholder meeting his commitment to maintaining Berkshire's culture and policies, ensuring stability and continued growth for the company in the future.
- Reasonable Valuation: With a forward-looking P/E ratio of 22, close to its five-year average of 21, Berkshire Hathaway presents a reasonable valuation in the current market environment, attracting long-term investors' interest.
- Strong Growth Outlook: The stock has averaged a 10.3% annual growth over the past five years, and it is expected to maintain similar growth in the next five years, potentially increasing its price from $476 to around $767, showcasing robust investment potential.
- Diversified Business Strength: Berkshire's numerous defensive subsidiaries, such as those in insurance and energy, can maintain stability during economic downturns, while its substantial stock portfolio (including Coca-Cola and Apple) continues to provide steady cash flow for the company.
See More
Capital One's Earnings Report Highlights Increasing Consumer Strain
- Earnings Miss: Capital One reported Q1 revenue of $15.2 billion and an adjusted EPS of $4.42, down 2% year-over-year and missing analyst expectations of $15.4 billion and $4.55, indicating increasing financial strain on consumers.
- Rising Loan Loss Provisions: The company's loan-loss provision surged to $4.07 billion, exceeding estimates of $3.77 billion and significantly up from $2.37 billion a year ago, highlighting escalating bad debt risks that could impact future profitability.
- Increasing Delinquency Rates: TransUnion reported that the percentage of credit card holders 90 days late on payments rose to 2.53%, nearing a two-year high, reflecting consumer vulnerability amid record-high credit card balances and ongoing spending pressures.
- Widespread Industry Challenges: The struggles are not limited to Capital One, as both Papa John's and McDonald's reported revenue and earnings misses, underscoring the broader economic challenges affecting various sectors, which could lead to weakened overall market performance.
See More
Rising Consumer Loan Defaults Signal Economic Concerns
- Rising Loan Defaults: Capital One Financial's Q1 report reveals a loan-loss provision of $4.07 billion, exceeding the $3.77 billion estimate, indicating increasing financial strain on consumers that could impact the company's future profitability.
- Consumer Spending Risks: While consumer spending is up, the rise in bad debt is concerning, with Capital One's charge-offs increasing from $2.74 billion to $3.85 billion, reflecting negative economic impacts that may lead to a contraction in the overall consumer market.
- Restaurant Sector Challenges: Reports from Papa John's and McDonald's indicate that the former experienced a 6.4% decline in same-store sales, while the latter relied heavily on value meals to navigate economic pressures, suggesting even strong brands are not immune to economic slowdowns, potentially affecting their market share.
- Increasing Credit Card Delinquencies: TransUnion reports that the percentage of credit card holders 90 days late on payments has risen to a near two-year high of 2.53%, amidst record credit card balances of $1.12 trillion, raising concerns about consumer financial health that could trigger broader economic repercussions.
See More
Visa Reports 17% Revenue Growth in Q2 2026
- Strong Revenue Growth: Visa's revenue for Q2 2026 rose 17% year-over-year to $11.23 billion, exceeding analysts' estimates by $480 million, marking its strongest growth since 2022 and indicating robust market demand recovery.
- Earnings Per Share Increase: Adjusted EPS grew 20% to $3.31, surpassing consensus forecasts by $0.22, reflecting effective cost management and profitability, which boosts investor confidence in its future performance.
- Business Model Advantage: Visa's partnership model with banks rather than issuing its own cards allows for rapid expansion and the introduction of value-added services like cybersecurity and data analytics, enhancing its competitive edge and customer stickiness.
- Optimistic Future Outlook: Despite facing inflation and regulatory pressures, Visa raised its full-year revenue and EPS guidance and launched a $20 billion share repurchase program, with expected revenue and EPS growth rates of 11% and 18% CAGR from fiscal 2025 to 2028.
See More
Visa's Q2 Earnings Exceed Expectations
- Significant Revenue Growth: Visa's revenue for Q2 of fiscal 2026 rose 17% year-over-year to $11.23 billion, exceeding analysts' estimates by $480 million, marking the strongest revenue growth since 2022 and indicating robust market demand recovery.
- Earnings Per Share Increase: The adjusted EPS grew by 20% to $3.31, surpassing the consensus forecast by $0.22, reflecting effective strategies in cost control and revenue enhancement, which bolsters investor confidence.
- Share Buyback Program Launched: Visa announced a new $20 billion stock repurchase program aimed at enhancing shareholder value and boosting market confidence in its future growth, indicating the company's trust in its financial health.
- Long-Term Growth Outlook: Analysts expect Visa's revenue and EPS to grow at CAGRs of 11% and 18% from fiscal 2025 to 2028, and despite facing inflation and regulatory pressures, its strong market position and business model suggest it remains a valuable investment for the future.
See More
American Express Continues Strong Performance
- Significant Earnings Growth: American Express reported $18.9 billion in revenue and $4.28 earnings per share for Q1, marking increases of 10% and 18% respectively, surpassing analysts' expectations of $18.6 billion and about $4 per share, demonstrating the company's resilience amid economic uncertainty.
- High-End Consumer Spending Rebounds: Despite economic pressures, restaurant and airline spending rose by 9% and 8% respectively, indicating the continued strong purchasing power of affluent customers, which further solidifies American Express's market position.
- Stable Outlook: While the market remains cautious about future marketing and technology expenditures, American Express still anticipates revenue growth of 9% to 10% by 2026, reflecting management's confidence in the company's long-term growth prospects.
- Investor Caution: Despite strong performance, the stock price fell due to failure to raise future guidance, highlighting a gap between investor expectations for future growth and the company's actual projections.
See More
