American Express (AXP) came out with quarterly earnings of $4.08 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3.86 per share. This compares to earnings of $3.49 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items.This quarterly report represents an earnings surprise of +5.70%. A quarter ago, it was expected that this credit card issuer and global payments company would post earnings of $3.45 per share when it actually produced earnings of $3.64, delivering a surprise of +5.51%.Ov ...

Friday, July 18, 2025Pre-market futures are up again as a very eventful trading week winds to a close. The Dow is currently +0.12%, the S&P 500 is +0.09% and the Nasdaq +0.16% at this hour. The small-cap Russell 2000 is shooting to another orbit this morning, +0.52%. It now leads all major indexes for the past week of trading, as it still tries to catch up with the other indexes year to date.Bond yields have remained fairly steady through a thorough barrage of economic reports Q2 earnings releases, and open ...

Core Insights - American Express reported $17.86 billion in revenue for Q2 2025, a year-over-year increase of 9.3% and a surprise of +0.95% over the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $17.69 billion [1] - The EPS for the same period was $4.08, compared to $3.49 a year ago, with an EPS surprise of +5.7% over the consensus estimate of $3.86 [1] Financial Performance Metrics - Book value per common share was $44.16, slightly below the estimated $44.84 [4] - Risk-Based Capital Ratios - Basel III - Common Equity Tier 1/Risk Weighted Assets stood at 10.6%, slightly above the estimated 10.5% [4] - Total Card Member loans amounted to $142.28 billion, compared to the average estimate of $143.69 billion [4] - Total non-interest revenues reached $13.67 billion, exceeding the estimated $13.4 billion [4] Market Performance - Shares of American Express returned +6.4% over the past month, outperforming the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +5.4% change [3] - The stock currently holds a Zacks Rank 3 (Hold), indicating potential performance in line with the broader market [3]

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Group 1 - The CEO of American Express stated that cryptocurrencies will not replace traditional fiat currencies, indicating a clear stance on the role of digital currencies in the financial ecosystem [1] - The CEO acknowledged that stablecoins have a place in the payment system, suggesting a potential integration of these digital assets into existing financial frameworks [1]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Revenues reached a record $17.9 billion, up 9% year over year [5] - Earnings per share (EPS) was $4.8, up 17% excluding last year's gain from the sale of Certify [5][14] - Total card member spending increased by 7%, consistent with previous patterns [6][15] - The company reaffirmed its full-year revenue growth and EPS guidance provided in January [6][29] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Billed business trends showed a 7% increase in spend, with goods and services spending growing at a similar pace [15][16] - Travel and entertainment (T&E) growth was slightly down, driven by softer airline and lodging spend, while restaurant spending was strong, up 8% FX adjusted [16] - The U.S. Consumer business saw millennial spend up 10% and Gen Z spend growing around 40% [17] - New card acquisitions totaled 3.1 million in Q2, with 1.5 million in the U.S. Consumer business [18] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - International business continued to grow in double digits, up 12% FX adjusted [17] - The company reported strong credit performance, with delinquency rates flat to Q1 and write-off rates declining [20] - The Fed's CCAR results indicated the lowest projected credit card loss and highest profitability rates among all banks subject to the stress test [7][21] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focusing on refreshing its U.S. Consumer and Business Platinum cards this fall to maintain leadership in the premium card space [7][12] - The strategy includes enriching value propositions with more benefits and offerings, attracting premier partners to enhance customer value [10][12] - The competitive landscape has shifted towards partner-rated value, access, experiences, and superior customer service [8][9] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the resilience of the business model despite macroeconomic uncertainties [15][29] - The company anticipates continued strong performance in the premium card segment, supported by a growing addressable market [12][29] - Management acknowledged the competitive environment but emphasized the importance of delivering value to maintain pricing power [49][50] Other Important Information - The company returned $2 billion of capital to shareholders, including $600 million in dividends and $1.4 billion in share repurchases [28] - The CET1 ratio was reported at 10.6%, within the target range of 10% to 11% [28] Q&A Session Summary Question: How does the company plan for spending trends in the intermediate term? - Management expects spending trends to remain consistent, with some softness in airline and lodging but resilience in goods and services [32][34] Question: How does the company view competition in the premium card space? - Management believes that competition has been beneficial for customers and that as long as value is delivered, pricing power will be maintained [48][50] Question: What is the outlook for international acceptance growth? - Management is optimistic about international growth, reporting double-digit growth and ongoing improvements in merchant acceptance [60][62] Question: How does the company address concerns about lounge access and overcrowding? - Management is expanding lounge space and introducing innovative solutions to manage demand effectively [77][78] Question: How does the company view the dynamics of net card fee growth? - Management expects some moderation in card fee growth rates in the second half of the year, with potential acceleration in 2026 [106] Question: How is the acquisition strategy evolving in the premium card space? - Management noted that increased competition has expanded demand for premium products, allowing for more marketing investment at attractive returns [101][102]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Revenues reached a record $17.9 billion, up 9% year over year [5] - Earnings per share (EPS) was $4.8, up 17% excluding last year's gain from the sale of Certify [5][14] - Total card member spending increased by 7%, consistent with previous patterns [6][15] - The company reaffirmed its full-year revenue growth and EPS guidance provided in January [6] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Spending in travel categories like airlines and lodging was softer overall, while restaurant spending was strong, up 8% FX adjusted [15] - The U.S. Consumer business saw millennial spending up 10% and Gen Z spending growing around 40% [16] - New card acquisitions totaled 3.1 million in Q2, with 1.5 million in the U.S. Consumer business [18] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - International business continued to grow in double digits, up 12% FX adjusted [16] - The premium products drove around 80% of growth in card member revolving loans [19] - Delinquency rates remained low, with U.S. millennial and Gen Z customers showing better credit performance than older age groups [20] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focusing on refreshing its U.S. Consumer and Business Platinum cards this fall to maintain leadership in the premium card space [7][12] - The strategy includes enriching value propositions with more benefits and offerings, attracting premier partners to enhance customer value [10][12] - The competitive landscape has shifted towards partner-rated value, access, experiences, and superior customer service [8][9] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the resilience of the business model despite macroeconomic uncertainties [15] - The company anticipates continued strong performance in the premium card segment, supported by a growing addressable market [12][28] - Management acknowledged the competitive environment but emphasized the importance of delivering value to maintain pricing power [46][67] Other Important Information - The company returned $2 billion of capital to shareholders, including $600 million in dividends and $1.4 billion in share repurchases [27] - The CET1 ratio was 10.6%, within the target range of 10% to 11% [26] Q&A Session Summary Question: How does the company plan for intermediate term spending trends? - Management expects spending trends to remain consistent, with some softness in airline and lodging but resilience in goods and services [31][32] Question: How does the company view competition in the premium card space? - Management believes that competition has been beneficial for customers and that as long as value is delivered, pricing power will remain intact [46][67] Question: What is the outlook for international growth and acceptance? - Management is optimistic about international growth, noting double-digit growth and ongoing improvements in merchant acceptance [58][60] Question: How does the company address concerns about lounge access and overcrowding? - Management is expanding lounge sizes and innovating with new concepts to manage demand effectively [77][78] Question: How does the company view the dynamics of net card fee growth? - Management expects some moderation in card fee growth rates in the second half of the year, with potential acceleration in 2026 [105][106]

Group 1 - The core viewpoint is that American Express CEO indicates that consumer spending in the U.S. remains stable [1] Group 2 - The company highlights that despite economic uncertainties, consumer confidence is holding up, which supports ongoing spending [1] - American Express reports strong performance metrics, suggesting resilience in the consumer sector [1] - The CEO emphasizes the importance of adapting to changing consumer behaviors and preferences in the current market [1]

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Financial Performance - Revenue growth was 9%, reaching $17.856 billion, compared to $16.333 billion in the prior year [7] - Adjusted EPS increased by 17% to $4.08, up from $3.49 in Q2'24, excluding the Accertify gain [5, 7] - Net income decreased by 4% to $2.885 billion [7] - The company reaffirmed its full-year guidance of 8-10% revenue growth and $15.00-$15.50 EPS [5] Billed Business - Total billed business grew by 7% year-over-year (FX-adjusted) [9] - U S Consumer Services billed business also increased by 7% year-over-year [12] - International Card Services billed business grew by 12% year-over-year (FX-adjusted) [17] - Commercial Services billed business increased by 2% year-over-year (FX-adjusted) [14] Credit Metrics - The net write-off rate for Card Member Loans was 2.2% [67] - The net write-off rate for Card Member Receivables was 1.4% [67] - Total provision increased by 11% year-over-year, driven by a larger net reserve build and higher net write-offs [77] Capital and Guidance - The company's CET1 ratio was 10.6% [53] - The company projects an EPS of $15.00 - $15.50 for 2025 [56]