American Express(US:AXP) Investor Placeยท2024-08-01 17:44Core Insights - The article discusses affordable stock options for beginner investors, emphasizing the importance of fractional stock trading which allows investments starting from as little as $1 [1][2]. Financial Growth - Companies should demonstrate year-over-year revenue and net income growth to ensure market outperformance, while those with stagnant or declining growth typically underperform [2]. Company Summaries Alphabet (GOOG, GOOGL) - Alphabet's stock is approximately $170 per share, with a year-to-date increase of 21% and a 170% rise over the past five years [3]. - In Q2 2024, revenue grew by 14% year-over-year, and net income increased by 28.6% to $23.6 billion [3]. - The stock has a price-earnings ratio of 24.5 and a yield of 0.47%, with a potential upside of 23% according to analysts [3]. Walmart (WMT) - Walmart's stock trades at about $70 following a 3-for-1 stock split, with a year-to-date gain of 31% and an 85% increase over the past five years [4][5]. - Revenue for Q1 fiscal 2025 rose by 6% year-over-year to $161.5 billion, and adjusted EPS increased by 22.4% [5]. - Walmart has a cash reserve of $9.4 billion after a $1.1 billion stock buyback, making it a stable investment during economic downturns [5]. American Express (AXP) - American Express trades just below $250, with an 18 P/E ratio, the lowest among the listed stocks [6]. - The company reported 8% year-over-year revenue growth in Q2 FY24, reaching $16.33 billion, and net income surged by 39% to $3.02 billion [6][7]. - The full-year EPS guidance was raised to a range of $13.30-$13.80, with expected revenue growth of 9% to 11% for fiscal 2024 [6].