American Express Company, together with its subsidiaries, operates as integrated payments company in the United States, Europe, the Middle East and Africa, the Asia Pacific, Australia, New Zealand, Latin America, Canada, the Caribbean, and Internationally. It operates through four segments: U.S. Consumer Services, Commercial Services, International Card Services, and Global Merchant and Network Services. The company's products and services include credit card, charge card, banking, and other payment and financing products; network services; expense management products and services; and travel and lifestyle services. It also provides merchant acquisition and processing, servicing and settlement, point-of-sale marketing, and information products and services for merchants; and fraud prevention services, as well as the design and operation of customer loyalty programs. In addition, the company operates lounges at airports under Centurion Lounge brand name. It sells its products and services to consumers, small businesses, mid-sized companies, and large corporations through mobile and online applications, affiliate marketing, customer referral programs, third-party service providers and business partners, direct mail, telephone, in-house sales teams, and direct response advertising. American Express Company was founded in 1850 and is headquartered in New York, New York.

American Express looks like a high-quality business, but the market has already priced in very strong expectations. The company’s profitability is high: ROE of 33.72%, ROA of 3.72%, and ROI of 12.43% are noticeably above industry benchmarks, while gross profit margin stands at 90.34% and is gradually improving. Revenue, gross profit, operating profit, and net profit have all been growing year over year, confirming the resilience of the business model and solid operating momentum. At the same time, the net margin of 13.45% and operating margin of 17.56% are not weak in absolute terms, but they are below the industry median, which limits re-rating potential. The main restraining factor is valuation: P/E of 19.74, P/S of 2.66, P/FCF of 14.83, and especially P/B of 6.40 are all above industry medians, with P/B looking extremely high relative to the sector. This means that even with strong quality metrics, the stock trades at a premium, and further upside would require either accelerated earnings growth or a lower cost of capital. The debt burden is also not ideal: debt/equity of 1.66 is significantly above the median, and long-term debt of $57.0 billion remains substantial, although it has not worsened dramatically in recent periods. Liquidity is mixed: a current ratio of 1.55 looks acceptable, but the quick ratio is zero, which is typical for a financial model, though it still warrants caution when assessing short-term resilience. Dividend yield of 0.31% remains very low, so the dividend factor adds almost no support to the investment case. Equity and assets are growing, which is positive for the balance sheet, but the high valuation relative to equity already reflects this in the price. Overall, the fundamentals point to a strong, stable, and profitable company, but with limited room for further multiple expansion. For an investor, this is more of a quality hold story than an aggressive upward re-rating, so the target forecast should be slightly reduced because of the premium valuation and debt profile.

American Express Company

Сильный индекс, незначительно упал. Быки в растерянности.

Strong index, slightly down. The bulls are confused.

Сильный индекс, без изменений. Рынок не поддерживает быков.

Strong index, flat. The market does not support the bulls.

Средний индекс, без изменений. Отток средств из лонгов на высоком уровне.

Medium index, flat. Outflow of funds from longs at a high level.

Strong profitability and revenue growth support AXP, but its high valuation multiples and significant debt burden limit re-rating potential.

(RTTNews) - While reporting financial results for the third quarter on Friday, integrated payments company American Express Co. (AXP) raised its earnings guidance for the full-year 2026, while maintaining annual revenue growth outlook.
For fiscal 2026, the company now projects earnings in a range of $18.30 to $18.60 per share, up from the prior forecast range of $17.30 to $17.90 per share. However, the company continues to expect revenue growth guidance to 10 percent.
In Friday's pre-market trading, AXP is trading on the NYSE at $318.75 down $6.32 or 1.94 percent.
For more earnings news, earnings calendar, and earnings for stocks, visit rttnews.com

American Express Boosts FY26 Earnings Outlook - Update

Looking today at week-over-week shares outstanding changes among the universe of ETFs covered at ETF Channel, one standout is the State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF (Symbol: XLF) where we have detected an approximate $524.0 million dollar outflow -- that's a 1.0% decrease week over week (from 948,995,427 to 939,645,427). Among the largest underlying components of XLF, in trading today Wells Fargo & Co (Symbol: WFC) is up about 0.6%, American Express Co. (Symbol: AXP) is up about 0.4%, and Blackrock Inc (Symbol: BLK) is lower by about 0.6%. For a complete list of holdings, visit the XLF Holdings page » The chart below shows the one year price performance of XLF, versus its 200 day moving average:
Looking at the chart above, XLF's low point in its 52 week range is $47.67 per share, with $58.60 as the 52 week high point — that compares with a last trade of $56.36. Comparing the most recent share price to the 200 day moving average can also be a useful technical analysis technique -- learn more about the 200 day moving average ».
Exchange traded funds (ETFs) trade just like stocks, but instead of ''shares'' investors are actually buying and selling ''units''. These ''units'' can be traded back and forth just like stocks, but can also be created or destroyed to accommodate investor demand. Each week we monitor the week-over-week change in shares outstanding data, to keep a lookout for those ETFs experiencing notable inflows (many new units created) or outflows (many old units destroyed). Creation of new units will mean the underlying holdings of the ETF need to be purchased, while destruction of units involves selling underlying holdings, so large flows can also impact the individual components held within ETFs.
Further XLF Research:

State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF Experiences Big Outflow

Key Points
Never underestimate the power of dividend-paying stocks.
When they grow over time, patient shareholders can be rewarded enormously.
Berkshire Hathaway's ownership of American Express shares demonstrates that perfectly.
When most of us think of Berkshire Hathaway, we rightfully think of Warren Buffett, who built the company -- and ran it for more than 60 years. But at age 96 now, Buffett has retired, putting a longtime lieutenant, Greg Abel, in charge.
Abel is making some moves of his own, but he -- and Berkshire shareholders -- are also benefiting from moves that Warren Buffett made long ago. Case in point: American Express (NYSE: AXP). Read on, to learn how Berkshire is collecting much more from American Express than it paid for it.
Missed Nvidia in 2009? This Rare Signal Is Flashing Again. In 2009, a "Double Down" signal flashed for a little-known chipmaker called Nvidia. For the first time in years, that same "Total Conviction" signal is flashing for a company 1/100th the size of Nvidia. Continue »
Meet American Express
Berkshire Hathaway has been an amazing stock performer for decades (especially a few decades ago), but American Express is no slouch, either:
American Express
Average Annual Gain
1 year
(2.97%)
3 years
28.33%
5 years
13.92%
10 years
18.56%
15 years
14.13%
Over more than 175 years, American Express has grown into a multifaceted financial services company, known most these days for its payment cards. But it also offers banking services, travel support, and payment and expense management tools for businesses. It's also home to a major global electronic transaction network.
Its second-quarter earnings report featured earnings per share (EPS) up 11% year over year, with revenue up 10%. Better still, the company reported card-member spending up, too, by 9%.
The company has long been a dividend payer, and it recently sported a 1.2% dividend yield. Add in the effect of stock buybacks, and the company's total yield is more like 4.7%.
Berkshire's American Express Stake
In Berkshire Hathaway's last annual report, for 2025, Greg Abel explained that "a large portion of our [stock] portfolio is concentrated in a small number of American companies such as Apple, American Express, Coca-Cola, and Moody's -- businesses we understand well, have a high regard for their leaders, and expect will compound over decades."
Berkshire bought into American Express over multiple years, ending in 1995. The total cost: $1.3 billion. In the 2025 letter, Abel notes that as of the end of 2025, Berkshire owned 22% of American Express, for a market value then of $56 billion. Most amazing, though, is that Berkshire collected a whopping $479 million in dividends from the company in 2025. At that rate, a mere three years of dividends would more than pay for the cost of the shares.
How is that possible when American Express's dividend yield was recently just 1.2%? Well, it's all because healthy and growing dividend payers tend to increase their payouts over time. American Express's recent total annual dividend payment was $3.54 per share, and that's up from $2.08 in 2022 and $1.22 in 2016.
American Express and you
What can you take from this story? Well, you might want to consider investing in American Express. Its shares actually look a bit undervalued, with a recent forward-looking price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 15.3, a bit below the five-year average of 16.8.
Better still, consider looking into any well-priced, healthy and growing dividend payer -- aiming to hang on for years, if not decades. The power of holding on to growing dividends is abundantly clear from Berkshire Hathaway's long-term investment in American Express.
Should you buy stock in American Express right now?
Before you buy stock in American Express, consider this:
The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and American Express wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.
Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $380,363!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,315,732!*
Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 919% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 211% for the S&P 500. Don't miss the latest top 10 list, available with Stock Advisor, and join an investing community built by individual investors for individual investors.
*Stock Advisor returns as of October 17, 2026.
American Express is an advertising partner of Motley Fool Money. Selena Maranjian has positions in American Express, Apple, and Berkshire Hathaway. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends American Express, Apple, Berkshire Hathaway, and Moody's. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Greg Abel's Berkshire Hathaway Collected $479 Million in Dividends Last Year from an American Express Stake That Cost $1.3 Billion. You Can Put the Same Principles to Work for Yourself.

Key Points
American Express targets businesses and affluent consumers who are willing to pay for premium benefits.
One of Moody's biggest advantages is that the credit ratings business has relatively few major competitors.
Warren Buffett will go down in history as one of the best investors of our time. Over a 60-year career leading Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRKA) (NYSE: BRKB), Buffett time and again outperformed the stock market, and his investment philosophies have been closely watched and emulated for generations.
But the company under Buffett, and his successor, Greg Abel, isn't afraid to make big moves. Berkshire closed several positions in its portfolio this year, including selling its entire stake in credit card giants Visa and Mastercard. But it's not completely out of the credit business. It still has significant stakes in two companies that operate under different umbrellas in the credit space -- American Express (NYSE: AXP) and Moody's (NYSE: MCO).
Missed Nvidia in 2009? This Rare Signal Is Flashing Again. In 2009, a "Double Down" signal flashed for a little-known chipmaker called Nvidia. For the first time in years, that same "Total Conviction" signal is flashing for a company 1/100th the size of Nvidia. Continue »
Berkshire Hathaway holds 22% and 14% stakes in these two credit stocks. And both are prototypical Berkshire holdings in the style of Buffett -- with reliable earnings, competitive advantages, and businesses that can grow over decades. Let's take a closer look at them both.
American Express
American Express is a core Berkshire Hathaway holding. Buffett first bought shares in 1964 after a financial scandal sent the company's stock plunging, recognizing that its brand and customer relationships were worth far more than the market was valuing.
That investment worked out pretty well. Today, American Express is one of Berkshire's largest stock holdings, with a stake valued at more than $47 billion. And I think there's a good reason Buffett has remained so loyal to the company.
Unlike Visa and Mastercard, which primarily operate payment networks, American Express also issues cards and lends money directly to customers. That allows it to collect interest on outstanding balances, in addition to fees from merchants and cardholders, and provides another revenue stream to help beef up American Express' coffers.
American Express also targets businesses and affluent consumers who are willing to pay for premium benefits. Its revamped Platinum Card carries an annual membership fee of $895 -- a hefty price, but one that customers continue to accept in exchange for travel benefits and other rewards.
In the second quarter of 2026, American Express reported revenue of $19.6 billion, up 10% from a year ago. Card member spending increased 9%, while earnings per share climbed 11% to $4.53.
The company also raised its full-year revenue growth outlook to 10%.
I particularly like American Express's success in attracting younger customers. Millennials and Generation Z represent an opportunity to build relationships that could generate spending and membership fees for decades. Its premium customer base, recognizable brand, and multiple revenue streams make American Express an attractive long-term investment.
Moody's
Moody's isn't nearly as familiar to everyday investors as American Express, but it's a great company in its own right.
Moody's provides data, intelligence, and analytical tools, but it's best known for its credit ratings, which offer insights into the creditworthiness of companies, governments, and debt securities. Those ratings matter. A downgrade can make borrowing more expensive, while a strong rating can help companies raise money at more favorable interest rates.
One of Moody's biggest advantages is that the credit ratings business has relatively few major competitors. Moody's and S&P Global dominate the market, and it's not easy for a new company to break in. Investors and financial institutions rely on established ratings agencies to evaluate debt, giving Moody's a competitive advantage that's difficult to duplicate.
Moody's reported second-quarter 2026 revenue of $2.2 billion, an increase of 15% from a year ago. The results reflected growth in its ratings and analytics operations.
Berkshire continues to hold approximately 24.7 million shares, a stake representing nearly 14% of the company.
Two Buffett favorites worth keeping
There's a reason Buffett spent decades emphasizing companies with strong competitive advantages rather than chasing whatever stocks happened to be popular.
American Express has built a premium payments and lending business with customers who are willing to pay for its services. Moody's has established a valuable position in credit ratings and financial intelligence that's difficult for competitors to duplicate.
Both companies have demonstrated their ability to generate profits while protecting valuable positions in their respective markets. That's exactly the kind of business that long-term investors should consider for the long haul.
Missed AI’s "Act 1"? Act 2 Could Be 14x Bigger
Most investors think they missed the AI boat because they didn't buy Nvidia in 2005.
But according to our analysts, we’re only at the end of "Act 1"—the R&D phase. "Act 2" is the global rollout, a massive technology build-out that Google’s CEO says could be more profound than fire or electricity.
While everyone watches the chip designers, one "backbone" company provides the critical technology that Nvidia and AMD literally cannot function without. We’ve detailed this under-the-radar player in our new AI Playbook.
American Express is an advertising partner of Motley Fool Money. Patrick Sanders has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends American Express, Berkshire Hathaway, Mastercard, Moody's, S&P Global, and Visa. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

2 Financial Stocks to Buy That Berkshire Hathaway Kept While Selling Visa and Mastercard

Key Points
American Express currently trades more than 4% below the price that management repurchased shares for in the second quarter.
The company consistently buys back its own stock, even when it’s near all-time highs.
Since the business is performing well, investors would be wise to consider purchasing shares while they’re on a dip.
It's been a tough year for American Express (NYSE: AXP). Shares have fallen 18% in 2026 (as of Oct. 8). The overall market, on the other hand, has advanced 14% this year.
The financial stock currently sits at about $302 per share, which is only 4% above its 52-week low from March. That's also below the average price of $315.77 that the leadership team paid to repurchase 7.1 million shares during the second quarter.
Missed AI’s "Act 1"? Act 2 Could Be 15x Bigger. Most investors think they missed the AI boat because they didn't buy Nvidia in 2005. But according to our analysts, we’re only at the end of "Act 1"—the R&D phase. "Act 2" is the global rollout. Continue »
Does this mean that American Express is a smart buying opportunity right now? Here's how investors should make sense of the situation.
The business buys back shares every quarter
During the three months that ended June 30, American Express spent $2.2. billion in total on stock buybacks. At the end of Q2, the diluted outstanding share count was 3% lower than a year ago. Investors appreciate this trend, as it provides a lift to earnings per share (EPS).
Now that the stock price is below what management paid, astute investors are wondering whether this is a valuable signal that it's time to add the premium credit card enterprise to their portfolios. The company's executive team should have a firm grasp of the intrinsic value. Repurchasing shares should be done at attractive stock prices. This suggests that shares could be even more undervalued today.
But it's important to take a step back and realize that American Express is a perennial share repurchaser. It bought back $1.7 billion worth of stock in the first quarter, after repurchasing $5.3 billion all of last year. During Q4 2025, when the shares reached a record high, the company still spent $899 million repurchasing shares.
The activity does fluctuate. In recent years, buybacks have been highest in the third quarter, with much less repurchasing happening in Q4. In Q3 last year, for instance, American Express spent $2.5 billion buying back stock at its then-all-time high. It's hard to make any definitive conclusions.
Think about the next five years
I believe investors should spend more time focusing their attention on what the future will bring. Think about American Express through the lens of a potential long-term investment. Although the stock is down 18% this year, the underlying business is still operating at full strength.
The company raised its quarterly dividend in March by 16%. And it maintained 2026 EPS guidance within a range of $17.30 to $17.90, equating to a 14% increase (at the midpoint) year over year. These are signs of a healthy business that's performing well amid an uncertain macroeconomic environment.
It might be a smart idea to buy the dip on American Express.
Should you buy stock in American Express right now?
Before you buy stock in American Express, consider this:
The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and American Express wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.
Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $379,123!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,408,822!*
Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 950% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 215% for the S&P 500. Don't miss the latest top 10 list, available with Stock Advisor, and join an investing community built by individual investors for individual investors.
*Stock Advisor returns as of October 12, 2026.
American Express is an advertising partner of Motley Fool Money. Neil Patel has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends American Express. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Should You Buy American Express Stock for Less Than the Company Paid for Its Own Shares?

A study of analyst recommendations at the major brokerages shows that American Express Co. (Symbol: AXP) is the #11 broker pick, on average, out of the 30 stocks making up the Dow Jones Industrial Average, according to ETF Channel. American Express Co. also comes in above the median of analyst picks among the broader S&P 500 index components, claiming the #149 spot out of 500.
Below is a chart of rank over time:
AXP operates in the Credit Services & Lending sector, among companies like Capital One Financial Corp (COF) which is up about 1.2% today, and Orix Corp (IX) trading higher by about 0.1%. Below is a three month price history chart comparing the stock performance of AXP, versus COF and IX.
AXP is currently trading up about 1.4% midday Monday.
Further AXP Research:

Broker Darlings of the Dow: American Express Ranks As a Top 15 Analyst Pick

Fintel reports that on October 9, 2026, BMO Capital initiated coverage of American Express (NYSE:AXP) (LSE:0R3C) with a Outperform recommendation. This rating action occurred alongside another same-day action for the financial services company, as RBC Capital maintained its Outperform rating on October 9, 2026.
American Express Company, headquartered in the United States, operates primarily in the financial services industry, focusing extensively on payment card products and travel-related services globally. The company leverages a wide network of card-issuing partnerships with banks and financial institutions worldwide, and is renowned for its credit card, charge card, and travelers' cheque businesses. Prior to the rating action, the stock closed at $308.10 on October 8, 2026. This latest close represents a price change of +1.99% over one week, compared to a baseline close of $302.09 on October 1, 2026. Over a one-month period, the stock experienced a price change of -5.52% from a baseline close of $326.10 on September 8, 2026.
Prior to BMO Capital's initiation, the broader analyst consensus target for American Express was recorded at a mean of $385.12 and a median of $389.64 as of October 2, 2026. This mean target represented an implied change of +25.00% from the stock's trading levels. This consensus target reflects a revision of +0.44% from the prior consensus target mean of $383.45 recorded on September 16, 2026. In terms of aggregate recommendations, the current recommendation period as of September 1, 2026, showed a total of 37 analysts tracking the stock. This group consisted of 5 strong buy, 15 buy, 16 hold, 0 sell, and 1 strong sell recommendations, resulting in 54.1% positive, 43.2% hold, and 2.7% negative recommendations. These figures remained unchanged from the prior recommendation period as of August 1, 2026, which also recorded 37 total recommendations with the same distribution.
American Express reported its latest earnings on July 24, 2026, posting an actual EPS of 4.53 against an estimate of 4.4483, representing an EPS surprise of +1.84%. The company's actual revenue for the quarter was $19,637,000,000.00, compared to the estimated revenue of $19,902,907,540.00. The company's upcoming earnings date is scheduled for October 23, 2026, before the market open. In the days leading up to BMO Capital's coverage initiation, several other firms maintained their ratings on the stock. TD Cowen maintained a Hold rating on October 6, 2026. On October 5, 2026, both Barclays and UBS maintained their respective ratings of Equal-Weight and Neutral. Earlier, Evercore ISI Group maintained an In-Line rating on October 1, 2026, and Citigroup maintained a Neutral rating on September 30, 2026.
Recent analyst actions
Recent analyst upgrades, downgrades, initiations, and maintained ratings
Date
Analyst
Prior
Latest recommendation
Action
October 9, 2026
BMO Capital
Outperform
initiated coverage
October 9, 2026
RBC Capital
Outperform
Outperform
maintained
October 5, 2026
Barclays
Equal-Weight
Equal-Weight
maintained
October 5, 2026
UBS
Neutral
Neutral
maintained
September 30, 2026
Citigroup
Neutral
Neutral
maintained
Fintel is one of the most comprehensive investing research platforms available to individual investors, traders, financial advisors, and small hedge funds.
Our data covers the world, and includes fundamentals, analyst reports, ownership data and fund sentiment, options sentiment, insider trading, options flow, unusual options trades, and much more. Additionally, our exclusive stock picks are powered by advanced, backtested quantitative models for improved profits.
This story originally appeared on Fintel.

BMO Capital Initiates Coverage of American Express at Outperform

Key Points
American Express is the last remaining credit card stock in Berkshire's portfolio.
The New York Times Company is bucking the trend of the struggling newspaper industry.
DaVita specializes in treating kidney disease and providing dialysis services.
One of the secrets of Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRKA) (NYSE: BRKB) and its success in the stock market has been its focus on value. Whether led by former Chief Executive Officer Warren Buffett or its current leader, Greg Abel, Berkshire has always focused on buying stocks when they are significantly below their intrinsic value.
On top of that, Berkshire's management team has sought companies that have significant advantages over their competitors -- an economic moat -- operating in a mature industry with reliable cash flow.
Missed Nvidia in 2009? This Rare Signal Is Flashing Again. In 2009, a "Double Down" signal flashed for a little-known chipmaker called Nvidia. For the first time in years, that same "Total Conviction" signal is flashing for a company 1/100th the size of Nvidia. Continue »
That strategy has helped Berkshire Hathaway build an investment portfolio valued at about $350 billion -- and generate returns that averaged 19.7% during the past 60 years, nearly double the S&P 500's (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC) return.
In today's go-go market, which is focused so heavily on artificial intelligence, machine learning, and other technological advances, it's easy to forget that there are some great value stocks available -- and at comparatively dirt cheap prices. Three such stocks currently in Berkshire's portfolio are American Express (NYSE: AXP), The New York Times Company (NYSE: NYT), and DaVita (NYSE: DVA). Here's the case for buying and holding each of them right now.
Berkshire Hathaway stock No. 1: American Express
Berkshire Hathaway is deeply ingrained in the financial community. Its holdings include a significant stake in publicly traded companies such as Bank of America and Moody's, and it wholly owns several insurance companies, including GEICO. Until last year, it had stakes in American Express, Mastercard, and Visa.
But I've always believed that of the three, American Express is the superior stock. Apparently, Abel feels the same way, as he closed out Berkshire's positions in Mastercard and Visa in the first quarter.
I like American Express because of its market position -- it's geared toward more affluent customers with its gold and platinum card programs, both of which charge hefty annual fees. American Express increased its annual fee for its Platinum card to a whopping $895 earlier this year and offers perks valued at $3,500 to cardholders.
"Our platinum portfolio is now the fastest growing in our U.S. Consumer business; our best-in-class credit performance further strengthened; and we continued to attract a large number of new customers, particularly millennials and Gen Zs who represent greater lifetime value," CEO Stephen Squeri said.
Revenue in the second quarter was $19.6 billion, up 10% from a year ago, and net income of $3.11 billion was up 8%.
American Express is one of Berkshire's largest holdings, with 151.6 million shares, representing 13% of the company's portfolio. However, American Express stock is down 18% so far this year and currently sits 21% off its all-time high. But it's still my favorite financial stock in Berkshire's portfolio.
Berkshire Hathaway stock No. 2: The New York Times Company
We've all heard it: Newspapers are in trouble, and many have shut down -- about 3,500 in the U.S. alone, according to a Poynter study. The industry largely hasn't kept pace with the growth of digital media, losing both advertisers and subscribers.
But The New York Times has been able to buck that trend, embracing digital and capitalizing on its global brand. The company's newspaper had 13.35 million subscribers in the second quarter, with only 550,000 receiving printed copies.
Second-quarter revenue rose 11% from a year earlier to $762.5 million. And even though print advertising continued to decline, falling from $40 million to $35 million in a year, the company recorded a 21% gain in digital ads, bringing total ad revenue to $149 million, up from $134 million a year ago.
The company is a classic example of what Buffett and Abel appreciate: a well-run company with an economic moat that ensures long-term success. The shares are down 8% so far this year and 20% from their all-time highs.
Berkshire Hathaway stock No. 3: DaVita
Interestingly, Berkshire doesn't own many healthcare companies. It took a sizable share in UnitedHealth Group in the second quarter of 2025 before selling it less than a year later. And its Berkshire Hathaway Life company offers health reinsurance but not direct-to-consumer health coverage.
So DaVita holds a unique position in the Berkshire universe. The company focuses on kidney disease and chronic kidney failure, providing dialysis services and care, lab services, and research.
And that's an important field, particularly as the National Kidney Foundation estimates that 35.5 million U.S. adults have kidney disease, and one-third of adults are at risk from the disease.
Second quarter revenue rose to $3.55 billion, up from $3.20 billion a year ago. Net income was $343.2 million, up from $275.2 million in the second quarter of 2025, and diluted earnings per share were $4.02, up from $2.58 per share.
Unlike the other two companies on this list, DaVita is having a very good year, up 58%, but it's still 27% off its all-time highs.
Should you buy stock in American Express right now?
Before you buy stock in American Express, consider this:
The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and American Express wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.
Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $361,650!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,437,517!*
Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 936% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 213% for the S&P 500. Don't miss the latest top 10 list, available with Stock Advisor, and join an investing community built by individual investors for individual investors.
*Stock Advisor returns as of October 6, 2026.
Bank of America is an advertising partner of Motley Fool Money. American Express is an advertising partner of Motley Fool Money. Patrick Sanders has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends American Express, Berkshire Hathaway, Mastercard, Moody's, The New York Times Co., and Visa. The Motley Fool recommends UnitedHealth Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

3 Berkshire Hathaway Holdings to Buy While They Sit at Least 15% Below Their Highs

Key Points
American Express shares are down almost 20% from their mid-year peak on worries about rising costs.
A closer look at its recently updated guidance reveals that investors may be looking past an important bullish detail.
The analyst community remains relatively bullish on this ticker despite recent weakness driven by investor concerns.
It's been an uncomfortable past few weeks for American Express (NYSE: AXP) shareholders. The credit card company's stock is down nearly 20% from July's peak, moving back within sight of March's 52-week low -- partly on worries about rising costs and partly on concerns about the overall health of the economy.
Experienced investors understand that this is just a typical short-term pullback within the confines of long-term progress. If you look at the bigger picture, you'll like where this stock is likely going, making this dip a compelling buying opportunity.
Missed Nvidia in 2009? This Rare Signal Is Flashing Again. In 2009, a "Double Down" signal flashed for a little-known chipmaker called Nvidia. For the first time in years, that same "Total Conviction" signal is flashing for a company 1/100th the size of Nvidia. Continue »
American Express is persistently consistent
Nobody owns a functioning crystal ball that can perfectly predict the future. It's possible this prediction won't be on target. However, even though AXP shares don't move in a straight line, their long-term performance is shockingly consistent, reflecting the equally consistent growth of its top and bottom lines.
There are exceptions, to be sure. For instance, like almost everything else, this stock struggled during 2022's bear market.
Now take a look at its revenue and earnings even during that turbulent period, and for that matter, in the meantime. The continued growth of both has remained surprisingly steady.
Investors appear to doubt that this will remain the case for the foreseeable future. That's the interpretation of their response to American Express's full-year guidance updated in its second-quarter report, anyway. Although the company raised its 2026 revenue growth expectation from a range of 9% to 10% to a firm 10%, it left its profit expectations at $17.30 to $17.90. Investors were quick to interpret this only partially revised outlook as a sign that American Express's expenses are outgrowing its sales. Technically speaking, perhaps they are.
Most investors are overlooking a much more important detail about these numbers, though. That is, even at the low end of this year's profit guidance range ($17.30), this credit card powerhouse is still on pace to grow its bottom line by 12.4% from last year's earnings of $15.38 per share.
In other words, American Express is still a growth juggernaut, as it has been for years in any decent economic environment. Indeed, these growth rates of 10% and 12% are about the same rates that Amex's top and bottom lines (respectively) have experienced for a couple of decades now -- outside of decided economic challenges like a pandemic, of course.
So given this, where might this stock be in, say, five years?
Assuming history repeats itself and the market continues to value American Express's stock as it has for a long while now, that would put it on pace to be worth around $540 a share at this point in 2031. That's an average annual gain of around 12% from its current trading level, matching its near- and long-term performance. Newcomers might even get a little more performance than that, given its recent dip and subsequent discount.
For what it's worth, new buyers should get off to a reasonably good start. Despite the stock's recent weakness, analysts are maintaining a 12-month price target of $ 380.57, which is 24% above the current price. That's not a bad tailwind to start out a new position.
Should you buy stock in American Express right now?
Before you buy stock in American Express, consider this:
The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and American Express wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.
Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $375,240!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,403,292!*
Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 932% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 211% for the S&P 500. Don't miss the latest top 10 list, available with Stock Advisor, and join an investing community built by individual investors for individual investors.
*Stock Advisor returns as of October 2, 2026.
American Express is an advertising partner of Motley Fool Money. James Brumley has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends American Express. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Founded in 1993 in Alexandria, VA., by brothers David and Tom Gardner, The Motley Fool is a multimedia financial-services company dedicated to building the world's greatest investment community. Reaching millions of people each month through its website, books, newspaper column, radio show, television appearances, and subscription newsletter services, The Motley Fool champions shareholder values and advocates tirelessly for the individual investor. The company's name was taken from Shakespeare, whose wise fools both instructed and amused, and could speak the truth to the king -- without getting their heads lopped off.

Where Will American Express Stock Be in 2031?

Synchrony Financial SYF is arguing that trust, more than convenience, will decide how quickly consumers hand more shopping tasks to AI. Its study with Oxford Economics found shoppers want security, transparency, control and recourse before allowing AI agents to act for them. Synchrony Financial’s consumers are most comfortable using AI for lower-risk activities such as searching, comparing prices and applying discounts.
Data security was important to 82% of respondents from the 2026 AI in Commerce study and transparency to 77%, both ahead of time savings at 58%. As AI moves closer to payments and larger purchases, the safeguards become more important. The company is developing tools so financing, rewards and offers remain visible and reliable when AI agents shop, while also supporting standards for fraud protection and accountability.
Fraud protection could materially expand usage, with 67% saying they would use AI more if such protection were included. Consumers are also receptive to practical shopping functions: 79% would allow AI to apply discounts, 74% loyalty rewards and 43% purchases within a preset limit. However, 46% would not use AI for purchases of $5,000 or more, showing that trust weakens as financial stakes rise.
For Synchrony Financial, the financial opportunity is protecting and extending its role in digital commerce as AI becomes a shopping interface. If more purchases are initiated or completed by AI agents, Synchrony Financial needs its credit products, rewards and promotional offers to remain discoverable during that journey. Stronger trust features could support card usage, financing volumes and partner engagement.
How Are Peers Placed?
Global Payments Inc. GPN struck a similar tone in its Agentic Commerce Report, noting that interest in AI shopping is rising, while trust, security and control remain key barriers. Consumers expect AI to make 15% of purchases within five years, up from 9% a year ago. Among Americans, 45% would consider AI shopping agents, 69% use AI to find better deals and 63% use it to save time.
American Express Company’s AXP agentic-commerce announcement makes a similar strategic point. AmEx introduced its ACE Developer Kit and Agent Purchase Protection, designed to authenticate AI agents, capture customer purchase intent, tokenize payment credentials and protect eligible customers from certain AI-agent errors.
Synchrony Financial’s Price Performance, Valuation and Estimates
SYF shares have plunged 14.1% year to date compared with the industry’s 12.9% decline.
From a valuation standpoint, Synchrony Financial trades at a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 7.08, down from the industry average of 14.66. SYF carries a Value Score of A.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Synchrony Financial’s 2026 earnings is pegged at $9.37 per share, implying a 0.5% decline from the year-ago period.
The stock currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).
You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Zacks' Research Chief Names "Stock Most Likely to Double"
Our team of experts has just released the 5 stocks with the greatest probability of gaining +100% or more in the coming months. Of those 5, Director of Research Sheraz Mian highlights the one stock set to climb highest.
This innovative software-as-a-service firm upped its user base +22% year over year. That rate is increasing and margins are expanding as AI efficiencies take effect. Of course, all our elite picks aren't winners, but this one could far surpass earlier Zacks' Stocks Set to Double like D-Wave Quantum, which shot up +680.1%.
Free: See Our Top Stock And 4 Runners Up
Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report

American Express Company

Options Strategies