American Express Company (AXP): history, ownership, mission, how it works & makes money

American Express Company (AXP): history, ownership, mission, how it works & makes money

US | Financial Services | Financial - Credit Services | NYSE

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A Brief History of American Express Company (AXP)

Company Overview

American Express Company (NYSE: AXP) headquartered in New York City, with a market capitalization of $132.79 billion as of January 2024.

Financial Performance

Financial Metric 2023 Value
Total Revenue $56.4 billion
Net Income $7.99 billion
Total Assets $245.7 billion
Employees 64,500

Key Business Segments

  • Global Commercial Services
  • Global Consumer Services
  • Global Merchant Services

Global Presence

Operates in 130 countries with approximately 133 million cards in circulation globally.

Credit Card Statistics

Card Type 2023 Numbers
Platinum Cards 3.5 million
Gold Cards 5.2 million
Corporate Cards 1.8 million

Stock Performance

Stock price range in 2023: $124.87 to $171.55, with dividend yield of 1.56%.

Digital Transformation

  • Mobile payment transactions: 65% increase in 2023
  • Digital wallet users: 22.4 million
  • Online transaction volume: $187 billion


Who Owns American Express Company (AXP)

Institutional Shareholders

As of Q4 2023, the top institutional shareholders of American Express Company include:

Institutional Investor Shares Owned Percentage of Ownership
Berkshire Hathaway Inc. 151,610,700 20.15%
The Vanguard Group, Inc. 83,308,458 11.08%
BlackRock Inc. 71,641,804 9.53%
State Street Corporation 45,101,716 6.00%

Major Shareholders

Detailed ownership breakdown:

  • Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway remains the largest single shareholder
  • Institutional investors collectively own approximately 89.5% of AXP shares
  • Retail investors own the remaining 10.5% of shares

Insider Ownership

Insider ownership details as of 2024:

Insider Category Number of Shares Percentage
Executive Officers 2,345,678 0.31%
Directors 1,456,789 0.19%

Public Float

Total public float: 751,234,567 shares

Ownership Concentration

  • Top 5 institutional investors control approximately 46.76% of total shares
  • Berkshire Hathaway owns more than 20% of outstanding shares


American Express Company (AXP) Mission Statement

Corporate Mission Overview

American Express defines its mission as: "Provide the world's best customer experience every day by delivering differentiated products and services, supporting our colleagues, investing in our communities, and creating value for shareholders."

Financial Performance Metrics

Financial Metric 2023 Value
Total Revenue $56.4 billion
Net Income $10.2 billion
Total Assets $249.4 billion
Market Capitalization $132.7 billion

Key Strategic Focus Areas

  • Global payment network expansion
  • Digital technology innovation
  • Customer experience enhancement
  • Corporate sustainability initiatives

Customer Base Statistics

Customer Segment Number
Total Card Members 133.3 million
Commercial Card Users 41.5 million
Consumer Card Users 91.8 million

Global Operational Reach

  • Presence in 130 countries
  • Over 65 million merchant locations worldwide
  • 17,900 corporate employees

Corporate Sustainability Commitments

Sustainability Goal Target Year
Net-zero greenhouse gas emissions 2035
Renewable energy usage 100% by 2030


How American Express Company (AXP) Works

Business Model

American Express operates as a global financial services corporation focused on payment card services, travel, and expense management.

Financial Metric 2023 Value
Total Revenue $56.0 billion
Net Income $10.8 billion
Total Assets $249.4 billion
Market Capitalization $132.4 billion

Revenue Streams

  • Card Member Spending
  • Annual Card Fees
  • Interest Income
  • Travel Services
  • Merchant Transaction Fees

Card Portfolio

Card Type Number of Cards
Consumer Cards 53.5 million
Commercial Cards 10.8 million

Global Presence

Operating in 130 countries with 133.3 million cards in circulation as of 2023.

Key Performance Indicators

  • Return on Equity: 34.2%
  • Net Charge-Off Rate: 2.1%
  • Customer Retention Rate: 90.3%

Technology Infrastructure

Advanced digital payment platforms processing $1.4 trillion in annual transaction volume.

Digital Service User Base
Mobile App Users 48.5 million
Online Account Management 72.3 million


How American Express Company (AXP) Makes Money

Revenue Streams

American Express generates revenue through multiple channels:

Revenue Source 2023 Revenue
Discount Revenues $27.7 billion
Net Interest Income $8.9 billion
Card Member Fees $6.5 billion
Other Fees $2.3 billion

Key Business Segments

  • U.S. Consumer Services
  • Global Commercial Services
  • Global Merchant Services
  • Global Travel Services

Transaction Processing Revenue

Transaction processing generates significant income through:

  • Merchant transaction fees: 2.5% - 3.5% per transaction
  • Annual card membership fees: $95 - $695 depending on card type
  • Interest charges on outstanding balances: 17.99% - 29.99% APR

Credit Card Portfolio Performance

Metric 2023 Value
Total Card Members 133.3 million
Total Network Volume $1.4 trillion
Total Loans $96.3 billion

International Revenue Breakdown

Region 2023 Revenue
United States $41.6 billion
International Markets $6.8 billion

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