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Research Alert: CFRA Maintains Strong Buy Recommendation On Shares Of American Express Company

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CFRA, an independent research provider, has providedwith the following research alert. Analysts at CFRA have summarized their opinion as follows:

We decrease our 12-month target price by $40 to $450, applying a forward P/E of 22.0x our 2027 earnings estimate, a wider risk premium than the peer average of 7.6x given more consistent earnings performance. We raise our 2026 EPS estimate by $0.05 to $17.95 and increase 2027's by $0.17 to $20.43. Our investment thesis remains firmly intact, underpinned by robust spending trends, surging card fees, high retention, and benign credit quality. At first glance, AXP's decision to maintain its 2026 guidance range of $17.30-$17.90 following strong Q1 results may seem somewhat disappointing. However, we interpret this as prudent conservatism rather than a cause for concern. Importantly, we believe management would have raised guidance had they not opted to increase investments in marketing and technology initiatives. We view this strategic decision positively, as these investments should strengthen AXP's competitive position and drive enhanced financial performance in 2027 and beyond.

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