Higher spending spurs Amex

Article Excerpt

AMERICAN EXPRESS CO. $107 (New York symbol AXP, Conservative Growth Portfolio, Finance sector; Shares outstanding: 860.1 million; Market cap: $92.0 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 2.9; Dividend yield: 1.3%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.americanexpress.com) issued 2.9 million new charge and credit cards during the quarter ended June 30, 2018; there are now 114.3 million cards in use. As well, total spending by card members rose 10%. As a result, Amex earned $1.6 billion, up 20.8% from $1.3 billion a year earlier. Due to fewer shares outstanding, earnings per share improved 25.2%, to $1.84 from $1.47. Revenue rose 9.0%, to $10.0 billion from $9.2 billion. However, due to the higher lending volumes, loan-loss provisions rose 38.3%, to $806 million from $583 million. The company now expects to earn between $6.90 and $7.30 a share for all of 2018. The stock trades at 15.1 times the midpoint of that range. The $1.40 dividend yields 1.3%. American Express is a buy. buy…