American Express Company (NYSE: AXP) ended Monday’s session (December 22, 2025) higher and traded slightly firmer after the closing bell, as investors balanced a calm, holiday-week tape with fresh Wall Street commentary on expenses, operating leverage, and the consumer-credit backdrop.
AXP after the bell: where the stock stands heading into Tuesday
American Express shares closed at $380.85, up $4.34 (+1.15%) on the day. The move marked a second straight session of gains, but the stock’s performance lagged some close peers in the payments and banking space on Monday.
In after-hours trading, AXP was around $381.00 as of 7:37 p.m. ET, up about 0.04%, with after-hours volume reported near 216K shares (delayed quote).
A few technical reference points from Monday’s regular session:
- Intraday range: about $377.08 to $382.42
- Distance from the recent high: the stock finished about 1.71% below its 52-week high of $387.49 (set December 12).
- Volume: roughly 2.6 million shares, slightly below its recent average cited by MarketWatch.
The market backdrop: a holiday week with data risk still in play
U.S. stocks began the holiday-shortened week on a positive footing. The S&P 500 rose about 0.6% to 6,878.49 and the Dow gained about 0.5% to 48,362.68 in Monday’s session, reflecting broad participation across sectors.
Reuters framed Monday’s tone as part of a holiday-week rebound led by tech, with investors increasingly focused on upcoming macro releases while trading conditions thin into Christmas.
That “thin liquidity” point matters for AXP specifically: during holiday weeks, modest flows can move large, widely held Dow components more than usual—especially around scheduled data prints.
Today’s key AXP-specific headline: Truist raises its price target to $420
One of the most market-relevant, stock-specific items dated December 22 was a fresh research move from Truist:
- Truist lifted its AXP price target to $420 from $395 and kept a Buy rating.
- The note pointed to higher variable customer engagement expenses than previously budgeted, but argued those pressures are being offset by operating leverage in other operating expenses and marketing.
For readers watching the stock into Tuesday’s open, the practical takeaway is that the debate is shifting from “Is spending resilient?” to “How efficiently can AmEx convert that spend into earnings while managing engagement costs?”
How Truist fits into the wider Street narrative
Truist isn’t alone in highlighting AmEx’s positioning going into 2026. In recent sessions, other firms have also adjusted targets upward, including:
- Wells Fargo raised its price target to $425 from $400 and reiterated an Overweight stance (published December 17).
- Morgan Stanley raised its target to $370 from $362 while keeping an Equal Weight rating, citing supportive fundamentals tied to delinquencies, loan growth, and capital return (published December 16).
Meanwhile, an aggregated forecast roundup carried by Nasdaq (via Fintel) put the average one-year price target at $357.54 (with a stated range of $275.64 to $420.00) as of early December—worth noting because AXP is trading above that average even after Monday’s gain.
Fundamentals investors are still watching closely: spending strength and credit quality
Even when the day’s catalyst is an analyst target move, AXP’s direction tends to hinge on two ongoing fundamentals:
1) Premium-card spending and travel momentum
Earlier this month, Reuters reported comments from CEO Stephen Squeri indicating U.S. retail consumer spending on AmEx cards rose 9% over Thanksgiving holiday week, with even stronger growth among Platinum cardholders—evidence that the company’s affluent customer base is still spending.
2) Credit metrics: delinquencies and write-offs (the “quiet” data that can move the stock)
American Express also provides monthly credit snapshots via filings. In a December 15 filing, the company reported (for the month ended November 30, 2025):
- U.S. Consumer Card Member loans:$97.7B total; 30+ day delinquencies at 1.4%; net write-off rate (principal only) at 2.1%
- U.S. Small Business Card Member loans:$31.4B total; 30+ day delinquencies at 1.6%; net write-off rate (principal only) at 2.7%
- Total Card Member loans held for investment (consumer + small business): $129.1B
Why this matters before Tuesday’s open: if macro data shifts interest-rate expectations (and therefore consumer stress assumptions), the market often reprices consumer-finance names quickly—even if company-specific news is quiet.
What to know before the market opens Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2025
The main risk-on/risk-off catalyst is macro data—early
According to the New York Fed’s December calendar, Tuesday’s key U.S. releases include:
- GDP (3rd release) at 8:30 a.m. ET
- Consumer Confidence at 10:00 a.m. ET
- New Residential Sales at 10:00 a.m. ET
- Richmond Fed manufacturing survey at 10:00 a.m. ET
Investopedia reported expectations that the delayed GDP report would show ~3.2% annualized growth for Q3 2025 (also noting the release was delayed after the fall government shutdown).
For AXP, these reports matter because:
- Stronger growth/confidence can support the “spending resilience” narrative.
- A surprise that moves Treasury yields can shift sentiment around consumer credit and financing conditions.
Holiday trading mechanics can amplify moves
Two calendar items to keep in mind for positioning and liquidity:
- The NYSE notes the market will close early at 1:00 p.m. ET on Wednesday, December 24, 2025 (with eligible options until 1:15 p.m. ET).
- Nasdaq’s holiday schedule also shows an early close on Dec. 24 at 1:00 p.m. ET and the market closed on Dec. 25.
With reduced trading time and many desks partially staffed, price action can be more “headline-driven” than usual.
Dividend and earnings calendar: the next company dates investors are circling
Even though these are not “tomorrow morning” catalysts, they shape positioning into year-end:
- Dividend: American Express declared a regular quarterly dividend of $0.82 per share, payable Feb. 10, 2026 to shareholders of record Jan. 2, 2026.
- Next earnings event: American Express scheduled its Q4 and full-year 2025 earnings conference call for Friday, Jan. 30, 2026 at 8:30 a.m. ET, with results/materials expected around 7:00 a.m. ET ahead of the call.
Bottom line for AXP heading into Tuesday’s open
American Express enters Tuesday (Dec. 23) near its recent highs after a solid Monday close and a flat-to-slightly-up after-hours session. The most notable stock-specific update from Dec. 22 was Truist’s price-target hike to $420, reinforcing the idea that Wall Street is still constructive on AXP—but increasingly focused on expense discipline and operating leverage, not just top-line spend trends.
For the opening trade, the bigger swing factor may be the 8:30 a.m. ET GDP release and the 10:00 a.m. ET confidence and regional survey data, especially in a holiday-thinned market where macro surprises can travel fast through financials.
This article is for informational purposes only and is not investment advice.
