American Express Company (NYSE: AXP) finished Friday’s session little changed from where it spent much of the day—near recent highs—before edging slightly higher in after-hours trading. With the U.S. market closed on Saturday, Dec. 20, the next regular session begins Monday, Dec. 22 (9:30 a.m. ET). Here’s what matters for AXP heading into the next open, including the key company update released late Friday, fresh credit-quality data investors are watching, and the macro catalysts that could shape sentiment into year-end. [1]
American Express stock price after the bell: where AXP stands tonight
American Express shares closed at $376.51 on Friday, Dec. 19, 2025, up 0.26% on the day. The stock traded in a roughly $372.77–$377.55 range during the session, underscoring that buyers continue to defend dips while the stock consolidates near its upper range. [2]
In after-hours trading, MarketWatch showed AXP around $376.95 as of 5:32 p.m. ET, a modest move higher versus the cash close, with after-hours volume reported around 1.55 million shares. [3]
Context: AXP remains close to its 52-week high ($387.49), after a powerful 2025 run that has kept the stock on many “quality financials” watchlists into year-end. [4]
The market backdrop: risk-on tone, but rate expectations still matter
Friday’s tape was broadly constructive, with major indexes ending higher (S&P 500 +0.88%, Dow +0.38%, Nasdaq +1.31%, per MarketWatch market data reports). That kind of risk-on environment typically supports large-cap financial and payments names—especially those perceived as resilient in a softening economy. [5]
But the bigger macro driver for card lenders remains the Fed path and the quality of incoming data. On Friday, New York Fed President John Williams said there is “no urgent need” to cut rates again, emphasizing policymakers want more data after last week’s reduction. The message: rate cuts may not be on autopilot, and markets may swing on each new datapoint—an important setup for financials into 2026. [6]
Meanwhile, Reuters’ “Week Ahead” framing for U.S. equities highlighted investor hopes for a late-year “Santa rally,” while acknowledging volatility tied to rate uncertainty and uneven data prints. [7]
The main company-specific headline today: American Express sets its Q4 earnings date
After the close, American Express announced the schedule for upcoming earnings conference calls—an important calendar marker for anyone trading AXP around catalysts.
Key dates confirmed by the company:
- Q4 and full-year 2025 results:Friday, Jan. 30, 2026 (results and presentation materials expected ~7:00 a.m. ET, call at 8:30 a.m. ET)
- Q1 2026:Friday, Apr. 24, 2026 (8:30 a.m. ET)
- Q2 2026:Friday, Jul. 24, 2026 (8:30 a.m. ET)
- Q3 2026:Friday, Oct. 23, 2026 (8:30 a.m. ET) [8]
Why it matters: With AXP trading near its highs, the next earnings date becomes a focal point for positioning—especially as investors weigh whether affluent consumer spend and travel trends can keep offsetting broader economic uncertainty.
Credit quality check: the latest delinquency and write-off metrics investors are watching
One underappreciated driver of large card issuers is credit performance—delinquencies and net write-offs can change investor narratives quickly, particularly if the economy slows.
In a Form 8‑K dated Dec. 15, 2025, American Express furnished monthly delinquency and write-off statistics for U.S. consumer and small business card member loans held for investment. Highlights:
- U.S. Consumer Card Member loans (Nov. 30, 2025):
- Total loans: $97.7B
- 30+ days past due:1.4%
- Net write-off rate (principal only): 2.1%
- U.S. Small Business Card Member loans (Nov. 30, 2025):
- Total loans: $31.4B
- 30+ days past due:1.6%
- Net write-off rate (principal only): 2.7%
- Total U.S. consumer + small business loans held for investment: $129.1B [9]
These figures show stable delinquency percentages across the reported months, with write-off rates that remain within a range investors have generally viewed as manageable. (Investors will still watch for any turn higher as the holiday season passes and bills come due in early 2026.)
Holiday spending remains a key swing factor for the Q4 narrative
In December, the “holiday spend” story has been central for payments names. Reuters reported earlier this month that U.S. retail consumer spending on AmEx cards rose 9% around the Thanksgiving-to-Cyber-Monday window, with Platinum retail spend up 13%, citing CEO Stephen Squeri speaking at an investor conference. [10]
That matters for Q4 expectations because AXP’s customer base skews more affluent—and the market has repeatedly rewarded American Express when it demonstrates that premium spending trends are holding up even when broader consumers feel pressure.
Dividend update: another reminder of the shareholder-return story
American Express also recently reiterated its quarterly dividend policy, declaring a regular quarterly dividend of $0.82 per common share, payable Feb. 10, 2026 to shareholders of record Jan. 2, 2026. [11]
For income-focused investors, the bigger takeaway is that AXP continues to frame itself as a capital return story (dividends plus buybacks) alongside growth—particularly if credit trends remain controlled.
Wall Street forecasts: price targets are mixed, but the “ceiling” keeps moving up
With AXP now trading above many traditional “fair value” estimates, forecasts matter—and they’re not uniform.
- Consensus view (MarketWatch/FactSet): average recommendation Overweight, with an average target price around $367.65—below where the stock closed Friday, implying that the stock has already run ahead of the “middle” of the Street. [12]
- Recent notable analyst actions (this week):
- Morgan Stanley raised its price target to $370 (Equal Weight), pointing to improving credit and supportive fundamentals into 2026. [13]
- Autonomous Research upgraded AXP to Outperform from Neutral and lifted its target to $433 (from $385), as reported by MT Newswires/MarketScreener. [14]
- MarketScreener’s roundup also references additional higher targets from major banks (including targets in the $400+ range). [15]
How to interpret this: The “average” target suggests caution after a strong run, but a cluster of bullish notes highlights why dips have been bought—many investors still see AXP as a premium brand with pricing power and relatively resilient spending.
What to know before the next open: 5 things AXP traders should watch
1) The calendar reality: markets are closed Saturday
U.S. stock markets do not open on Saturday, Dec. 20. The next regular session is Monday, Dec. 22 at 9:30 a.m. ET. [16]
2) Holiday-week trading hours can change liquidity
Next week includes holiday schedule impacts:
- Early close:Wednesday, Dec. 24, 2025 (NYSE early close at 1:00 p.m. ET)
- Closed:Thursday, Dec. 25, 2025 (Christmas Day) [17]
Thin liquidity can amplify moves in widely held large caps, even without major company news.
3) Economic data: Monday looks quiet, but Tuesday is a focal point
MarketWatch’s calendar shows no major U.S. economic releases scheduled for Monday, Dec. 22, but points to Tuesday, Dec. 23 for delayed macro updates. [18]
4) Watch for delayed GDP—and related inflation/spending updates
The Bureau of Economic Analysis said it will update personal income and outlays data (including PCE-related updates for prior months) alongside the initial estimate of Q3 GDP on Dec. 23 at 8:30 a.m. ET. [19]
For AXP, those data can influence:
- Rate expectations (which affect credit spreads and funding assumptions)
- The market’s view on consumer resilience (which affects spending and loss expectations)
5) The next major AXP catalyst is now dated
The company’s confirmed earnings schedule means the “next big moment” for fundamental re-rating is Jan. 30, 2026 (Q4 and full-year 2025). [20]
Bottom line for American Express stock tonight
American Express stock is ending Dec. 19 in a familiar position for late 2025: near highs, supported by resilient premium spending narratives, and increasingly sensitive to credit quality signals and rate expectations. The after-hours move is small, but today’s late-day company update—locking in the Q4 earnings date—gives traders a clearer roadmap for catalyst-driven positioning into January. [21]
References
1. www.marketwatch.com, 2. stockanalysis.com, 3. www.marketwatch.com, 4. www.investing.com, 5. www.marketwatch.com, 6. www.reuters.com, 7. www.reuters.com, 8. www.americanexpress.com, 9. d18rn0p25nwr6d.cloudfront.net, 10. www.reuters.com, 11. www.americanexpress.com, 12. www.marketwatch.com, 13. www.tipranks.com, 14. www.marketscreener.com, 15. www.marketscreener.com, 16. www.nasdaq.com, 17. www.nyse.com, 18. www.marketwatch.com, 19. www.bea.gov, 20. www.americanexpress.com, 21. www.marketwatch.com
