Federal Reserve maintains American Express’ stress buffer at minimum 2.5%

Published 01/07/2025, 22:06
© Reuters.

NEW YORK - American Express Company (NYSE:AXP), currently trading near its 52-week high of $326.27, announced Tuesday that the Federal Reserve has set its preliminary Stress Capital Buffer (SCB) requirement at 2.5 percent, the minimum requirement under applicable regulations. The buffer will be effective from October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2026, based on the 2025 Comprehensive Capital Analysis and Review process.

The preliminary SCB requirement is consistent with American Express’ previously disclosed buffer in effect through September 30, 2025, and remains subject to final confirmation by the Federal Reserve, expected by August 31, 2025.

"The results of this year’s stress test once again reaffirmed our strong capital position and the earnings power of our resilient business model," said Christophe Le Caillec, Chief Financial Officer of American Express, in a press release statement. According to InvestingPro data, the company maintains a "GREAT" overall financial health score, with liquid assets exceeding short-term obligations and a solid current ratio of 1.57.

American Express previously increased its quarterly dividend on common shares by 17 percent to $0.82 per share beginning with the first quarter 2025 dividend declaration, maintaining its 55-year streak of consecutive dividend payments. The company also returned $5.4 billion of capital to shareholders through share repurchases during the 12 months ended March 31, 2025. InvestingPro analysis reveals 10+ additional insights about AXP’s financial strength and market position, available to subscribers.

The Stress Capital Buffer is a key regulatory requirement that helps ensure financial institutions maintain sufficient capital to withstand economic stress while continuing normal operations.

American Express, founded in 1850 and headquartered in New York, operates a global payments network across approximately 200 countries and territories.

In other recent news, American Express announced plans to refresh its Platinum Cards, marking the company’s largest investment ever in a card update. The enhancements will include improved travel, dining, and lifestyle benefits, with more details to be disclosed in the fall of 2025. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods maintained an Outperform rating on American Express, suggesting that the refresh could drive card fee income growth and higher engagement levels. Additionally, American Express disclosed its loan portfolio statistics, reporting U.S. Consumer Card Member loans at $92.0 billion with a 1.3% delinquency rate as of May 31, 2025. The company also reclassified $1.6 billion in loans related to its Amazon small business cobrand portfolio to loans held for sale. Furthermore, American Express issued €1 billion in notes due 2032, as part of a prospectus supplement filed with the SEC. This issuance involves a senior indenture with The Bank of New York Mellon as the trustee. These developments provide insights into American Express’s strategic moves and financial performance.

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