American Express Co (XSWX:AXP) Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio: 9.86 (As of Jul. 16, 2026) — 75% Above Median

Author: Vera Yuan Vera Yuan
Vera Yuan
Vera Yuan
Director of Data and Quant Analytics at GuruFocus
Focused on building reliable datasets, financial models, and research tools for value-minded investors. Committed to turning complex data into practical guidance for value-investing and long-term wealth.
Reviewed by: Charlie Tian Charlie Tian
Charlie Tian
Charlie Tian
Founder & CEO of GuruFocus
Dr. Charlie Tian is the founder and CEO of GuruFocus.com, a leading global investment research platform established in 2004. With a Ph.D. in physics, Dr. Tian transitioned from science to finance, applying a data-driven, disciplined approach to value investing.

XSWX:AXP American Express Co XSWX:AXP
80 GF Score
Price CHF290.55
GF Value CHF261.84
! 4 Warning Signs
View Full Analysis

What is American Express Co Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio?

American Express Co XSWX:AXP +0.68% 80 Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio is 9.86 as of Jul. 16, 2026, which is 75% above its 10-year median of 5.64. GuruFocus rates XSWX:AXP with a GF Score™ of 80/100 and a GF Value™ of CHF261.84. The stock has 4 warning signs investors should review. Among 420 Credit Services companies, American Express Co ranks worse than 96.9% on this metric.

As of today (2026-07-16), American Express Co's current share price is CHF290.55. American Express Co's Cyclically Adjusted Book per Share for the quarter that ended in Mar. 2026 was CHF29.48. American Express Co's Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio for today is 9.86.

The historical rank and industry rank for American Express Co's Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio or its related term are showing as below:

XSWX:AXP' s Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: 3.33   Med: 5.64   Max: 10.7
Current: 9.6

During the past years, American Express Co's highest Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio was 10.70. The lowest was 3.33. And the median was 5.64.

XSWX:AXP's Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio is ranked worse than
96.9% of 420 companies
in the Credit Services industry
Industry Median: 0.945 vs XSWX:AXP: 9.60

The Shiller PE Ratio was first used by professor Robert Shiller. He uses E10 for his Shiller PE Ratio calculation. E10 is the average of the inflation adjusted earnings per share of a company over the past 10 years. The similar calculation is applied by GuruFocus to calculate the Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio. The Cyclically Adjusted Book per Share is the average of the inflation adjusted book value per share of a company over the past 10 years.

American Express Co's adjusted book value per share data for the three months ended in Mar. 2026 was CHF39.244. Add all the adjusted book value per share for the past 10 years together and divide the count will get our Cyclically Adjusted Book per Share, which is CHF29.48 for the trailing ten years ended in Mar. 2026.

Shiller PE for Stocks: The True Measure of Stock Valuation


American Express Co  (XSWX:AXP) Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio Explanation

Compared with the regular PB Ratio, which works poorly for cyclical businesses, the Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio smoothed out the fluctuations of book value during business cycles. Therefore it is more accurate in reflecting the valuation of the company.

If a company has consistent business performance, the Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio should give similar results to regular PB Ratio.


American Express Co Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio Related Terms


American Express Co Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio Historical Data

* Premium members only.

The historical data trend for American Express Co's Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio can be seen below:

* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD.
* For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.

American Express Co Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio Chart

American Express Co Annual Data
Trend Dec16 Dec17 Dec18 Dec19 Dec20 Dec21 Dec22 Dec23 Dec24 Dec25
Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio
Get a 7-Day Free Trial Premium Member Only Premium Member Only 6.27 5.14 6.04 8.85 10.23

American Express Co Quarterly Data
Jun21 Sep21 Dec21 Mar22 Jun22 Sep22 Dec22 Mar23 Jun23 Sep23 Dec23 Mar24 Jun24 Sep24 Dec24 Mar25 Jun25 Sep25 Dec25 Mar26
Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio Get a 7-Day Free Trial Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only 7.83 9.09 9.29 10.23 8.10

XSWX:AXP vs COF, PYPL, AFRM: Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio Comparison

For the Credit Services subindustry, American Express Co's Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio, along with its competitors' market caps and Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio data, can be viewed below:

* Competitive companies are chosen from companies within the same industry, with headquarter located in same country, with closest market capitalization; x-axis shows the market cap, and y-axis shows the term value; the bigger the dot, the larger the market cap. Note that "N/A" values will not show up in the chart.


American Express Co Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio vs Credit Services Industry

For the Credit Services industry and Financial Services sector, American Express Co's Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio distribution charts can be found below:

* The bar in red indicates where American Express Co's Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio falls into.


XSWX:AXP
80GF Score
American Express Co XSWX:AXP
Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio is just one metric. See GF Score™, valuation, warning signs, and more.
View Full Analysis

American Express Co Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio Calculation

Like the Shiller PE Ratio, the Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio takes the Book Value per Share from the past 10 years, adjusts it for inflation, and then calculates the average. This average is then used for the P/B calculation. Because it considers this 10-year average, it's often referred to as the CAPB Ratio.

The Shiller PE Ratio was first used by professor Robert Shiller to measure the valuation of the overall market. The similar calculation is applied by GuruFocus to calculate the Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio.

American Express Co's Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio for today is calculated as

Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio=Share Price/ Cyclically Adjusted Book per Share
=290.55/29.48
=9.86

* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD.
* For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.

American Express Co's Cyclically Adjusted Book per Share for the quarter that ended in Mar. 2026 is calculated as:

For example, American Express Co's adjusted Book Value per Share data for the three months ended in Mar. 2026 was:

Adj_Book=Book Value per Share/CPI of Mar. 2026 (Change)*Current CPI (Mar. 2026)
=39.244/330.2130*330.2130
=39.244

Current CPI (Mar. 2026) = 330.2130.

American Express Co Quarterly Data

Book Value per Share CPI Adj_Book
201606 21.708 241.018 29.742
201609 22.305 241.428 30.508
201612 23.118 241.432 31.619
201703 23.426 243.801 31.729
201706 23.163 244.955 31.225
201709 23.300 246.819 31.172
201712 20.988 246.524 28.113
201803 21.620 249.554 28.608
201806 24.022 251.989 31.479
201809 24.332 252.439 31.828
201812 26.103 251.233 34.309
201903 26.558 254.202 34.499
201906 27.422 256.143 35.352
201909 27.781 256.759 35.729
201912 27.987 256.974 35.963
202003 25.032 258.115 32.024
202006 24.890 257.797 31.882
202009 24.855 260.280 31.533
202012 25.365 260.474 32.156
202103 28.295 264.877 35.274
202106 29.053 271.696 35.310
202109 28.972 274.310 34.876
202112 26.840 278.802 31.789
202203 27.553 287.504 31.646
202206 30.017 296.311 33.451
202209 31.193 296.808 34.704
202212 30.984 296.797 34.472
202303 32.376 301.836 35.420
202306 32.668 305.109 35.356
202309 33.718 307.789 36.175
202312 33.560 306.746 36.127
202403 35.549 312.332 37.584
202406 37.083 314.175 38.976
202409 35.750 315.301 37.441
202412 38.438 315.605 40.217
202503 39.323 319.799 40.604
202506 37.752 322.561 38.648
202509 37.456 324.800 38.080
202512 38.885 324.054 39.624
202603 39.244 330.213 39.244

Add all the adjusted book value per share together and divide the count will get our Cyclically Adjusted Book per Share.

Please note that we use the CPI data of the country/region where the company is headquartered. If the CPI data for that country/region is not available, then we will use the CPI data of the United States as default.

What does a Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio of 9.86 mean?
American Express Co (XSWX:AXP) has a Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio of 9.86 as of Jul. 16, 2026. Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio is the ratio of share price to a company's inflation-adjusted book value per share over a 10-year period. View historical data on American Express Co and its competitors. This is 75% above median its historical median of 5.64. Over the past decade, American Express Co's Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio has ranged from 3.33 to 10.70. According to the industry distribution chart, American Express Co ranks #407 out of 420 companies in the Credit Services industry, placing it in the top 96.9%.
Is American Express Co's Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio too high?
American Express Co's current Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio of 9.86 is 75% above median its 10-year median of 5.64. Over the past 10 years, this metric has ranged from a low of 3.33 to a high of 10.70. The Credit Services industry median Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio is 0.95. American Express Co's value of 9.86 is 943.4% above this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, American Express Co ranks #407 out of 420 companies in the Credit Services industry, which is in the bottom quartile relative to peers. Overall, American Express Co has a GF Score™ of 80/100, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does American Express Co's Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio compare to COF and PYPL?
According to the Credit Services industry distribution chart, American Express Co ranks #407 out of 420 companies for Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio. This places American Express Co in the lower half of its industry. The industry median Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio is 0.95. American Express Co's value of 9.86 is 943.4% above this benchmark. Historically, American Express Co's own Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio has ranged from 3.33 to 10.70 over the past decade. While the company's 10-year median is 5.64 vs. the industry median of 0.95, American Express Co has consistently been above the industry average. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio for a Credit Services company?
The median Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio among Credit Services companies is 0.95, based on 420 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. American Express Co's current Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio of 9.86 is 943.4% above the industry median. Use the industry distribution chart on this page to see where any company falls relative to its peers.
What does a high Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio mean?
A high Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio is the ratio of share price to a company's inflation-adjusted book value per share over a 10-year period. View historical data on American Express Co and its competitors. For the Credit Services industry, the median Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio is 0.95 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. American Express Co's current Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio is 9.86, which is 75% above median its own 10-year median of 5.64. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is American Express Co stock overvalued right now?
American Express Co (XSWX:AXP) has a current Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio of 9.86. The stock's GF Value™ is CHF261.84, compared to a current price of CHF290.55 — trading 11% above its estimated fair value. The current Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio is 9.86, which is 75% above median its 10-year median of 5.64 and 943.4% above the Credit Services industry median of 0.95. American Express Co's overall GF Score™ is 80/100 with 4 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio calculated?
Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio is calculated from a company's financial statements. For American Express Co (XSWX:AXP), the current Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio is 9.86 as of Jul. 16, 2026. GuruFocus calculates this using data sourced from SEC filings and annual reports. See the calculation section and 30-year financial data on this page for the full breakdown.

Is American Express Co (XSWX:AXP) Overvalued in 2026?

Based on GuruFocus' analysis, American Express Co stock appears to be overvalued. The current stock price of CHF290.55 is trading 11% above its estimated GF Value™ of CHF261.84.

Key valuation signals for XSWX:AXP:

  • Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio: 9.86 (75% above median its 10-year median of 5.64)
  • GF Value™: CHF261.84 vs. price of CHF290.55 (11% above fair value)
  • GF Score™: 80/100 with 4 warning signs
  • Industry Position: 943.4% above the Credit Services median (#407 of 420)

No single metric tells the full story. See the XSWX:AXP stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.


American Express Co Business Description

Address 200 Vesey Street, New York, NY, USA, 10285
American Express is a global financial institution, operating in about 130 countries, that provides consumers and businesses charge and credit card payment products. The company also operates a highly profitable merchant payment network. It operates in four segments: US consumer services, US commercial services, international card services, and global merchant and network services. In addition to payment products, the company's commercial business offers expense management tools, consulting services, and business loans.
80GF Score

Get the complete analysis for XSWX:AXP

Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio is just one metric. See GF Value™, 30-year financials, guru trades, warning signs, and more.

CHF290.55
Price
CHF261.84
GF Value