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American Express CoTSX:AXP +1.15%64 Debt-to-Equity is 1.78 as of Mar. 2026, which is 4% below its 10-year median of 1.85. GuruFocus rates TSX:AXP with a GF Score™ of 64/100 and a GF Value™ of C$27.86 (Fairly Valued). The stock has 4 warning signs investors should review. Among 455 Credit Services companies, American Express Co ranks worse than 58.24% on this metric.
A high debt to equity ratio generally means that a company has been aggressive in financing its growth with debt. This can result in volatile earnings as a result of the additional interest expense.
The historical rank and industry rank for American Express Co's Debt-to-Equity or its related term are showing as below:
TSX:AXP'
s Debt-to-Equity Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: 1.5 Med: 1.85 Max: 3.24
Current: 1.78
During the past 13 years, the highest Debt-to-Equity Ratio of American Express Co was 3.24. The lowest was 1.50. And the median was 1.85.
TSX:AXP's Debt-to-Equity is ranked worse than 58.24% of 455
companies
in the Credit Services industry
Industry Median: 1.23
vs TSX:AXP: 1.78
American Express Co (TSX:AXP) Debt-to-Equity Explanation
Because a company can increase its ROE % by having more financial leverage, it is important to watch the leverage ratio when investing in high ROE % companies.
American Express Co Debt-to-Equity Related Terms
American Express Co Debt-to-Equity Historical Data
* Premium members only.
The historical data trend for American Express Co's Debt-to-Equity 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.
TSX:AXP vs COF, PYPL, AFRM: Debt-to-Equity Comparison
For the Credit Services subindustry, American Express Co's Debt-to-Equity, along with its competitors' market caps and Debt-to-Equity 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 Debt-to-Equity vs Credit Services Industry
For the Credit Services industry and Financial Services sector, American Express Co's Debt-to-Equity distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where American Express Co's Debt-to-Equity falls into.
* 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 (TSX:AXP) has a Debt-to-Equity of 1.78 as of Mar. 2026. Debt-to-Equity ratio represents the ratio of total debt to total company equity. View historical data on American Express Co and its competitors. This is near median its historical median of 1.85. Over the past decade, American Express Co's Debt-to-Equity has ranged from 1.50 to 3.24. According to the industry distribution chart, American Express Co ranks #265 out of 455 companies in the Credit Services industry, placing it in the top 58.2%.
Is American Express Co's Debt-to-Equity too high?
American Express Co's current Debt-to-Equity of 1.78 is near median its 10-year median of 1.85. Over the past 10 years, this metric has ranged from a low of 1.50 to a high of 3.24. The Credit Services industry median Debt-to-Equity is 1.23. American Express Co's value of 1.78 is 44.7% above this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, American Express Co ranks #265 out of 455 companies in the Credit Services industry, which is below the industry midpoint. Overall, American Express Co has a GF Score™ of 64/100 and is considered Fairly Valued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does American Express Co's Debt-to-Equity compare to COF and PYPL?
According to the Credit Services industry distribution chart, American Express Co ranks #265 out of 455 companies for Debt-to-Equity. This places American Express Co in the lower half of its industry. The industry median Debt-to-Equity is 1.23. American Express Co's value of 1.78 is 44.7% above this benchmark. Historically, American Express Co's own Debt-to-Equity has ranged from 1.50 to 3.24 over the past decade. While the company's 10-year median is 1.85 vs. the industry median of 1.23, 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 Debt-to-Equity for a Credit Services company?
The median Debt-to-Equity among Credit Services companies is 1.23, based on 455 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a Debt-to-Equity significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, Debt-to-Equity should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. American Express Co's current Debt-to-Equity of 1.78 is 44.7% 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 Debt-to-Equity mean?
A high Debt-to-Equity can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Debt-to-Equity ratio represents the ratio of total debt to total company equity. View historical data on American Express Co and its competitors. For the Credit Services industry, the median Debt-to-Equity is 1.23 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. American Express Co's current Debt-to-Equity is 1.78, which is near median its own 10-year median of 1.85. 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?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, American Express Co (TSX:AXP) is currently considered Fairly Valued. The stock's GF Value™ is C$27.86, compared to a current price of C$30.18 — trading 8.3% above its estimated fair value. The current Debt-to-Equity is 1.78, which is near median its 10-year median of 1.85 and 44.7% above the Credit Services industry median of 1.23. American Express Co's overall GF Score™ is 64/100 with 4 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is Debt-to-Equity calculated?
Debt-to-Equity is calculated from a company's financial statements. For American Express Co (TSX:AXP), the current Debt-to-Equity is 1.78 as of Mar. 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 (TSX:AXP) Overvalued in 2026?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, American Express Co stock appears to be overvalued.
The current stock price of C$30.18 is trading 8.3% above its estimated GF Value™ of C$27.86.
GuruFocus considers American Express Co to be Fairly Valued.
Key valuation signals for TSX:AXP:
Debt-to-Equity: 1.78 (near median its 10-year median of 1.85)
GF Value™: C$27.86 vs. price of C$30.18 (8.3% above fair value)
Industry Position: 44.7% above the Credit Services median (#265 of 455)
No single metric tells the full story. See the TSX:AXP stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.
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.
64GF Score
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