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American Express Co has the Financial Strength Rank of 3. It displays poor financial strength and is likely in financial distress. Usually this is caused by too much debt for the company.
Warning Sign:
American Express Co displays poor financial strength. Usually, this is caused by too much debt for the company.
GuruFocus Financial Strength Rank measures how strong a company's financial situation is. It is rated on a scale of 1 to 10 and is based on these factors:
1. The debt burden that the company has as measured by its Interest Coverage (current year). The higher, the better.
2. Debt to revenue ratio. The lower, the better.
3. Altman Z-Score.
4. Other debt related ratios.
A higher score indicates a stronger financial position, with companies rated 7 or above considered financially stable and unlikely to face distress. Conversely, a score of 3 or below suggests potential financial difficulties, indicating a higher risk of distress.
GuruFocus does not calculate American Express Co's interest coverage with the available data.
American Express Co's debt to revenue ratio for the quarter that ended in Mar. 2026 was 0.80.
Altman Z-Score does not apply to banks and insurance companies.
American Express Co (XSWX:AXP) Financial Strength Explanation
The rank is rated on a scale of 1 to 10. A higher score indicates a stronger financial position, with companies rated 7 or above considered financially stable and unlikely to face distress. Conversely, a score of 3 or below suggests potential financial difficulties, indicating a higher risk of distress.
American Express Co has the Financial Strength Rank of 3. It displays poor financial strength and is likely in financial distress. Usually this is caused by too much debt for the company.
American Express Co Financial Strength Related Terms
Interest Coverage is a ratio that determines how easily a company can pay interest expenses on outstanding debt. It is calculated by dividing a company's Operating Income (EBIT) by its Interest Expense:
Z-Score model is an accurate forecaster of failure up to two years prior to distress. It can be considered the assessment of the distress of industrial corporations.
The zones of discrimination were as such:
When Z-Score is less than 1.81, it is in Distress Zones.
When Z-Score is greater than 2.99, it is in Safe Zones.
When Z-Score is between 1.81 and 2.99, it is in Grey Zones.
Altman Z-Score does not apply to banks and insurance companies.
* 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 (XSWX:AXP) has a Financial Strength of 3 as of Mar. 2026. The financial strength rank measures the strength of a company's balance sheet based on revenue and debt. View historical data on American Express Co and its competitors. This is 25% below median its historical median of 4.00. Over the past decade, American Express Co's Financial Strength has ranged from 2.00 to 6.00.
Is American Express Co's Financial Strength too high?
American Express Co's current Financial Strength of 3 is 25% below median its 10-year median of 4.00. Over the past 10 years, this metric has ranged from a low of 2.00 to a high of 6.00. 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 Financial Strength compare to COF and PYPL?
American Express Co's Financial Strength of 3 can be compared against companies in the Credit Services industry. Historically, American Express Co's own Financial Strength has ranged from 2.00 to 6.00 over the past decade. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good Financial Strength for a Credit Services company?
A good Financial Strength depends on the Credit Services industry context. However, Financial Strength should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Use the industry distribution chart on this page to see where any company falls relative to its peers.
What does a high Financial Strength mean?
A high Financial Strength can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. The financial strength rank measures the strength of a company's balance sheet based on revenue and debt. View historical data on American Express Co and its competitors. American Express Co's current Financial Strength is 3, which is 25% below median its own 10-year median of 4.00. 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 Financial Strength of 3. The stock's GF Value™ is CHF262.56, compared to a current price of CHF288.60 — trading 9.9% above its estimated fair value. The current Financial Strength is 3, which is 25% below median its 10-year median of 4.00. 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 Financial Strength calculated?
Financial Strength is calculated from a company's financial statements. For American Express Co (XSWX:AXP), the current Financial Strength is 3 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 (XSWX:AXP) Overvalued in 2026?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, American Express Co stock appears to be overvalued.
The current stock price of CHF288.60 is trading 9.9% above its estimated GF Value™ of CHF262.56.
Key valuation signals for XSWX:AXP:
Financial Strength: 3 (25% below median its 10-year median of 4.00)
GF Value™: CHF262.56 vs. price of CHF288.60 (9.9% above fair value)
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 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
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