In fiscal 2025, which ended Dec 31, 2025, American Express Co generated $18.4 billion of cash from operations, up 31.2% from the year before. It spent $2.4 billion on capital expenditures. That left free cash flow of $16.0 billion. The company returned $2.3 billion in dividends and $5.8 billion in share buybacks to shareholders.
USD in millions, except per-share amounts and ratios. The percent under a figure is the change from the year before.
| Line |
FY 2026
Sep 30, 2026
|
FY 2025
Dec 31, 2025
|
FY 2024
Dec 31, 2024
|
FY 2023
Dec 31, 2023
|
FY 2022
Dec 31, 2022
|
FY 2021
Dec 31, 2021
|
FY 2020
Dec 31, 2020
|
FY 2019
Dec 31, 2019
|
FY 2011
Dec 31, 2011
|
FY 2010
Dec 31, 2010
|
FY 2009
Dec 31, 2009
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operating | |||||||||||
| Stock-based compensation |
636
+22.1%
|
551
+9.3%
|
504
+12.0%
|
450
+20.0%
|
375
+13.6%
|
330
+32.5%
|
249
-12.0%
|
283
+0.0%
|
301
+4.9%
|
287
+24.8%
|
230
|
| Operating cash flow |
17,626
-16.6%
|
18,428
+31.2%
|
14,050
-24.3%
|
18,559
-12.0%
|
21,079
+43.9%
|
14,645
+161.9%
|
5,591
-59.0%
|
13,632
|
10,475
+17.2%
|
8,935
+41.0%
|
6,337
|
| Investing | |||||||||||
| Capital expenditures |
3,716
+69.1%
|
2,425
+26.9%
|
1,911
+22.3%
|
1,563
-15.7%
|
1,855
+19.7%
|
1,550
+4.9%
|
1,478
-10.2%
|
1,645
+25.6%
|
1,189
+35.4%
|
878
+21.6%
|
722
|
| Investing cash flow |
-26,831
-6.5%
|
-22,891
+6.2%
|
-24,402
+0.1%
|
-24,433
+27.5%
|
-33,689
-220.0%
|
-10,529
-190.5%
|
11,632
+169.6%
|
-16,707
|
-491
+60.0%
|
-1,229
+81.8%
|
-6,752
|
| Financing | |||||||||||
| Debt issued |
12,897
-42.6%
|
24,377
+93.4%
|
12,602
-19.6%
|
15,674
-32.5%
|
23,230
+198.3%
|
7,788
+11187.0%
|
69
-99.5%
|
12,706
-41.0%
|
13,982
+136.3%
|
5,918
-11.6%
|
6,697
|
| Debt repaid |
11,084
-39.4%
|
18,157
+68.8%
|
10,759
+0.5%
|
10,703
-43.4%
|
18,906
+62.1%
|
11,662
-25.2%
|
15,593
+12.6%
|
13,850
-26.7%
|
21,029
+19.0%
|
17,670
+16.3%
|
15,197
|
| Dividends paid |
2,499
+13.7%
|
2,271
+13.6%
|
1,999
+12.3%
|
1,780
+13.7%
|
1,565
+8.1%
|
1,448
-1.8%
|
1,474
+3.7%
|
1,422
+7.4%
|
861
-0.7%
|
867
-6.2%
|
924
|
| Stock buybacks |
6,704
+12.7%
|
5,814
-3.4%
|
6,020
+64.9%
|
3,650
+4.2%
|
3,502
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
2,300
+289.8%
|
590
|
0
|
| Financing cash flow |
-2,499
-123.6%
|
11,210
+152.7%
|
4,436
-75.9%
|
18,379
-25.0%
|
24,509
+264.1%
|
-14,933
-64.7%
|
-9,068
-1647.2%
|
-519
|
-1,384
+82.9%
|
-8,084
-74.0%
|
-4,647
|
| Change in cash | |||||||||||
| Effect of exchange rate |
201
-17.6%
|
405
+1112.5%
|
-40
-122.6%
|
177
+1461.5%
|
-13
+89.2%
|
-120
-133.0%
|
364
+56.9%
|
232
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
| Net change in cash |
-11,503
-269.5%
|
7,152
+220.1%
|
-5,956
-147.0%
|
12,682
+6.7%
|
11,886
+208.7%
|
-10,937
-228.4%
|
8,519
+353.4%
|
-3,362
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
| Free cash flow |
13,910
-26.6%
|
16,003
+31.8%
|
12,139
-28.6%
|
16,996
-11.6%
|
19,224
+46.8%
|
13,095
+218.4%
|
4,113
-65.7%
|
11,987
|
9,286
+15.3%
|
8,057
+43.5%
|
5,615
|
| Per share | |||||||||||
| Free cash flow per share |
20.38
-24.7%
|
22.99
+35.1%
|
17.03
-26.3%
|
23.09
-9.7%
|
25.56
+54.2%
|
16.58
+224.8%
|
5.10
-64.7%
|
14.44
|
7.84
+16.3%
|
6.74
+40.6%
|
4.80
|
| Dividend per share |
3.67
+16.1%
|
3.28
+17.1%
|
2.80
+16.7%
|
2.40
+15.4%
|
2.08
+20.9%
|
1.72
+0.0%
|
1.72
+4.9%
|
1.64
+10.8%
|
0.72
+0.0%
|
0.72
+0.0%
|
0.72
|
| Shareholder returns | |||||||||||
| Returned to shareholders |
9,203
|
8,085
|
8,019
|
5,430
|
5,067
|
1,448
|
1,474
|
1,422
|
3,161
|
1,457
|
924
|
| Share of free cash flow |
66.16%
|
50.52%
|
66.06%
|
31.95%
|
26.36%
|
11.06%
|
35.84%
|
11.86%
|
34.04%
|
18.08%
|
16.46%
|
| Ratios | |||||||||||
| Free cash flow margin |
31.68%
|
38.74%
|
31.27%
|
45.67%
|
56.18%
|
47.25%
|
18.72%
|
42.57%
|
—
|
28.96%
|
—
|
| Capital expenditures to revenue |
8.46%
|
5.87%
|
4.92%
|
4.20%
|
5.42%
|
5.59%
|
6.73%
|
5.84%
|
—
|
3.16%
|
—
|
| Stock-based compensation to revenue |
1.45%
|
1.33%
|
1.30%
|
1.21%
|
1.10%
|
1.19%
|
1.13%
|
1.01%
|
—
|
1.03%
|
—
|
| Cash conversion |
1.44x
|
1.70x
|
1.39x
|
2.22x
|
2.81x
|
1.82x
|
1.78x
|
2.02x
|
2.12x
|
2.20x
|
2.98x
|
How these figures are calculated
Annual columns are full-year amounts from the annual report (Form 10-K, 20-F, or 40-F). If a company restates a year, the latest filed number is shown. USD in millions, except per-share amounts and ratios. Capital expenditures, debt repaid, dividends, and buybacks are positive amounts. Investing and financing cash flow keep the filing sign, so an outflow is negative. Free cash flow is operating cash flow minus capital expenditures. The first column is the trailing twelve months through the latest quarter. Returned to shareholders is dividends plus buybacks. Free cash flow margin, capital expenditures, and stock-based compensation are divided by revenue. Cash conversion is operating cash flow divided by net income. More on our methodology.
Company profile
- Industry
- Finance Services (SIC 6199)
- Listed as
- AXP (NYSE)
- Fiscal year ends
- December 31
- Incorporated in
- NY
- Headquarters
- New York, NY
- SEC filer status
- Large accelerated filer
- SEC CIK
- 4962
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Source: SEC EDGAR filings. This is company-reported data, not investment advice.