American Express Sets 2026 Earnings Dates Amid Strong Performance and Shifting Economic Tides

NEW YORK, NY – December 19, 2025 – American Express (NYSE: AXP) has officially set its financial reporting calendar for the upcoming year, announcing the dates for its quarterly earnings conference calls throughout 2026. The schedule provides investors and the market with key checkpoints to assess the financial giant's health and strategic direction.

The series of webcasts will kick off on Friday, January 30, 2026, with the release of its fourth-quarter and full-year 2025 results. Subsequent calls are scheduled for April 24, July 24, and October 23 to discuss first, second, and third-quarter 2026 performance, respectively. The company stated that financial results and presentation materials will be available on its Investor Relations website at approximately 7:00 a.m. (ET) before each 8:30 a.m. call.

While a routine corporate disclosure, this calendar release comes as American Express navigates a complex economic environment with remarkable momentum. The company enters this reporting cycle on the back of a strong 2025, having consistently beaten analyst expectations and raised its own guidance, setting a high bar for the year ahead.

A Year of Scrutiny: What Investors Will Be Watching

Investors will be closely scrutinizing the upcoming reports, starting with the January 30th call, to see if the company can sustain its impressive growth trajectory. American Express has demonstrated robust health in recent quarters. In its third-quarter 2025 earnings report, it posted an 11% year-over-year revenue increase to $18.4 billion and a 19% jump in earnings per share (EPS) to $4.14, handily beating consensus estimates.

This performance prompted the company to lift its full-year 2025 guidance, now projecting revenue growth of 9% to 10% and an EPS between $15.20 and $15.50. Analysts are largely aligned with this optimism, forecasting an EPS of around $15.33 for the full year. The critical question for 2026 is whether this momentum is sustainable. Wall Street consensus points to continued growth, with an average EPS forecast for 2026 hovering around $17.60.

To gauge this, market watchers will focus on several key metrics:

• Card Member Spending: Known as billed business, this is the lifeblood of Amex's revenue. Growth in this area accelerated to 9% in the third quarter of 2025. Stakeholders will watch to see if spending, particularly in the high-margin travel and entertainment sectors, remains resilient against any potential economic headwinds.
• Loan Growth and Credit Quality: With higher interest rates, net interest income has become a significant contributor. Investors will monitor the growth of card member loans, which stood at $94.1 billion for U.S. consumers at the end of Q3 2025. Equally important is the company's ability to maintain its “best-in-class” credit metrics. The net write-off rate was a manageable 1.9% in the last reported quarter, and any deviation from this could signal stress among its customer base.
• New Card Acquisitions: American Express has successfully courted younger, affluent customers. In the second quarter of 2025, Millennial and Gen-Z customers accounted for 63% of new proprietary card acquisitions. Continuing this trend is vital for long-term growth and will be a key indicator of the brand's enduring appeal.

Bellwether for the Premium Economy

Beyond its own stock performance, American Express’s earnings are widely viewed as a barometer for the health of the premium consumer and the broader economy. With a customer base that skews towards higher-income individuals and a significant presence in corporate spending, its results provide unique insights into discretionary spending patterns.

The consistent growth in billed business across goods, services, and travel throughout 2025 has signaled that, despite inflation and interest rate concerns, the premium consumer segment remains confident and willing to spend. The upcoming calls will offer a crucial read on whether this trend is holding, particularly in the travel and entertainment categories, which are often the first to be curtailed during economic downturns.

Furthermore, the company's performance reflects major shifts in the payments industry. The move towards a “cloud-first” architecture, the integration of artificial intelligence for fraud detection and personalization, and the rise of digital wallets are trends impacting all major players. American Express’s commentary on its technology investments and their impact on operational efficiency and customer experience will provide valuable context for the entire financial services sector. Competitors like Visa and Mastercard have also reported strong growth, citing innovation and resilient consumer spending, underscoring the competitive but currently healthy state of the digital payments landscape.

The Strategic Playbook for 2026 and Beyond

The 2026 earnings calls will offer a window into the effectiveness of American Express's long-term strategic playbook. A key element has been the focus on enhancing its premium value propositions. The successful relaunch of its U.S. Platinum Card in 2025, which saw new account acquisitions double compared to pre-refresh levels, is a testament to this strategy. Investors will listen for updates on how these refreshed products are driving card fee growth, which is expected to accelerate in 2026 after a period of moderation.

Another core pillar of its strategy is the aggressive pursuit of Millennial and Gen Z customers. By tailoring products and marketing to these demographics, the company is building a pipeline for future growth. The upcoming reports will need to show continued success in acquiring and, more importantly, engaging these younger card members.

Technology and innovation are also at the forefront. Management has expressed confidence in achieving mid-teens EPS growth partly through productivity gains driven by AI. These technologies are being deployed not just for risk management but also to power more personalized services and create a leaner cost base. How these investments translate into tangible financial benefits, such as operating expense leverage and improved profit margins, will be a central theme in 2026. The January 30th call will provide the first detailed look at how these strategic efforts materialized in the final quarter of 2025 and set the tone for a pivotal year ahead.