American Express in charts: Q3 network volumes +8%, provisions for credit losses -23% Y/Y

American Express has increased its annual guidance, citing robust revenue from its affluent clientele, which has helped drive the credit-card company's earnings. The company now projects annual earnings per share between $18.30 and $18.60, up from the prior range of $17.30 and $17.90. American Express has been concentrating on expanding its customer base of high-income clients, which has proven beneficial during periods of economic instability and declining consumer confidence.

The firm has also been targeting younger cardholders to guarantee steady income generation and enhance its global presence. Recent enhancements have been introduced to AmEx's premier Platinum card, although the company has noted a potential 10% surge in marketing expenses in the second half of the year compared to the previous year.

In a statement, Chief Executive Stephen Squeri highlighted the company's strong business performance, citing robust billings, new acquisitions, and high customer retention rates, alongside excellent credit quality. Billed business, which gauges customer spending patterns by tracking total spending on all AmEx-issued cards, rose 8% to $454 billion.

For the third quarter of the fiscal year, American Express reported adjusted earnings per share of $4.68 and revenue of $20.06 billion. These figures were slightly below the consensus estimates of $4.49 and $20.12 billion, respectively, according to Bloomberg. Following the announcement, AmEx shares experienced a decline of over 1% in premarket trading on U.S. markets.