We recently compiled a list of the 10 Best Bank Dividend Stocks To Buy Right Now. In this article, we are going to take a look at where American Express Company (NYSE:AXP) stands against the other bank dividend stocks.
The year 2024 was significant for major US banks. A recent Financial Times report highlighted that the country’s seven largest banks accounted for 56% of the industry’s profits in the first nine months of the year, up from 48% in the same period of 2023. The banking sector has also strengthened its capital position. In November, the Federal Reserve Board reported that 99% of US banks maintained capital levels above regulatory requirements. In addition, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) observed a 3.5% rise in equity capital during the third quarter of 2024, reinforcing the sector’s improving capitalization.
Bank stocks surged after President-elect Donald Trump’s victory in the 2024 presidential election. The rally was swift and broad-based, driven by market expectations of a more lenient regulatory environment starting in 2025, particularly regarding mergers and acquisitions. In November, the median total return for the 211 banks analyzed by S&P Global Market Intelligence reached 13.4%, significantly outperforming the broader market’s 5.9% return.
Also read: 14 Best Large Cap Dividend Growth Stocks To Buy Now
Another factor influencing the bank’s performance was the Federal Reserve’s release of parameters for its annual industry stress test, which outlined milder hypothetical economic shocks compared to previous years. Although the test remains challenging—projecting US unemployment rising to 10% and home prices dropping by 33%—the 2025 scenario includes smaller increases in joblessness and less severe declines in stock and real estate values than in recent years. Barclays analyst Jason Goldberg highlighted these adjustments in a report titled “2025 Stress Test: Scenarios Easier than Past Two Years.” Bank of America analyst Ebrahim Poonawala noted that with the latest version of the test being less stringent and more predictable, banks may not need to maintain as large of a capital buffer later this year. Here are some other comments from the analyst:
“The 2025 stress test scenario, broadly better vs last year, increases our confidence that banks should begin to see the relief on regulatory capital requirements, given our expectations for a shift to a balanced, transparent, and more predictable regulatory regime.”
In December, Moody’s upgraded its industry outlook from negative to stable for the first time since 2023, pointing to interest rate cuts and monetary policy adjustments by G-20 nations. The Federal Reserve implemented three rate cuts last year, bringing its target interest rate down to a range of 4.25% to 4.5%. Wall Street remains optimistic about the sector, with Barclays analyst Jason Goldberg predicting that major bank stocks will continue to rise, driven by expectations of a pro-growth, deregulation-focused agenda under the new administration. However, he acknowledged that corporate borrowing has remained subdued as businesses evaluate the post-election environment.
Investor interest in bank stocks is growing, largely due to their attractive dividend payouts. A report from Janus Henderson revealed that banks were responsible for one-fifth of all dividends distributed in the third quarter, reflecting a 6.6% increase on an underlying basis—outpacing the average across all sectors. Given their significant market presence, banks contributed the most to dividend growth in Q3, slightly surpassing the media sector. The latter saw a substantial 166% surge in payouts, driven by the resumption of dividend payments from major tech companies. The report further highlighted that bank stocks paid $38.2 billion in dividends during the third quarter of 2024. Given this, we will take a look at some of the best dividend stocks from the banking sector.
Our Methodology
For this list, we picked the top 10 bank dividend stocks based on their popularity among elite hedge funds in the third quarter of 2024. We gauged hedge fund sentiment for these stocks using Insider Monkey’s database of 900 hedge funds, as of Q3 2023.
Why are we interested in the stocks that hedge funds pile into? The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly newsletter’s strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 275% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 150 percentage points. (see more details here).
A close-up view of a payment terminal, capturing the sophistication of a payment network.
American Express Company (NYSE:AXP)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 62
American Express Company (NYSE:AXP) is an American bank holding and financial services company that mainly specializes in payment cards. The stock is grabbing investors’ attention, delivering a nearly 46% return in the past 12 months. In October 2024, the company purchased UBS’s 50% share in Swisscard, gaining full ownership of the credit card provider. This move helped American Express solidify its presence in the Swiss market and incorporate Credit Suisse customers into its existing credit card services. The company’s strong competitive advantages have created a robust model for inflation protection, which has become increasingly apparent as the company continues to expand.
In the fourth quarter of 2024, American Express Company (NYSE:AXP) reported revenues exceeding $17 billion, reflecting a 9% year-over-year increase. Its net income for the quarter surpassed $2.1 billion, representing a 12% growth compared to the previous year. American Express achieved record-breaking figures in annual Card Member spending, net card fee revenues, and new card acquisitions, adding 13 million new cards throughout the year. The company also expanded its global reach, adding millions of new merchant locations. By the end of the year, growth gained momentum, with billings rising 8% in the fourth quarter, driven by increased consumer and commercial spending during the holiday season.
American Express Company (NYSE:AXP) is a solid dividend payer, having raised its payouts six times in the past three years. Moreover, in the past five years, the company has raised its dividends at an annual average rate of over 11%. Currently, it pays a quarterly dividend of $0.82 per share for a dividend yield of 0.91%, as of February 13.
Overall AXP ranks 7th on our list of the best bank dividend stocks to buy. While we acknowledge the potential for AXP as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that some AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and doing so within a shorter time frame. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than AXP but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.
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Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.
