American Express network statistics and comparatives

The Amex network

The American Express Company (a.k.a Amex), is an American international financial corporation with headquarters located in New York City. The company was established in 1850 and is one of the 30 components of the Dow Jones Industrial Average. Amex is best recognized for its debit charge card, credit card, and traveler’s check businesses.

The network is recognized as 23rd most valuable brand in the world with estimated brand value of US $24.5 billion. For the fiscal year of 2017, Amex reported net-income of of US $2.634 billion, with an annual revenue of US $35.583 billion. As of recent statistics, American express had 112.8 million cards in use.

Identification markers:

  • FIGI BBG000BCR153
  • Share Class FIGI BBG001S5P034
  • Composite FIGI BBG000BCQZS4
  • FIGI ID EQ0010006100001000
  • Website: www.americanexpress.com
  • Founded: 1850
  • Founders: William Fargo, Henry Wells, and John Warren Butterfield
  • Headquarters: New York, NY
  • Valuation $78,170,000,000
  • Employees 56,000+/-
  • Stock Symbol BCBA:AXP

Amex timeline

At formation, American Express was based on an express mail delivery business in Buffalo, NY. Soon after successful establishment it initiated its expansion in financial services arena in 1857 by starting a money order business that effectively competed with the USPS money orders.

The first charge card initiative was proposed by the Amex executives in 1946 but only officially launched in 1957. The first credit cards were produced of paper with the account number and cardholder name typed. The first plastic credit cards were issued in 1959.

american express card testing

Network statistics

Amex competes with the transaction volumes by all other major networks – globally. It’s financial reach so far achieved the following by 2018:

  • Number of American Express cards in force: 114 million
  • Number of employees: 59 ,000
  • Amex revenue, annually: $40.338 billion
  • Net income: $6.921 billion
  • In the United States, there were approximately 53.7 million credit cards in circulation in 2018
  • U.S. cardholders spent $776 billion in 2018, up from $708 billion the year before

Amex Purchase Volume Comparrison

YearAmexDiscoverMastercardVisa
2018$778$139$811$1,956
2017$708$129$743$1,777
2016$700$121$693$1,549
2015$721$118$652$1,343
2014$688$116$607$1,213
2013$637$110$560$1,079
2012$591$106$534$981
2011$543$100$508$889
2010$479$93$479$809
2009$424$88$477$764
2008$471$92$547$824
Reference: SEC filings from Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Discover. Nilson Report data up to 2018

References

The American Express Company From Wikipedia edited on edited on 1 February 2020, at 11:10 (UTC).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Express

Amex Statistics, Market Share & Benefits
https://www.americanexpress.com/