American Express Shares Plunge 2.16% as Trading Volume Dips to 140th in Dollar Rank Despite Institutional Bets

Market Snapshot

American Express (NYSE: AXP) closed the session down 2.16%, marking a significant decline amid subdued trading activity. The stock’s trading volume on 2025-11-13 fell to $0.83 billion, a 24.43% drop from the previous day, ranking it 140th in total dollar volume among equities traded that session. This underperformance contrasts with broader institutional confidence in the financial sector, as highlighted by recent portfolio adjustments at major investment firms.

Key Drivers

The recent inclusion of American Express in Kahn Brothers (Trades, Portfolio)’s third-quarter 2025 13F filing signals renewed institutional interest. The firm added 1,150 shares of AXP, representing a 0.07% allocation to its portfolio, valued at $381,980. While this stake is relatively modest compared to the firm’s larger positions in Seaport Entertainment Group and MBIA Inc, the move underscores the firm’s strategic focus on undervalued financial equities. Kahn Brothers’ value-driven approach, rooted in Benjamin Graham’s philosophies, suggests a long-term perspective on AXP’s fundamentals, such as its resilience in the financial services sector.

Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway further reinforces institutional confidence in American Express. AXP constitutes 18.78% of Berkshire’s portfolio, making it the second-largest holding after Apple. This significant weighting reflects Buffett’s long-term bet on the company’s brand strength, fee-based revenue model, and market leadership in credit card services. Notably, Berkshire has maintained and occasionally adjusted its AXP position since 2017, indicating a stable outlook despite market volatility. The firm’s recent trimming of Apple shares by 25.76% contrasts with its continued commitment to AXP, suggesting a strategic tilt toward financials and consumer staples.

American Express’s corporate initiatives also provide context for its market position. The company’s Small Business Saturday campaign, announced in a Campaign Live article, includes $20,000 grants for 250 small businesses and a partnership with Main Street America. This effort aligns with the company’s broader strategy to strengthen its brand as a supporter of small businesses, potentially enhancing customer loyalty and long-term revenue streams. While the direct financial impact of such initiatives is not quantified in the provided data, they reinforce AXP’s market perception as a socially responsible entity, which could influence investor sentiment over time.

The interplay of these factors—institutional allocations, Buffett’s strategic positioning, and corporate initiatives—creates a nuanced backdrop for AXP’s recent performance. However, the stock’s 2.16% decline and reduced trading volume may reflect broader market dynamics, such as sector rotation or macroeconomic concerns, which are not explicitly detailed in the provided news articles. Investors may be recalibrating positions in light of shifting interest rates or sector-specific earnings reports, though no such details are included in the current dataset.

In summary, while Kahn Brothers and Berkshire’s holdings signal institutional confidence in AXP’s long-term prospects, the immediate price movement appears influenced by market-wide factors. The company’s strategic focus on financial services and corporate social responsibility remains a key narrative, but short-term volatility suggests continued sensitivity to macroeconomic conditions.