AmEx Still Spending

American Express said April 23 that first-quarter spending on its cards kept growing fast enough for the company to stick with its full-year outlook. (americanexpress.com) The company reported first-quarter net income of $2.97 billion, up 15% from a year earlier, on revenue net of interest expense of $18.9 billion, up 11%. Earnings per share rose to $4.28 from $3.64, and billed business — the dollar value of card spending — reached $428.0 billion. (americanexpress.com; publicnow.com) American Express also reaffirmed its 2026 guidance, keeping its forecast for revenue growth of 8% to 10% and earnings per share of $15.00 to $15.50. Third-party earnings trackers showed Wall Street had expected about $4.03 a share, leaving the quarter ahead of consensus. (publicnow.com; marketwatch.com) The company’s pitch to customers is not just credit. American Express runs a premium card business that charges annual fees and bundles perks, from airport lounges to ticket access and event extras, to persuade cardholders to keep paying for membership. (americanexpress.com; americanexpress.com) That strategy is showing up in football. American Express and the National Football League announced a multi-year global partnership on March 30, with cardmember perks tied to tentpole events including the NFL Draft and the Super Bowl. (americanexpress.com) For the 2026 NFL Draft in Pittsburgh, AmEx is offering an open-to-all fan experience, a cardmember lounge for Platinum and Centurion members, priority lanes for Platinum cardholders, and statement-credit offers at NFL Shop locations. The draft page lists Point State Park and Acrisure Stadium as the main activation sites. (americanexpress.com) The lounge is limited to same-day in-person reservations, and the priority-lane benefit requires an on-site wristband reservation at kiosks outside Acrisure Stadium Gate C or inside the main entry at Point State Park. The NFL Shop offer gives eligible enrolled cardmembers 10% back, up to $20, on qualifying purchases during the draft window. (americanexpress.com) American Express has been building this venue-and-access business beyond one event. Its Venue Collection says eligible United States cardmembers can get dedicated entrances, reserved or presale tickets, and 10% back on qualifying concessions at participating venues, up to $250 a year. (americanexpress.com) The quarter’s numbers and the draft rollout land on the same point: American Express is still getting growth from customers who spend on the card and pay for access around the card. The company’s next scheduled earnings checkpoint, according to analyst calendars, is in July. (americanexpress.com; tipranks.com)