AEC1 (American Express Co) vs DAX Index Comparison

AEC1

DAX Index

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AEC1

DAX Index

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AEC1

DAX Index

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DAX Index

AEC1

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American Express Co
Glance View

Economic Moat

Wide

Market Cap

217.7B EUR

Industry

Financial Services

In the bustling heart of the financial service industry sits American Express Co., a titan with a storied legacy stretching back to 1850. Originally founded as an express mail business, it has evolved significantly over the decades, now commanding a substantial presence in the world of financial services. Central to the company’s operations is its unique closed-loop payment network, a rare system that allows it to control every stage of the transaction process. This network facilitates not only payment processing but also integrates issuing credit cards and acquiring transactions directly with merchants. American Express leverages this model to gather detailed customer data, refining its services to create tailored offerings—transforming ordinary transactions into personalized experiences for card members. How American Express generates revenue is distinguished by its diverse stream. Primarily, it earns through discount revenue, which is a fee charged to merchants for accepting its cards, typically higher than that charged by competitors. Additionally, the company reaps financial rewards from annual card member fees, interest on outstanding balances, and a variety of travel and lifestyle services designed to enhance card loyalty. By combining premium pricing with rewards programs that appeal to affluent customers, American Express has created a strong brand association with exclusivity and prestige. This equation of high-value clientele, proprietary technological infrastructure, and premium service offerings underscores American Express's profitability and underpins its resilient business model in the often volatile financial sector.

View AEC1 Analysis

AEC1 Intrinsic Value

Overvaluation 11%

Intrinsic Value

Price

What is Intrinsic Value?

Economic Moat is a concept popularized by Warren Buffett to describe a company's durable competitive advantage. It represents the 'moat' that protects a company from competitors and helps it sustain profitability over the long term. Our analysis of the past 10 years showed that companies with a wide economic moat significantly outperformed the market, delivering +645% returns compared to +189% for the S&P 500.

Our research into Economic Moat performance spans the past 10 years and focuses on companies with a wide economic moat. For this analysis, we calculated the average stock price returns of these companies, comparing them to the performance of the S&P 500 index over the same period.

The results were compelling: wide moat stocks achieved a remarkable +645% average return, compared to +188% for the broader market. This difference highlights the long-term benefits of investing in businesses that can maintain their market position and pricing power over time.

Note: This research does not account for survivorship bias. Past performance is not indicative of future results.

Determining whether a company has an economic moat requires both a deep dive into financial metrics and a qualitative assessment of its competitive position. Our analysts conduct a rigorous evaluation that focuses on identifying structural advantages that enable a company to sustain profitability and defend its market share over the long term.

The process begins with an analysis of a company’s historical financial performance. We assess how consistently the company has generated returns above its cost of capital and whether those returns have been stable or improving. However, financial performance alone doesn’t reveal the full picture. To understand the sources of these advantages, we evaluate five key drivers of economic moats:

Network Effect: We analyze whether the value of a company’s product or service grows as its user base expands. Platforms like payment systems or marketplaces benefit from this self-reinforcing.

Switching Costs: We assess whether customers face significant costs or disruptions when switching to a competitor’s product or service. High switching costs create customer stickiness and provide pricing power.

Intangible Assets: Strong brands, patents, and regulatory licenses can protect a company’s market position by creating barriers for competitors or enabling premium pricing. For example, a well-recognized consumer brand may command higher customer loyalty and margins.

Efficient scale: Occurs when a market is optimally served by one or a few players, making it unprofitable for new entrants to compete. This typically happens in industries with high fixed costs or geographic constraints, such as utilities or pipelines.

Cost Advantage: Companies with structural cost advantages can produce goods or services at a lower cost than their competitors, enabling them to offer competitive pricing or maintain higher margins. These advantages often arise from economies of scale, superior supply chain management, or proprietary technology. Firms like Walmart leverage their massive scale to negotiate better terms with suppliers, allowing them to undercut competitors on price.

By examining these factors in combination with a company’s financial performance and market positioning, we classify each company into one of three categories:

This rigorous evaluation ensures that our moat ratings are both comprehensive and reliable, giving investors the tools they need to make well-informed, long-term decisions.

AEC1

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AEC1 vs DAX Index

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AEC1 vs DAX Index

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AEC1 vs DAX Index

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American Express Co vs Peers

American Express Co
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AEC1 vs D DAX Index

Stocks Performance AEC1 vs DAX Index

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American Express Co Glance View

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AEC1

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DAX Index

Stocks Performance
AEC1 vs DAX Index

Performance Gap
AEC1 vs DAX Index

Performance By Year
AEC1 vs DAX Index

Competitors Performance
American Express Co vs Peers

American Express Co
Glance View