Operating Expenses
Provision for Credit Losses
American Express Provision for Credit Losses decreased by 11.5% to $1.25B in Q1 2026 compared to the prior quarter. Year-over-year, this metric grew by 8.8%, from $1.15B to $1.25B. Over 4 years (FY 2021 to FY 2025), Provision for Credit Losses shows an upward trend with a 37.5% CAGR. This increase may warrant attention — for this metric, lower values are generally preferred.
Analysis
StatementIncome Statement
SectionOperating Expenses
CategoryRisk
SignalLower is better
VolatilityVolatile
First reportedQ1 2017
Last reportedQ4 2025
How to read this metric
An increase suggests deteriorating credit quality or portfolio growth, while a decrease may indicate improved borrower health or more conservative lending.
Detailed definition
This is an expense set aside to cover expected future losses on loans and credit card receivables. It reflects managemen...
Peer comparison
Standard for all lenders and credit card issuers.
Metric ID:
is_provision_for_credit_lossesHistorical Data
20 periods
| Q2 '21 | Q3 '21 | Q4 '21 | Q1 '22 | Q2 '22 | Q3 '22 | Q4 '22 | Q1 '23 | Q2 '23 | Q3 '23 | Q4 '23 | Q1 '24 | Q2 '24 | Q3 '24 | Q4 '24 | Q1 '25 | Q2 '25 | Q3 '25 | Q4 '25 | Q1 '26 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Value | -$606.00M | -$191.00M | $0.00 | -$33.00M | $410.00M | $778.00M | $1.03B | $1.06B | $1.20B | $1.23B | $1.44B | $1.27B | $1.27B | $1.36B | $1.29B | $1.15B | $1.41B | $1.29B | $1.41B | $1.25B |
| QoQ Change | — | +68.5% | +100.0% | — | >999% | +89.8% | +32.0% | +2.7% | +13.6% | +2.9% | +16.5% | -11.7% | -0.1% | +6.9% | -4.7% | -11.0% | +22.2% | -8.4% | +9.9% | -11.5% |
| YoY Change | — | — | — | — | +167.7% | +507.3% | — | >999% | +192.2% | +58.5% | +39.9% | +20.3% | +5.8% | +10.0% | -10.1% | -9.4% | +10.8% | -5.1% | +9.4% | +8.8% |
Range-$606.00M – $1.44B
CAGR+16.5%
Avg YoY Growth+286.9%
Median YoY Growth+10.8%
Provision for Credit Losses at Other Companies
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is American Express's provision for credit losses?
- American Express (AXP) reported provision for credit losses of $1.25B in Q1 2026.
- How has American Express's provision for credit losses changed year-over-year?
- American Express's provision for credit losses increased by 8.8% year-over-year, from $1.15B to $1.25B.
- What is the long-term trend for American Express's provision for credit losses?
- Over 4 years (2021 to 2025), American Express's provision for credit losses has grown at a 37.5% compound annual growth rate (CAGR), from -$1.47B to $5.26B.
- What does provision for credit losses mean?
- The amount of money set aside to cover potential losses from unpaid loans.