Equity
Retained Earnings
American Express Retained Earnings increased by 2.4% to $26.09B in Q1 2026 compared to the prior quarter. Year-over-year, this metric grew by 11.5%, from $23.39B to $26.09B. Over 5 years (FY 2020 to FY 2025), Retained Earnings shows an upward trend with a 13.0% CAGR. This is a positive signal — higher values indicate stronger performance for this metric.
Analysis
StatementBalance Sheet Statement
SectionEquity
CategoryProfitability
SignalHigher is better
VolatilityStable
First reportedQ4 2014
Last reportedQ1 2026Apr 23, 2026
How to read this metric
Consistent growth indicates sustained profitability and successful capital reinvestment strategies.
Detailed definition
This represents the cumulative net income of the company that has been reinvested in the business rather than distribute...
Peer comparison
Mature, profitable companies typically show strong, growing retained earnings balances.
Metric ID:
retained_earningsHistorical 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 | $16.40B | $14.83B | $13.47B | $13.75B | $14.75B | $15.69B | $16.28B | $17.43B | $18.13B | $18.95B | $19.61B | $20.42B | $21.27B | $21.47B | $22.15B | $23.39B | $24.37B | $24.47B | $25.49B | $26.09B |
| QoQ Change | — | -9.6% | -9.2% | +2.1% | +7.2% | +6.3% | +3.8% | +7.1% | +4.0% | +4.5% | +3.5% | +4.1% | +4.1% | +0.9% | +3.2% | +5.6% | +4.2% | +0.4% | +4.2% | +2.4% |
| YoY Change | — | — | — | — | -10.1% | +5.8% | +20.8% | +26.7% | +22.9% | +20.8% | +20.5% | +17.2% | +17.3% | +13.3% | +12.9% | +14.5% | +14.6% | +14.0% | +15.1% | +11.5% |
Range$13.47B – $26.09B
CAGR+10.3%
Avg YoY Growth+14.9%
Median YoY Growth+14.8%
Current Streak17 quarters growth
Retained Earnings at Other Companies
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is American Express's retained earnings?
- American Express (AXP) reported retained earnings of $26.09B in Q1 2026.
- How has American Express's retained earnings changed year-over-year?
- American Express's retained earnings increased by 11.5% year-over-year, from $23.39B to $26.09B.
- What is the long-term trend for American Express's retained earnings?
- Over 5 years (2020 to 2025), American Express's retained earnings has grown at a 13.0% compound annual growth rate (CAGR), from $13.84B to $25.49B.
- What does retained earnings mean?
- The total profit the company has kept and reinvested since it began.