American Express Beats First-Quarter Expectations as Iran War Has Limited Impact

American Express, or Amex, focuses on credit cards and payment services. In recent years, spending by millennial customers, travelers and premium cardholders has driven growth in card transactions, while the company has deployed AI to improve service efficiency. Its first-quarter 2026 results showed that its payments business remained resilient despite geopolitical conflict disrupting cross-border travel.

Amex reported first-quarter 2026 net income of $3 billion and revenue of $18.9 billion, both above market expectations. The company said the Iran war had increased travel refunds in the Middle East but had only a limited impact on its overall operations. It plans to step up investment in technology, AI and marketing to sustain growth in card spending and membership.