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<SEC-DOCUMENT>0000930413-09-003008.txt : 20090602
<SEC-HEADER>0000930413-09-003008.hdr.sgml : 20090602
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20090601202356
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0000930413-09-003008
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	8-K
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		2
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20090601
ITEM INFORMATION:		Regulation FD Disclosure
ITEM INFORMATION:		Financial Statements and Exhibits
FILED AS OF DATE:		20090602
DATE AS OF CHANGE:		20090601

FILER:

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			AMERICAN EXPRESS CO
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000004962
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	FINANCE SERVICES [6199]
		IRS NUMBER:				134922250
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			NY
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		8-K
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-07657
		FILM NUMBER:		09866499

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		200 VESEY STREET
		STREET 2:		50TH FLOOR
		CITY:			NEW YORK
		STATE:			NY
		ZIP:			10285
		BUSINESS PHONE:		2126402000

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		200 VESEY STREET
		STREET 2:		50TH FLOOR
		CITY:			NEW YORK
		STATE:			NY
		ZIP:			10285
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>8-K
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>c57809_8k.htm
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<P align="center">
<FONT face="serif">UNITED STATES </FONT><br>
<FONT face="serif">SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION <br>
Washington, D.C. 20549 </FONT></P>
<P align="center">
<FONT face="serif">FORM 8-K </FONT></P>
<P align="center">
<FONT face="serif">CURRENT REPORT </FONT></P>
<P align="center">
<FONT face="serif">Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the <br>
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 </FONT></P>
<P align="center">
<FONT face="serif">Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): June 1, 2009 </FONT></P>
<P align="center">
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<FONT face="serif">AMERICAN EXPRESS COMPANY <br>
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter) </FONT></P>
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      <div align="center"><FONT face="serif">New York</FONT> </div></TD>
	<TD align=left width=34% nowrap style="border-bottom: solid black 1px">

 <div align="center"><FONT face="serif">1-7657</FONT> </div></TD>
	<TD align=left width=33% nowrap style="border-bottom: solid black 1px">

 <div align="center"><FONT face="serif">13-4922250</FONT> </div></TD>
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	<TD align=left width=33% nowrap>
      <div align="center"><FONT face="serif">(State or other jurisdiction</FONT> </div></TD>
	<TD align=left width=34% nowrap>
      <div align="center"><FONT face="serif">(Commission File Number)</FONT> </div></TD>
	<TD align=center width=33% nowrap>
      <div align="center"><FONT face="serif">(IRS Employer</FONT> </div></TD>
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      <div align="center"><FONT face="serif">of incorporation</FONT> </div></TD>
	<TD align=left width=34% nowrap>	<div align="center"></div></TD>
	<TD align=left width=33% nowrap>

 <div align="center"><FONT face="serif">Identification No.)</FONT> </div></TD>
</TR>
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	<TD align=left width=33% nowrap>
      <div align="center"><FONT face="serif">or organization)</FONT> </div></TD>
	<TD align=left width=34% nowrap>	<div align="center"></div></TD>
	<TD align=left width=33% nowrap>	<div align="center"></div></TD>
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<BR>
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<FONT face="serif">200 Vesey Street, World Financial Center</FONT>	</TD>
	<TD  width=22%>&nbsp;	</TD>
	<TD colspan="2" align=left nowrap>&nbsp;	</TD>
</TR>
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	<TD align=left width=45% nowrap style="border-bottom: solid black 1px">
<FONT face="serif">New York, New York</FONT>	</TD>
	<TD  width=22%>&nbsp;	</TD>
	<TD width=18% align=left nowrap style="border-bottom: solid black 1px">
<FONT face="serif">10285</FONT>	</TD>
    <TD width=15% align=left nowrap>&nbsp;</TD>
</TR>

<TR valign="bottom">
	<TD align=left width=45% nowrap>
<FONT face="serif">(Address of principal executive offices)</FONT>	</TD>
	<TD  width=22%>&nbsp;	</TD>
	<TD colspan="2" align=left nowrap>
<FONT face="serif">(Zip Code)</FONT>	</TD>
</TR>
</TABLE>
<BR>
<P align="center">
<FONT face="serif">Registrant&#146;s telephone number, including area code: (212) 640-2000 </FONT></P>

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    <td valign="top"><div align="center"><font face="serif">(Former name or former address,
    if changed since last report) </font></div></td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td width="93%" valign="top">&nbsp;</td>
  </tr>
</table>
<P align="left">&nbsp;</P>
<P align="left">
<FONT face="serif">Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below): </FONT></P>

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    <td width="7%" valign="top"><font face="serif">--- </font></td>
    <td width="93%" valign="top"><font face="serif">Written communications
    pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425) </font></td>
  </tr>
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    <td valign="top">&nbsp;</td>
    <td valign="top">&nbsp;</td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td valign="top"><font face="serif">--- </font></td>
    <td valign="top"><font face="serif">Soliciting material pursuant to Rule
    14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a - 12) </font></td>
  </tr>
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    <td valign="top">&nbsp;</td>
    <td valign="top">&nbsp;</td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td width="7%" valign="top"><font face="serif">--- </font></td>
    <td width="93%" valign="top"><font face="serif">Pre-commencement communications
    pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d -2(b)) </font></td>
  </tr>
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    <td valign="top">&nbsp;</td>
    <td valign="top">&nbsp;</td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td valign="top"><font face="serif">--- </font></td>
    <td valign="top"><font face="serif">Pre-commencement communications pursuant
    to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e -4(c)) </font></td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td width="7%" valign="top">&nbsp;</td>
    <td width="93%" valign="top">&nbsp;</td>
  </tr>
</table>
<P align="left">&nbsp;</P>
<P align="left">&nbsp;</P>

<P align="left">&nbsp;</P>
<P align="left">&nbsp;</P>

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<P align="left" style="page-break-before:always"></P><PAGE>
<A name="page_3"></A>

<P align="left">
<FONT face="serif">Item 7.01 Regulation FD Disclosure </FONT></P>
<P align="left">
<FONT face="serif">On February 25, 2009, the United States Department of the Treasury, or the Treasury, released the terms of the Supervisory Capital Assessment Program, or the SCAP. The SCAP is a complement to the Treasury&#146;s Capital Assistance
Program, which makes capital available to financial institutions as a bridge to private capital in the future. Under the SCAP, federal banking supervisors conducted assessments to evaluate the capital needs of the 19 largest banking institutions
(including American Express Company, or the Company or &#147;we&#148; or &#147;us&#148;) under a base case and a more adverse economic scenario. Under the hypothetical more adverse economic scenario, the supervisors evaluated the extent to which
each of the participating institutions would need to increase the amount and/or change the composition of its current Tier 1 capital to exceed comfortably minimum regulatory benchmarks at year-end 2010 under a hypothetical economic environment more
challenging than what was anticipated by the supervisors. The SCAP set benchmark capital buffers for each participating institution based on the amount of capital needed by that institution to achieve a Tier 1 risk-based capital ratio of at least 6%
and a Tier 1 common risk-based capital ratio of at least 4% at year-end 2010. We and all other eligible banking institutions with assets in excess of &#36;100 billion as of December 31, 2008 participated in this assessment. </FONT></P>
<P align="left">
<FONT face="serif">On May 7, 2009, the results of the SCAP for each of the participating institutions were announced. The final report under the SCAP for us concluded that we would not have to augment our capital buffer under the assumptions used by
the SCAP. The estimates reported under the SCAP represent values for a hypothetical &#147;what if&#148; economic scenario and are not forecasts. According to the SCAP report, we had a year-end 2008 Tier 1 risk-based capital ratio of 9.7% . This
ratio would be 13% on a pro forma basis reflecting our previously disclosed issuance of &#36;3.4 billion of Fixed Rate Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series A, or the Preferred Shares, in January 2009 as part of the Treasury&#146;s Troubled
Asset Relief Program Capital Purchase Program, or CPP. According to the SCAP report, we had a year-end 2008 Tier 1 common risk-based capital ratio of 9.7% . That ratio translates into a capital level approximately &#36;6 billion above the minimum
SCAP benchmark of 4%. </FONT></P>
<P align="left">
<FONT face="serif">In light of the SCAP report, the Company has filed a request
with the Federal Reserve and the Treasury to repurchase the Preferred Shares
and the related warrant it issued under the CPP. In accordance with a joint statement
issued on May 6, 2009 by the Treasury, the Federal Reserve, the Federal Deposit
Insurance Corporation, or FDIC, and the Comptroller of the Currency, we must
have a post-repayment capital base at least consistent with the SCAP buffer,
and must be able to demonstrate our financial strength by issuing senior unsecured
debt for a term greater than five years not backed by FDIC guarantees, in amounts
sufficient to demonstrate a capacity to meet funding needs independent of government
guarantees.</FONT> <FONT face="serif">On
May 18, 2009, we closed the issuance of an aggregate &#36;3 billion principal
amount of five-year and ten-year senior notes.</FONT></P>
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<A name="page_4"></A>

<P align="left">
<FONT face="serif">In accordance with guidance from the Federal Reserve, the
Company is now also required to raise equity capital of at least &#36;500 million
in a public offering before repurchasing the Preferred Shares and the related
warrant issued to the Treasury. On June 1, 2009, we launched a &#36;500 million
offering of our common shares to satisfy this requirement. Assuming repurchase
of the Preferred Shares during the second quarter, we have estimated that the
one-time impact on diluted earnings per common share resulting from the accelerated
accretion of the dividends on the Preferred Shares will be approximately &#36;0.18
per share for the quarter and, thereafter, the consequence of the repurchase
will be slightly accretive to diluted earnings per common share. </FONT></P>


<P align="left"><FONT face="serif">A copy of the Company&#146;s press release announcing
the $500 million public equity offering is furnished as Exhibit 99.1 to this
Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated herein by reference.</FONT></P>
<TABLE border=0 width=100% cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0>
<TR valign="bottom">
	<TD width=12% align=left nowrap>
<FONT face="serif">Item 9.01 Exhibit</FONT>	</TD>
	<TD  width=2%>&nbsp;
	</TD>
	<TD align=left nowrap>&nbsp;

	</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
	<TD colspan=3>&nbsp;

	</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom">
	<TD width=12% align=left nowrap>
<FONT face="serif">99.1</FONT>	</TD>
	<TD  width=2%>&nbsp;
	</TD>
	<TD align=left nowrap>
<FONT face="serif">Press release, dated June 1, 2009, of American Express Company announcing</FONT>
	</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom">
	<TD width=12% align=left nowrap>&nbsp;	</TD>
	<TD  width=2%>&nbsp;
	</TD>
	<TD align=left nowrap>
<FONT face="serif">equity offering of common stock.</FONT>
	</TD>
</TR>
</TABLE><BR>
<P align="left">
<FONT face="serif"><br>
Forward-Looking Statements </FONT></P>
<P align="left">
<FONT face="serif">This report includes forward-looking statements, which are subject to risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements contain words such as &#147;believe,&#148; &#147;expect,&#148; &#147;anticipate,&#148;
&#147;optimistic,&#148; &#147;intend,&#148; &#147;plan,&#148; &#147;aim,&#148; &#147;will,&#148; &#147;may,&#148; &#147;should,&#148; &#147;could,&#148; &#147;would,&#148; &#147;likely&#148; and similar expressions. Readers are cautioned not to
place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date on which they are made. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to
differ materially from these forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, the following: the ability of the Company to complete the offering of common shares described above; and the ability of the Company to obtain definitive
approval from the Federal Reserve and the Treasury to repurchase the Preferred Shares and, to the extent so obtained, the ability of the Company to complete the repurchase of the Preferred Shares during the second quarter of 2009 or otherwise
thereafter. A further description of these and other risks and uncertainties can be found in the Company&#146;s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2008, its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the three months ended March 31,
2009, and the Company&#146;s other reports filed with the SEC. </FONT></P>
<P align="left">&nbsp;</P>
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<P align="center">
<FONT face="serif">SIGNATURE </FONT></P>
<P align="left">
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<FONT face="serif">Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized. </FONT></P>
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<TR valign="bottom">
	<TD align=left width=29% nowrap>&nbsp;	</TD>
	<TD  width=12%>&nbsp;	</TD>
	<TD colspan="2" align=left nowrap>
<FONT face="serif">AMERICAN EXPRESS COMPANY</FONT>	</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom">
	<TD align=left width=29% nowrap>&nbsp;	</TD>
	<TD  width=12%>&nbsp;	</TD>
	<TD colspan="2" align=left nowrap>
<FONT face="serif">(REGISTRANT)</FONT>	</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
	<TD colspan=4>&nbsp;	</TD>
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	<TD align=left width=29% nowrap>&nbsp;	</TD>
	<TD  width=12%>&nbsp;	</TD>
	<TD align=left width=36% nowrap style="border-bottom:1px solid #000000;">
<FONT face="serif">By: /s/ Carol V. Schwartz</FONT>	</TD>
    <TD align=left width=23% nowrap style="border-bottom:0px solid #000000;">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom">
	<TD align=left width=29% nowrap>&nbsp;	</TD>
	<TD  width=12%>&nbsp;	</TD>
	<TD colspan="2" align=left nowrap>
 &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;<FONT face="serif">Name: Carol V. Schwartz</FONT>	</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom">
	<TD align=left width=29% nowrap>&nbsp;	</TD>
	<TD  width=12%>&nbsp;	</TD>
	<TD colspan="2" align=left nowrap>
 &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;<FONT face="serif">Title: Secretary</FONT>	</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
	<TD colspan=4>&nbsp;	</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom">
	<TD align=left width=29% nowrap>
<FONT face="serif">Date: June 1, 2009</FONT>	</TD>
	<TD  width=12%>&nbsp;	</TD>
	<TD colspan="2" align=left nowrap>&nbsp;	</TD>
</TR>
</TABLE>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><BR>

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<P align="center">
<FONT face="serif">EXHIBIT INDEX </FONT></P>
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<TR valign="bottom">
	<TD align=left width=14% nowrap>
<U><FONT face="serif">Item No.</FONT></U>	</TD>
	<TD  width=2%>&nbsp;	</TD>
	<TD align=left width=41% nowrap style="border-bottom:1px solid #000000;"><div align="center"><FONT face="serif">Description</FONT> </div></TD>
    <TD align=left width=42% nowrap style="border-bottom:0px solid #000000;">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
	<TD colspan=4>&nbsp;	</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom">
	<TD align=left width=14% nowrap>
<FONT face="serif">99.1</FONT>	</TD>
	<TD  width=2%>&nbsp;	</TD>
	<TD width=83% colspan="2" align=left nowrap>
<FONT face="serif">Press release, dated June 1, 2009, of American Express Company</FONT>	</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom">
	<TD align=left width=14% nowrap>&nbsp;	</TD>
	<TD  width=2%>&nbsp;	</TD>
	<TD width=83% colspan="2" align=left nowrap>
<FONT face="serif">announcing equity offering of common stock.</FONT>	</TD>
</TR>
</TABLE>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><BR>

</p>
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<TYPE>EX-99.1
<SEQUENCE>2
<FILENAME>c57809_ex99-1.htm
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<P align="right">
<FONT face="serif">         EXHIBIT 99.1 </FONT></P>
<P align="center">
<B><FONT face="serif">News &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Release
 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;News
 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Release
 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;News
 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Release
 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;News </FONT></B></P>
<P align="left">
<B><FONT face="serif">[American Express Logo] </FONT></B></P>
<TABLE border=0 width=100% cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0>
<TR valign="bottom">
	<TD align=left width=13% nowrap>
<B><U><FONT face="serif">Contacts:</FONT></U></B>
	</TD>
	<TD  width=2%>&nbsp;
	</TD>
	<TD align=left width=13% nowrap>
      <div align="right"><FONT face="serif">Media:</FONT>
      </div></TD>
	<TD  width=2%>&nbsp;
	</TD>
	<TD align=left width=35% nowrap>
<FONT face="serif">Joanna Lambert</FONT>
	</TD>
	<TD  width=2%>&nbsp;
	</TD>
	<TD align=left width=30% nowrap>
<FONT face="serif">Michael O&#146;Neill</FONT>
	</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom">
	<TD align=left width=13% nowrap>&nbsp;

	</TD>
	<TD  width=2%>&nbsp;
	</TD>
	<TD align=left width=13% nowrap>&nbsp;

	</TD>
	<TD  width=2%>&nbsp;
	</TD>
	<TD align=left width=35% nowrap>
<FONT face="serif">212-640-9668</FONT>
	</TD>
	<TD  width=2%>&nbsp;
	</TD>
	<TD align=left width=30% nowrap>
<FONT face="serif">212-640-5951</FONT>
	</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom">
	<TD align=left width=13% nowrap>&nbsp;

	</TD>
	<TD  width=2%>&nbsp;
	</TD>
	<TD align=left width=13% nowrap>&nbsp;

	</TD>
	<TD  width=2%>&nbsp;
	</TD>
	<TD align=left width=35% nowrap>
<U><FONT  face="serif">joanna.g.lambert@aexp.com</FONT></U>
	</TD>
	<TD  width=2%>&nbsp;
	</TD>
	<TD align=left width=30% nowrap>
<U><FONT  face="serif">mike.o&#146;neill@aexp.com</FONT></U>
	</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
	<TD colspan=7>&nbsp;

	</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom">
	<TD align=left width=28% nowrap colspan=3>

 <div align="right"><FONT  face="serif">Investors/Analysts:</FONT>
 </div></TD>
	<TD  width=2%>&nbsp;
	</TD>
	<TD align=left width=35% nowrap>
<FONT  face="serif">Alex Hopwood</FONT>
	</TD>
	<TD  width=2%>&nbsp;
	</TD>
	<TD align=left width=30% nowrap>
<FONT  face="serif">Ron Stovall</FONT>
	</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom">
	<TD align=left width=13% nowrap>&nbsp;

	</TD>
	<TD  width=2%>&nbsp;
	</TD>
	<TD align=left width=13% nowrap>&nbsp;

	</TD>
	<TD  width=2%>&nbsp;
	</TD>
	<TD align=left width=35% nowrap>
<FONT  face="serif">212-640-5495</FONT>
	</TD>
	<TD  width=2%>&nbsp;
	</TD>
	<TD align=left width=30% nowrap>
<FONT  face="serif">212-640-5574</FONT>
	</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom">
	<TD align=left width=13% nowrap>&nbsp;

	</TD>
	<TD  width=2%>&nbsp;
	</TD>
	<TD align=left width=13% nowrap>&nbsp;

	</TD>
	<TD  width=2%>&nbsp;
	</TD>
	<TD align=left width=35% nowrap>
<U><FONT  face="serif">alex.w.hopwood@aexp.com</FONT></U>
	</TD>
	<TD  width=2%>&nbsp;
	</TD>
	<TD align=left width=30% nowrap>
<U><FONT  face="serif">ronald.stovall@aexp.com</FONT></U>
	</TD>
</TR>
</TABLE><BR>
<P align="center">
<B><FONT  face="serif">American Express Announces &#36;500 Million Public Equity Offering of Common Stock </FONT></B></P>
<P align="left">
<FONT  face="serif">NEW YORK, June 1, 2009 -- American Express announced today that it has commenced a public offering of &#36;500 million of its common stock for sale to the public. American Express will also grant the underwriters a
30-day option to purchase up to an additional &#36;75 million of its common stock. </FONT></P>
<P align="left">
<FONT  face="serif">The company will use the capital raised through the equity offering for general corporate purposes which may include, subject to regulatory approval, the partial funding of a repurchase of &#36;3.4 billion of
preferred shares issued to the U.S. Treasury as part of the Capital Purchase Program (CPP). </FONT></P>
<P align="left">
<FONT  face="serif">The company announced last month that it was seeking permission to repay the government investment, after receiving a final report from the Federal Reserve that concluded there would be &#147;no capital need&#148;
under the more adverse assumptions used by the Supervisory Capital Assessment Program. In accordance with guidance from the Federal Reserve, the company&#146;s public equity offering is a precondition to repurchasing the preferred shares issued to
the Treasury.</FONT></P>
<P align="left">
<FONT  face="serif">&#147;We&#146;ve always viewed the Capital Purchase Program as a temporary program and are pleased to be in position to repurchase the preferred shares issued to the Treasury,&#148; said Kenneth I. Chenault,
chairman and chief executive officer, American Express.</FONT></P>
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<FONT  face="serif">American Express has filed a shelf registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and will file a prospectus supplement related to this offering. Prospective investors should read the
registration statement (including the base prospectus), the prospectus supplement and other documents the company has filed with the SEC for more complete information about the company and the offering. This announcement does not constitute an offer
to sell or the solicitation of any offer to buy the common stock, nor shall there be any offer or sale of the common stock in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. The offering will be made only by means of a
prospectus. Investors may get these documents for free by visiting EDGAR on the SEC Web site at www.sec.gov. Additionally, the prospectus can be requested by contacting Goldman, </FONT></P>

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<FONT face="serif">Sachs &amp; Co., Attention: Prospectus Department, 85 Broad Street, New York, NY 10004, telephone: 212-902-1171 or 866-471-2526, fax: 212-902-9316, email: Prospectus-ny@ny.email.gs.com. </FONT></P>
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<FONT face="serif">American Express Company is a leading global payments and travel company founded in 1850.</FONT></P>
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<FONT face="serif">#### </FONT></P>
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<I><FONT size=2 face="serif">The information presented in this press release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements, which may be expressed in a variety of
ways, including the use of future or present tense language, relate to, among other things, the company&#146;s expectations with respect to the repayment of the CPP investment. These statements are based upon current beliefs and expectations and are
subject to significant risks and uncertainties (some of which are beyond the company&#146;s control). Factors that could cause the company&#146;s results to differ materially can be found in the risk factors set forth in the Company&#146;s Annual
Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2008, the Company&#146;s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2009, the prospectus relating to the offering and the Company&#146;s other filings with the SEC.
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