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Reportable Operating Segment | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2011
Segment Reporting Disclosure [Abstract] |
Reportable Operating Segments | NOTE 25 reportable operating segments and geographic operations reportable operating segments The Company is a leading global payments and travel company that is principally engaged in businesses comprising four reportable operating segments: USCS, ICS, GCS and GNMS. The Company considers a combination of factors when evaluating the composition of its reportable operating segments, including the results reviewed by the chief operating decision maker, economic characteristics, products and services offered, classes of customers, product distribution channels, geographic considerations (pri marily United States versus non-U.S.), and regulatory environment considerations. T he following is a brief description of the primary business activities of the Company's four reportable operating segments: USCS issues a wide range of card products and services to consumers and small businesses in the United States, and provides consumer travel services to cardmembers and other consumers. ICS issues proprietary consumer and small business cards outside the United States. GCS offers global corporate payment and travel-related products and services to large and mid-sized companies. GNMS operates a global payments network which processes and settles proprietary and non-proprietary card transactions. GNMS acquires merchants and provides point-of-sale products, multi-channel marketing programs and capabilities, services and data, leveraging the Company's global closed-loop network. It provides ATM services and enters into pa rtnership agreements with third-party card issuers and acquirers, licensing the American Express brand and extending the reach of the global network. Corporate functions and auxiliary businesses, including the Co mpany's publishing business, the Enterprise Growth Group (including the Global Prepaid Group), as well as other company operations are included in Corporate & Other. Beginning in the first quarter of 2011, the Company changed its segment allocation methodology to better align segment reporting with the Company's previously announced management reorganization, which ha d been implemented over the several prior quarters. The reorganization included the formation of the Enterprise Growth Group, which is reported in Corporate & Other. The group consists of three core business units: Online and Mobile, Fee Ba sed Services and Global Payment Options (formerly known as Global Prepaid). Starting in the first quarter of 2011, certain business activities such as LoyaltyEdge and Foreign Exchange Services (formerly known as Global Foreign Exchange Services) that were previously managed and reported in the USCS and GCS operating segments, respectively, are now managed by Enterprise Growth. The reorganization also included consolidation of certain corporate support functions into the Global Services organization. Greater centralization of activities has led to modifications in the costs being allocated from C orporate & Other to the reportable operating segments starting in the first quarter of 2011. Prior period segment results have been revised for these changes. The following table presents certain selected financial information as of or for the years ended December 31, 2011, 2010 and 2009.
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | Corporate & |  |  |
(Millions, except where indicated) |  | USCS |  | ICS |  | GCS |  | GNMS |  | Other | (a) | Consolidated
2011 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Non-interest revenues |  | $ | 10,648 |  | $ | 4,361 |  | $ | 4,880 |  | $ | 4,713 |  | $ | 719 |  | $ | 25,321
Interest income |  |  | 5,230 |  |  | 1,304 |  |  | 9 |  |  | 5 |  |  | 413 |  |  | 6,961
Interest expense |  |  | 807 |  |  | 426 |  |  | 264 |  |  | (224) |  |  | 1,047 |  |  | 2,320
Total revenues net of interest expense |  |  | 15,071 |  |  | 5,239 |  |  | 4,625 |  |  | 4,942 |  |  | 85 |  |  | 29,962
Total provision |  |  | 687 |  |  | 268 |  |  | 76 |  |  | 75 |  |  | 6 |  |  | 1,112
Pretax income (loss) from continuing operations |  |  | 4,129 |  |  | 762 |  |  | 1,075 |  |  | 1,979 |  |  | (989) |  |  | 6,956
Income tax provision (benefit) |  |  | 1,449 |  |  | 39 |  |  | 337 |  |  | 686 |  |  | (454) |  |  | 2,057
Income (loss) from continuing operations |  | $ | 2,680 |  | $ | 723 |  | $ | 738 |  | $ | 1,293 |  | $ | (535) |  | $ | 4,899
Total equity (billions) |  | $ | 8.8 |  | $ | 2.8 |  | $ | 3.6 |  | $ | 2.0 |  | $ | 1.8 |  | $ | 19.0
2010 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Non-interest revenues |  | $ | 9,884 |  | $ | 3,678 |  | $ | 4,347 |  | $ | 4,101 |  | $ | 703 |  | $ | 22,713
Interest income |  |  | 5,390 |  |  | 1,393 |  |  | 7 |  |  | 4 |  |  | 498 |  |  | 7,292
Interest expense |  |  | 812 |  |  | 428 |  |  | 227 |  |  | (200) |  |  | 1,156 |  |  | 2,423
Total revenues net of interest expense |  |  | 14,462 |  |  | 4,643 |  |  | 4,127 |  |  | 4,305 |  |  | 45 |  |  | 27,582
Total provision |  |  | 1,591 |  |  | 392 |  |  | 157 |  |  | 61 |  |  | 6 |  |  | 2,207
Pretax income (loss) from continuing operations |  |  | 3,504 |  |  | 589 |  |  | 723 |  |  | 1,589 |  |  | (441) |  |  | 5,964
Income tax provision (benefit) |  |  | 1,279 |  |  | 52 |  |  | 273 |  |  | 564 |  |  | (261) |  |  | 1,907
Income (loss) from continuing operations |  | $ | 2,225 |  | $ | 537 |  | $ | 450 |  | $ | 1,025 |  | $ | (180) |  | $ | 4,057
Total equity (billions) |  | $ | 7.4 |  | $ | 2.2 |  | $ | 3.7 |  | $ | 1.9 |  | $ | 1.0 |  | $ | 16.2
2009 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Non-interest revenues |  | $ | 9,443 |  | $ | 3,442 |  | $ | 3,882 |  | $ | 3,586 |  | $ | 859 |  | $ | 21,212
Interest income |  |  | 3,216 |  |  | 1,509 |  |  | 5 |  |  | 1 |  |  | 600 |  |  | 5,331
Interest expense |  |  | 568 |  |  | 427 |  |  | 180 |  |  | (177) |  |  | 1,209 |  |  | 2,207
Total revenues net of interest expense |  |  | 12,091 |  |  | 4,524 |  |  | 3,707 |  |  | 3,764 |  |  | 250 |  |  | 24,336
Total provision |  |  | 3,769 |  |  | 1,211 |  |  | 177 |  |  | 135 |  |  | 21 |  |  | 5,313
Pretax income (loss) from continuing operations |  |  | 575 |  |  | 271 |  |  | 475 |  |  | 1,449 |  |  | 71 |  |  | 2,841
Income tax provision (benefit) |  |  | 171 |  |  | (59) |  |  | 144 |  |  | 510 |  |  | (62) |  |  | 704
Income (loss) from continuing operations |  | $ | 404 |  | $ | 330 |  | $ | 331 |  | $ | 939 |  | $ | 133 |  | $ | 2,137
Total equity (billions) |  | $ | 6.0 |  | $ | 2.3 |  | $ | 3.7 |  | $ | 1.4 |  | $ | 1.0 |  | $ | 14.4
Corporate & Other includes adjustments and eliminations for intersegment activity. Total Revenues Net of Interest Expense The Company allocates discount revenue and certain other revenues among segments using a transfer pricing methodology. Segments earn discount revenue based on the volume of merchant business generated by cardmembers. Within the USCS, ICS and GCS segments, discount revenue reflects the issuer component of the overall discount rate; within the GNMS segment, discount revenue reflects the network and merchant component of the overall discount rate. Total interest income and net card fees are directly attributable to the segment in which they are reported. Provisions for Losses The provisions for losses are directly attributable to the segment in which they are reported. Expenses Marketing, promotion, rewards and cardmember services expenses are reflected in each segment based on actual expenses incurred, with the exception of brand advertising, which is reflected in the GNMS segment. Rewards and cardmember services expenses are reflected in each segment based on actual expenses incurred within each segment. Salaries and employee benefits and other oper ating expenses reflect expenses such as professional services, occupancy and equipment and communications incurred directly within each segment. In addition, expenses related to the Company's support services, such as technology costs, are allocated to each segment based on support service activities directly attributable to the segment. Other overhead expenses, such as staff group support functions, are allocated from Corporate & Other to the other segments based on each segment's relative level of pretax income. Financing requirements are managed on a consolidated basis. Funding costs are allocated based on segment funding requirements. Capital Each business segment is allocated capital based on established business model operating requirements, risk measures and regulatory capital requirements. Business model operating requirements include capital needed to support operations and specific balance sheet items. The risk measures include co nsiderations for credit, market and operational risk. Income Taxes Income tax provision (benefit) is allocated to each business segment based on the effective tax rates applicable to various busine sses that make up the segment. geographic operations The following table presents the Company's total revenues net of interest expense and pretax income (loss) from continuing operations i n different geographic regions:
(Millions) |  | United States |  | EMEA | (a) | JAPA | (a) | LACC | (a) | Other Unallocated | (b) | Consolidated
2011(c) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Total revenues net of interest expense |  | $ | 21,254 |  | $ | 3,551 |  | $ | 3,071 |  | $ | 2,706 |  | $ | (620) |  | $ | 29,962
| Pretax income (loss) from continuing operations |  | $ | 6,971 |  | $ | 620 |  | $ | 430 |  | $ | 583 |  | $ | (1,648) |  | $ | 6,956
2010(c) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Total revenues net of interest expense |  | $ | 19,976 |  | $ | 3,132 |  | $ | 2,630 |  | $ | 2,451 |  | $ | (607) |  | $ | 27,582
| Pretax income (loss) from continuing operations |  | $ | 6,137 |  | $ | 444 |  | $ | 273 |  | $ | 469 |  | $ | (1,359) |  | $ | 5,964
2009(c) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Total revenues net of interest expense |  | $ | 17,328 |  | $ | 3,152 |  | $ | 2,229 |  | $ | 2,314 |  | $ | (687) |  | $ | 24,336
| Pretax income (loss) from continuing operations |  | $ | 3,194 |  | $ | 319 |  | $ | 187 |  | $ | 276 |  | $ | (1,135) |  | $ | 2,841
EMEA represents Europe, Middle East and Africa; JAPA represents Japan, Asia/Pacific and Australia; and LACC represents Latin America, Canada and Caribbean. Other U nallocated includes net costs which are not directly allocable to specific geographic regions, including costs related to the net negative interest spread on excess liquidity funding and executive office operations expenses. The data in the above table is, in part, based upon internal allocations, which necessarily involve management's judgment. Certain revisions and reclassifications have been made to prior years' amounts to conform to 2011 presentation and internal allocation methodology.

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- Definition The entire disclosure for reporting segments including data and tables. Reportable segments include those that meet any of the following quantitative thresholds a) it's reported revenue, including sales to external customers and intersegment sales or transfers is 10 percent or more of the combined revenue, internal and external, of all operating segments b) the absolute amount of its reported profit or loss is 10 percent or more of the greater, in absolute amount of 1) the combined reported profit of all operating segments that did not report a loss or 2) the combined reported loss of all operating segments that did report a loss c) its assets are 10 percent or more of the combined assets of all operating segments. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 280 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 12 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6534315&loc=d3e8595-108599 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 280 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 10 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6534315&loc=d3e8538-108599 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 280 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 33 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6534315&loc=d3e8971-108599 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 280 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 34 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6534315&loc=d3e8981-108599 Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 280 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 29 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6534315&loc=d3e8864-108599 Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 280 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6534315&loc=d3e8380-108599 Reference 7: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 280 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 35 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6534315&loc=d3e8984-108599 Reference 8: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 280 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 41 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6534315&loc=d3e9038-108599 Reference 9: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 280 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 32 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6534315&loc=d3e8933-108599 Reference 10: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 131 -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy. Reference 11: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 280 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 30 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6534315&loc=d3e8906-108599 Reference 12: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 280 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 26 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6534315&loc=d3e8844-108599 Reference 13: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 280 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 40 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6534315&loc=d3e9031-108599 Reference 14: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 280 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 42 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6534315&loc=d3e9054-108599 Reference 15: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 280 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 31 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6534315&loc=d3e8924-108599 + Details
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