XML 45 R28.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v2.4.0.6

Accounts Receivable and Loans (Tables) | 3 Months Ended
--- | ---
Mar. 31, 2012
Accounts Receivable and Loans (Tables) [Abstract] |
Cardmember receivables segment detail | Accounts receivable as of March 31, 2012 and December 31, 2011 were as follows:
(Millions) |  | 2012 |  | 2011
U.S. Card Services(a) |  | $ | 19,319 |  | $ | 20,645
International Card Services |  |  | 6,736 |  |  | 7,222
Global Commercial Services(b) |  |  | 15,298 |  |  | 12,829
Global Network & Merchant Services(c) |  |  | 154 |  |  | 194
Cardmember receivables(d) |  |  | 41,507 |  |  | 40,890
Less: Reserve for losses |  |  | 424 |  |  | 438
Cardmember receivables, net |  | $ | 41,083 |  | $ | 40,452
Other receivables, net(e) |  | $ | 2,827 |  | $ | 3,657
(a) Includes $6.6 b illion and $7.5 billion of gross cardmember receivables available to settle obligations of a consolidated VIE as of March 31, 2012 and December 31, 2011, respectively. (b) Includes $0.5 billion of gross cardmember receivables available to settle obligations of a consolidated VIE as of both March 31, 2012 and December 31, 2011. Also i ncludes $757 million and $563 million due from airlines, of which Delta Air Lines (Delta) comprises $535 million and $340 million as of March 31, 2012 and December 31, 2011, respectively. (c) Includes receivables primarily related to the Company's International Currency Card portfolios. (d) Includes approximately $13.1 billion and $12.8 billion of cardmember receivables outside the United States as of March 31, 2012 and December 31, 2011, respectively. (e) Other receivables primarily represent amounts related to (i) purchased joint venture receivables, (ii) the Company's travel customers and suppliers, (iii) certain merchants for billed discount revenue and (iv) other receivables due to the Company in the ordinary course of business. As of December 31, 2011, other receivables also included investments that matured on December 31, 2011, but which did not settle until January 3, 2012. Other receivables are presented net of reserves for losses of $88 million and $102 million as of March 31, 2012 and December 31, 2011, respectively.
Cardmember loans segment detail | Loans as of March 31, 2012 and December 31, 2011 consisted of:
(Millions) |  |  | 2012 |  |  | 2011
U.S. Card Services(a) |  | $ | 51,423 |  | $ | 53,686
International Card Services |  |  | 8,632 |  |  | 8,901
Global Commercial Services |  |  | 42 |  |  | 34
Cardmember loans |  |  | 60,097 |  |  | 62,621
Less: Reserve for losses |  |  | 1,680 |  |  | 1,874
Cardmember loans, net |  | $ | 58,417 |  | $ | 60,747
Other loans, net(b) |  | $ | 465 |  | $ | 419
(a) I ncludes approximately $31.4 billion and $33.8 billion of gross cardmember loans available to settle obligations of a consolidated VIE a s of March 31, 2012 and December 31, 2011, respectively. (b) Other loans primarily represent a store card loan portfolio whose billed b usiness is not processed on the Company's network, loans to merchants and small business installment loans. Other loans are presented net of reserves for losses of $18 million as of both March 31, 2012 and December 31, 2011.
Aging of cardmember loans and receivables | T he following table represents the aging of cardmember loans and receivables as of March 31, 2012 and December 31, 2011: T he following table represents the aging of cardmember loans and receivables as of March 31, 2012 and December 31, 2011:
|  |  |  |  |  | 30-59 |  |  | 60-89 |  |  | 90+ |  |  |
|  |  |  |  |  | Days |  |  | Days |  |  | Days |  |  |
|  |  |  |  |  | Past |  |  | Past |  |  | Past |  |  |
2012(Millions) |  |  | Current |  |  | Due |  |  | Due |  |  | Due |  |  | Total
Cardmember Loans: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
U.S. Card Services |  | $ | 50,739 |  | $ | 192 |  | $ | 150 |  | $ | 342 |  | $ | 51,423
International Card Services |  |  | 8,480 |  |  | 53 |  |  | 32 |  |  | 67 |  |  | 8,632
Cardmember Receivables: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
U.S. Card Services |  | $ | 18,946 |  | $ | 108 |  | $ | 82 |  | $ | 183 |  | $ | 19,319
International Card Services(a) |  |  | (b) |  |  | (b) |  |  | (b) |  |  | 70 |  |  | 6,736
Global Commercial Services(a) |  |  | (b) |  |  | (b) |  |  | (b) |  |  | 95 |  |  | 15,298
2011(Millions) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Cardmember Loans: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
U.S. Card Services |  | $ | 52,930 |  | $ | 218 |  | $ | 165 |  | $ | 373 |  | $ | 53,686
International Card Services |  |  | 8,748 |  |  | 52 |  |  | 32 |  |  | 69 |  |  | 8,901
Cardmember Receivables: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
U.S. Card Services |  | $ | 20,246 |  | $ | 122 |  | $ | 81 |  | $ | 196 |  | $ | 20,645
International Card Services(a) |  |  | (b) |  |  | (b) |  |  | (b) |  |  | 63 |  |  | 7,222
Global Commercial Services(a) |  |  | (b) |  |  | (b) |  |  | (b) |  |  | 109 |  |  | 12,829
For c ardmember receivables in ICS and Global Commercial Services (GCS), delinquency data is tracked based on days past billing status rather than days past due. A cardmember account is considered 90 days past billing if payment has not been received within 90 days of the cardmember's billing statement date. In addition, if the Company initiates collection procedures on an account prior to the account becoming 90 days past billing the associated cardmember receivable balance is considered as 90 days past billing. These amounts are shown above as 90+ Days Past Due for presentation purposes. Historically, data for periods prior to 90 days past billing are not available due to system constraints. Therefore, it has not been utilized for risk management purposes. The balances that are current to 89 days past due can be derived as the difference between the Total and the 90+ Days Past Due balances.
Credit quality indicators for loans and receivables | The following table s prese nt the key credit quality indicators as of or for the three months ended March 31:
|  | 2012 |  | 2011 |
|  | Net Write-Off Rate |  |  |  | Net Write-Off Rate |  |  |
|  |  |  |  |  | 30 Days |  |  |  |  |  | 30 Days |
|  |  |  | Principal, |  | Past Due |  |  |  | Principal, |  | Past Due |
|  | Principal |  | Interest, & |  | as a % of |  | Principal |  | Interest, & |  | as a % of |
|  | Only | (a) | Fees | (a) | Total |  | Only | (a) | Fees | (a) | Total |
Cardmember Loans: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
U.S. Card Services |  | 2.3 | % | 2.6 | % | 1.3 | % | 3.7 | % | 4.1 | % | 1.8 | %
International Card Services |  | 2.1 | % | 2.7 | % | 1.8 | % | 3.2 | % | 3.9 | % | 2.4 | %
Cardmember Receivables: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
U.S. Card Services |  | 2.3 | % | 2.5 | % | 1.9 | % | 1.7 | % | 1.8 | % | 1.8 | %
|  |  |  |  |  | 2012 |  | 2011 |
|  |  |  |  |  | Net Loss |  |  |  | Net Loss |  |  |
|  |  |  |  |  | Ratio as |  | 90 Days |  | Ratio as |  | 90 Days |
|  |  |  |  |  | a % of |  | Past Billing |  | a % of |  | Past Billing |
|  |  |  |  |  | Charge |  | as a % of |  | Charge |  | as a % of |
|  |  |  |  |  | Volume |  | Receivables |  | Volume |  | Receivables |
Cardmember Receivables: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
International Card Services |  | 0.15 | % | 1.0 | % | 0.15 | % | 1.0 | %
Global Commercial Services | 0.08 | % | 0.6 | % | 0.06 | % | 0.7 | %
The Company presents a net write-off rate based on principal losses only (i.e., excluding interest and/or fees) to be consistent with industry convention. B ecause the Company's practice is to include uncollectible interest and/or fees as part of its total provision for losses, a net write-off rate includi ng principal, interest and/or fees is also presented.
Impaired cardmember loans and receivables | The following table provide s additional information with respect to the Company's impaired cardmember loans and receivables, which are not significant for ICS and GCS, as of March 31, 2012 and December 31, 2011:
|  |  | Loans over |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
|  |  | 90 Days |  |  |  |  |  | Loans & |  |  | Total |  |
|  |  | Past Due |  |  | Non- |  |  | Receivables |  |  | Impaired |  |  | Unpaid |  |  |
|  | & Accruing |  |  | Accrual |  |  | Modified |  |  | Loans & |  |  | Principal |  |  | Allowance
2012(Millions) |  |  | Interest | (a) |  | Loans | (b) |  | as a TDR | (c) |  | Receivables |  |  | Balance | (d) |  | for TDRs(e)
Cardmember Loans: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
U.S. Card Services |  | $ | 58 |  | $ | 473 |  | $ | 754 |  | $ | 1,285 |  | $ | 1,226 |  | $ | 180
International Card Services |  |  | 66 |  |  | 5 |  |  | 8 |  |  | 79 |  |  | 77 |  |  | 1
Cardmember Receivables: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
U.S. Card Services |  |  | ― |  |  | ― |  |  | 145 |  |  | 145 |  |  | 137 |  |  | 110
Total |  | $ | 124 |  | $ | 478 |  | $ | 907 |  | $ | 1,509 |  | $ | 1,440 |  | $ | 291
|  |  | Loans over |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
|  |  | 90 Days |  |  |  |  |  | Loans & |  |  | Total |  |
|  |  | Past Due |  |  | Non- |  |  | Receivables |  |  | Impaired |  |  | Unpaid |  |  |
|  | & Accruing |  |  | Accrual |  |  | Modified |  |  | Loans & |  |  | Principal |  |  | Allowance
2011(Millions) |  |  | Interest | (a) |  | Loans | (b) |  | as a TDR | (c) |  | Receivables |  |  | Balance | (d) | for TDRs(e)
Cardmember Loans: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
U.S. Card Services |  | $ | 64 |  | $ | 529 |  | $ | 736 |  | $ | 1,329 |  | $ | 1,268 |  | $ | 174
International Card Services |  |  | 67 |  |  | 6 |  |  | 8 |  |  | 81 |  |  | 80 |  |  | 2
Cardmember Receivables: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
U.S. Card Services |  |  | ― |  |  | ― |  |  | 174 |  |  | 174 |  |  | 165 |  |  | 118
Total |  | $ | 131 |  | $ | 535 |  | $ | 918 |  | $ | 1,584 |  | $ | 1,513 |  | $ | 294
The Company's policy is generally to accrue inte rest through the date of write-off (at 180 days past due). The Company establishes reserves for interest that the Company believes will not be collected. Excludes loans modified as a TDR. Non-accrual loans not in modification programs include certain cardmember loans placed with outside collection agencies for which the Company has ceased accruing interest. The Company's policy is not to resume the accrual of interest on these loans. Payments received are applied against the recorded loan balance. Interest income is recognized on a cash basis for any payments received after the loan balance has been paid in full. Excludes loans modified as a TDR. The total loans and receivable s modified as a TDR include $411 million and $410 mil lion that are non-accrual and $4 million and $4 million that are past due 90 days and still accruing interest as of March 31, 2012 and December 31, 2011, respectively. Unpaid principal balance consists of cardmember charges billed and excludes other amounts charged directly by the Company such as interest and fees. Represents the reserve for losses for TDRs, which are evaluated separately fo r impairment. The Company record s a reserve for losses for all impaired loans. Refer to Cardmember Loans Evaluated Separately and Collectively for Impairment in Note 5 for further discussion of the reserve for losses on loans over 90 days past due and accruing interest and non-accrual loans, which are evaluated collectively for impairment.
Interest income recognized and average balance of impaired cardmember loans and receivables | The following table provides information with respect to the Company's interest income recognized and average balances of impaired cardmember loans and receivables, which are not significant for ICS and GCS, during the three months ended March 31:
|  | 2012 |  | 2011
|  |  | Interest |  |  |  |  |  | Interest |  |  |
|  |  | Income |  |  | Average |  |  | Income |  |  | Average
(Millions) |  |  | Recognized |  |  | Balance |  |  | Recognized |  |  | Balance
Cardmember Loans: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
U.S. Card Services |  | $ | 16 |  | $ | 1,307 |  | $ | 18 |  | $ | 2,036
International Card Services |  |  | 4 |  |  | 80 |  |  | 9 |  |  | 130
Cardmember Receivables: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
U.S. Card Services |  |  | ― |  |  | 160 |  |  | ― |  |  | 118
Total |  | $ | 20 |  | $ | 1,547 |  | $ | 27 |  | $ | 2,284
Troubled debt restructurings | The following table provides additional information with respect to the cardmember loans and receivables modified as TDRs, which are not significant for ICS, during the three months ended March 31: The following table provides additional information with respect to the cardmember loans and receivables modified as TDRs, which are not significant for ICS, during the three months ended March 31:
|  | 2012 |  | 2011
|  |  |  | Aggregated |  | Aggregated |  |  |  | Aggregated |  | Aggregated
|  |  |  | Pre- |  | Post- |  |  |  | Pre- |  | Post-
|  |  |  | Modification |  | Modification |  |  |  | Modification |  | Modification
|  | Number of |  | Outstanding |  | Outstanding |  | Number of |  | Outstanding |  | Outstanding
(Accounts in thousands, Dollars in millions) |  | Accounts |  | Balances(a) |  | Balances(a) |  | Accounts |  | Balances(a) |  | Balances(a)
Troubled Debt Restructurings: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
U.S. Card Services ― Cardmember Loans |  | 32 |  | $ | 229 |  | $ | 223 |  | 42 |  | $ | 320 |  | $ | 306
U.S. Card Services ― Cardmember Receivables |  | 11 |  |  | 128 |  |  | 125 |  | 12 |  |  | 93 |  |  | 90
Total(b) |  | 43 |  | $ | 357 |  | $ | 348 |  | 54 |  | $ | 413 |  | $ | 396
I ncludes principal and accrued interest. The difference between the pre- and post-modification outstanding balance s is attributable to amounts charged off for cardmember loans and receivables being resolved through the Company's short-term settlement programs.
Troubled debt restructurings that subsequently defaulted | The following table provides information for the three months ended March 31, 2012 and 2011, with respect to the cardmember loans and receivables modif ied as TDRs on which there was a default w ithin the previous 12 months of modification. A cardmember will default from a modific ation program after one and up to three consecutive missed payments, depending on the terms of the modification program. The defaulted ICS cardmember loan modifications were not significant.
|  | 2012 |  | 2011
|  |  |  |  |  | Aggregated |  |  |  |  |  | Aggregated
|  |  |  |  | Outstanding |  |  |  |  | Outstanding
|  |  | Number of |  |  | Balances |  |  | Number of |  |  | Balances
(Accounts in thousands, Dollars in millions) |  |  | Accounts |  | Upon Default(a) |  |  | Accounts |  | Upon Default(a)
Troubled Debt Restructurings That Subsequently Defaulted: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
U.S. Card Services ― Cardmember Loans |  |  | 9 |  | $ | 63 |  |  | 14 |  | $ | 109
U.S. Card Services ― Cardmember Receivables |  |  | 1 |  |  | 12 |  |  | 2 |  |  | 12
Total |  |  | 10 |  | $ | 75 |  |  | 16 |  | $ | 121
The outstanding balance include s principal and accrued interest.

X
- Details
Name: | axp_AccountsReceivableAndLoansTablesAbstract
Namespace Prefix: | axp_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Tabular disclosure of financing receivables that are current and past due. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | axp_CurrentAndPastDueFinancingReceivablesTableTextBlock
Namespace Prefix: | axp_
Data Type: | nonnum:textBlockItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Tabular disclosure of interest income recognized and average balances of impaired cardmember loans and receivables. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | axp_FinancingReceivableInterestIncomeAndAverageBalanceTableTextBlock
Namespace Prefix: | axp_
Data Type: | nonnum:textBlockItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Reflects the aggregate carrying amount of all categories of cardmember loans held in portfolio, net of reserve for losses, as well as other loans, net. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | axp_ScheduleOfLoansAndFinancingReceivableTableTextBlock
Namespace Prefix: | axp_
Data Type: | nonnum:textBlockItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Tabular disclosure of financing receivables and troubled debt restructurings that subsequently defaulted. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | axp_TroubledDebtRestructuringsOnFinancingReceivablesWithSubsequentDefaultTableTextBlock
Namespace Prefix: | axp_
Data Type: | nonnum:textBlockItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Tabular disclosure of financing receivables by credit quality indicator. The credit quality indicator is a statistic about the credit quality of financing receivables. Examples include, but not limited to, consumer credit risk scores, credit-rating-agency ratings, an entity's internal credit risk grades, loan-to-value ratios, collateral, collection experience and other internal metrics. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 310 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 29 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6965416&loc=SL6953659-111524 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 310 -SubTopic 10 -Section 55 -Paragraph 19 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6951925&loc=SL6953803-111525 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_FinancingReceivableCreditQualityIndicatorsTableTextBlock
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | nonnum:textBlockItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Tabular disclosure of impaired financing receivables. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 310 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 15 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6965416&loc=d3e5212-111524 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_ImpairedFinancingReceivablesTableTextBlock
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | nonnum:textBlockItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Tabular disclosure of the various types of trade accounts and notes receivable and for each the gross carrying value, allowance, and net carrying value as of the balance sheet date. Presentation is categorized by current, noncurrent and unclassified receivables. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02 -Paragraph 3, 4 -Article 5 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.3,4) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_ScheduleOfAccountsNotesLoansAndFinancingReceivableTextBlock
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | nonnum:textBlockItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Tabular disclosure of financing receivables and troubled debt restructurings. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 310 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 32 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6965416&loc=SL6953670-111524 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 310 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 33 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6965416&loc=SL6953676-111524 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_TroubledDebtRestructuringsOnFinancingReceivablesTableTextBlock
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | nonnum:textBlockItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration