XML 51 R32.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v2.4.0.6

Derivatives and Hedging Activities (Tables) | 3 Months Ended
--- | ---
Mar. 31, 2012
Derivatives and Hedging Activities (Tables) [Abstract] |
Schedule of derivative instruments in statement of financial position, fair value | The following t able summarizes the total fair value, excluding interest acc ruals, of derivative assets and l iabilities as of March 31, 2012 and December 31, 2011:
|  |  | Other Assets |  | Other Liabilities
|  |  | Fair Value |  | Fair Value
(Millions) |  | 2012 |  | 2011 |  | 2012 |  | 2011
Derivatives designated as hedging instruments: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Interest rate contracts |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Fair value hedges |  | $ | 918 |  | $ | 999 |  | $ | ― |  | $ | ―
| Cash flow hedges |  |  | ― |  |  | ― |  |  | ― |  |  | 1
Total return contract |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Fair value hedge |  |  | 42 |  |  | 13 |  |  | ― |  |  | ―
Foreign exchange contracts |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Net investment hedges |  |  | 40 |  |  | 344 |  |  | 182 |  |  | 44
Total derivatives designated as hedging instruments |  | $ | 1,000 |  | $ | 1,356 |  | $ | 182 |  | $ | 45
Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Interest rate contracts |  | $ | ― |  | $ | 1 |  | $ | ― |  | $ | ―
| Foreign exchange contracts, including certain embedded derivatives(a) |  |  | 70 |  |  | 159 |  |  | 106 |  |  | 60
| Equity-linked embedded derivative(b) |  |  | ― |  |  | ― |  |  | 2 |  |  | 3
Total derivatives not designated as hedging instruments |  |  | 70 |  |  | 160 |  |  | 108 |  |  | 63
Total derivatives, gross |  | $ | 1,070 |  | $ | 1,516 |  | $ | 290 |  | $ | 108
Cash collateral netting(c) |  |  | (591) |  |  | (587) |  |  | ― |  |  | ―
Derivative asset and derivative liability netting(c) |  |  | (14) |  |  | (14) |  |  | (14) |  |  | (14)
Total derivatives, net |  | $ | 465 |  | $ | 915 |  | $ | 276 |  | $ | 94
(a) Includes foreign currency derivatives embedded in certain operating agreements. (b) Represents an equity-linked derivative embedded in one of the Company's investment securities. (c) As permitted under GAAP, balances represent the netting of cash collateral received and posted under credit support agreements, and the netting of derivative assets and derivative liabilities under master netting agreement s.
Effect of fair value hedges on results of operations | The following table summarizes the impact on the Consolidated Statements of Income associated with the Company's hedges of its fixed-rate long-term debt and its investment in ICB C for the three months ended March 31:
|  | Gains (losses) recognized in income
(Millions) |  | Derivative contract |  | Hedged item |  | Net hedge
|  |  |  | Amount |  |  |  | Amount |  | ineffectiveness(a)
Derivative relationship |  | Income Statement Line Item |  | 2012 |  | 2011 |  | Income Statement Line Item |  | 2012 |  | 2011 |  | 2012 |  | 2011
Interest rate contracts |  | Other, net expenses |  | $ | (83) |  | $ | (158) |  | Other, net expenses |  | $ | 69 |  | $ | 139 |  | $ | (14) |  | $ | (19)
Total return contract |  | Other non-interest revenues |  |  | (32) |  |  | ― |  | Other non-interest revenues |  |  | 32 |  |  | ― |  |  | ― |  |  | ―
(a) Net hedge ineffectiveness on the TRC is reclassified from other non-interest revenues to o ther expenses.
Impact of cash flow hedges and investment hedges on results of operations | The following table summarizes the impact of cash flow hedges and net investment hedges on the Consolidated Statements of Income for the three months ended March 31:
|  |  | Gains (losses) recognized in income
|  |  |  |  | Amount reclassified |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
|  |  |  | from AOCI into |  |  | Net hedge
|  |  |  | income |  |  | ineffectiveness
(Millions) |  | Income Statement Line Item |  | 2012 |  | 2011 |  | Income Statement Line Item |  | 2012 |  | 2011
Cash flow hedges:(a) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Interest rate contracts |  | Interest expense |  | $ | ― |  | $ | (8) |  | Other, net expenses |  | $ | ― |  | $ | ―
Net investment hedges: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Foreign exchange |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| contracts |  | Other, net expenses |  | $ | ― |  | $ | ― |  | Other, net expenses |  | $ | ― |  | $ | (3)
(a) During the three months ended March 31, 2012 and 2011, there were no forecasted transactions that were considered no longer probable to occur.
Derivative instruments gain loss recognized in income | The following table summarizes the impact on pre-tax earnings of derivatives not designated as hedges, as reported on the Consolidated Statements of Income for the three months ended March 31:
|  | Pre-tax gains (losses)
(Millions) |  |  |  |  | Amount
Description |  | Income Statement Line Item |  |  | 2012 |  | 2011
Interest rate contracts |  | Other, net expenses |  |  | $ | (1) |  | $ | 2
Foreign exchange contracts(a) |  | Interest and dividends on investment securities |  |  |  | ― |  |  | 2
|  | Interest expense on short-term borrowings |  |  |  | ― |  |  | 1
|  | Interest expense on long-term debt and other |  |  |  | ― |  |  | 30
|  | Other, net expenses |  |  |  | (102) |  |  | 19
Equity-linked contract |  | Other non-interest revenues |  |  |  | 1 |  |  | 1
Total |  |  |  |  | $ | (102) |  | $ | 55
(a) For the three months ended March 31, 2012 and 2011, foreign exchange contracts include embedded foreign currency derivatives. Gains (losses) on these embedded derivatives are included in other expenses.

X
- Definition Represents table summarizing the impact of derivatives not designated as hedges on the Consolidated Statements of Income for the period. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | axp_DerivativeInstrumentsGainLossRecognizedInIncomeTextBlock
Namespace Prefix: | axp_
Data Type: | nonnum:textBlockItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

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

X
- Definition Represents table summarizing the impact of fair value hedges on the Consolidated Statements of Income for the period. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | axp_EffectOfFairValueHedgesOnResultsOfOperationsTextBlock
Namespace Prefix: | axp_
Data Type: | nonnum:textBlockItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Tabular disclosure of the location and fair value amounts of derivative instruments (and nonderivative instruments that are designated and qualify as hedging instruments) reported in the statement of financial position. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 815 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 4B -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6935481&loc=SL5624163-113959 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 133 -Paragraph 205G -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 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 133 -Paragraph 44C -Subparagraph a -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. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_ScheduleOfDerivativeInstrumentsInStatementOfFinancialPositionFairValueTextBlock
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | nonnum:textBlockItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Tabular disclosure for fair value hedging instruments of (a) the location and amount of gains and losses reported in the statement of financial performance and (b) the location and fair value amounts of the instruments reported in the statement of financial position. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Topic 815 -SubTopic 10 -Publisher FASB -Number -Article -Subparagraph (a) -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Paragraph 4C -Section 50 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6935481&loc=SL5624171-113959 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_ScheduleOfFairValueHedgingInstrumentsStatementsOfFinancialPerformanceAndFinancialPositionLocationTableTextBlock
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | nonnum:textBlockItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration