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Reportable Operating Segment | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2016
Disclosure Text Block Abstract |
Reportable Operating Segments | NOTE 25 Reportable Operating Segments and Geographic Operations Reportable Operating Segments The Company is a global services company that is principally engaged in businesses comprising four reportable operating segments: USCS, IC N S, GCS and G MS. 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, classe s of customers, product distribution channels, geographic considerations (primarily United States versus outside the United States), and regulatory environment considerations. The following is a brief description of the primary business activities of the Company’s four reportable operating segments: USCS issues a wide range of proprietary consumer cards and provides services to consumers in the United States, including consumer travel services. ICNS issues a wide range of proprietary consumer cards outside the United States and enters into partnership agreements with third-party card issuers and acquirers, licensing the American Express brand and extending the reach of the global network. It also provides travel services to consumers outside the Unit ed States. GCS issues a wide range of proprietary corporate and small business cards and provides payment and expense management services globally. In addition, GCS provides commercial financing products. GMS operates a global payments network that process es and settles proprietary and non-proprietary card transactions. GMS acquires merchants and provides multi-channel marketing programs and capabilities, services and data analytics, leveraging the Company’s global closed-loop network. GMS also operates loy alty coalition businesses in certain countries around the world. Corporate functions and certain other businesses and operations, including the Company’s Prepaid Services business and the GBT operations up to June 30, 2014, and subsequent activities relate d to the GBT JV, are included in Corporate & Other. The following table presents certain selected financial information for the Company’s reportable operating segments and Corporate & Other as of or for the years ended December 31, 2016, 2015 and 2014:
(Millions, except where indicated) |  | USCS |  | ICNS |  | GCS |  | GMS |  | Corporate & Other | (a) | Consolidated
2016 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Non-interest revenues |  | $ | 7,874 |  | $ | 4,785 |  | $ | 9,007 |  | $ | 4,235 |  | $ | 447 |  | $ | 26,348
Interest income |  |  | 5,082 |  |  | 922 |  |  | 1,209 |  |  | 1 |  |  | 261 |  |  | 7,475
Interest expense |  |  | 536 |  |  | 219 |  |  | 401 |  |  | (237) |  |  | 785 |  |  | 1,704
Total revenues net of interest expense |  |  | 12,420 |  |  | 5,488 |  |  | 9,815 |  |  | 4,473 |  |  | (77) |  |  | 32,119
Total provisions (b) |  |  | 1,065 |  |  | 325 |  |  | 604 |  |  | 25 |  |  | 7 |  |  | 2,026
Pretax income (loss) from continuing operations |  |  | 3,881 |  |  | 818 |  |  | 2,945 |  |  | 2,295 |  |  | (1,843) |  |  | 8,096
Income tax provision (benefit) |  |  | 1,368 |  |  | 163 |  |  | 1,036 |  |  | 837 |  |  | (716) |  |  | 2,688
Net income (loss) |  |  | 2,513 |  |  | 655 |  |  | 1,909 |  |  | 1,458 |  |  | (1,127) |  |  | 5,408
Total assets (billions) |  | $ | 87 |  | $ | 36 |  | $ | 47 |  | $ | 24 |  | $ | (35) |  | $ | 159
Total equity (billions) |  | $ | 7.2 |  | $ | 2.5 |  | $ | 7.0 |  | $ | 2.5 |  | $ | 1.3 |  | $ | 20.5
2015 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Non-interest revenues |  | $ | 8,479 |  | $ | 4,627 |  | $ | 8,930 |  | $ | 4,471 |  | $ | 389 |  | $ | 26,896
Interest income |  |  | 5,198 |  |  | 945 |  |  | 1,175 |  |  | 1 |  |  | 226 |  |  | 7,545
Interest expense |  |  | 488 |  |  | 235 |  |  | 365 |  |  | (211) |  |  | 746 |  |  | 1,623
Total revenues net of interest expense |  |  | 13,189 |  |  | 5,337 |  |  | 9,740 |  |  | 4,683 |  |  | (131) |  |  | 32,818
Total provisions (b) |  |  | 1,064 |  |  | 300 |  |  | 588 |  |  | 31 |  |  | 5 |  |  | 1,988
Pretax income (loss) from continuing operations |  |  | 3,677 |  |  | 904 |  |  | 3,164 |  |  | 2,381 |  |  | (2,188) |  |  | 7,938
Income tax provision (benefit) |  |  | 1,322 |  |  | 220 |  |  | 1,142 |  |  | 882 |  |  | (791) |  |  | 2,775
Net income (loss) |  |  | 2,355 |  |  | 684 |  |  | 2,022 |  |  | 1,499 |  |  | (1,397) |  |  | 5,163
Total assets (billions) |  | $ | 93 |  | $ | 35 |  | $ | 45 |  | $ | 24 |  | $ | (36) |  | $ | 161
Total equity (billions) |  | $ | 7.2 |  | $ | 2.6 |  | $ | 7.0 |  | $ | 2.4 |  | $ | 1.5 |  | $ | 20.7
2014 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Non-interest revenues |  | $ | 8,198 |  | $ | 5,091 |  | $ | 9,571 |  | $ | 4,571 |  | $ | 1,285 |  | $ | 28,716
Interest income |  |  | 4,821 |  |  | 1,088 |  |  | 1,026 |  |  | 2 |  |  | 242 |  |  | 7,179
Interest expense |  |  | 453 |  |  | 325 |  |  | 409 |  |  | (287) |  |  | 807 |  |  | 1,707
Total revenues net of interest expense |  |  | 12,566 |  |  | 5,854 |  |  | 10,188 |  |  | 4,860 |  |  | 720 |  |  | 34,188
Total provisions |  |  | 1,030 |  |  | 354 |  |  | 569 |  |  | 79 |  |  | 12 |  |  | 2,044
Pretax income (loss) from continuing operations |  |  | 3,502 |  |  | 887 |  |  | 3,723 |  |  | 2,330 |  |  | (1,451) |  |  | 8,991
Income tax provision (benefit) |  |  | 1,283 |  |  | 194 |  |  | 1,381 |  |  | 872 |  |  | (624) |  |  | 3,106
Net income (loss) |  |  | 2,219 |  |  | 693 |  |  | 2,342 |  |  | 1,458 |  |  | (827) |  |  | 5,885
Total assets (billions) |  | $ | 90 |  | $ | 31 |  | $ | 44 |  | $ | 18 |  | $ | (24) |  | $ | 159
Total equity (billions) |  | $ | 7.6 |  | $ | 2.6 |  | $ | 6.9 |  | $ | 2.1 |  | $ | 1.5 |  | $ | 20.7
Corporate & Other includes adjustments and eliminations for intersegment activity. Beginning December 1, 2015 through to the sale completion dates, in the USCS and GCS segment s, total provisions does not include credit costs related to Card Member loan s and receivables HFS, which were reported in Other expenses through a valuation allowance adjustment. Total Revenues Net of Interest Expense The Company allocates discount revenue and certain other revenues among segments using a transfer pricing methodology. Within the USCS, IC N S and GCS segments, discount revenue reflects the issuer component of the overall discount revenue generated by each segme nt’s Card Members; within the G MS segment, discount revenue reflects the network and acquirer component of the overall discount re venue. Net card fees and Other fees and commissions are directly attributable to the segment in which they are reported. Interest and fees on loans and certain investment income is directly attributable to the segment in which it is reported. Interest expense represents an allocated funding cost based on a combination of segment fun ding requirements and internal funding rates. Provisions for Losses The provisions for losses are directly attributable to the segment in which they are reported. Expenses Marketing and promotion expenses are included in each segment based on actual exp enses incurred. Global brand advertising is primarily reflected in Corporate & Other and may be allocated to the segment based on the actual expense incurred. Rewards and Card Member services expenses are included in each segment based on the actual expenses incurred within the segment. Salaries and employee benefits and other operating expenses includes expenses such as profession al services, occupancy and equipment and communications incurred directly within each segment. In addition, expenses related to support services, such as technology costs, are allocated to each segment primarily 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 a mix of each segment’s direct consumption of services and relative level of pretax income. C apital Each business segment is allocated capital based on established business model operating requirements, risk measures and regulatory capital requirements. The business model operating requirements include capital needed to support operations and spe cific balance sheet items. The risk measures include considerations for credit, market and operational risk. Income Taxes An income tax provision (benefit) is allocated to each business segment based on the effective tax rates applicable to various busin esses that comprise the segment. Geographic Operations The following table presents the Company’s total revenues net of interest expense and pretax income (loss) from continuing operations in different geographic regions:
(Millions) |  | United States |  | EMEA | (a) | JAPA | (a) | LACC | (a) | Other Unallocated | (b) | Consolidated
2016(c) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Total revenues net of interest expense |  | $ | 24,133 |  | $ | 3,248 |  | $ | 3,052 |  | $ | 2,274 |  | $ | (588) |  | $ | 32,119
| Pretax income (loss) from continuing operations |  |  | 8,202 |  |  | 482 |  |  | 559 |  |  | 597 |  |  | (1,744) |  |  | 8,096
2015(c) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Total revenues net of interest expense |  | $ | 24,927 |  | $ | 3,293 |  | $ | 2,791 |  | $ | 2,412 |  | $ | (605) |  | $ | 32,818
| Pretax income (loss) from continuing operations |  |  | 7,500 |  |  | 544 |  |  | 587 |  |  | 693 |  |  | (1,386) |  |  | 7,938
2014(c) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Total revenues net of interest expense |  | $ | 24,678 |  | $ | 3,574 |  | $ | 2,923 |  | $ | 2,784 |  | $ | 229 |  | $ | 34,188
| Pretax income (loss) from continuing operations |  |  | 8,406 |  |  | 528 |  |  | 565 |  |  | 675 |  |  | (1,183) |  |  | 8,991
EMEA represents Europe, the Middle East and Africa; JAPA represents Japan, Asia/Pacific and Australia; and LACC represents Latin America, Canada and the Caribbean. Other Unallocated 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.

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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 34 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=68060357&loc=d3e8981-108599 Reference 2: 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=68060357&loc=d3e9038-108599 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=68060357&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 12 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=68060357&loc=d3e8595-108599 Reference 5: 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=68060357&loc=d3e8380-108599 Reference 6: 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=68060357&loc=d3e8933-108599 Reference 7: 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=68060357&loc=d3e8844-108599 Reference 8: 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=68060357&loc=d3e8984-108599 Reference 9: 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=68060357&loc=d3e9031-108599 Reference 10: 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=68060357&loc=d3e9054-108599 Reference 11: 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=68060357&loc=d3e8538-108599 Reference 12: 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=68060357&loc=d3e8864-108599 Reference 13: 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=68060357&loc=d3e8924-108599 Reference 14: 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=68060357&loc=d3e8906-108599 + Details
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