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M&A Earnings/revenue Analyst actions Miscellany By the Numbers

Updated from 12:23 p.m.

American Express(AXP Quote) said it expects first-quarter earnings per share to be about 18% below the 48 cents that it earned in the same period a year ago. The company said the losses reflect pretax charges of about $185 million from the write-down and sale of high-yield securities in the investment portfolio of its subsidiary, American Express Financial Advisors. In the same period a year ago, the company reported write-downs of $18 million. American Express ended the trading day down $1.59, or 3.9%, to $39.71.

The company also said that because of the continued decline in the equity markets, and no signs of a pickup in economic activity or spending by corporate customers, earnings growth for the full year is likely to be lower than forecast. Earlier this year, American Express said growth would be at the low end of a previously announced range of 12% to 15%.

Seventeen analysts surveyed by Thomson Financial/First Call were expecting earnings of 51 cents a share for the quarter and $2.27 a share for the full year. In a statement, the company said that, excluding losses in the high-yield sector, first-quarter earnings per share are expected to be about the same as last year's. ...