There are no safe havens in the stock market. Every stock carries risk. But some less than others. This column features stocks that have shown one or more of the following characteristics: less volatility, better earnings, larger market caps, safe and increasing dividends. In these times of turmoil, our goal is to show readers better opportunities for investing with fewer risks.

March 16, 2012 - American Express Company (AXP-NYSE) provides charge and credit payment card products, and travel-related services to worldwide. The product portfolio consists of charge and credit card products; expense management products and services; consumer and business travel services; stored value products, including travelers cheques and other prepaid products; network services; merchant acquisition and processing, and servicing and settlement, as well as point-of-sale, marketing, and information products and services for merchants; and fee services comprising market and trend analyses and related consulting services, fraud prevention services, and the design of customer loyalty and rewards programs.

The company sells to consumers, small businesses, mid-sized companies, and large corporations through direct mail, online applications, in-house and third-party sales forces, and direct response advertising. American Express Company was founded in 1850 and is headquartered in New York, New York.

The Latest News:
A recent study, conducted by the credit card comparison website CardHub, found that consumers continue charging more on their credit cards. The report finds Americans accumulated nearly $48 billion in new credit card debt in 2011, 424 percent more than what they charged in 2010, and 577 percent more than in 2009. Although total outstanding credit rose only about $4 billion, that number was largely offset by the magnitude of consumer defaults -- $44.2 billion. "First-quarter pay-downs have become less significant and the amount of new debt added in each subsequent quarter has grown compared to its respective counterparts in the previous two years," the report said.

12 month Price target by analysts: $57.50
Expectations:
For first quarter (ends March 31): $1.00 vs 97 cents last year in first.
For second quarter: $1.08 compared to $1.07 last year in the second.
Full year 2012: $4.25 vs $4.09 in 2011.
Full year 2013: $4.73

Important Numbers:
- Trailing P/E: 13.75
- Forward P/E: 11.98
- Price to sales ratio: 2.36
- Price to book: 3.51
- Profit margin: 17.11%
- Operating margin: 27.98%
- Revenues last 12 months: $28.85 billion
- Total cash: $25.81 billion
- Cash per share: $21.47
- Total debt: $66.97 billion
- Debt to equity: 352%
- Current ratio: 2.09
- Book value per share: $16.15
- Beta: 1.93
- 52 week change: 28.41%
- Shares outstanding: 1.2 billion
- Held by institutions: 84%
- Annual dividend: 72 cents
- Yield: 1.3%

Company Web site: www.americanexpress.com

Ted Allrich