UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): July 29, 2009
AMERICAN EXPRESS COMPANY
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
New York 1-7657 13-4922250
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(State or other jurisdiction (Commission File Number) (IRS Employer
of incorporation Identification No.)
or organization)
200 Vesey Street, World Financial Center
New York, New York 10285
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(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)
Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (212) 640-2000
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(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to
simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of
the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):
[ ] Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act
(17 CFR 230.425)
[ ] Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17
CFR 240.14a- 12)
[ ] Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the
Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
[ ] Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the
Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))
ITEM 7.01 REGULATION FD DISCLOSURE
On July 29, 2009, American Express Company (the "Company") repurchased in full
from the United States Department of the Treasury (the "Treasury Department")
the warrant to purchase approximately 24.3 million common shares of the
Company (the "Warrant"), which was issued to the Treasury Department pursuant to
the TARP Capital Purchase Program. The purchase price paid by the Company to
the Treasury Department for the Warrant was $340 million.
A copy of the Company's press release, dated July 29, 2009, announcing the
Company's repurchase of the Warrant is furnished as Exhibit 99.1 to this
Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated herein by reference.
ITEM 8.01 OTHER EVENTS
The first paragraph set forth in Item 7.01 of this Current Report on Form 8-K
is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
AMERICAN EXPRESS COMPANY
(REGISTRANT)
By: /s/ Carol V. Schwartz
--------------------------------
Name: Carol V. Schwartz
Title: Secretary
Date: July 29, 2009
EXHIBIT INDEX
ITEM NO. DESCRIPTION
99.1 Press release, dated July 29, 2009, of American Express Company
announcing repurchase of the warrant to purchase approximately
24.3 million common shares of the Company, which was issued to the
United States Department of the Treasury pursuant to the TARP
Capital Purchase Program.
EXHIBIT 99.1
NEWS RELEASE NEWS RELEASE NEWS RELEASE NEWS RELEASE NEWS RELEASE NEWS
[LOGO OF AMERICAN EXPRESS COMPANY]
CONTACTS: Media: Joanna Lambert Michael O'Neill
212-640-9668 212-640-5951
joanna.g.lambert@aexp.com mike.o'neill@aexp.com
Investors/Analysts: Alex Hopwood Ron Stovall
212-640-5495 212-640-5574
alex.w.hopwood@aexp.com ronald.stovall@aexp.com
AMERICAN EXPRESS REPURCHASES WARRANTS FROM U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TREASURY
NEW YORK, July 29, 2009 -- American Express announced today that it has
repurchased the warrants issued to the United States Department of Treasury as
part of the Capital Purchase Program (CPP) for $340 million.
In June, American Express repurchased $3.39 billion of preferred shares issued
under the CPP. The company paid a total of $74.4 million in dividends to the
U.S. Treasury. Taking into account the dividends and the repayment of warrants
-- which total $414.4 million -- U.S. Treasury earned an annualized 26 percent
return on its investment.
The repurchase price of the warrants reflects, in part, the appreciation of
American Express' share price since the preferred shares were issued in
January of this year.
American Express Company is a leading global payments and travel company
founded in 1850. For more information, visit www.americanexpress.com.
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