New York — AmEx Raises 2026 Profit Forecast, Plans 5% Job Cuts

American Express raised its profit forecast for 2026 and said it will cut 5% of its workforce, according to Reuters. The two moves — an upgraded earnings outlook paired with a headcount reduction — were announced together, the wire service reported.

What did American Express actually announce?

The company told investors it now expects higher profit for 2026 than it had previously projected, Reuters reported. At the same time, American Express said it plans to reduce its workforce by 5%, according to the same report. The wire dispatch did not include the prior or revised profit figures, nor the total employee count the reduction would affect.

What does raising a profit forecast signal?

When a public company lifts guidance, it is telling shareholders and analysts that it expects to earn more than it previously disclosed in regulatory filings or earnings calls. Guidance revisions typically follow a board or finance-committee review of trends in revenue, spending, or costs. Reuters did not specify which factors drove American Express's upward revision.

How large is the workforce cut, and who is affected?

A 5% reduction, as described in the Reuters report, is the only workforce figure disclosed. The report did not break down the cut by division, geography, or job function, and did not say whether the reduction would come through layoffs, attrition, or a combination of both.

Data box

• Profit forecast: Raised for fiscal year 2026 (specific dollar or per-share figures not disclosed in available reporting)
• Workforce reduction: 5% of staff, per Reuters

What hasn't been disclosed yet?

Reuters' report, as captured in available coverage, did not include a start date for the job cuts, severance terms, or whether the company filed any notices under state or federal layoff-notification requirements. It also did not quote an American Express executive by name or include the text of any company statement. Readers should treat the size of the profit increase and the scope of the layoffs as pending further disclosure, likely in a subsequent earnings release or regulatory filing.

What should employees and investors watch next?

Companies that pair upgraded guidance with workforce reductions typically follow with more detail in quarterly securities filings, where cost-cutting charges and revised per-share estimates are itemized. Until American Express issues that filing or a fuller statement, the only confirmed facts are the direction of the 2026 profit revision — upward — and the size of the workforce cut — 5%, as reported by Reuters.