Monday 6-9-2014 American Express Company (AXP) $AXP opened at 95.08 hitting the high price of 95.88 and a day low of 94.65 with a total volume of 3,825,234. AXP had a previous close of 94.91 and has been seeing an average volume of 2,930,177.
Overall Average: 88% Buy
Recent stock forum discussions about AXP http://investorshangout.com/search?q=AXP&...mp;yt0=Go!
Why American Express (AXP) Stock Closed Higher Today
at The Street - 1 hr 13 mins ago
American Express (AXP) stock rose after it announced it's partnering with Uber, the ride sharing tech start up. (full story)
Why Uber Users with American Express Cards Will Be Getting Rides
at The Street - 1 hr 17 mins ago
Uber, the popular ride-sharing service, and American Express have teamed up to create a mobile loyalty partnership that will allow eligible credit card users to earn AmEx rewards points or use AmEx points for their Uber rides. (full story)
American Express And Uber Launch First-Of-Its-Kind Mobile Loyalty Program
PR Newswire - 2 hrs 43 mins ago
American Express (NYSE: AXP) today announces a new partnership with Uber and a first-of-its-kind technology integration into the Uber iOS app that allows U.S. Card Members enrolled in the Membership Rewards program to choose to earn 2x points or use points for Uber rides. This is the first time that consumers can use loyalty reward points seamlessly in-app and in real time for on-demand transportation in this way. (full story)
Midday Glance: Credit Card companies
AP - Mon Jun 09, 12:19PM CDT
NEW YORK (AP) — Shares of some top credit card companies are mixed at 1 p.m.: (full story)
Dow Today: American Express (AXP) Higher
at The Street - Mon Jun 09, 12:00PM CDT
The Dow component leading the way higher looks to be American Express (NYSE: AXP ), which is sporting an 85-cent gain (+0.9%) bringing the stock to $95.76. (full story)
Early Glance: Credit Card companies
AP - Mon Jun 09, 9:30AM CDT
NEW YORK (AP) — Shares of some top credit card companies are mixed at 10 a.m.: (full story)
More CFOs Taking Aggressive Approach to Spending and Investment, Reflecting Increasing Economic Optimism, According to Seventh Annual American Express Survey of CFOs
Business Wire - Mon Jun 09, 9:00AM CDT
For the first time since 2010, senior finance executives across global regions are more aligned in their predictions of economic expansion, according to recent research from American Express (NYSE:AXP) and CFO Research. Overall, 72% of respondents predict economic expansion this year, while 17% say they plan to pursue aggressive spending and investment plans, compared to just 10% last year. As a further indication of their confidence, only 3% say they plan to decrease spending, down from 8% last year. (full story)
Zynga Is Still a Buy No Matter What Other Investors Think
at The Street - Mon Jun 09, 8:30AM CDT
Zynga's CEO really dropped the ball but the company hasn't changed and is still a buy. (full story)
Why American Express and Citigroup Inc. Should Be Worried About This 1 Company
Patrick Morris, The Motley Fool - Motley Fool - Mon Jun 09, 6:00AM CDT
American Express and Citigroup face countless competitors in the credit card industry. But it turns out Discover Financial Services may be poised to take them down. The stunning truth Many people know American Express and Discover are... (full story)
Why Caterpillar, Goldman Sachs, and American Express Led the Dow to Record Highs Last Week
Dan Caplinger, The Motley Fool - Motley Fool - Sat Jun 07, 10:03AM CDT
Last week, the Dow Jones Industrials jumped 207 points, or more than 1%, and set new daily closing record highs on three separate occasions. A host of favorable news helped lift the Dow, including a long-awaited decision from the European Central... (full story)
Final Glance: Credit Card companies
AP - Fri Jun 06, 5:13PM CDT
NEW YORK (AP) — Shares of some top credit card companies were up at the close of trading: (full story)
Stocks Cap Solid Week With Gains; Keurig Soars Late
at Investor's Business Daily - Fri Jun 06, 3:15PM CDT
The market rally continued Friday, albeit in lighter volume, as investors found comfort in the May jobs report, which showed job growth of 200,000-plus for the fourth straight month. The Nasdaq gained 0.6% while the S&P 500 and Dow Jones industrial... (full story)
The Dow Jumps Again as Financials Look for Global Growth
Dan Caplinger, The Motley Fool - Motley Fool - Fri Jun 06, 11:35AM CDT
At lunchtime on Friday, the Dow Jones Industrials had sustained the morning's gains to stand at 65 points in the green. Most investors were excited about the continued strength in the U.S. economy, with the latest numbers on jobs pointing to a... (full story)
Co-Branded and Affinity Credit Cards in the U.S., 4th Edition
M2 - Fri Jun 06, 9:30AM CDT
Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/bm68hb/cobranded_and) has announced the addition of the "Co-Branded and Affinity Credit Cards in the U.S., 4th Edition" report to their offering. Consumer survey results show that the percentage of consumers using co-branded/affinity credit cards has fallen from 55% to 43% from 2009 to 2013. But while hundreds of smaller and less profitable co-brand programs have been eliminated, more than 120 significant co-brand credit card partnerships remain. In the U.S., they now compete against formidable own-branded credit card platforms catering to a wider audience, as well as a resurgent private label card segment. Targeting the affluent is now the name of the game, but the supply of U.S. affluent households is not limitless, and opportunities exist to target an increasingly healthy middle class, experimenting further with rewards incentives and soft card benefits. To help industry participants navigate the evolving market for co-branded/affinity cards, Co-Branded and Affinity Credit Cards in the U.S. analyzes co-branded/affinity credit card program features and benefits andretail card strategies and growth trends among bank and non-bank issuers. Coverage of trends and opportunities includes: - Assessment of the leading co-branded credit cards from card partners--Ritz Carlton, Hilton, Wyndham, Best Western, Carlson, Norwegian Cruise Line, Princess Cruises, Sony, Best Buy, BJ's Wholesale Club, Costco, Dillard's, Walmart, Macy's and Amazon--to gauge differentiation and related features and benefits among co-branded hotel, cruise, and retail credit cards. - Trending of branded credit card and co-branded credit card usage over time by card association and demographic, and current co-brand/affinity card usage by 11 card types. - Via proprietary consumer research, analysis of the degree of importance co-branded credit card users give to features and benefits when signing up for a co-branded credit card. The section assesses the importance cardholders assign to card features & benefits by grouping responses into seven categories: interest rate, spend limits & fees; rewards; discounts; special perks; travel benefits; and protection/management. - Market sizing for U.S. general purpose credit cards and co-branded credit cards, as well as a market driver analysis including credit loan volume, delinquency, loans outstanding trending. - Market sizing and segmentation by issuer and network/association, by number of partnerships. - Trends & opportunities in the co-brand and affinity credit card space, including affluent consumers, the middle class, private label conversion, rewards trends, reaching younger consumers, and cross selling. - The co-branding strategies of American Express, MasterCard and Visa, as well as the co-brand/affinity card strategies of Bank of America, Barclays, Capital One, Citibank, GE Capital Retail Bank, JPMorgan Chase and U.S. Bank. Key Topics Covered: Chapter 1: Executive Summary Chapter 2: Market Size And Forecast Chapter 3: Trends & Opportunities Chapter 4: Card Association Co-Branded Strategies Chapter 5: Co-Branded And Affinity Credit Card Issuer Strategies Chapter 6: Co-Branded Credit Card Analysis Chapter 7: Co-Branded And Affinity Credit Card Consumer Usage Trends Chapter 8: Features & Benefits Influencing Co-Brand/Affinity Credit Card Choice Chapter 9: Co-Branding Around The World For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/bm...randed_and (full story)
Stock Market News for June 06, 2014 - Market News
Zacks Equity Research - Zacks Investment Research - Fri Jun 06, 9:06AM CDT
Benchmarks notched record highs again on Thursday following the announcement of stimulus measures by the ECB intended to boost Eurozone’s recovery (full story)
Unbanked and Underbanked Consumers in the U.S., 2014 Report
M2 - Fri Jun 06, 6:41AM CDT
Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/kmv7hk/unbanked_and) has announced the addition of the "Unbanked and Underbanked Consumers in the U.S., 3rd Edition" report to their offering. The convergence in technology, mobile communications and regulatory change is shaping how banking and alternative financial services (AFS) providers tailor products and services to unbanked and underbanked consumers, while also causing lines to blur between P2P and remittances and between checking accounts and prepaid cards. In the process, traditional definitions of unbanked are being joining by such phrases as 'the new middle class and 'tech-savvy college students, changing target audiences accordingly. Meanwhile, the use of AFS products and services has entered the mainstream, with more than 3 in 10 U.S. adults using at least one type of AFS product in the last 12 months, underscoring the market opportunity for banks and non-banks alike in helping to meet underbanked consumers' needs. Unbanked and Underbanked Consumers in the U.S. analyzes trends shaping banking and alternative financial services products and services tailored to unbanked and underbanked consumers, giving industry participants the guidance they need to stay abreast of this growing and evolving market. The report assesses the following: - The characteristics of unbanked and underbanked consumers, including trending the percentage of consumers who are personally unbanked and are non-institutional unbanked, by demographic, for the period 2005-2013. - Via proprietary consumer survey analysis, underbanked, unbanked & unbanked alternative financial services (AFS) users, by demographic; the payment methods they use; and the alternative financial services they use. - AFS usage overlap and usage frequency overlap, as well as 2000-2013 unbanked and are non-institutional unbanked bill payment method trends. - Unbanked/underbanked banking product trends, by using FIDC survey data exploring why the unbanked do not have accounts; using proprietary survey data to explore unbanked, underbanked and fully banked account opening motivators; and exploring challenges and trends related to bank account penalty fees, small dollar bank loans, lines of credit, and account transperancy. - How Model Safe Accounts are being applied in the marketplace, including the Citibank Access Account and the KeyBank Access Account; and we assess non-bank entrance via prepaid accounts that behave like checking accounts, including American Express' Bluebird and Green Dot's GoBank. - Trends shaping the alternative financial services industry, including check cashing, consumer loans, pawn loans, car title loans, and remittances, with accompanying participant analysis. - How and why banks and nonbanks are using general purpose reloadable prepaid cards to reach the unbanked and underbanked, including drivers and challenges; and prepaid card innovation, including Chase Liquid and PNC SmartAccess; and assess government issued prepaid card and employer payroll card trends. - The prevalence of smartphone access among unbanked and underbanked U.S. adults, including the relationship between unbanked status and smartphone ownership patterns among key unbanked and underbanked demographics; and we assess unbanked and mobile trends in Mexico. Key Topics Covered: Chapter 1: Characteristics of Unbanked and Underbanked Consumers Chapter 2: Unbanked/Underbanked Banking Product Trends Chapter 3: Alternative Financial Services Chapter 4: Prepaid Cards Chapter 5: Mobile and International Trends For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/km...banked_and (full story)
Commercial Payment Cards: U.S. and Global Market Trends, 2014 Edition
M2 - Fri Jun 06, 6:24AM CDT
Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/3dh56f/commercial) has announced the addition of the "Commercial Payment Cards: U.S. and Global Market Trends, 8th Edition" report to their offering. While U.S. consumer credit card spending may still be pressured, commercial card purchase volume is moving full steam ahead. According to Commercial Payment Cards: The U.S. and Global Markets and Trends, 8th Edition, the commercial card purchase volume grew by 13% in 2013, reaching $888 billion. But commercial cards are catching on in both the U.S. and abroad: we forecast global commercial card purchase volume to grow by 13% in 2014 and in 2015, rising from $1.4 trillion to $1.79 trillion, with both small businesses and larger corporations fueling growth. The global landscape is quickly shifting, due in part to the quick ascension of UnionPay, which now generates more commercial card purchase volume than JCB, BC Card and Discover/Diner's Club'and surpassed Visa in 2013 as the largest network by credit and debit purchase volume. With globalization occurring at a rapid pace, payments networks and financial institutions' keen to meet the needs of multinational corporations and to penetrate new markets'are growing alongside the world's large corporations. And U.S. commercial banks have worked hard to close the commercial payments gap with competitors such as American Express. Long the 'Apple? of corporate payments, American Express can offer cards, service, solutions, and a network all under one roof. But U.S. commercial banks may be taking competition up a notch. Unlike Apple's competitors, which rely on outside operating software to run their machines, leading U.S. commercial banks can pick and choose, developing in-house proprietary solutions as well as drawing from Visa and/or MasterCard solutions'and tapping their unsurpassed global location reach. But American Express has come into 2014 swinging, keen to leveraging third-party merchant acquiring relationships via its OptBlue U.S. small merchant acquisition. The basic impetus behind migrating to commercial cards remains cost savings. However, the industry is approaching that impetus with increasingly sophisticated solutions: With names like IntelliLink (Visa), SmartData (MasterCard), PAYVE (American Express) and Paymode-X (Bank of America), the industry has introduced some very enticing value propositions to their corporate clients, allowing them to leverage information, create process synergies, and control costs better than ever before. Gaining traction in the marketplace, these kinds of platforms are the real growth drivers behind the cards, and some no longer rely on physical cards at all. Key Topics Covered: Chapter 1: Executive Summary Chapter 2: Introduction and Overview Chapter 3: Market Size and Forecast Chapter 4: Commercial Card Growth Drivers & Trends Chapter 5: Commercial Card Network Operators Chapter 6: Commercial Card Bank Issuers & Processors Chapter 7: Commercial Card Non-Bank Issuers Chapter 8: Commercial Cards and Government For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/3dh56f/commercial (full story)
Overall Average: 88% Buy
Recent stock forum discussions about AXP http://investorshangout.com/search?q=AXP&...mp;yt0=Go!
Why American Express (AXP) Stock Closed Higher Today
at The Street - 1 hr 13 mins ago
American Express (AXP) stock rose after it announced it's partnering with Uber, the ride sharing tech start up. (full story)
Why Uber Users with American Express Cards Will Be Getting Rides
at The Street - 1 hr 17 mins ago
Uber, the popular ride-sharing service, and American Express have teamed up to create a mobile loyalty partnership that will allow eligible credit card users to earn AmEx rewards points or use AmEx points for their Uber rides. (full story)
American Express And Uber Launch First-Of-Its-Kind Mobile Loyalty Program
PR Newswire - 2 hrs 43 mins ago
American Express (NYSE: AXP) today announces a new partnership with Uber and a first-of-its-kind technology integration into the Uber iOS app that allows U.S. Card Members enrolled in the Membership Rewards program to choose to earn 2x points or use points for Uber rides. This is the first time that consumers can use loyalty reward points seamlessly in-app and in real time for on-demand transportation in this way. (full story)
Midday Glance: Credit Card companies
AP - Mon Jun 09, 12:19PM CDT
NEW YORK (AP) — Shares of some top credit card companies are mixed at 1 p.m.: (full story)
Dow Today: American Express (AXP) Higher
at The Street - Mon Jun 09, 12:00PM CDT
The Dow component leading the way higher looks to be American Express (NYSE: AXP ), which is sporting an 85-cent gain (+0.9%) bringing the stock to $95.76. (full story)
Early Glance: Credit Card companies
AP - Mon Jun 09, 9:30AM CDT
NEW YORK (AP) — Shares of some top credit card companies are mixed at 10 a.m.: (full story)
More CFOs Taking Aggressive Approach to Spending and Investment, Reflecting Increasing Economic Optimism, According to Seventh Annual American Express Survey of CFOs
Business Wire - Mon Jun 09, 9:00AM CDT
For the first time since 2010, senior finance executives across global regions are more aligned in their predictions of economic expansion, according to recent research from American Express (NYSE:AXP) and CFO Research. Overall, 72% of respondents predict economic expansion this year, while 17% say they plan to pursue aggressive spending and investment plans, compared to just 10% last year. As a further indication of their confidence, only 3% say they plan to decrease spending, down from 8% last year. (full story)
Zynga Is Still a Buy No Matter What Other Investors Think
at The Street - Mon Jun 09, 8:30AM CDT
Zynga's CEO really dropped the ball but the company hasn't changed and is still a buy. (full story)
Why American Express and Citigroup Inc. Should Be Worried About This 1 Company
Patrick Morris, The Motley Fool - Motley Fool - Mon Jun 09, 6:00AM CDT
American Express and Citigroup face countless competitors in the credit card industry. But it turns out Discover Financial Services may be poised to take them down. The stunning truth Many people know American Express and Discover are... (full story)
Why Caterpillar, Goldman Sachs, and American Express Led the Dow to Record Highs Last Week
Dan Caplinger, The Motley Fool - Motley Fool - Sat Jun 07, 10:03AM CDT
Last week, the Dow Jones Industrials jumped 207 points, or more than 1%, and set new daily closing record highs on three separate occasions. A host of favorable news helped lift the Dow, including a long-awaited decision from the European Central... (full story)
Final Glance: Credit Card companies
AP - Fri Jun 06, 5:13PM CDT
NEW YORK (AP) — Shares of some top credit card companies were up at the close of trading: (full story)
Stocks Cap Solid Week With Gains; Keurig Soars Late
at Investor's Business Daily - Fri Jun 06, 3:15PM CDT
The market rally continued Friday, albeit in lighter volume, as investors found comfort in the May jobs report, which showed job growth of 200,000-plus for the fourth straight month. The Nasdaq gained 0.6% while the S&P 500 and Dow Jones industrial... (full story)
The Dow Jumps Again as Financials Look for Global Growth
Dan Caplinger, The Motley Fool - Motley Fool - Fri Jun 06, 11:35AM CDT
At lunchtime on Friday, the Dow Jones Industrials had sustained the morning's gains to stand at 65 points in the green. Most investors were excited about the continued strength in the U.S. economy, with the latest numbers on jobs pointing to a... (full story)
Co-Branded and Affinity Credit Cards in the U.S., 4th Edition
M2 - Fri Jun 06, 9:30AM CDT
Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/bm68hb/cobranded_and) has announced the addition of the "Co-Branded and Affinity Credit Cards in the U.S., 4th Edition" report to their offering. Consumer survey results show that the percentage of consumers using co-branded/affinity credit cards has fallen from 55% to 43% from 2009 to 2013. But while hundreds of smaller and less profitable co-brand programs have been eliminated, more than 120 significant co-brand credit card partnerships remain. In the U.S., they now compete against formidable own-branded credit card platforms catering to a wider audience, as well as a resurgent private label card segment. Targeting the affluent is now the name of the game, but the supply of U.S. affluent households is not limitless, and opportunities exist to target an increasingly healthy middle class, experimenting further with rewards incentives and soft card benefits. To help industry participants navigate the evolving market for co-branded/affinity cards, Co-Branded and Affinity Credit Cards in the U.S. analyzes co-branded/affinity credit card program features and benefits andretail card strategies and growth trends among bank and non-bank issuers. Coverage of trends and opportunities includes: - Assessment of the leading co-branded credit cards from card partners--Ritz Carlton, Hilton, Wyndham, Best Western, Carlson, Norwegian Cruise Line, Princess Cruises, Sony, Best Buy, BJ's Wholesale Club, Costco, Dillard's, Walmart, Macy's and Amazon--to gauge differentiation and related features and benefits among co-branded hotel, cruise, and retail credit cards. - Trending of branded credit card and co-branded credit card usage over time by card association and demographic, and current co-brand/affinity card usage by 11 card types. - Via proprietary consumer research, analysis of the degree of importance co-branded credit card users give to features and benefits when signing up for a co-branded credit card. The section assesses the importance cardholders assign to card features & benefits by grouping responses into seven categories: interest rate, spend limits & fees; rewards; discounts; special perks; travel benefits; and protection/management. - Market sizing for U.S. general purpose credit cards and co-branded credit cards, as well as a market driver analysis including credit loan volume, delinquency, loans outstanding trending. - Market sizing and segmentation by issuer and network/association, by number of partnerships. - Trends & opportunities in the co-brand and affinity credit card space, including affluent consumers, the middle class, private label conversion, rewards trends, reaching younger consumers, and cross selling. - The co-branding strategies of American Express, MasterCard and Visa, as well as the co-brand/affinity card strategies of Bank of America, Barclays, Capital One, Citibank, GE Capital Retail Bank, JPMorgan Chase and U.S. Bank. Key Topics Covered: Chapter 1: Executive Summary Chapter 2: Market Size And Forecast Chapter 3: Trends & Opportunities Chapter 4: Card Association Co-Branded Strategies Chapter 5: Co-Branded And Affinity Credit Card Issuer Strategies Chapter 6: Co-Branded Credit Card Analysis Chapter 7: Co-Branded And Affinity Credit Card Consumer Usage Trends Chapter 8: Features & Benefits Influencing Co-Brand/Affinity Credit Card Choice Chapter 9: Co-Branding Around The World For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/bm...randed_and (full story)
Stock Market News for June 06, 2014 - Market News
Zacks Equity Research - Zacks Investment Research - Fri Jun 06, 9:06AM CDT
Benchmarks notched record highs again on Thursday following the announcement of stimulus measures by the ECB intended to boost Eurozone’s recovery (full story)
Unbanked and Underbanked Consumers in the U.S., 2014 Report
M2 - Fri Jun 06, 6:41AM CDT
Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/kmv7hk/unbanked_and) has announced the addition of the "Unbanked and Underbanked Consumers in the U.S., 3rd Edition" report to their offering. The convergence in technology, mobile communications and regulatory change is shaping how banking and alternative financial services (AFS) providers tailor products and services to unbanked and underbanked consumers, while also causing lines to blur between P2P and remittances and between checking accounts and prepaid cards. In the process, traditional definitions of unbanked are being joining by such phrases as 'the new middle class and 'tech-savvy college students, changing target audiences accordingly. Meanwhile, the use of AFS products and services has entered the mainstream, with more than 3 in 10 U.S. adults using at least one type of AFS product in the last 12 months, underscoring the market opportunity for banks and non-banks alike in helping to meet underbanked consumers' needs. Unbanked and Underbanked Consumers in the U.S. analyzes trends shaping banking and alternative financial services products and services tailored to unbanked and underbanked consumers, giving industry participants the guidance they need to stay abreast of this growing and evolving market. The report assesses the following: - The characteristics of unbanked and underbanked consumers, including trending the percentage of consumers who are personally unbanked and are non-institutional unbanked, by demographic, for the period 2005-2013. - Via proprietary consumer survey analysis, underbanked, unbanked & unbanked alternative financial services (AFS) users, by demographic; the payment methods they use; and the alternative financial services they use. - AFS usage overlap and usage frequency overlap, as well as 2000-2013 unbanked and are non-institutional unbanked bill payment method trends. - Unbanked/underbanked banking product trends, by using FIDC survey data exploring why the unbanked do not have accounts; using proprietary survey data to explore unbanked, underbanked and fully banked account opening motivators; and exploring challenges and trends related to bank account penalty fees, small dollar bank loans, lines of credit, and account transperancy. - How Model Safe Accounts are being applied in the marketplace, including the Citibank Access Account and the KeyBank Access Account; and we assess non-bank entrance via prepaid accounts that behave like checking accounts, including American Express' Bluebird and Green Dot's GoBank. - Trends shaping the alternative financial services industry, including check cashing, consumer loans, pawn loans, car title loans, and remittances, with accompanying participant analysis. - How and why banks and nonbanks are using general purpose reloadable prepaid cards to reach the unbanked and underbanked, including drivers and challenges; and prepaid card innovation, including Chase Liquid and PNC SmartAccess; and assess government issued prepaid card and employer payroll card trends. - The prevalence of smartphone access among unbanked and underbanked U.S. adults, including the relationship between unbanked status and smartphone ownership patterns among key unbanked and underbanked demographics; and we assess unbanked and mobile trends in Mexico. Key Topics Covered: Chapter 1: Characteristics of Unbanked and Underbanked Consumers Chapter 2: Unbanked/Underbanked Banking Product Trends Chapter 3: Alternative Financial Services Chapter 4: Prepaid Cards Chapter 5: Mobile and International Trends For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/km...banked_and (full story)
Commercial Payment Cards: U.S. and Global Market Trends, 2014 Edition
M2 - Fri Jun 06, 6:24AM CDT
Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/3dh56f/commercial) has announced the addition of the "Commercial Payment Cards: U.S. and Global Market Trends, 8th Edition" report to their offering. While U.S. consumer credit card spending may still be pressured, commercial card purchase volume is moving full steam ahead. According to Commercial Payment Cards: The U.S. and Global Markets and Trends, 8th Edition, the commercial card purchase volume grew by 13% in 2013, reaching $888 billion. But commercial cards are catching on in both the U.S. and abroad: we forecast global commercial card purchase volume to grow by 13% in 2014 and in 2015, rising from $1.4 trillion to $1.79 trillion, with both small businesses and larger corporations fueling growth. The global landscape is quickly shifting, due in part to the quick ascension of UnionPay, which now generates more commercial card purchase volume than JCB, BC Card and Discover/Diner's Club'and surpassed Visa in 2013 as the largest network by credit and debit purchase volume. With globalization occurring at a rapid pace, payments networks and financial institutions' keen to meet the needs of multinational corporations and to penetrate new markets'are growing alongside the world's large corporations. And U.S. commercial banks have worked hard to close the commercial payments gap with competitors such as American Express. Long the 'Apple? of corporate payments, American Express can offer cards, service, solutions, and a network all under one roof. But U.S. commercial banks may be taking competition up a notch. Unlike Apple's competitors, which rely on outside operating software to run their machines, leading U.S. commercial banks can pick and choose, developing in-house proprietary solutions as well as drawing from Visa and/or MasterCard solutions'and tapping their unsurpassed global location reach. But American Express has come into 2014 swinging, keen to leveraging third-party merchant acquiring relationships via its OptBlue U.S. small merchant acquisition. The basic impetus behind migrating to commercial cards remains cost savings. However, the industry is approaching that impetus with increasingly sophisticated solutions: With names like IntelliLink (Visa), SmartData (MasterCard), PAYVE (American Express) and Paymode-X (Bank of America), the industry has introduced some very enticing value propositions to their corporate clients, allowing them to leverage information, create process synergies, and control costs better than ever before. Gaining traction in the marketplace, these kinds of platforms are the real growth drivers behind the cards, and some no longer rely on physical cards at all. Key Topics Covered: Chapter 1: Executive Summary Chapter 2: Introduction and Overview Chapter 3: Market Size and Forecast Chapter 4: Commercial Card Growth Drivers & Trends Chapter 5: Commercial Card Network Operators Chapter 6: Commercial Card Bank Issuers & Processors Chapter 7: Commercial Card Non-Bank Issuers Chapter 8: Commercial Cards and Government For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/3dh56f/commercial (full story)
