Compare StocksAPP vs AXP

AppLovin Corporation (APP) vs American Express Company (AXP)

APP
AppLovin Corporation
$439.92
VS
AXP
American Express Company
$294.93

Rewards

APP
  • Gross margin of 87.9% indicates strong pricing power — typical of businesses with significant intellectual property or brand strength.
  • Free cash flow has grown at a 112.3% CAGR over the past 4 years, demonstrating strong earnings power growth.
  • Each dollar of retained earnings has created $42.50 of market value — management is an exceptional capital allocator.
AXP
  • Gross margin of 63.5% indicates strong pricing power — typical of businesses with significant intellectual property or brand strength.
  • Return on equity has consistently exceeded 20% over 4 years, indicating efficient use of shareholder capital.
  • Each dollar of retained earnings has created $6.18 of market value — management is an exceptional capital allocator.

Risks

APP
  • FCF yield of 2.7% is below 3%, meaning the market is pricing in substantial future growth to justify the current price.
  • Insiders have sold $122.0M worth of stock in the past 3 months — significant insider liquidation.
AXP
  • Altman Z-Score of 0.93 places the company in the distress zone — financial patterns resemble those of companies that experienced bankruptcy.
  • 7 insider sales totaling $36.4M with no purchases in the past 3 months — insiders are reducing their exposure.
  • Free cash flow has declined at a 5.9% CAGR over the past 4 years — a concerning trend.

Key Valuation Metrics

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APP
AXP
Valuation
$3.94B
Free Cash Flow
N/A
2.65%
FCF Yield
N/A
43.86
Trailing P/E
19.19
21.72
Forward P/E
14.64
Quality & Moat
57.40%
ROIC
9.49%
156.17%
ROE
31.97%
87.86%
Gross Margin
63.47%
0.52
PEG Ratio
1.16
Balance Sheet Safety
1.72
Debt / Equity
1.91
N/A
Interest Coverage
N/A
0.28
Net Debt / EBITDA
N/A
N/A
Dividend Yield
1.29%
APP: 5Ties: 1AXP: 2
APPAXP

Historical Fundamentals

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APP

Price ÷ Earnings Per Share — how many years of current earnings you're paying for at today's price. Lower P/E may indicate undervaluation.

AXP

Price ÷ Earnings Per Share — how many years of current earnings you're paying for at today's price. Lower P/E may indicate undervaluation.

Price ÷ Earnings Per Share — how many years of current earnings you're paying for at today's price. Lower P/E may indicate undervaluation.

$1 Retained Earnings Test

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APP
$42.50
created per $1 retained over 3 years
Exceptional Value Creator
Σ Retained
$5.27B
Δ Market Cap
+$224.03B
Buffett's "$1 Test": For every $1 of earnings retained, has management created at least $1 of market value?
> $1 created per $1 retained = Value Creator · < $1 created = Value Destroyer
AXP
$6.18
created per $1 retained over 3 years
Exceptional Value Creator
Σ Retained
$23.29B
Δ Market Cap
+$144.01B
Buffett's "$1 Test": For every $1 of earnings retained, has management created at least $1 of market value?
> $1 created per $1 retained = Value Creator · < $1 created = Value Destroyer

Buffett's "$1 Test": For every $1 of earnings retained, has management created at least $1 of market value?
> $1 created per $1 retained = Value Creator · < $1 created = Value Destroyer

Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) Analysis

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APP
38.4% Margin of Safety
Price is 38.4% below estimated fair value
Current Price: $439.92
Fair Value: $713.70
Strongly undervalued
Undervalued
Fairly valued
Overvalued
Strongly overvalued
AXP
38.6% Margin of Safety
Price is 38.6% below estimated fair value
Current Price: $294.93
Fair Value: $480.21
Strongly undervalued
Undervalued
Fairly valued
Overvalued
Strongly overvalued

Reverse DCF — Market-Implied Growth

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APP

What growth rate is the market pricing in at $440?

+18.7%
Market-Implied Owner Earnings Growth
Standard FCF implies +16.4%

The market implies +18.7% Owner Earnings growth, below historical trends — potential opportunity.

Standard FCF implies a more demanding +16.4%, reflecting heavy growth investment expected to generate future returns.

AXP

Requires positive FCF to compute implied growth rate.

Economic Moat Score

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APP
51/100
Narrow Moat
70+ Wide · 40-69 Narrow · <40 None

Narrow moat with reinvestment efficiency as the key competitive advantage. Improving revenue predictability would strengthen the moat.

Composite score measuring competitive advantage durability across four dimensions: returns above cost of capital, pricing power stability, revenue predictability, and capital efficiency. Based on 4 years of fundamental data.
AXP
40/100
Narrow Moat
70+ Wide · 40-69 Narrow · <40 None

Narrow moat with revenue predictability as the key competitive advantage. Improving margin stability would strengthen the moat.

Composite score measuring competitive advantage durability across four dimensions: returns above cost of capital, pricing power stability, revenue predictability, and capital efficiency. Based on 4 years of fundamental data.

Forensic Accounting

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APP
-2.43
Unlikely Manipulator
Above -1.78 = likely manipulator · -2.22 to -1.78 = grey zone

M-Score Trend

Beneish's 8-variable model estimates the probability of earnings manipulation. An M-Score above -1.78 signals elevated risk — companies in this range have historically been 3-5× more likely to be manipulating earnings. Scores between -2.22 and -1.78 fall in a grey zone warranting further investigation.
AXP
-2.51
Unlikely Manipulator
Above -1.78 = likely manipulator · -2.22 to -1.78 = grey zone

M-Score Trend

Beneish's 8-variable model estimates the probability of earnings manipulation. An M-Score above -1.78 signals elevated risk — companies in this range have historically been 3-5× more likely to be manipulating earnings. Scores between -2.22 and -1.78 fall in a grey zone warranting further investigation.

Beneish's 8-variable model estimates the probability of earnings manipulation. An M-Score above -1.78 signals elevated risk — companies in this range have historically been 3-5× more likely to be manipulating earnings. Scores between -2.22 and -1.78 fall in a grey zone warranting further investigation.

Ownership Breakdown

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APP
Insiders 18.7%Institutions 81.1%Retail & Other 0.1%
No. of Institutional Holders2,124
High insider ownership aligns management incentives with shareholders — a key signal in Buffett-style analysis. Institutional concentration can indicate smart-money conviction but also crowding risk.
AXP
Insiders 22.2%Institutions 64.8%Retail & Other 12.9%
No. of Institutional Holders3,749
High insider ownership aligns management incentives with shareholders — a key signal in Buffett-style analysis. Institutional concentration can indicate smart-money conviction but also crowding risk.

High insider ownership aligns management incentives with shareholders. Institutional concentration can indicate smart-money conviction but also crowding risk.

Insider Buying Activity

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APP
0
Buys (3M)
0
Buys (12M)
No open market insider purchases found.
Open market purchases · includes direct & indirect ownership · excludes option exercises
AXP
0
Buys (3M)
1
Buys (12M)
Total value (12M): $4,054
JOABAR RAYMOND D
Officer
$4,054
@ $176.26 · 2025-04-09
ANGELAKIS MICHAEL J
Director
$998,593
@ $269.89 · 2025-03-07
Open market purchases · includes direct & indirect ownership · excludes option exercises

Open market purchases · includes direct & indirect ownership · excludes option exercises.

Insider Selling Activity

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APP
4
Sells (3M)
28
Sells (12M)
Total value (12M): $599.95M
VIVAS EDUARDO
Director
$74.33M
@ $453.49 · 2026-03-16
DOROSH DMITRIY
Officer
$1.41M
@ $453.42 · 2026-03-13
FOROUGHI ARASH ADAM
Chief Executive Officer
$27.50M
@ $463.71 · 2026-03-12
FOROUGHI ARASH ADAM
Chief Executive Officer
$18.72M
@ $459.85 · 2026-03-12
VALENZUELA VICTORIA
Officer
$5.00M
@ $657.13 · 2025-12-18
HARVEY DAWSON ALYSSA
Director
$103,998
@ $693.32 · 2025-12-08
SHIKIN VASILY
Chief Technology Officer
$14.80M
@ $545.38 · 2025-11-24
STUMPF MATTHEW
Chief Financial Officer
$2.52M
@ $515.76 · 2025-11-21
HARVEY DAWSON ALYSSA
Director
$117,836
@ $589.18 · 2025-11-12
VIVAS EDUARDO
Director
$97.64M
@ $650.91 · 2025-11-10
BILLINGS CRAIG SCOTT
Director
$1.39M
@ $592.92 · 2025-11-07
HARVEY DAWSON ALYSSA
Director
$170,790
@ $487.97 · 2025-09-05
VALENZUELA VICTORIA
Officer
$17.58M
@ $502.23 · 2025-09-04
VALENZUELA VICTORIA
Officer
$6.75M
@ $450.00 · 2025-08-25
SHIKIN VASILY
Chief Technology Officer
$13.13M
@ $437.57 · 2025-08-22
FOROUGHI ARASH ADAM
Chief Executive Officer
$11.53M
@ $440.23 · 2025-08-22
VALENZUELA VICTORIA
Officer
$6.92M
@ $416.71 · 2025-08-21
STUMPF MATTHEW
Chief Financial Officer
$2.03M
@ $416.18 · 2025-08-21
CHEN HERALD Y
Director
$167.51M
@ $456.43 · 2025-08-13
CHEN HERALD Y
Director
$15.11M
@ $457.93 · 2025-08-13
VIVAS EDUARDO
Director
$58.25M
@ $466.00 · 2025-08-12
MESSING BARBARA
Director
$573,692
@ $382.46 · 2025-06-11
CHEN HERALD Y
Director
$41.99M
@ $419.91 · 2025-06-06
STUMPF MATTHEW
Chief Financial Officer
$4.11M
@ $423.00 · 2025-06-06
HARVEY DAWSON ALYSSA
Director
$1.45M
@ $414.90 · 2025-06-06
VALENZUELA VICTORIA
Officer
$4.88M
@ $369.79 · 2025-05-21
HARVEY DAWSON ALYSSA
Director
$211,540
@ $371.12 · 2025-05-13
BILLINGS CRAIG SCOTT
Director
$4.24M
@ $353.12 · 2025-05-12
CHEN HERALD Y
Director
$64.93M
@ $324.65 · 2025-02-28
FOROUGHI ARASH ADAM
Chief Executive Officer
$19.24M
@ $421.88 · 2025-02-24
FOROUGHI ARASH ADAM
Chief Executive Officer
$18.24M
@ $410.89 · 2025-02-24
VALENZUELA VICTORIA
Officer
$5.00M
@ $313.07 · 2024-12-19
CHEN HERALD Y
Director
$32.62M
@ $329.50 · 2024-12-12
FOROUGHI ARASH ADAM
Chief Executive Officer
$17.19M
@ $332.74 · 2024-12-11
CHEN HERALD Y
Director
$63.92M
@ $329.36 · 2024-12-10
FOROUGHI ARASH ADAM
Chief Executive Officer
$18.82M
@ $343.38 · 2024-12-10
FOROUGHI ARASH ADAM
Chief Executive Officer
$14.47M
@ $332.52 · 2024-12-10
HARVEY DAWSON ALYSSA
Director
$203,134
@ $406.27 · 2024-12-06
VALENZUELA VICTORIA
Officer
$6.35M
@ $354.15 · 2024-12-03
HARVEY DAWSON ALYSSA
Director
$977,282
@ $325.76 · 2024-11-27
SHIKIN VASILY
Chief Technology Officer
$74.75M
@ $324.99 · 2024-11-25
SHIKIN VASILY
Chief Technology Officer
$51.74M
@ $311.68 · 2024-11-22
STUMPF MATTHEW
Chief Financial Officer
$7.02M
@ $332.67 · 2024-11-22
BILLINGS CRAIG SCOTT
Director
$5.74M
@ $318.94 · 2024-11-21
SHIKIN VASILY
Chief Technology Officer
$189.57M
@ $319.37 · 2024-11-21
JANSEN KATIE KIHORANY
Officer
$34.26M
@ $286.13 · 2024-11-13
Direct ownership only · excludes indirect, option exercises, planned (10b5-1) sales & derivatives
AXP
7
Sells (3M)
20
Sells (12M)
Total value (12M): $152.65M
LIEBERMAN QUINN JESSICA
Officer
$909,661
@ $300.02 · 2026-03-06
JOABAR RAYMOND D
Officer
$4.77M
@ $340.67 · 2026-02-19
GROSFIELD HOWARD M
Officer
$2.82M
@ $346.73 · 2026-02-12
RADHAKRISHNAN RAVIKUMAR S
Chief Technology Officer
$5.35M
@ $356.58 · 2026-02-09
SEEGER LAUREEN E
Officer
$4.60M
@ $360.99 · 2026-02-09
MARRS ANNA
Officer
$9.60M
@ $350.01 · 2026-02-05
PICKETT DENISE
Officer
$8.35M
@ $356.91 · 2026-02-05
JOABAR RAYMOND D
Officer
$538,902
@ $384.93 · 2025-12-12
RUTLEDGE ELIZABETH
Officer
$18.01M
@ $360.21 · 2025-10-31
TABISH DOUGLAS J
Officer
$894,359
@ $355.61 · 2025-10-23
PICKETT DENISE
Officer
$1.75M
@ $350.73 · 2025-10-22
SQUERI STEPHEN J
Chief Executive Officer
$37.03M
@ $329.86 · 2025-09-04
HERENA MONIQUE
Officer
$2.83M
@ $325.88 · 2025-09-03
BUCKMINSTER DOUGLAS E
Officer
$7.67M
@ $326.37 · 2025-09-02
SEEGER LAUREEN E
Officer
$23.37M
@ $296.90 · 2025-08-06
MCNEAL GLENDA G
Officer
$15.47M
@ $309.50 · 2025-07-29
MARRS ANNA
Officer
$1.71M
@ $310.77 · 2025-07-29
MARQUEZ RAFAEL
Officer
$3.56M
@ $296.93 · 2025-05-20
GROSFIELD HOWARD M
Officer
$2.60M
@ $275.50 · 2025-05-06
MCNEAL GLENDA G
Officer
$799,009
@ $264.66 · 2025-04-29
MARRS ANNA
President
$6.32M
@ $287.88 · 2025-03-04
LIEBERMAN QUINN JESSICA
Officer
$897,590
@ $296.43 · 2025-02-26
MCNEAL GLENDA G
Officer
$2.29M
@ $309.96 · 2025-02-11
SQUERI STEPHEN J
Chief Executive Officer
$16.24M
@ $319.45 · 2025-02-06
JOABAR RAYMOND D
Officer
$3.53M
@ $317.01 · 2025-02-05
RADHAKRISHNAN RAVIKUMAR S
Chief Technology Officer
$3.03M
@ $319.17 · 2025-02-05
PICKETT DENISE
Officer
$7.25M
@ $318.69 · 2025-02-05
JOABAR RAYMOND D
Officer
$4.77M
@ $313.94 · 2025-01-28
LE CAILLEC CHRISTOPHE
Chief Financial Officer
$1.82M
@ $303.48 · 2024-11-27
SQUERI STEPHEN J
Chief Executive Officer
$48.90M
@ $286.57 · 2024-11-07
HERENA MONIQUE
Officer
$374,010
@ $287.70 · 2024-11-07
BUCKMINSTER DOUGLAS E
Officer
$3.55M
@ $270.98 · 2024-10-29
WILLIAMS ANRE D.
Officer
$21.05M
@ $270.26 · 2024-10-22
PICKETT DENISE
Officer
$666,213
@ $240.68 · 2024-05-22
SKYLER JENNIFER
Officer
$3.58M
@ $241.73 · 2024-05-10
LIEBERMAN QUINN JESSICA
Officer
$729,770
@ $232.41 · 2024-05-06
MARRS ANNA
Officer
$829,501
@ $230.93 · 2024-05-03
BUCKMINSTER DOUGLAS E
Officer
$27.27M
@ $232.44 · 2024-05-02
SQUERI STEPHEN J
Chief Executive Officer
$9.28M
@ $238.63 · 2024-04-23
Direct ownership only · excludes indirect, option exercises, planned (10b5-1) sales & derivatives

Direct ownership only · excludes indirect, option exercises, planned (10b5-1) sales & derivatives.

🎭 Mr. Market's Mood

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APP
FearGreed
😨Fear(40/100)

"Market is pessimistic — investigate whether fears are temporary or structural"

Composite sentiment score based on 6 market signals. Inspired by Buffett's "Mr. Market" allegory — fear = potential opportunity, greed = potential risk. Must be used alongside fundamental analysis, not in isolation.
AXP
FearGreed
😐Neutral(42/100)

"Market is pricing this stock without strong emotion in either direction"

Composite sentiment score based on 6 market signals. Inspired by Buffett's "Mr. Market" allegory — fear = potential opportunity, greed = potential risk. Must be used alongside fundamental analysis, not in isolation.

Composite sentiment score based on market signals. Inspired by Buffett’s "Mr. Market" allegory — fear = potential opportunity, greed = potential risk. Must be used alongside fundamental analysis, not in isolation.

⚖️ Buffett Signal

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APP
Awaiting DCF Data

The Buffett Signal cross-references market sentiment with DCF valuation. Configure the DCF Analysis above to generate a signal.

DCF Margin of Safety: N/AMr. Market's Mood: Fear (40)
AXP
Awaiting DCF Data

The Buffett Signal cross-references market sentiment with DCF valuation. Configure the DCF Analysis above to generate a signal.

DCF Margin of Safety: N/AMr. Market's Mood: Neutral (42)
View APP Full AnalysisView AXP Full Analysis
AppLovin Corporation (APP) vs American Express Company (AXP) Stock Comparison | SafetyMargin.io