Compare Stocks › AXP vs VTR
American Express Company (AXP) vs Ventas, Inc. (VTR)
AXP
American Express Company
$319.68
VS
VTR
Ventas, Inc.
$88.02
Rewards
AXP
- ★Gross margin of 62.8% indicates strong pricing power — typical of businesses with significant intellectual property or brand strength.
- ★American Express Company scores 100/100 on the Economic Moat Score (Wide Moat), with revenue predictability as the strongest competitive dimension.
- ★Return on equity has consistently exceeded 20% over 4 years, indicating efficient use of shareholder capital.
VTR
- ★Free cash flow has grown at a 14.6% CAGR over the past 4 years, demonstrating strong earnings power growth.
Risks
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.
VTR
- ⚠PEG ratio of 16.00 indicates the stock is expensive relative to its expected growth — the market may be pricing in more growth than analysts project.
- ⚠Net debt/EBITDA of 5.5x indicates heavy leverage — it would take over 4 years of EBITDA to pay off net debt.
- ⚠Altman Z-Score of 1.78 places the company in the distress zone — financial patterns resemble those of companies that experienced bankruptcy.
Key Valuation Metrics
Learn more →AXP
VTR
Valuation
N/A
Free Cash Flow
$1.48B
N/A
FCF Yield
3.47%
19.96
Trailing P/E
160.04
15.90
Forward P/E
97.08
Quality & Moat
12.37%
ROIC
2.53%
31.48%
ROE
1.85%
62.76%
Gross Margin
40.49%
1.13
PEG Ratio
16.00
Balance Sheet Safety
1.78
Debt / Equity
0.94
N/A
Interest Coverage
N/A
N/A
Net Debt / EBITDA
5.48
1.19%
Dividend Yield
2.36%
AXP: 6Ties: 1VTR: 2
AXPVTR
Historical Fundamentals
Learn more →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.
VTR
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
Learn more →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
> $1 created per $1 retained = Value Creator · < $1 created = Value Destroyer
VTR
N/A
Net losses over 3 years — test not applicable
Company had negative cumulative retained earnings
Σ Retained
$-2.03B
Δ Market Cap
+$18.74B
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
> $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
Learn more →AXP
34.4% Margin of Safety
Price is 34.4% below estimated fair value
Current Price: $319.68
Strongly undervalued
Undervalued
Fairly valued
Overvalued
Strongly overvalued
Fair Value: $487.58
Strongly undervalued
Undervalued
Fairly valued
Overvalued
Strongly overvalued
VTR
646.3% Overvalued
Price is 646.3% above estimated fair value
Current Price: $88.02
Strongly undervalued
Strongly overvalued
Fair Value: $11.79
Strongly undervalued
Undervalued
Fairly valued
Overvalued
Strongly overvalued
Reverse DCF — Market-Implied Growth
Learn more →AXP
Requires positive FCF to compute implied growth rate.
VTR
What growth rate is the market pricing in at $88?
+41.5%
Market-Implied Owner Earnings Growth
Standard FCF implies +16.2%
The market implies +41.5% Owner Earnings growth, below historical trends — potential opportunity.
Standard FCF implies a more demanding +16.2%, reflecting heavy growth investment expected to generate future returns.
Economic Moat Score
Learn more →AXP
100/100
Wide Moat
70+ Wide · 40-69 Narrow · <40 None
Wide moat driven primarily by revenue predictability. Margin Stability is the area most vulnerable to competitive pressure.
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.
VTR
49/100
Narrow Moat
70+ Wide · 40-69 Narrow · <40 None
Narrow moat with revenue predictability as the key competitive advantage. Improving roic consistency 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 5 years of fundamental data.
Forensic Accounting
Learn more →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.
VTR
-2.45
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
Learn more →AXP
Insiders 22.3%Institutions 65.6%Retail & Other 12.1%
No. of Institutional Holders3,664
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.
VTR
Insiders 0.5%Institutions 103.3%
No. of Institutional Holders1,362
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
Learn more →AXP
0
Buys (3M)
0
Buys (12M)
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
VTR
0
Buys (3M)
0
Buys (12M)
No open market insider purchases found.
Open market purchases · includes direct & indirect ownership · excludes option exercises
Open market purchases · includes direct & indirect ownership · excludes option exercises.
Insider Selling Activity
Learn more →AXP
7
Sells (3M)
19
Sells (12M)
Total value (12M): $151.85M
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
PICKETT DENISE
Officer
$8.35M
@ $356.91 · 2026-02-05
MARRS ANNA
Officer
$9.60M
@ $350.01 · 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
MARRS ANNA
Officer
$1.71M
@ $310.77 · 2025-07-29
MCNEAL GLENDA G
Officer
$15.47M
@ $309.50 · 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
PICKETT DENISE
Officer
$7.25M
@ $318.69 · 2025-02-05
JOABAR RAYMOND D
Officer
$3.53M
@ $317.01 · 2025-02-05
RADHAKRISHNAN RAVIKUMAR S
Chief Technology Officer
$3.03M
@ $319.17 · 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
HERENA MONIQUE
Officer
$374,010
@ $287.70 · 2024-11-07
SQUERI STEPHEN J
Chief Executive Officer
$48.90M
@ $286.57 · 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
Direct ownership only · excludes indirect, option exercises, planned (10b5-1) sales & derivatives
VTR
2
Sells (3M)
30
Sells (12M)
Total value (12M): $84.88M
ROBERTS CAREY SHEA
General Counsel
$3.02M
@ $85.00 · 2026-02-11
CAFARO DEBRA A
Chief Executive Officer
$848,751
@ $82.23 · 2026-02-06
CAFARO DEBRA A
Chief Executive Officer
$801,605
@ $77.66 · 2026-02-02
PROBST ROBERT F.
Chief Financial Officer
$2.31M
@ $77.25 · 2026-01-02
CAFARO DEBRA A
Chief Executive Officer
$797,475
@ $77.26 · 2026-01-02
CAFARO DEBRA A
Chief Executive Officer
$831,419
@ $80.55 · 2025-12-01
BULGARELLI PETER J
Officer
$400,205
@ $80.04 · 2025-11-19
CAFARO DEBRA A
Chief Executive Officer
$3.26M
@ $79.01 · 2025-11-17
PROBST ROBERT F.
Chief Financial Officer
$2.58M
@ $76.77 · 2025-11-12
BULGARELLI PETER J
Officer
$3,028
@ $75.70 · 2025-11-07
BULGARELLI PETER J
Officer
$372,256
@ $75.05 · 2025-11-06
CAFARO DEBRA A
Chief Executive Officer
$2.33M
@ $75.19 · 2025-11-06
CAFARO DEBRA A
Chief Executive Officer
$25.08M
@ $74.22 · 2025-11-03
CAFARO DEBRA A
Chief Executive Officer
$15.66M
@ $71.32 · 2025-10-20
BULGARELLI PETER J
Officer
$322,215
@ $70.14 · 2025-10-01
CAFARO DEBRA A
Chief Executive Officer
$724,986
@ $70.24 · 2025-10-01
BULGARELLI PETER J
Officer
$28,419
@ $70.00 · 2025-09-15
CAFARO DEBRA A
Chief Executive Officer
$699,864
@ $67.80 · 2025-09-02
PROBST ROBERT F.
Chief Financial Officer
$2.03M
@ $68.49 · 2025-08-04
CAFARO DEBRA A
Chief Executive Officer
$695,722
@ $67.40 · 2025-08-01
PROBST ROBERT F.
Chief Financial Officer
$266,960
@ $68.45 · 2025-07-31
PROBST ROBERT F.
Chief Financial Officer
$1.95M
@ $66.29 · 2025-07-21
PROBST ROBERT F.
Chief Financial Officer
$271,454
@ $66.24 · 2025-07-18
CAFARO DEBRA A
Chief Executive Officer
$287,976
@ $65.82 · 2025-07-18
CAFARO DEBRA A
Chief Executive Officer
$1.07M
@ $65.60 · 2025-07-16
PROBST ROBERT F.
Chief Financial Officer
$11.00M
@ $65.36 · 2025-07-14
ROBERTS CAREY SHEA
General Counsel
$1.51M
@ $64.23 · 2025-05-30
PROBST ROBERT F.
Chief Financial Officer
$1.13M
@ $65.22 · 2025-05-27
PROBST ROBERT F.
Chief Financial Officer
$4.50M
@ $64.59 · 2025-05-21
RAKOWICH WALTER C.
Director
$93,026
@ $63.76 · 2025-05-14
CAFARO DEBRA A
Chief Executive Officer
$682,135
@ $66.09 · 2025-05-02
CAFARO DEBRA A
Chief Executive Officer
$3.17M
@ $71.06 · 2025-04-03
CAFARO DEBRA A
Chief Executive Officer
$2.97M
@ $69.15 · 2025-03-04
CAFARO DEBRA A
Chief Executive Officer
$15.30M
@ $68.21 · 2025-02-25
LIEBBE GREGORY R
Officer
$243,558
@ $63.00 · 2025-02-13
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
Learn more →AXP
😐Neutral(49/100)
"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.
VTR
😏Greed(73/100)
"Market is optimistic — be cautious and ensure you have a margin of safety"
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
Learn more →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 (49)
VTR
⚪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: Greed (73)