American Express Company (NYSE: AXP) today announced that pursuant to Long Lake and General Catalyst’s agreement to acquire Global Business Travel Group, Inc. (NYSE: GBTG), it will sell its approximately 30% equity interest in GBTG.
Upon closing of the transaction, American Express expects to receive proceeds of approximately $1.5 billion and to recognize a pre-tax gain of approximately $975 million. This gain was not factored into the FY 2026 earnings guidance the company previously provided.
Consistent with its disciplined capital allocation approach, American Express expects to invest a portion of the gain to position the company for continued success and return a portion of the gain to shareholders.
The transaction does not change the companies’ current brand licensing and commercial agreements and their commitment to serving customers.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This post includes forward-looking statements, which are subject to risks and uncertainties. The forward-looking statements, including the company’s expectations regarding the transaction gain, contain words such as “expect,” “estimate,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “plan,” “will,” “may,” “should,” “could,” “would,” “likely,” and similar expressions. Actual results may differ from those set forth in the forward-looking statements due to a variety of factors, including GBTG’s ability to satisfy closing conditions and consummate the transaction, management’s decisions regarding future strategies and business initiatives and those described in American Express’ Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025 and its other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date on which they are made. The company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements.