SEC FORM 4

SEC Form 4

FORM 4

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

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Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person^*

PARENT LOUISE M

(Last)

(First)

(Middle)

AMERICAN EXPRESS TOWER

3 WORLD FINANCIAL CENTER

(Street)

NEW YORK

10285-5003

(City)

(State)

(Zip)

2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
AMERICAN EXPRESS CO [ AXP ]

5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)

	Director	10% Owner
X	Officer (give title below)	Other (specify below)
	EVP, General Counsel

3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
01/26/2004

4. If Amendment, Date of Original Filed (Month/Day/Year)

6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line)

X	Form filed by One Reporting Person
	Form filed by More than One Reporting Person

Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1. Title of Security (Instr. 3)	2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)	2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)	3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)		4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed Of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5)			5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4)	6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
1. Title of Security (Instr. 3)	2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)	2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)	Code	V	Amount	(A) or (D)	Price		6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
Common Shares	01/26/2004	01/26/2004	A		3,483	A	$0	261,746.999	D⁽¹⁾
Common Shares								4,167	I	By ISP Trust⁽²⁾

Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned (e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3)	2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security	3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)	3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)	4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)		5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5)		6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)		7. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security (Instr. 3 and 4)		8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)	9. Number of derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4)	10. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3)	2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security	3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)	3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)	Code	V	(A)	(D)	Date Exercisable	Expiration Date	Title	Amount or Number of Shares	8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)		10. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
Employee stock option (right to buy)	$50.24	01/26/2004	01/26/2004	A		149,000		01/26/2005⁽³⁾	01/26/2014	Common Shares	149,000	$0	149,000	D
Phantom Stock Units	$0⁽⁴⁾	12/30/2003⁽⁵⁾	12/30/2003	A		52		⁽⁶⁾	⁽⁶⁾	Common Shares⁽⁶⁾	52	⁽⁵⁾	486	D

Explanation of Responses:

1. Restricted stock award will vest in 3 equal annual installments (1/3 on Jan. 26th of 2005, 2006 and 2007, respectively) subject t o continuous employment.

2. Shares held in reporting person's account under the Company's Incentive Savings Plan as of December 31, 2003. This plan uses unit accounting, and the number of shares that a participant is deemed to hold varies with the unit price of the Company pooled stock fund.

3. These options will vest in four equal annual installments beginning on the date shown as "Date Exercisable."

4. The phantom stock converts into common stock on a one-for-one basis.

5. The reported phantom stock units were acquired under the Company's Supplemental Retirement Plan on various dates during 2003 at p rices ranging from $31.59 to $48.40 per share.

6. The units are to be settled following the reporting person's retirement or other termination of service.

Remarks:

	Louise M. Parent	01/27/2004
	** Signature of Reporting Person	Date
Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4 (b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
Note: File three copies of this Form, one of which must be manually signed. If space is insufficient, see Instruction 6 for procedure.
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