Stock price when the opinion was issued
Positioned higher on the socio-economic side than Visa or MA, so it doesn't have a lot of credit problems. Absolutely spectacular track record. Extremely profitable right through the entire financial crisis. Earnings growth at the 15% annualized level, trades at only 18x. Excess cash generation. Repurchased ~40% of stock in last 20 years. Yield is 1.17%, keeps jacking it up.
Also a core holding of his good friend Warren Buffett ;)
Difference from Visa and Mastercard is that AXP carries its own debt load. Normally, a very good company. Credit profile of clients is good. Better to go with the other two from a risk containment point of view. The same train drives all 3 companies.