Is American Express Stock a Buy?

American Express (NYSE: AXP) has long been a top holding in the Berkshire Hathaway portfolio. The great Warren Buffett knows a thing or two about analyzing financial services entities, so it's a vote of confidence that his conglomerate owns more than 21% of the credit card giant's outstanding shares.

But is this leading financial stock a smart buy right now for your personal portfolio? Here is what investors should know before deciding.

There are other well-known credit card issuers out there, but Amex has found tremendous success over a long period of time. Part of the reason for this is the company's strong brand presence, which presents itself as a luxury option in the industry.

Source Fool.com