Visa, MasterCard and the Power of Plastic

American Express reported 2013 operating earnings per share of $1.25, comfortably surpassing both the consensus estimate of $1.22 and the year-ago quarter's $1.09 a share. Global card spending bolstered the company's net income from operations by 9% year over year to $1.37 billion, from $1.25 billion in the third quarter of last year. Card spending rose by 7% year over year to $236.2 billion a result of international cards-in-force gains of 7% and cards-in-use gains of 8% in the United States.

American Express registered 6% growth on the top line as due to strong growth in card spending, gains in net interest income and the loan portfolio portfolio. Read more.