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CNBC's Hugh Son reports on the latest news from American Express.
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Tag: American Express Co
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UBS’ Erika Najarian on Amex Q3 results: Seeing some consumer spend trends decelerate
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Erika Najarian, UBS large cap banks and consumer finance analyst, joins ‘Squawk Box’ to discuss American Express’ quarterly earnings results, strength of consumer spending, and more.
03:38
Fri, Oct 18 20249:08 AM EDT
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Earnings will drive the stock market in the week ahead. That’s a good thing
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A view of the New York Stock Exchange building in the Financial District in New York City on Aug. 5, 2024.
Charly Triballeau | Afp | Getty Images
The good times are still rolling on Wall Street. An intensifying earnings season will put that momentum to the test.
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Justice Department accuses Visa of debit network monopoly that affects price of ‘nearly everything’
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Justin Sullivan | etty Images
The U.S. Justice Department on Tuesday sued Visa, the world’s biggest payments network, saying it propped up an illegal monopoly over debit payments by imposing “exclusionary” agreements on partners and smothering upstart firms.
Visa’s moves over the years have resulted in American consumers and merchants paying billions of dollars in additional fees, according to the DOJ, which filed a civil antitrust suit in New York for “monopolization” and other unlawful conduct.
“We allege that Visa has unlawfully amassed the power to extract fees that far exceed what it could charge in a competitive market,” Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a DOJ release.
“Merchants and banks pass along those costs to consumers, either by raising prices or reducing quality or service,” Garland said. “As a result, Visa’s unlawful conduct affects not just the price of one thing — but the price of nearly everything.”
Visa and its smaller rival Mastercard have surged over the past two decades, reaching a combined market cap of roughly $1 trillion, as consumers tapped credit and debit cards for store purchases and e-commerce instead of paper money. They are essentially toll collectors, shuffling payments between banks operating for the merchants and for cardholders.
Visa called the DOJ suit “meritless.”
“Anyone who has bought something online, or checked out at a store, knows there is an ever-expanding universe of companies offering new ways to pay for goods and services,” said Visa general counsel Julie Rottenberg.
“Today’s lawsuit ignores the reality that Visa is just one of many competitors in a debit space that is growing, with entrants who are thriving,” Rottenberg said. “We are proud of the payments network we have built, the innovation we advance, and the economic opportunity we enable.”
More than 60% of debit transactions in the U.S. run over Visa rails, helping it charge more than $7 billion annually in processing fees, according to the DOJ complaint.
The payment networks’ decades-old dominance has increasingly attracted attention from regulators and retailers.
Litany of woes
In 2020, the DOJ filed an antitrust suit to block Visa from acquiring fintech company Plaid. The companies initially said they would fight the action, but soon abandoned the $5.3 billion takeover.
In March, Visa and Mastercard agreed to limit their fees and let merchants charge customers for using credit cards, a deal retailers said was worth $30 billion in savings over a half decade. A federal judge later rejected the settlement, saying the networks could afford to pay for a “substantially greater” deal.
In its complaint, the DOJ said Visa threatens merchants and their banks with punitive rates if they route a “meaningful share” of debit transactions to competitors, helping maintain Visa’s network moat. The contracts help insulate three-quarters of Visa’s debit volume from fair competition, the DOJ said.
“Visa wields its dominance, enormous scale, and centrality to the debit ecosystem to impose a web of exclusionary agreements on merchants and banks,” the DOJ said in its release. “These agreements penalize Visa’s customers who route transactions to a different debit network or alternative payment system.”
Furthermore, when faced with threats, Visa “engaged in a deliberate and reinforcing course of conduct to cut off competition and prevent rivals from gaining the scale, share, and data necessary to compete,” the DOJ said.
Paying off competitors
The moves also tamped down innovation, according to the DOJ. Visa pays competitors hundreds of millions of dollars annually “to blunt the risk they develop innovative new technologies that could advance the industry but would otherwise threaten Visa’s monopoly profits,” according to the complaint.
Visa has agreements with tech players including Apple, PayPal and Square, turning them from potential rivals to partners in a way that hurts the public, the DOJ said.
For instance, Visa chose to sign an agreement with a predecessor to the Cash App product to ensure that the company, later rebranded Block, did not create a bigger threat to Visa’s debit rails.
A Visa manager was quoted as saying “we’ve got Square on a short leash and our deal structure was meant to protect against disintermediation,” according to the complaint.
Visa has an agreement with Apple in which the tech giant says it will not directly compete with the payment network “such as creating payment functionality that relies primarily on non-Visa payment processes,” the complaint alleged.
The DOJ asked for the courts to prevent Visa from a range of anticompetitive practices, including fee structures or service bundles that discourage new entrants.
The move comes in the waning months of President Joe Biden‘s administration, in which regulators including the Federal Trade Commission and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau have sued middlemen for drug prices and pushed back against so-called junk fees.
In February, credit card lender Capital One announced its acquisition of Discover Financial, a $35.3 billion deal predicated in part on Capital One’s ability to bolster Discover’s also-ran payments network, a distant No. 4 behind Visa, Mastercard and American Express.
Capital One said once the deal is closed, it will switch all its debit card volume and a growing share of credit card volume to Discover over time, making it a more viable competitor to Visa and Mastercard.
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American Airlines in talks to pick Citigroup over rival bank Barclays for crucial credit card deal, sources say
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An American Airlines’ Embraer E175LR (front), an American Airlines’ Boeing 737 (C) and an American Airlines’ Boeing 737 are seen parked at LaGuardia Airport in Queens, New York on May 24, 2024.
Charly Triballeau | AFP | Getty Images
American Airlines is in talks to make Citigroup its exclusive credit card partner, dropping rival issuer Barclays from a partnership that dates back to the airline’s 2013 takeover of US Airways, said people with knowledge of the negotiations.
American has been working with banks and card networks on a new long-term deal for months with the aim of consolidating its business with a single issuer to boost the revenue haul from its loyalty program, according to the people.
Talks are ongoing, and the timing of an agreement, which would be subject to regulatory approval, is unknown, said the people, who declined to be identified speaking about a confidential process.
Banks’ co-brand deals with airlines, retailers and hotel chains are some of the most hotly contested negotiations in the industry. While they give the issuing bank a captive audience of millions of loyal customers who spend billions of dollars a year, the details of the arrangements can make a huge difference in how profitable it is for either party.
Big brands have been driving harder bargains in recent years, demanding a bigger slice of revenue from interest and fees, for example. Meanwhile, banks have been pushing back or exiting the space entirely, saying that rising card losses, scrutiny from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and higher capital costs make for tight margins.
Airlines rely on card programs to help them stay afloat, earning billions of dollars a year from banks in exchange for miles that customers earn when they use their cards. Those partnerships were crucial during the pandemic, when travel demand dried up but consumers kept spending and earning miles on their cards. Carriers have said growth in card spending has far exceeded that of passenger revenue in recent years.
While it says it has the largest loyalty program, American was out-earned by Delta there, which made nearly $7 billion in payments from its American Express card partnership last year, compared with $5.2 billion for American.
“We continue to work with all of our partners, including our co-branded credit card partners, to explore opportunities to improve the products and services we provide our mutual customers and bring even more value to the AAdvantage program,” American said in a statement.
Delays, regulatory risk
It’s still possible that objections from U.S. regulators, including the Department of Transportation, could further delay or even scuttle a contract between American Airlines and Citigroup, leaving the current arrangement that includes Barclays intact, according to one of the people familiar with the process.
If the deal between American and Citigroup is consummated, it would end an unusual partnership in the credit card world.
Most brands settle with a single issuer, but when American merged with US Airways in 2013, it kept longtime issuer Citigroup on board and added US Airways’ card partner Barclays.
American renewed both relationships in 2016, giving each bank specific channels to market their cards. Citi was allowed to pitch its cards online, via direct mail and airport lounges, while Barclays was relegated to on-flight solicitations.
‘Actively working’
When the relationship came up for renewal again in the past year, Citigroup had good footing to prevail over the smaller Barclays.
Run by CEO Jane Fraser since 2021, Citigroup has the more profitable side of the AA business; their customers tend to spend far more and have lower default rates than Barclays customers, one of the people said.
Any renewal contract is likely to be seven to 10 years in length, which would give Citigroup time to recoup the costs of porting over Barclays customers and other investments it would need to make, this person said. Banks tend to earn most of the money from these arrangements in the back half of the deals.
With this and other large partnerships, Fraser has been pushing Citigroup to aim bigger in a bid to improve the profitability of the card business, said the people familiar.
“We are always actively working with our partners, including American Airlines, to look for ways to jointly enhance customer products and drive shared value and growth,” a Citigroup spokesperson told CNBC.
Meanwhile, Barclays executives told investors earlier this year that they aimed to diversify their co-branded card portfolio away from airlines, for instance, through added partnerships with retailers and tech companies.
Barclays declined to comment for this article.
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The slowdown in consumer spending is spreading upward, says UBS’ Erika Najarian
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Erika Najarian, UBS head of U.S. banks and consumer finance equity research, joins ‘Squawk Box’ to break down American Express’ quarterly earnings results.
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Federal Reserve says all 31 banks in annual stress test withstood a severe hypothetical downturn
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Federal Reserve Board Vice Chair for Supervision Michael Barr testifies before a House Financial Services Committee hearing on the response to the bank failures of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank, on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., on March 29, 2023.
Kevin Lamarque | Reuters
The Federal Reserve said Wednesday that the biggest banks operating in the U.S. would be able to withstand a severe recession scenario while maintaining their ability to lend to consumers and corporations.
Each of the 31 banks in this year’s regulatory exercise cleared the hurdle of being able to absorb losses while maintaining more than the minimum required capital levels, the Fed said in a statement.
The stress test assumed that unemployment surges to 10%, commercial real estate values plunge 40% and housing prices fall 36%.
“This year’s results show that under our stress scenario, large banks would take nearly $685 billion in total hypothetical losses, yet still have considerably more capital than their minimum common equity requirements,” said Michael Barr, the Fed’s vice chair for supervision. “This is good news and underscores the usefulness of the extra capital that banks have built in recent years.”
The Fed’s stress test is an annual ritual that forces banks to maintain adequate cushions for bad loans and dictates the size of share repurchases and dividends. This year’s version included giants such as JPMorgan Chase and Goldman Sachs, credit card companies including American Express and regional lenders such as Truist.
While no bank appeared to get badly tripped up by this year’s exercise, which had roughly the same assumptions as the 2023 test, the group’s aggregate capital levels fell 2.8 percentage points, which was worse than last year’s decline.
That is because the industry is holding more consumer credit card loans and more corporate bonds that have been downgraded. Lending margins have also been squeezed compared to last year, according to the Fed.
“While banks are well-positioned to withstand the specific hypothetical recession we tested them against, the stress test also confirmed that there are some areas to watch,” Barr said. “The financial system and its risks are always evolving, and we learned in the Great Recession the cost of failing to acknowledge shifting risks.”
The Fed also performed what it called an “exploratory analysis” of funding stresses and a trading meltdown that applied to only the eight biggest banks.
In this exercise, the companies appeared to avoid disaster, despite a sudden surge in the cost of deposits combined with a recession. In a scenario where five large hedge funds implode, the big banks would lose between $70 billion and $85 billion.
“The results demonstrated that these banks have material exposure to hedge funds but that they can withstand different types of trading book shocks,” the Fed said.
Banks are expected to begin announcing their latest share repurchase plans on Friday.
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New York Community Bank’s online arm is paying the nation’s highest interest rate
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A New York Community Bank stands in Brooklyn on February 08, 2024 in New York City.
Spencer Platt | Getty Images
New York Community Bank, the regional lender that needed a $1 billion-plus lifeline last month, is offering the country’s highest interest rate for a savings account.
NYCB raised the annual percentage yield offered via its online arm, My Banking Direct, to 5.55%, higher than any other bank’s widely available account, according to Ken Tumin, an analyst who tracks rates for his website DepositAccounts.
The standout rate could be a sign that NYCB is facing funding pressure, Tumin said.
“It looks like they’re trying really hard to attract deposits,” Tumin said. “My Banking Direct has been around for a long time, more than 10 years, so them having an aggressive rate could be a sign of neediness” for funding.
NYCB’s woes began in January, when it said it was preparing for far greater losses on commercial real estate loans than analysts had expected. That set off a downward spiral in its stock price, downgrades from rating agencies and multiple management changes. The bank announced a capital injection from investors led by former Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin’s Liberty Strategic Capital on March 6.
In the month before the rescue was announced, NYCB shed 7% of its deposits, falling to $77.2 billion by March 5, the bank said in a presentation.
Nothing ‘crazy’
During a conference call held after the capital raise, analysts asked how NYCB managed to retain so much of its deposits during the tumultuous period.
“We didn’t do anything crazy relative to deposit pricing,” NYCB chairman Sandro DiNello replied. “We didn’t go out and offer 6% CDs or something like that in order to make the numbers look good, if that’s what you’re concerned with.”
NYCB didn’t return a call for comment on its funding strategy.
Joseph Otting, a former comptroller of the currency, took over as the bank’s CEO on April 1, about a week before the rate increase.
Despite the turnaround plan, shares of NYCB still trade for under $4 apiece and are off more than 68% year to date.
Forced to pay up
Other banks offering rates higher than 5% right now tend to be newer or smaller players than NYCB, according to Tumin.
Among established banks, the average high-yield savings rate is about 4.4%, and several of them (including American Express, Goldman Sachs and Ally) have dropped rates in the past month, he said. The NYCB rate also tops accounts listed on NerdWallet and Bankrate.
Customer deposits at My Banking Direct are insured by the FDIC up to the standard $250,000.
Over the past two years, savings account rates have broadly been on the rise.
Since the regional banking crisis consumed Silicon Valley Bank and First Republic last year, smaller players have been forced to pay higher rates for deposits compared to giants like JPMorgan Chase in order to compete, said Matt Stucky, chief portfolio manager for equities at Northwestern Mutual.
“When a bank has to go out and advertise a much higher rate, it’s typically because they have a deposit problem,” Stucky said. “It’s not hard for customers to switch banks anymore.”
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CNBC’s best credit cards of 2024
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There are credit cards designed to meet all kinds of financial situations and needs. Whether you’re a foodie, road warrior, traveler, student or someone looking to build credit, there are many card options to choose from.
To help narrow down the best credit card for your lifestyle, each month, CNBC Select publishes a list of the top credit cards available. It can change depending on limited-time sign-up bonuses, benefits and more.
However, some cards deserve extra recognition for consistently differentiating themselves from the competition and topping our rankings month after month. These cards offer extra generous rewards and perks and continuously evolve to meet changing needs.
Here, CNBC Select rounds up the best credit cards of 2024 for a variety of consumer habits based on rewards, fees, introductory and standard APRs, as well as other perks like annual statement credits, discounts at select retailers and built-in insurance. (See our methodology for more information on how we choose the best credit cards of 2024.)
Best credit cards of 2024
- Best cash-back credit card: Chase Freedom Unlimited® Card
- Best travel rewards card: American Express® Gold Card
- Best credit card welcome bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
- Best no annual fee credit card: Citi® Double Cash Card
- Best no annual fee travel credit card: Discover it® Miles
- Best balance transfer credit card: Citi Simplicity® Card
- Best low-interest credit card: Titanium Rewards Visa® Signature Card from Andrews Federal Credit Union
- Best secured credit card: Discover it® Secured Credit Card
- Best for building credit: Petal® 2 “Cash Back, No Fees” Visa® Credit Card
- Best for college students: Discover it® Student Cash Back
- Best dining rewards credit card: Chase Sapphire Reserve®
- Best gas rewards credit card: PenFed Platinum Rewards Visa Signature® Card
- Best grocery rewards credit card: Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
- Best for paying rent: Bilt Mastercard®
- Best entertainment rewards credit card: Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card
- Best credit card for Global Entry and/or TSA PreCheck® credit: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
- Best for airport lounge access: The Platinum Card® from American Express
- Best for premium perks: Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
Best cash-back credit card
Chase Freedom Unlimited®
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Rewards
Enjoy 4.5% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery services, 6.5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more; and 3% cash back on all other purchases (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year). After your first year or $20,000 spent, enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel, 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.
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Welcome bonus
INTRO OFFER: Earn an additional 1.5% cash back on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) – worth up to $300 cash back!
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Annual fee
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Intro APR
0% for the first 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers
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Regular APR
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Balance transfer fee
Intro fee of either $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater, on transfers made within 60 days of account opening. After that, either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
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Foreign transaction fee
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Credit needed
Member FDIC. Terms apply.
Who’s this for? The Chase Freedom Unlimited® Card is ideal for consumers who want a robust rewards card with no annual fee.
Cardholders earn 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, 3% on drugstores and dining at restaurants (including takeout) and 1.5% on all other purchases. Plus, there’s a generous welcome bonus.
This card has no annual fee, and you can benefit from an introductory APR offer. This card also offers 5% cash back on Lyft purchases through March 31, 2025 and complimentary three months of DashPass with 50% off for the next nine months. Simply activate by December 31, 2024.
Best travel rewards card
American Express® Gold Card
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Rewards
4X Membership Rewards® points at Restaurants (plus takeout and delivery in the U.S.) and at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1X), 3X points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com, 1X points on all other purchases
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Welcome bonus
Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership.
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Annual fee
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Intro APR
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Regular APR
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Balance transfer fee
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Foreign transaction fee
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Credit needed
Who’s this for? If you love food and travel, the American Express® Gold Card could be the ideal card for you. Whether you dine out or cook at home, this card earns a competitive 4X points per dollar spent at restaurants and 4X points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per year in purchases, then 1X). Plus, travelers can benefit from the 3X points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com.
The value of Membership Rewards points varies depending on how cardholders redeem them. You can use them in a variety of ways, from paying with points at checkout at sites like Amazon to redeeming for gift cards or a statement credit to booking travel. See more on how points are calculated.
Cardholders also receive an annual dining credit of up to $120 ($10 in statement credits a month) at participating partners, including Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, Milk Bar and select Shake Shack locations. Terms apply. Enrollment required. There are also *no foreign transaction fees.
This card does have a *$250 annual fee, but it can be reduced to effectively $130 if you take advantage of the $120 dining credit each year. Then, the rewards you earn help further “pay” for the card.
Gold Card members can also participate in Amex Offers, where you can earn statement credits or bonus Membership Rewards® points at select retailers. For example, a recent offer for Wine.com states: “Spend $50 or more, get $10 back.” These limited-time offers are location-based and additional terms apply.
*See rates and fees.
Best credit card welcome bonus
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
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Rewards
Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, and $50 annual Ultimate Rewards Hotel Credit, plus more.
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Welcome bonus
Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That’s $750 when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
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Annual fee
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Intro APR
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Regular APR
21.49% – 28.49% variable on purchases and balance transfers
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Balance transfer fee
Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater
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Foreign transaction fee
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Credit needed
Who’s this for? If you want to get a lot of value right out of the gate, consider the Chase Sapphire Preferred. The card is currently offering new cardholders the chance to earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That’s $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠. You can even potentially get more value if you transfer Chase points to Chase’s travel partners, like Hyatt hotels and United Airlines, and book business-class flights and luxury hotels.
The Sapphire Preferred is also a great travel rewards credit card and has strong earning categories for those who spend on travel and dining. It earns 5X on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3X on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2X on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.
Best no annual fee credit card
Citi Double Cash® Card
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Rewards
Earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases. To earn cash back, pay at least the minimum due on time. Plus, for a limited time, earn 5% total cash back on hotel, car rentals and attractions booked on the Citi Travel℠ portal through 12/31/24
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Welcome bonus
Earn $200 cash back after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. This bonus offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® Points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back.
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Annual fee
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Intro APR
0% for the first 18 months on balance transfers; N/A for purchases
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Regular APR
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Balance transfer fee
For balance transfers completed within 4 months of account opening, an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of each transfer ($5 minimum) applies; after that, a balance transfer fee of 5% of each transfer ($5 minimum) applies
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Foreign transaction fee
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Credit needed
See rates and fees. Terms apply.
Who’s this for? The Citi® Double Cash Card is a straightforward rewards card that continues to offer one of the best flat-rate cash-back programs since it launched in 2014. Cardholders earn 2% cash back on all purchases — 1% when you make a purchase and an additional 1% when you pay your credit card bill.
There is no limit to the amount of cash back you can earn and you don’t have to worry about activating bonus categories. Cashback can be redeemed for a statement credit or direct deposit.
This card is also a good choice for debt consolidation as it offers a useful introductory APR offer on balance transfers.
Best no annual fee travel credit card
Discover it® Miles
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Rewards
Automatically earn unlimited 1.5x Miles on every dollar of every purchase.
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Welcome bonus
Discover will match all the Miles earned for all new cardmembers at the end of your first year.
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Annual fee
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Intro APR
0% Intro APR for 15 months on purchases.
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Regular APR
17.24% to 28.24% Variable
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Balance transfer fee
3% intro balance transfer fee, up to 5% fee on future balance transfers (see terms)*
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Foreign transaction fee
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Credit needed
*See rates and fees, terms apply.
Who’s this for? The Discover it® Miles card comes with a generous rewards program — all for zero annual fee — that makes it a standout among travel cards.
The Discover it Miles card offers users unlimited 1.5X miles for every dollar spent on all purchases. But for higher spenders, Discover offers a welcome bonus that’s hard to beat: It will do a mile-for-mile match of all miles earned the first year (for new card members in their first year only). If you rack up 35,000 miles within the first 12 months, Discover will match you with 35,000 miles. That’s a total of 70,000 miles or $700 toward travel.
With this card, there are no blackout dates when you pay for travel purchases using your card. And, you can easily redeem miles as a statement credit for travel, restaurant or gas station purchases, as well as a deposit to your bank account. The best part is that miles earned never expire — even if your account is closed.
Best balance transfer credit card
Citi Simplicity® Card
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Rewards
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Welcome bonus
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Annual fee
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Intro APR
0% for 21 months on balance transfers; 0% for 12 months on purchases
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Regular APR
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Balance transfer fee
There is an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of each transfer (minimum $5) completed within the first 4 months of account opening. After that, your fee will be 5% of each transfer (minimum $5).
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Foreign transaction fee
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Credit needed
Who’s this for? The Citi Simplicity® Card offers one of the longest balance transfer intro periods at 0% for 21 months from the date of the first transfer (after, 18.49% – 29.24% variable APR). Balance transfers must be completed within four months of account opening. This is nearly two years to pay off debt, which can be helpful if you have a large balance or if your cash flow doesn’t allow you to pay off the debt within the 6-, 12- or 15-month time periods of other balance transfer cards.
This card has no annual fee and comes with an introductory balance transfer fee: either 3% ($5 minimum) for transfers completed within the first 4 months of account opening, then up to 5% ($5 minimum). This can be worthwhile if you’re paying high-interest charges.
New cardholders have four months to complete their balance transfer (longer than the typical 60 to 90 days). While you have more time to complete a transfer, the intro APR period starts at account opening — so try to make the transfer as soon as possible to get the most benefit of the interest-free period.
This card also never charges late fees (though we always recommend you pay your balance on time and in full). There isn’t a welcome bonus or a rewards program.
Best low-interest credit card
Titanium Rewards Visa® Signature Card from Andrews Federal Credit Union
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Rewards
3X points on gas and grocery purchases and 1.5X points on all other purchases
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Welcome bonus
Earn 10,000 points when you spend $1,500 within the first 90 days
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Annual fee
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Intro APR
N/A for purchases and balance transfers
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Regular APR
13.74% to 18.00% variable on purchases; 13.74% to 17.99% on balance transfers.
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Balance transfer fee
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Foreign transaction fee
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Credit needed
Pros
- Low 9.49% to 16.49% variable APR
- No fee charged on purchases made outside the U.S.
Cons
- Credit union membership required, though it’s free
- No special financing on purchases or balance transfers
- Balance transfer fee of 1.5%, or $50, whichever is greater.
- Estimated return after 1 year: $543
- Estimated return after 5 years: $2,314
Rewards totals incorporate the points earned from the welcome bonus
Who’s this for? The Titanium Rewards Visa® Signature Card from Andrews Federal Credit Union stands out for offering low interest rates, a strong rewards program and no foreign transaction fees — all at no annual fee.
This card offers a variable APR of 13.74% to 18.00% on purchases. If you carry a balance, you can benefit from low interest charges compared to other cards that have high interest rates. Balance transfers do incur a fee of $10.00 or 2.00% of the amount of each cash advance, whichever is greater.
Beyond interest rates, the Visa® Titanium Signature Rewards Card offers a generous rewards program: Earn 3X points on gas and grocery purchases and 1.5X points on all other purchases. Plus, there’s a welcome bonus of 10,000 points after you spend $1,500 within the first 90 days.
In order to open this card, you need to join Andrews Federal Credit Union, but anyone can join. If you don’t meet the qualification requirements, you can opt to join the American Consumer Council (ACC) for free with the promo code “Andrews.”
Best secured credit card
Discover it® Secured Credit Card
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Rewards
Earn 2% cash back at Gas Stations and Restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter, automatically. Plus earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.
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Welcome bonus
Discover will match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year
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Annual fee
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Intro APR
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Regular APR
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Balance transfer fee
3% intro balance transfer fee, up to 5% fee on future balance transfers (see terms)*
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Foreign transaction fee
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Credit needed
*See rates and fees, terms apply.
Pros
- Cash-back program
- Generous welcome bonus
- Starting at seven months from account opening, Discover will automatically review your credit card account to see if you can transition to an unsecured line of credit and return your deposit
Cons
- Cash-back program limits earnings: 2% cash back at gas stations and restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter, then 1%
- Low credit line prevents cardholders from charging high-cost items or many expenses
Who’s this for? The Discover it® Secured Credit Card is a well-rounded secured card that offers many benefits that are typically found with unsecured cards. Cardholders can earn cash back, receive a generous welcome bonus, use the card overseas without incurring added fees and more — all for no annual fee.
Cardholders earn a competitive 2% cash back at gas stations and restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter, then 1%. Plus, you can earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases automatically. The welcome bonus is also unique: For new card members in the first year only, Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year. So, if you earn $50 cash back at the end of the first year, Discover will give you an additional $50.
This card requires a minimum $200 security deposit, which is fairly standard for secured credit cards. It stands out from the crowd because it gives users a clear path to upgrading to an unsecured card (and getting their deposit back). Starting at seven months from account opening, Discover will automatically review your credit card account to see if they can transition you to an unsecured line of credit and return your deposit. This takes the guesswork out of wondering when you’ll qualify for an unsecured credit card.
Best for building credit and average credit
Petal® 2 “Cash Back, No Fees” Visa® Credit Card
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Rewards
1% cash back on eligible purchases right away and up to 1.5% cash back on eligible purchases after making 12 on-time monthly payments; 2% to 10% cash back at select merchants
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Welcome bonus
-
Annual fee
-
Intro APR
-
Regular APR
18.24% – 32.24% variable
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Balance transfer fee
-
Foreign transaction fee
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Credit needed
Pros
- No credit history required (if you do have a credit history, that does factor into the credit decision)
- No fees whatsoever
- 1% cash back on eligible purchases right away and up to 1.5% cash back on eligible purchases after making 12 on-time monthly payments; 2% to 10% cash back at select merchants
- Credit limits range from $300 to $10,000
Cons
- Card isn’t for rebuilding credit, but it’s good for building credit
- No special financing offers
- No welcome bonus
- Estimated rewards earned after 1 year: $249
- Estimated rewards earned after 5 years: $1,577
Who’s this for? The Petal 2 “Cash Back, No Fees” Visa Credit Card, issued by WebBank, is easier to get approved for because it takes a different approach to the credit card application process. Instead of judging your creditworthiness solely based on credit history, Petal may ask you to link bank accounts during the application process. Then, WebBank analyzes your bank statements and other data, such as bill payments and earnings, to determine your eligibility.
This is especially beneficial for applicants who may not have any credit history. However, if you do have a credit history, that does factor into the credit decision.
The Petal 2 Visa Credit Card is one of the few cards that charge zero fees*: no annual fee, no late payment fee and no foreign transaction fees. And it stands out for consumers trying to build credit because there’s no security deposit required.
It also offers a rewards program with 1% cash back on eligible purchases right away, which can increase up to 1.5% cash back after you make 12 on-time monthly payments. This is not only a nice perk, but a great way to encourage responsible behavior. Cardholders also earn 2% to 10% cash back from select merchants.
Best for college students
Discover it® Student Cash Back
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Rewards
Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places you shop each quarter like grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, and more, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases-automatically.
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Welcome bonus
Discover will match all the cash back earned for all new cardmembers at the end of your first year
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Annual fee
-
Intro APR
0% for 6 months on purchases
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Regular APR
18.24% – 27.24% Variable
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Balance transfer fee
3% intro balance transfer fee, up to 5% fee on future balance transfers (see terms)*
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Foreign transaction fee
-
Credit needed
*See rates and fees, terms apply.
Who’s this for? The Discover it® Student Cash Back is a well-rounded card that offers college students enrolled in a two- or four-year college the chance to build credit while earning rewards. You must be over 18 and a U.S. citizen to apply.
Upon activation, cardholders can earn 5% cash back on rotating categories up to a $1,500 maximum each quarter (then 1%). All other purchases earn unlimited 1% cash back automatically.
There is also an introductory APR offer which can be perfect for financing dorm room essentials or textbooks. After you graduate, your Discover it student credit card becomes a regular credit card.
Best dining rewards credit card
Chase Sapphire Reserve®
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Rewards
Earn 5X total points on flights and 10X total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3X points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases plus, 10X points on Lyft rides through March 2025
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Welcome bonus
Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That’s $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
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Annual fee
-
Intro APR
-
Regular APR
-
Balance transfer fee
-
Foreign transaction fee
-
Credit needed
Pros
- $300 annual travel credit for travel purchases
- Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit up to $100 every four years
- Priority Pass™ Select lounge access at 1,000+ VIP lounges in over 500 cities worldwide
- Points are worth 50% more when redeemed for travel via Chase Travel℠
- Special benefits at The Luxury Hotel & Resort Collection
- Complimentary year of Lyft Pink membership
Cons
- High annual fee, but it can be offset by taking advantage of all the card’s perks
- No introductory APR
- Estimated rewards earned after 1 year: $1,469
- Estimated rewards earned after 5 years: $3,346
Rewards totals incorporate the points earned from the welcome bonus
Who’s this for? The Chase Sapphire Reserve® is geared toward foodies and frequent travelers looking for luxurious perks, such as free airport lounge access and complimentary hotel room upgrades. Cardholders earn a competitive 3X points on dining and travel worldwide. Based on CNBC Select’s calculations, we found the average American using this card could earn an estimated $165 per year in rewards for dining purchases alone (assuming you redeem rewards for travel via Chase Ultimate Rewards®, receiving 50% more value).
The value of Chase rewards points varies depending on how you use them. If you redeem points for cash and gift cards, each point is worth $.01, which means that 100 points equals $1 in redemption value. (See more on how the value of points is calculated.)
This card has a unique benefit where all points are worth 50% more when redeemed for travel via Chase Ultimate Rewards®. For example, 60,000 points are worth $900 redeemed toward airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®. This perk is a great way to get the most value for your rewards.
While this card has a robust travel rewards program, it also comes with a steep $550 annual fee. All the card’s added credits and benefits provided by Chase can help offset the annual cost. The $300 annual travel credit effectively reduces the annual fee to $150. Cardholders can take advantage of a Priority Pass™ Select membership that has a value of about $429. They also get a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit of up to $100 every four years.
Best gas rewards credit card
PenFed Platinum Rewards Visa Signature® Card
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Rewards
5X points on gas purchases at the pump and electrical vehicle charging stations, 3X points on supermarket purchases, 1X point on all other purchases
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Welcome bonus
15,000 points when you spend $1,500 in the first 3 months from account opening
-
Annual fee
-
Intro APR
0% introductory APR for 12 months on balance transfers made in the first 90 days after account opening.*
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Regular APR
17.99% variable on purchases; 17.99% non-variable on balance transfers
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Balance transfer fee
-
Foreign transaction fee
-
Credit needed
Pros
- High 5X points on gas at the pump and 3X on supermarket purchases
- No bonus category activations
- Good special financing offer on balance transfers
- Estimated rewards earned after 1 year: $513
- Estimated rewards earned after 5 years: $2,167
Rewards totals incorporate the points earned from the welcome bonus.
*0% introductory APR for 12 months on balance transfers made in the first 90 days after account opening. After that, the APR for the unpaid balance and any new balance transfers will be a non-variable rate of 17.99%. 3% balance transfer fee per transaction. Subject to credit approval. If you take advantage of this balance transfer, you will immediately be charged interest on all purchases made with your credit card unless you pay the entire account balance, including balance transfers, in full each month by the payment due date.
Who’s this for? Among the cards we analyzed, the PenFed Platinum Rewards Visa Signature® Card currently offers the highest rewards rate at gas stations with 5X points per dollar spent for gas purchases at the pump.
This card has no annual fee, so road warriors can maximize their savings. In addition to earning high rewards at gas stations, cardholders also benefit from unlimited 3X points for supermarket purchases.
PenFed is a credit union, so membership is required to open the PenFed Platinum Rewards Visa Signature® Card. Anyone can join by completing a few extra steps: You need to apply, open a savings account with a $5 deposit and maintain a $5 account balance.
Best grocery rewards credit card
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
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Rewards
6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%), 6% cash back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions, 3% cash back at U.S. gas stations, 3% cash back on transit (including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more) and 1% cash back on other purchases. Cash Back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit or at Amazon.com checkout.
-
Welcome bonus
Earn a $250 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new card within the first 6 months.
-
Annual fee
$0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95.
-
Intro APR
0% for 12 months on purchases from the date of account opening
-
Regular APR
19.24% – 29.99% variable. Variable APRs will not exceed 29.99%.
-
Balance transfer fee
Either $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
-
Foreign transaction fee
-
Credit needed
See rates and fees, terms apply.
Pros
- High 6% cash back at U.S. supermarket spending (up to $6,000 a year, then 1%)
- Unlimited 6% cash back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions
- Unlimited 3% cash back at U.S. gas stations and on transit
Cons
- 2.7% fee on purchases made abroad
- Estimated rewards earned after 1 year: $679
- Estimated rewards earned after 5 years: $2,397
Rewards totals incorporate the cash back earned from the welcome bonus
Who’s this for? Frequent grocery shoppers will be happy to learn the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express offers the highest cash-back rate at U.S. supermarkets at 6% (on up to $6,000 per year in purchases, then 1%). The average American can earn $310 in cash back each year when they do their shopping at qualifying supermarkets.
If you want to maximize cash back on groceries, this card is for you. In addition to high grocery rewards, there’s an unlimited 6% cash back on select streaming subscriptions, unlimited 3% cash back at U.S. gas stations, unlimited 3% cash back on transit including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more and 1% cash back on all other purchases.
Cardmembers can also take advantage of Amex Offers, where users earn a statement credit or additional cash back at select retailers. For example, a recent offer gave you $25 back each month (up to three times), if you spent $70 or more a month on Sun Basket meal kit delivery. These limited-time offers are location-based and additional terms apply.
This card has $0 intro annual fee for the first year (then $95), but it can be offset by the cash back you earn and discounts you can get through the Amex Offers. (See rates and fees)
Best for paying rent
Bilt Mastercard®
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Rewards
Earn Bilt Points when you make 5 transactions that post each statement period – up to 1x points on rent payments without the transaction fee (up to 100,000 points each calendar year), 3x points on dining, 2x points on travel, and 1x points on other purchases.
-
Welcome bonus
-
Annual fee
-
Intro APR
-
Regular APR
-
Balance transfer fee
Introductory fee of either $5 or 3% of the amount of each balance transfer, whichever is greater, for 120 days from account opening. After that, up to 5% for each balance transfer ($5 minimum).
-
Foreign transaction fee
-
Credit needed
See rates/fees and rewards/benefits; terms apply.
Pros
- No annual fee
- Solid rewards on broad spending categories
- Ability to pay your rent with no transaction fees
- Transfer points to leading frequent traveler programs at a 1:1 rate, including American Airlines, United and World of Hyatt®
Cons
- No welcome offer
- No introductory 0% APR
Who’s this for? The Bilt Mastercard® is the only credit card that lets you earn travel rewards on rent payments with no fees.
So long as you make at least five card transactions per statement period, you’ll earn 3X points on dining, 2X points on travel 1X points on rent (on up to $50,000 in rent payments every year) and everything else. Thanks to a new partnership with Lyft, cardholders can now also earn up to 5X points on their rideshares.
Thanks to the BiltProtect feature, cardholders are protected from using up their entire credit limit or risk going into debt by charging their rent to their card every month. Other benefits include cell phone protection; Purchase Assurance Plus, which covers your purchases for 90 days; exclusive discounts with brands like Lyft, DoorDash and ShopRunner; and access to the Mastercard Luxury Hotels & Resorts portfolio, which offers amenities like upgrades, free breakfast and property credits.
Bilt Rewards points are extremely flexible. They can be redeemed for travel either by transferring them to airline and hotel partners or by booking through the Bilt Travel Portal at a fixed rate of 1.25 cents per point. Other redemption options include using them to shop online, book fitness classes, pay rent and even make a down payment on a home.
Best entertainment rewards credit card
Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card
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Rewards
4% cash back on dining and entertainment, 4% on eligible streaming services, 3% at grocery stores and 1% on all other purchases
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Welcome bonus
Earn a one-time $300 cash bonus once you spend $3,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening
-
Annual fee
-
Intro APR
-
Regular APR
-
Balance transfer fee
3% for promotional APR offers; none for balances transferred at regular APR
-
Foreign transaction fee
-
Credit needed
Pros
- Unlimited 4% cash back on entertainment purchases
- Ability to redeem rewards at any amount, unlike some other cards with $25 minimums
- No fee charged on purchases made outside the U.S.
Cons
- $95 annual fee
- No introductory 0% financing offers for purchases or balance transfers
Who’s this for? Sports fans, movie buffs and adventure seekers will all find a common reason to like the Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card: unlimited 4% cash back on entertainment purchases. Compared to other rewards cards, this is the highest unlimited rewards rate on entertainment spending, whether you’re buying movie tickets, taking a family trip to the zoo or spending the evening bowling with friends.
Cardholders can also benefit from exclusive access to entertainment events, such as the iHeartRadio Music Festival and the Capital One JamFest.
Beyond entertainment perks, there’s also 10% cash back on Uber rides, 4% cash back on dining and popular streaming services, 3% at grocery stores and 1% on all other purchases. Plus, you can enjoy an Uber One membership through Nov. 14, 2024 and foodie-centric perks through Capital One Dining.
This card does come with a $95 annual fee, but can be offset by the cash back you earn.
Best credit card for Global Entry and/or TSA PreCheck credit
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
-
Rewards
5 Miles per dollar on hotel and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, 2X miles per dollar on every other purchase
-
Welcome bonus
Earn 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening
-
Annual fee
-
Intro APR
N/A for purchases and balance transfers
-
Regular APR
19.99% – 29.99% (Variable)
-
Balance transfer fee
$0 at the Transfer APR, 4% of the amount of each transferred balance that posts to your account at a promotional APR that Capital One may offer to you
-
Foreign transaction fee
-
Credit needed
Pros
- 5 miles per dollar on hotel and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
- Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit up to $100 every 4 years
Cons
- No introductory APR
- There’s a $95 annual fee
Who’s this for? The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card offers excellent rewards rates: Earn 5X miles on hotel and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 2X miles per dollar spent on all other spending. While Venture does come with a $95 annual fee, that’s low compared to some other rewards cards, with some annual fees of up to $550.
In addition to rewards, every four years cardholders receive a credit for a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application, up to $100. Cardholders now also get two free visits to Capital One airport lounges per year. If you travel often, these are great perks that can save you time and money.
This card has no foreign transaction fees and comes with a bunch of additional travel perks, such as 24-hour travel assistance services and an auto rental collision damage waiver.
*Terms, conditions and exclusions apply. Refer to your Guide to Benefits for more details.
Best for airport lounge access
The Platinum Card® from American Express
-
Rewards
Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year, 5X Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel, 1X points on all other eligible purchases
-
Welcome bonus
Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Apply and select your preferred metal Card design: classic Platinum Card®, Platinum x Kehinde Wiley, or Platinum x Julie Mehretu.
-
Annual fee
-
Intro APR
-
Regular APR
-
Balance transfer fee
-
Foreign transaction fee
-
Credit Needed
Pros
- Up to $200 in annual airline fee credits
- $200 Uber Cash: Enjoy Uber VIP status and up to $200 in Uber savings on rides or eats orders in the US annually. Uber Cash and Uber VIP status is available to Basic Card Member only. Terms Apply.
- Get up to $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings, which requires a minimum two-night stay, through American Express Travel when you pay with your Platinum Card®.
- $240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 back in statement credits each month on eligible purchases made with your Platinum Card® on one or more of the following: Disney+, a Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Peacock, and The Wall Street Journal. Enrollment required.
- $155 Walmart+ Credit: Use your Platinum Card® to pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) and receive a statement credit that covers the full cost each month. $12.95 plus applicable taxes. Plus Up Benefits not eligible.
Cons
- $695 annual fee
- No special financing offers on new purchases
Who’s this for? The Platinum Card® from American Express is for those who want a luxury card with a lengthy list of benefits. Although best known for its travel perks, this card also offers a number of everyday benefits, including digital entertainment, shopping and wellness credits (enrollment required), so you don’t need to be a road warrior to benefit from it.
To start, cardholders earn a respectable 5X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel (on up to $500,000 per calendar year), 5X points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel and 1X points on all other purchases.
In addition, cardholders can enjoy over a dozen premium travel and lifestyle benefits, including:
- Up to $200 annual hotel credit
- Up to $200 annual airline fee credit
- Up to $300 annual Equinox credit
- Up to $100 annual Saks Fifth Avenue credit
- Up to $189 credit to enroll in CLEAR®
- Up to $240 annual digital entertainment credit
- Up to $155 annual Walmart+ credit. Plus Ups not eligible.
- Worldwide airport lounge access, including Delta SkyClubs and Amex Centurion Lounges
- Up to $200 annual Uber credit
- Up to $100 fee credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck
- Automatic hotel elite status with Hilton Honors and Marriott Bonvoy
- Comprehensive travel insurance
- Complimentary Amex concierge service
- Terms apply
Its $695 annual fee (see rates and fees) is higher than any other card on this list, but you can definitely come out ahead if you take full advantage of the benefits. And that’s before factoring in the card’s welcome offer, which many rewards experts value at $2,000. (See more on how the value of points is calculated.)
Best for premium perks
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
-
Rewards
10 Miles on hotels per dollar and rental cars, 5 Miles per dollar on flights when booked via Capital One Travel; unlimited 2X miles on all other eligible purchases
-
Welcome bonus
Earn 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening
-
Annual fee
-
Intro APR
-
Regular APR
19.99% – 29.99% (Variable)
-
Balance transfer fee
$0 at the Transfer APR, 4% of the amount of each transferred balance that posts to your account at a promotional APR that Capital One may offer to you
-
Foreign transaction fees
-
Credit needed
See rates and fees, terms apply.
Pros
- Large welcome bonus
- No foreign transaction fees
- Up to $100 statement credits for either Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
- Unlimited complimentary access for you and two guests to 1,300+ lounges, including Capital One Lounges and the Partner Lounge Network
Cons
- High annual fee
- No introductory 0% APR period
Who’s this for? If you value simplicity and want one, strong standalone credit card, it doesn’t get much better than the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card. It offers a straightforward rewards structure, a myriad of valuable benefits and a lower annual fee than other high-end cards with similar features.
Cardholders earn 2X miles on everyday purchases, plus 5X miles on flights and a whopping 10X miles on hotels and cars booked through Capital One Travel. These miles can be transferred to airline and hotel partners, such as Accor Live Limitless, Air Canada Aeroplan and Etihad Guest. You can also redeem rewards toward travel through Capital One Travel, cash-back, gift cards, experiences and more.
On top of that, the Venture X card offers up to $100 in statement credit for either Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®, complimentary cell phone insurance, special perks on hotel stays book through the Premier Collection and access to Capital One Lounges as well as the extensive network of Priority Pass and Plaza Premium airport lounges worldwide. Every year, cardholders receive up to $300 back in statement credits each year for bookings made through Capital One Travel and a 10,000-mile bonus on each account anniversary (worth at least $100 for travel), making it easy to recoup the $395 the annual fee.
*Terms, conditions and exclusions apply. Refer to your Guide to Benefits for more details.
Things to consider before choosing a credit card
Having a credit card is an important piece of your financial profile, but with so many options available, it can be hard to find the best one for your needs. Here are some common questions to ask yourself so you can decide what’s the best credit card for you.
Do you want to earn rewards?
There are hundreds of rewards credit cards out there, where you can earn cash back, points or miles on every purchase you make.
And if you want to earn rewards, what specific categories are most important to you?
Rewards credit cards come in all shapes and sizes. If you want to maximize rewards in specific categories, check out cards offering bonus rewards on gas, groceries, restaurants, entertainment, travel and more. Or keep it simple and opt for a flat-rate cash-back card.
Are you looking to get out of debt?
If you’re carrying a balance on a high-interest credit card, consider transferring it to a balance transfer credit card offering no interest for up to 21 months. There are even cards with no balance transfer fees.
Do you want to build credit?
Experts agree the sooner you build credit, the better. Credit cards are a great way to do that. Check out secured cards for credit newbies or other cards for building or rebuilding credit.
Do you travel abroad?
A credit card with no foreign transaction fees is essential to save you the typical 3% fee per purchase made outside the U.S. Also, it can be a good idea to consider cards that waive Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fees.
Find the best credit card for you by reviewing offers in our credit card marketplace or get personalized offers via CardMatch™.
What credit score do I need to get the best cards?
When you apply for a credit card, the bank or lender will review your credit report from one or more of the three major credit bureaus. It will also typically check your FICO credit score, the top credit cards usually require a very good or excellent credit score.
This is how FICO credit scores are classified according to myFICO:
- Poor/bad credit: Less than 580
- Fair credit: 580-669
- Good credit: 670-739
- Very good credit: 740-799
- Exceptional/excellent credit: 800 or higher
Building and maintaining a healthy credit score helps your personal finances in all sorts of ways outside of increasing your chances of getting approved for a great sign-up bonus. Your FICO score is calculated based on the following factors and each is weighted differently:
- Payment history: 35%
- Total debt: 30%
- Length of credit history: 15%
- New credit: 10%
- Credit mix: 10%
FAQs
How many credit cards should I have?
Many people have multiple credit cards, and there are benefits to this. It can help increase your credit score by giving you more available credit and therefore a better credit utilization ratio.
At its most basic, having access to more credit can help you finance more purchases if you don’t have enough cash to cover everything up front.
You can also earn more rewards by optimizing which card you use for certain spending categories. For instance, you may make all your dining purchases with a card that earns bonus rewards in that category, but another card with a bonus multiplier for grocery purchases.
Ultimately, it’s up to you to decide how many credit cards you need. Make sure to evaluate your spending habits and research what card would be best for you.
What do I need to apply for a credit card?
Applying for a credit card is easy, and you’ll often get an instant decision on whether you’re approved or denied. To apply for a credit card, you’ll generally need to provide the following:
- Full legal name
- Date of birth
- Social Security or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number
- Mailing address
- Email address and/or phone number
- Annual income
- Housing costs
How old do I have to be to get a credit card?
What is the easiest credit card to get?
Secured credit cards are generally the easiest credit cards to be approved for. They are similar to traditional cards (they extend credit, can incur interest charges and in some cases can even earn rewards) but require you to put down a security deposit to access a line of credit. The amount you deposit usually becomes your credit limit.
Which type of card is most accepted?
There are four major credit card issuers: American Express, Discover, Mastercard and Visa.
Visa and Mastercard are the most widely accepted credit card networks globally. That said, American Express and Discover still have 99% acceptance rates among U.S. merchants who take credit cards and are increasing their international footprints.
What is a credit card’s billing cycle?
When it comes to credit cards, most billing cycles are one month or 28 to 31 days. After your billing cycle ends, you typically have what is known as a grace period where you can pay off your full balance without incurring any interest charges. However, if you pay off your card balance before the billing cycle ends, it will help to keep your credit utilization down, which boosts your credit score.
Keep in mind that the grace period may not apply to all charges. Balance transfers and cash advances are usually charged interest starting on the transaction date.
Do I need a business credit card?
Having a separate credit card for your small business or side hustle is important so you can keep your personal and business activities separate. Business credit cards come in all shapes and sizes, there are business cards that offer cash-back rewards, travel rewards and everything in between.
The right business credit card for you should offer bonus rewards that align with your business spending. To keep it simple, you can start your business credit card search at the bank where you currently have your business bank accounts. If you bank with Wells Fargo, Bank of America or Chase, then it may be easiest to have all of your accounts with one institution.
Many of the banks that offer the best consumer cards also have top-notch business cards. For example, Chase has the Ink Business line of small business cards, which includes the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card and the Ink Business Cash® Credit Card. Both cards have no annual fee, hefty sign-up bonuses and generous bonus spending categories.
Why trust CNBC Select?
At CNBC Select, our mission is to provide our readers with high-quality service journalism and comprehensive consumer advice so they can make informed decisions with their money. Every credit card review is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors with extensive knowledge of credit card products. While CNBC Select earns a commission from affiliate partners on many offers and links, we create all our content without input from our commercial team or any outside third parties, and we pride ourselves on our journalistic standards and ethics. See our methodology for more information on how we choose the best credit cards.
Our methodology
To determine which cards offer the best value, CNBC Select analyzed over 250 of the most popular credit cards available in the U.S. We compared each card on a range of features, including rewards (e.g., cash back, points and miles), annual fees, welcome bonuses, introductory and standard APR, balance transfer fees and foreign transaction fees, as well as factors such as required credit score when available. We also considered additional perks (e.g., ongoing travel or merchant statement credits), consumer protections, the application process and how easy it is to redeem points.
For the cards that offered a rewards program, we considered consumer spending data from location intelligence firm Esri to determine what bonus categories are most useful for consumers. Since the value of a point or mile varies based on what they can be redeemed for, we also considered things like transferability and ability to redeem for cash-back.
When choosing the best balance transfer card, we focused on the card that provides consumers with the cheapest way to pay off their debt rather than the number of rewards they could potentially earn. When you’re in credit card debt, your primary focus should be repayment. Earning rewards should be seen as a bonus, and you don’t want to spend beyond your means to earn points.
For rates and fees of the American Express® Gold Card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express, click here.
For rates and fees of the Discover it® Secured Credit Card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Discover it® Student Cash Back, click here.
For rates and fees of the Discover it® Miles, click here.
For rates and fees of The Platinum Card® from American Express, click here.
Petal 2 Visa Credit Card issued by WebBank.
For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the above benefits are provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.
Editorial Note: Opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the Select editorial staff’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any third party.
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Deutsche Bank’s Mark Devries breaks down CFPB’s new late fee rule
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Mark Devries, Deutsche Bank research analyst, joins ‘The Exchange’ to discuss regulattion for credit card late fees and its impact to issuers.
05:26
2 minutes ago
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Here’s why Capital One is buying Discover in the biggest proposed merger of 2024
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Capital One CEO and Chairman, Richard Fairbank.
Marvin Joseph| The Washington Post | Getty Images
Capital One’s recently announced $35.3 billion acquisition of Discover Financial isn’t just about getting bigger â gaining “scale” in Wall Street-speak â it’s a bid to protect itself against a rising tide of fintech and regulatory threats.
It’s a chess move by one of the savviest long-term thinkers in American finance, Capital One CEO Richard Fairbank. As a co-founder of a top 10 U.S. bank by assets, his tenure is a rarity in a banking world dominated by institutions like JPMorgan Chase that trace their origins to shortly after the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
Fairbank, who became a billionaire by building Capital One into a credit card giant since its 1994 IPO, is betting that buying rival card company Discover will better position the company for global payments’ murky future. The industry is a dynamic web where players of all stripes â from traditional banks to fintech players and tech giants â are all seeking to stake out a corner in a market worth trillions of dollars by eating into incumbents’ share amid the rapid growth of e-commerce and digital payments.
“This deal gives the company a stronger hand to battle other banks, fintechs and big tech companies,” said Sanjay Sakhrani, the veteran KBW retail finance analyst. “The more that they can separate themselves from the pack, the more they can future-proof themselves.”
The deal, if approved, enables Capital One to leapfrog JPMorgan as the biggest credit card company by loans, and solidifies its position as the third largest by purchase volume. It also adds heft to Capital One’s banking operations with $109 billion in total deposits from Discover’s digital bank and helps the combined entity shave $1.5 billion in expenses by 2027.
‘Holy Grail’
But it’s Discover’s payments network â the “rails” that shuffle digital dollars between consumers and merchants, collecting tolls along the way â that Fairbank repeatedly praised Tuesday when analysts queried him on the strategic merits of the deal. There are only four major card networks: giants Visa and Mastercard, then American Express and finally the smallest of the group, Discover.
Capital One and Discover credit cards arranged in Germantown, New York, US, on Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024.Â
Angus Mordant | Bloomberg | Getty Images
“That network is a very, very rare asset,” Fairbank said. “We have always had a belief that the Holy Grail is to be able to be an issuer with one’s own network so that one can deal directly with merchants.”
From the time of Capital One’s founding in the late 1980s, Fairbank said, he envisioned creating a global digital payments tech company by owning the payment rails and dealing directly with merchants. In the decades since, Capital One has been ahead of stodgier banks, gaining a reputation in tech circles for being forward-thinking and for its early adoption of cloud computing and agile software development.
But its growth has relied on Visa and Mastercard, which accounted for the vast majority of payment volumes last year, processing nearly $10 trillion in the U.S. between them.
Capital One intends to boost the Discover network, which carried $550 billion in transactions last year, by quickly switching all of its debit volume there, as well as a growing share of its credit card flows over time.
By 2027, the bank expects to add at least $175 billion in payments and 25 million of its cardholders onto the Discover network.
Owning the toll road
The true potential of the Discover deal, though, is what it allows Capital One to do in the future if it owns the toll road, according to analysts.
By creating an end-to-end ecosystem that is more of a closed loop between shoppers and merchants, it could fend off competition from rapidly mutating fintech players like Block and PayPal, as well as buy now, pay later firms like Affirm and Klarna, who have made inroads with both businesses and consumers.
Capital One aims to deepen relationships with merchants by showing them how to boost sales, helping them prevent fraud and providing data insights, Fairbank said Tuesday, all of which makes them harder to dislodge. It can use some of the network fees to create new loyalty plans, like debit rewards programs, or underwrite merchant incentives or experiences, according to analysts.
“Owning a network allows us to deal more directly with merchants rather than a network intermediary,” Fairbank told analysts. “We create more value for merchants, small businesses and consumers and capture the additional economics from vertical integration.”
It’s a capability that technology or fintech companies probably covet. The Discover network alone would be worth up to $6 billion if sold to Alphabet, Apple or Fiserv, Sakhrani wrote Tuesday in a research note.
Will regulators approve?
The Capital One-Discover combination could fortify the company against another potential threat â from Washington.
Proposed legislation from Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., aims to cap the fees charged by Visa and Mastercard, potentially blowing up the economics of credit card rewards programs. If that proposal becomes law, the competitive position of Discover’s network, which is exempt from the limitations, suddenly improves, according to Brian Graham, co-founder of advisory firm Klaros Group. That mirrors what an earlier law known as the Durbin amendment did for debit cards.
Chairman Dick Durbin (D-IL) speaks during a US Senate Judiciary Committee hearing regarding Supreme Court ethics reform, on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, on May 2, 2023.
Mandel Ngan | AFP | Getty Images
“There are a bunch of things aimed, in one way or another, at the card networks and that ecosystem,” Graham said. “Those pressures might be one of the things that creates an opportunity for Capital One in the future if they have control over this network.”
The biggest question for Capital One, its customers and investors is whether the merger will ultimately be approved by regulators. While Fairbank said he expects the deal to be closed in late 2024 or early 2025, industry experts said it was impossible to know whether it will be blocked by regulators, like a string of high-profile takeovers among banks, airlines and tech companies.
On Tuesday, Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts urged regulators to swiftly block the deal, calling it “dangerous.” Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, chairman of the Senate Banking Committee, said he would be watching the deal to “ensure that this merger doesn’t enrich shareholders and executives at the expense of consumers and small businesses.”
The Discover deal’s survival may hinge on whether it’s seen as boosting an also-ran payments network, or allowing an already-dominant card lender to level up in size â another reason Fairbank may have played up the importance of the network.
“Which thing you are more concerned about will define whether you think this is a good deal or a bad deal from a public policy point of view,” Graham said.
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American Express CEO says spending is strong, delinquencies are down from 2019
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Stephen Squeri, chair and CEO of American Express, speaks during an Economic Club of New York event in New York on Nov. 10, 2022.
Stephanie Keith | Bloomberg | Getty Images
American Express CEO Stephen Squeri on Friday said the credit card company saw “good consumer spending” during the holidays and signs of strong overall health for U.S. spending.
In particular, delinquency rates were “lower than they were in 2019,” Squeri told CNBC’s Scott Wapner in an interview at the American Express PGA Tour event in La Quinta, California.
“Our customers are high-spending premium customers, and they are continuing to spend,” he said.
The signs of resilient consumer spending run somewhat counter to persistent inflation. December’s consumer price index increased 0.3%, hotter than the 0.2% expected by economists.
But Squeri said he’s not surprised, adding he’s of the opinion that the U.S. is in the middle of a “soft landing,” slowing spending and bringing inflation down — without spurring a recession.
JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon said earlier this week that he remains cautious on the U.S. economy, along with Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon, who said it’s hard to imagine the number of Federal Reserve rate cuts that the market seems to be calling for in 2024.
“I mean look, recessions do happen,” Squeri said Friday. “The nice part about recessions is there’s always a recovery. … We’ll get through whatever we need to get through, and part of that is because of our customer base, and our colleagues that are supporting our customers.”
American Express reports its fourth-quarter earnings Jan 26.
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Baird curbs their enthusiasm on trio of financials ahead of bank earnings
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David George, Baird senior analyst, joins ‘Fast Money’ to talk his bearish calls on banks ahead of another round of earnings.
03:38
4 hours ago
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Just in time for the holidays: Amazon Prime Visa offering $200 gift card welcome bonus
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Both new and existing Prime Visa cardholders are in for an extra treat as they work their way through their holiday shopping list this year.
If you’re interested in signing up for this Amazon credit card, you’ll immediately earn a welcome bonus of a $200 Amazon gift card upon approval from now through Dec. 4, 2023. This is double the $100 Amazon gift card the Prime Visa typically offers new cardholders, so if you’ve been toying with the idea of getting this card, now’s the time to move.
Prime Visa
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Rewards
Earn unlimited 5% back at Amazon.com, Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods Market and on Chase Travel purchases with an eligible Prime membership, unlimited 2% back at gas stations, restaurants and on local transit and commuting (including rideshare), 10% back or more on a rotating selection of products and categories at Amazon.com, unlimited 1% back on all other purchases
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Welcome bonus
Get a $200 Amazon Gift Card instantly upon approval exclusively for Prime members
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Annual fee
$0 (but Prime membership is required)
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Intro APR
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Regular APR
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Balance transfer fee
Either $5 or 4% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
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Foreign transaction fee
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Credit needed
Both new and existing cardholders can take advantage of a limited-time offer of 10% cash back on eligible gift purchases. The selection of eligible gift purchases spans multiple shopping categories, so you have a ton of choices to shop and save on.
On top of that, if you have an eligible Prime membership and either a Prime Visa or another eligible Prime card, you can now earn an extra 1% cash back on orders if you choose the No-Rush Shipping option at checkout. Since cardholders with an eligible Prime membership already earn 5% back on their Amazon purchases, this brings the total rewards potential to up to 6% cash back on your orders. This offer is valid from now through Dec. 28, 2023.
CNBC Select highlights what you need to know about the offer, details about the Amazon credit card and which purchases qualify for 10% back in rewards.
Amazon Prime Visa Card elevated welcome offer and bonus rewards
Now through Dec. 4, new Prime Visa applicants will receive a $200 Amazon gift card immediately upon approval with no minimum spending requirement. The gift card will be automatically loaded onto your Amazon account so you can use it immediately.
Prime Visa cardholders need to have an Amazon Prime account to qualify for the card, although you can still get an Amazon credit card without a Prime membership. However, non-Prime members will earn less cash back on their Amazon and Whole Foods purchases instead of the 5% enjoyed by Prime members.
Read more: How to get an Amazon Prime membership for free
But it doesn’t stop there. Cardholders can also take advantage of 10% back when purchasing items from a variety of categories, including Amazon devices, home, kitchen, electronics, furniture and more. For example, you can get 10% cash back on select Ring Video Doorbell Pro 2, Kindle e-readers, TVs and more. You can find all eligible products here but note that the 10% cash back deal expires at different times for different products.
Plus, Prime Visa and Amazon Visa cardholders can now take advantage of My Chase Plan®. My Chase Plan® is a digital feature from Chase that allows eligible cardholders to pay off a purchase (of at least $100) in fixed monthly installments over a period of time. You won’t be charged interest on the monthly amount and My Chase Plan can only be used on purchases of at least $100.
Amazon Visa and Prime Visa cardholders can now use this feature by selecting a recent transaction (remember, it needs to be at least $100) and choosing a repayment timeframe and monthly amount that works best for them.
Other great credit cards to earn rewards on Amazon purchases
The Platinum Card® from American Express
On the American Express secure site
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Rewards
Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year, 5X Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel, 1X points on all other eligible purchases
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Welcome bonus
Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Apply and select your preferred metal Card design: classic Platinum Card®, Platinum x Kehinde Wiley, or Platinum x Julie Mehretu.
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Annual fee
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Intro APR
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Regular APR
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Balance transfer fee
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Foreign transaction fee
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Credit Needed
Wells Fargo Reflect® Card
On Wells Fargo secure site
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Rewards
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Welcome bonus
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Annual fee
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Intro APR
0% intro APR for 21 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers.
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Regular APR
18.24%, 24.74%, or 29.99% Variable APR on purchases and balance transfers
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Balance transfer fee
Balance transfers fee of 5%, min $5.
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Foreign transaction fee
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Credit needed
Citi Double Cash® Card
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Rewards
Earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases. To earn cash back, pay at least the minimum due on time. Plus, for a limited time, earn 5% total cash back on hotel, car rentals and attractions booked on the Citi Travel℠ portal through 12/31/24
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Welcome bonus
Earn $200 cash back after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. This bonus offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® Points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back.
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Annual fee
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Intro APR
0% for the first 18 months on balance transfers; N/A for purchases
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Regular APR
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Balance transfer fee
For balance transfers completed within 4 months of account opening, an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of each transfer ($5 minimum) applies; after that, a balance transfer fee of 5% of each transfer ($5 minimum) applies
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Foreign transaction fee
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Credit needed
Subscribe to the CNBC Select Newsletter!
Money matters — so make the most of it. Get expert tips, strategies, news and everything else you need to maximize your money, right to your inbox. Sign up here.
Bottom line
If you haven’t already started thinking about holiday shopping, Amazon’s Prime Visa welcome offer might inspire you to sign up and start working your way through your list. And if the online retailer isn’t your cup of tea, don’t forget that there are plenty of 0% APR cards, travel cards, and rewards cards that help you make the most from every swipe.
Catch up on Select’s in-depth coverage of personal finance, tech and tools, wellness and more, and follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to stay up to date.
For rates and fees of the Platinum Card from American Express, click here.
Information about Amazon credit cards has been collected independently by Select and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer prior to publication; if you purchase something through Select links, we may earn a commission.
Editorial Note: Opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the Select editorial staff’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any third party.
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As the market enters correction territory, don’t blame the American consumer
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An Amazon.com Inc worker prepares an order in which the buyer asked for an item to be gift wrapped at a fulfillment center in Shakopee, Minnesota, U.S., November 12, 2020.
Amazon.com Inc | Reuters
The initial third-quarter report on gross domestic product showed consumer spending zooming higher by 4% percent a year, after inflation, the best in almost two years. September’s retail sales report showed spending climbing almost twice as fast as the average for the last year. And yet, bears like hedge-fund trader Bill Ackman argue that a recession is coming as soon as this quarter and the market has entered correction territory.
For an economy that rises or falls on the state of the consumer, third-quarter earnings data supports a view of spending that remains mostly good. S&P 500 consumer-discretionary companies that have reported through Oct. 25 saw an average profit gain of 15%, according to CFRA — the biggest revenue gain of the stock market’s 11 sectors.
“People are kind of scratching their heads and saying, ‘The consumer is holding up better than expected,’” said CFRA Research strategist Sam Stovall said. “Consumers are employed. They continue to buy goods as well as pursue experiences. And they don’t seem worried about debt levels.”
How is this possible with interest rates on everything from credit cards to cars and homes soaring?
It’s the anecdotes from bellwether companies across key industries that tell the real story: Delta Air Lines and United Airlines sharing how their most expensive seats are selling fastest. Homeowners using high-interest-rate-fighting mortgage buydowns. Amazon saying it’s hiring 250,000 seasonal workers. A Thursday report from Deckers Outdoor blew some minds — in what has been a tepid clothing sales environment — by disclosing that embedded in a 79% profit gain that sent shares up 19% was sales of Uggs, a mature line anchored by fuzzy boots, rising 28%.
The picture they paint largely matches the economic data — generally positive, but with some warts. Here is some of the key evidence from from the biggest company earnings reports across the market that help explain how companies and the American consumer are making the best of a tough rate environment.
How homebuilders are solving for mortgages rates
No industry is more central to the market’s notion that the consumer is falling from the sky than housing, because the number of existing home sales have dropped almost 40% from Covid-era peaks. But while Coldwell Banker owner Anywhere Real Estate saw profit fall by half, news from builders of new homes has been pretty good.
Most consumers have mortgages below 5%, but for new homebuyers, one reason that rates are not biting quite as sharply as they should is that builders have figured out ways around the 8% interest rates that are bedeviling existing home sellers. That helps explains why new home sales are up this year. Homebuilders are dipping into money that previously paid for other incentives to pay for offering mortgages at 5.75% rather than the 8% level other mortgages have hit. At PulteGroup, the nation’s third-biggest builder, that helped drive an 8% third-quarter profit jump and 43% climb in new home orders for delivery later, much better than the government-reported 4.5% gain in new home sales year-to-date.
“What we’ve done is simply redistribute incentives we’ve historically offered toward cabinets and countertops, and redirected those to interest rate incentives,” PulteGroup CEO Ryan Marshall said. “And that has been the most powerful thing.”
The mechanics are complex, but work out to this: Pulte sets aside about $35,000 for incentives to get each home to sell, or about 6% of its price, the company said on its earnings conference call. Part of that is paying for a mortgage buydown. About 80% to 85% of buyers are taking advantage of the buydown offer. But many are splitting the funds, mixing a smaller rate buydown and keeping some goodies for the house, the company said.
Wells Fargo economist Jackie Benson said in a report that builders may struggle to keep this strategy going if mortgage rates stay near 8%, but new-home prices have dropped 12% in the last year. In her view, incentives plus bigger price cuts than most existing homes’ owners will offer is giving builders an edge.
At auto companies, price cuts are in, and more are coming
Car sales picked up notably in September, rising 24% year-over-year, more than twice the year-to-date gain in unit sales. But they were below expectations at electric-vehicle leader Tesla, which blamed high interest rates, and at Ford.
“I just can’t emphasize this enough, that for the vast majority of people buying a car it’s about the monthly payment,” Tesla CEO Elon Musk said on its earnings call. “And as interest rates rise, the proportion of that monthly payment that is interest increases.”
Maybe, but that’s not what’s happening at General Motors, even if investor reaction to good numbers at GM was muted because of the strike by the United Auto Workers union.
GM beat earnings expectations by 40 cents a share, but shares fell 3% because of investor worries about the strike, which forced GM to withdraw its fourth-quarter earnings forecast on Oct. 24. Ford, which settled with the UAW on Oct. 25, said the next day it had a “mixed” quarter, as profit missed Wall Street targets due to the strike. Consumers came through, as unit sales rose 7.7% for the quarter, with truck and EV sales both up 15%. GM CEO Mary Barra said on GM’s analyst call that the company gained market share, posting a 21% gain in unit sales despite offering incentives below the industry average.
“While we hear reports out there in the macro that consumer sentiment might be weakening, etc., we haven’t seen that in demand for our vehicles,” GM CFO Paul Jacobson told analysts. But Ford CFO John Lawler said car prices need to decline by about $1,800 to be as affordable as they were before Covid. “We think it’s going to happen over 12 to 18 months,” he said.
Tesla’s turnaround plan turns on continuing to lower its cost of producing cars, which came down by about $2,000 per vehicle in last year, the company said. Along with federal tax credits for electric vehicles, a Model Y crossover can be had for about $36,490, or as little as $31,500 in states with local tax incentives for EVs. That’s way below the average for all cars, which Cox Automotive puts at more than $50,000. But Musk says some consumers still aren’t convincible. .
“When you look at the price reductions we’ve made in, say, the Model Y, and you compare that to how much people’s monthly payment has risen due to interest rates, the price of the Model Y is almost unchanged,” Musk said. “They can’t afford it.”
Most banks say the consumer still has cash, but not Discover
To know how consumers are doing, ask the banks, which disclose consumer balances quarterly. To know if they’re confident, ask the credit card companies (often the same companies) how much they are spending.
In most cases, financial services firms say consumers are doing well.
At Bank of America, consumer balances are still about one-third higher than before Covid, CEO Brian Moynihan said on the company’s conference call. At JPMorgan Chase, balances have eroded 3% in the last year, but consumer loan delinquencies declined during the quarter, the company said.
“Where am I seeing softness in [consumer] credit?” said chief financial officer Jeremy Barnum, repeating an analyst’s question on the earnings call. “I think the answer to that is actually nowhere.”
Among credit card companies, the “resilient” is still the main story. MasterCard, in fact, used that word or “resilience” eight times to describe U.S. consumers in its Oct. 26 call.
“I mean, the reality is, unemployment levels are [near] all-time record lows,” MasterCard chief financial officer Sachin Mehra said.
At American Express, which saw U.S. consumer spending rise 9%, the mild surprise was the company’s disclosure that young consumers are adding Amex cards faster than any other group. Millennials and Gen Zers saw their U.S. spending via Amex rise 18%, the company said.
“Guess they’re not bothered by the resumption of student loan payments,” Stovall said.
The major fly in the ointment came from Discover Financial Services, one of the few banks to make big additions to its loan loss reserves for consumer debt, driving a 33% drop in profit as Discover’s loan chargeoffs doubled.
Despite the fact that U.S. household debt burdens are almost exactly the same as in late 2019, and declined during the quarter, according to government data, Discover chief financial officer John Greene said on its call, “Our macro assumptions reflect a relatively strong labor market but also consumer headwinds from a declining savings rate and increasing debt burdens.”
At airlines, still no sign of a travel recession
It’s good to be Delta Air Lines right now, sitting on a 59% third-quarter profit gain driven by the most expensive products on their virtual shelves: First-class seats and international vacations. Also good to be United, where higher-margin international travel rose almost 25% and the company is planning to add seven first-class seats per departure by 2027. Not so good to be discounter Spirit, which saw shares fall after reporting a $157 million loss.
“With the market continuing to seemingly will a travel recession into existence despite evidence to the contrary from daily [government] data and our consumer surveys, Delta’s third-quarter beat and solid fourth-quarter guide and commentary should finally put the group at ease about a consumer “cliff,” allow them to unfasten their seatbelts and walk about the cabin,” Morgan Stanley analyst Ravi Shanker said in a note to clients.
One tangible impact: United is adding 20 planes this quarter, though it is pushing 12 more deliveries into 2024, while Spirit said it’s delaying plane deliveries, and focusing on its proposed merger with JetBlue and cost-cutting to regain competitiveness as soft demand for its product persists into the holiday season.
As has been the case throughout much of 2023, richer consumers — who contribute the greater share of spending — are doing better than moderate-income families, Sundaram said.
The goods recession is for real
Whirlpool, Ethan Allen and mattress maker Sleep Number all saw their stocks tumble after reporting bad earnings, all of them experiencing sales struggles consistent with the macro data.
This follows a trend now well-entrenched in the economy: people stocked up on hard goods, especially for the house, during the pandemic, when they were stuck at home more. All three companies saw shares surge during Covid, and growth has slacked off since as they found their markets at least partly saturated and consumers moved spending to travel and other services.
“All of the stimulus money went to the furniture industry,” Sundaram said, exaggerating for effect. “Now they’ve been falling apart for the last year.”
Ethan Allen sales dropped 24%, as the company said a flood in a Vermont factory and softer demand were among the causes. At Whirlpool, which said in second-quarter earnings that it was moving to make up slowing sales to consumers by selling more appliances to home builders, “discretionary purchases have been even softer than anticipated, as a result of increased mortgage rates and low consumer confidence,” CEO Marc Bitzer said during Thursday’s earnings call. Its shares fell more than 20%.
Amazon’s $1.3 billion holiday hiring spree
Amazon is making its biggest-ever commitment to holiday hiring, spending $1.3 billion to add the workers, mostly in fulfillment centers.
That’s possible because Amazon has reorganized its warehouse network to speed up deliveries and lower costs, sparking 11% sales gains the last two quarters as consumers turn to the online giant for more everyday repeat purchases. Amazon also tends to serve a more affluent consumer who is proving more resilient in the face of interest rate hikes and inflation than audiences for Target or dollar stores, according to CFRA retailing analyst Arun Sundaram said.
“Their retail sales are performing really well,” Sundaram said. “There’s still headwinds affecting discretionary sales, but everyday essentials are doing really well.
All of this sets the stage for a high-stakes holiday season.
PNC still thinks there will be a recession in early 2024, thanks partly to the Federal Reserve’ rate hikes, and thinks investors will focus on sales of goods looking for more signs of weakness. “There’s a lot of strength for the late innings” of an expansion, said PNC Asset Management chief investment officer Amanda Agati.
Sundaram, whose firm has predicted that interest rates will soon drop as inflation wanes, thinks retailers are in better shape, with stronger supply chains that will allow strategic discounting more than last year to pump sales. The Uggs sales outperformance was attributed to improved supply chains and shorter shipping times as the lingering effects of the pandemic recede.
“Though there are headwinds for the consumer, there’s a chance for a decent holiday season,” he said, albeit one hampered still by the inflation of the last two years. “The 2022 holiday season may have been the low point.”
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The top 10 things to watch in the stock market Friday
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The top 10 things to watch Friday, Oct. 20
1. Will the yield on the 10-year Treasury breach 5% Friday, and how will markets react? U.S. stocks are down in premarket trading, with S&P 500 futures falling 0.27%, potentially leading to another disappointing week for equities. Stocks have been held back by high bond yields and strengthening oil prices.
2. American Express (AXP) reports a big third-quarter earnings beat Friday, with earnings-per-share (EPS) of $3.30, ahead of analysts’ forecasts for $2.94 a share. Revenue climbs by 13%, boosted by travel-and-entertainment spending. Millennial and Gen-Z spending rises by 18% in the U.S.
3. Oilfield services firm Schlumberger (SLB) misses slightly on revenue expectations for the third quarter, but beats adjusted EPS estimates by a penny. The company has reported nine-consecutive quarters of double-digit, year-over-year growth in its international business, and expects sequential revenue growth in the fourth quarter.
4. UBS assumes coverage on a handful of drug stocks, including Club name Eli Lilly (LLY). The bank designates Eli Lilly a buy, with a price target of $710 a share, saying it expects “meaningful upward revisions” for diabetes-and-obesity treatment Mounjaro.
5. Intuitive Surgical (ISRG) reports a mixed quarter, as the company continues to see pressure on its bariatrics business due to the rise in GLP-1 obesity drugs. This used to be the company’s largest source of procedure growth.
6. General Motors (GM) is reportedly close to reaching a tentative agreement with the United Auto Workers union that would resolve a month-long strike, which has also engulfed Club name Ford Motor (F) and Stellantis NV (STLA), according to Bloomberg.
7. Deutsche Bank upgrades Union Pacific (UNP) to a buy rating, while slightly raising its price target to $258 a share, up from $257. The firm cites improving U.S. rail volumes and increasing confidence around new CEO Jim Vena.
8. Wolfe Research upgrades Club holding Morgan Stanley (MS) to a neutral-equivalent rating from underperform, without a price target. Meanwhile, Wednesday’s post-earnings sell-off of the bank stock was an overreaction.
9. JPMorgan reiterates Club holding Amazon (AMZN) as its best idea in the internet sector on the expectation that revenue growth at cloud unit Amazon Web Services will accelerate in the second half of this year, while North American retail margins expand.
10. Goldman Sachs lowers its price target on Club name Walt Disney (DIS) to $125 a share, down from $128, while maintaining a buy rating on the stock. The firm asks: is the stock is now at the point of peak uncertainty?
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Delta CEO says carrier went ‘too far’ in SkyMiles changes, promises modifications after frequent flyer backlash
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Delta Air Lines Boeing 717-200 airplane as seen on the final approach landing at New York JFK John F. Kennedy International Airport, NYC, USA.
NurPhoto / Contributor
Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian said the airline will make “modifications” in the next few weeks to its loyalty program after a recently announced overhaul that would make it more expensive for many travelers to earn elite status and get into airport lounges was met with a backlash from customers.
“No question we probably went too far,” Bastian said at the Rotary Club of Atlanta on Monday.
The program changes, which Delta unveiled earlier this month, would reward customers with elite status based on how much they spent, a model similar to that of American Airlines, and reduce access to Delta popular airport Sky Club lounges for many American Express cardholders.
JetBlue Airways tried to capitalize on some customers’ anger over Delta’s changes by offering frequent flyer status matching, saying, “we’ve made it easy for you to cozy up to a new loyalty program and see where it goes.”
Delta has been grappling with a surge in elite travelers, bolstered by Covid pandemic and post-pandemic spending, and swarms of travelers trying to get into its lounges, leading to long lines for many customers. The airline and rivals including American and United have been racing to build bigger airport lounges to cater to swelling numbers of big spenders.
Bastian said the airline will announce the updated program changes in the coming weeks. A Delta spokesman declined to comment further on the changes.
“It’s gotten to the point, honestly, where we have so much demand for our premium product and services that are far in excess of our ability to serve it effectively in terms of our assets,” Bastian said.
He said that over Covid, the airline has doubled the number of Diamond Medallion status members.
David Neeleman, CEO of Breeze Airways and founder of JetBlue, told CNBC on Wednesday that he has Delta Medallion status and that he tries to use Delta’s airport lounges but that sometimes “there’s a big line and it’s not worth it.”
Delta last year announced several changes to crack down on overcrowding at the clubs, such as barring employees from using them when flying standby with company travel privileges, even if they had qualifying credit cards. The Atlanta-based carrier also raised prices for club memberships for regular customers.
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Apple and Goldman were planning stock-trading feature for iPhones until markets turned last year
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As equities soared in 2020 and consumers flocked to trading apps like Robinhood, Apple and Goldman Sachs were working on an investing feature that would let consumers buy and sell stocks, according to three people familiar with the plans.
The project was shelved last year as the markets turned south, said the sources, who asked not to be named because they weren’t authorized to speak on the matter.
The effort, which has not been previously reported, would have added to Apple’s suite of financial products powered by Goldman. Apple first teamed up with the Wall Street bank to offer a credit card in 2019, and then added buy now, pay later (BNPL) loans and a high-yield savings account. The company said last month that the savings account offering had climbed past $10 billion in user deposits.
Representatives for Apple and Goldman declined to comment.
Apple CEO Tim Cook holds a new iPhone 15 Pro during the ‘Wonderlust’ event at the company’s headquarters in Cupertino, California, U.S. September 12, 2023.
Loren Elliott | Reuters
Apple was working on the investing feature at a time of zero interest rates during Covid, when consumers were stuck at home and spending more of their time and their record savings in trading shares, including meme stocks like GameStop and AMC, from their smartphones.
Apple’s conversations with Goldman began during that hype cycle in 2020, two sources said. Their work progressed, and an Apple investing feature was meant to roll out in 2022. One hypothetical use case pitched by executives involved the ability for iPhone users with extra cash to put money into Apple shares, one person said.
But as markets were roiled by higher rates and soaring inflation, the Apple team feared user backlash if people lost money in the stock market with the assistance of an Apple product, the sources said. That’s when the iPhone maker and Goldman switched directions and pushed the plan to launch savings accounts, which benefit from higher rates.
The status of the stock-trading project is unclear after Goldman CEO David Solomon bowed to internal and external pressure and decided to retrench from nearly all of the bank’s consumer efforts. One source said the infrastructure for an investing feature is mostly built and ready to go should Apple eventually decide to move forward with it.
The Apple Card launched with much fanfare three years ago, but the business brought regulatory heat and racked up losses as its user base expanded. Earlier this year, Goldman rolled out a high-interest savings account for Apple Card users, offering a 4.15% annual percentage yield.
Goldman was also central to Apple’s BNPL offering. The product, called Apple Pay Later, can be used for purchases of $50 to $100 “at most websites and apps that accept Apple Pay,” according to the support page. Borrowers can split a purchase into four payments over six weeks without incurring interest or fees.
Before Goldman’s pivot away from retail banking, the company examined ways to expand its partnership with Apple, sources said. More recently, Goldman was in discussions to offload both its card and savings account to American Express.
Had plans for the trading app progressed, Apple would have entered a market with stiff competition, featuring the likes of Robinhood, SoFi and Block’s Square, along with traditional brokerage firms such as Charles Schwab and Morgan Stanley’s E-Trade.
Stock trading has become another way for financial firms to keep customers and drive engagement on their platforms. Apple was pursuing the same approach, one source said. It’s a move that could capture the interest of regulators, who have scrutinized Apple for its App Store practices. Robinhood has also been grilled by regulators for what they described as “gamifying” markets.
Other tech companies have been pushing into the space. Elon Musk’s X, formerly known as Twitter, is working on a way to let users buy stocks and cryptocurrencies through a partnership with eToro. PayPal had plans to launch stock trading after hiring a key industry executive in 2021. But the company abandoned those plans, and said on an earnings call that it would cut spending and refocus on its core e-commerce business.
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Delta will make it harder to get into airport lounges, changes rules to earn elite status
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Delta’s new SkyClub at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York.
Leslie Josephs/CNBC
Delta Air Lines is changing how customers can earn elite frequent flyer status and is making it harder for many American Express cardholders to get into the carrier’s airport lounges, the latest reality check for air travel’s era of mass luxury.
Starting Jan. 1, customers will earn Delta Medallion status solely based on their spending, instead of a combination of dollars spent with the carrier and flights. The new model is similar to one that American Airlines adopted earlier this year.
Major airlines have continually raised the requirements to earn status as customer spending at the airline and on co-branded credit cards has surged in recent years, swelling the ranks of these high-paying customers. Elite status can come with a variety of perks, from early boarding to upgrades to first class and lounge access.
“We want customers to be able to receive status with activity beyond just air travel,” Dwight James, Delta’s senior vice president of customer engagement and loyalty, told CNBC.
Next year, Delta customers will earn 1 Medallion Qualifying Dollar for every $1 they spend on Delta flights, car rentals, hotels and vacation packages booked through the airline.
The ratio isn’t 1:1 for dollars spent through co-branded American Express cards. Delta SkyMiles Reserve and Reserve Business American Express card members earn 1 Medallion Qualifying Dollar for every $10 spent on the card, while Delta SkyMiles Platinum and Platinum Business American Express Card Members earn 1 Medallion Qualifying Dollar for every $20 spent.
Here are the new status requirements:
- Silver Medallion – 6,000 MQDs
- Gold Medallion – 12,000 MQDs
- Platinum Medallion – 18,000 MQDs
- Diamond Medallion – 35,000 MQDs
Raising the bar on Sky Club entry
Delta is limiting access to its popular Sky Club airport lounges through certain American Express credit cards after grappling with overcrowding at some of them, drawing complaints from travelers.
Instead of the current unlimited visits, starting Feb. 1, 2025, American Express Platinum and Platinum Business cardholders will get six visits a year, unless they spend $75,000 on the card in a calendar year.
Meanwhile, Delta SkyMiles Reserve and Reserve Business cardholders will get 10 Sky Club visits a year, a limit they can skirt by also spending $75,000 in a year.
Delta’s SkyMiles Platinum and Platinum Business American Express cards will no longer get club access through the cards itself, although customers can enter by buying a club membership or if they have elite status with Delta that allows them to pick a club membership as a perk.
“Some of the changes that we’re making ensures that we’re taking care of our most premium customers with our most premium assets, one of those being the Sky Club,” James said. He said the changes were made in conjunction with American Express.
The airline last year announced several changes to crack down on overcrowding at the clubs, including barring employees from using them when flying standby with company travel privileges, even if they had qualifying credit cards. It also raised prices for club memberships for regular customers.
Delta and its competitors are racing to build bigger and more modern lounges to accommodate customers. United Airlines, for example, on Wednesday opened a 35,000 square-foot club at its hub at Denver International Airport, the largest in its network, after opening a 24,000 square-foot club at the airport earlier this summer.
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