Pros
Amex is doing business in the consumer finance and credit card industry, which is very healthy and it has a strong brand reputation that is attractive to both customers, employees, and shareholders, but it may be depending too much on its legacy instead of evolving with the times.
Cons
Constant layoffs and re-hires to manage P&L fluctuations, telling employees they won't need to work more, just work smarter. Took away permanent desks and employees now have to sign up for a workspace each day at the Director and below level. Loyalty programs were once the hallmark of the brand but values are now among the weakest in the industry. Customer service constantly cross-sales to existing customer base to generate revenue. Leadership doesn't embrace diversity the way it once did with no women at the top tier of leadership. The company posts salary ranges for internal positions with transparency but rarely pays employees anywhere near the upper range, which drives employees to competitors who happily pay more. Amex needs to wake up and compete to be the best again. Right now, the CEO mentions short to long-term focus but it's clear that the company makes more decisions based upon the short term than they used to (hiring freezes, constant downsizing, regular reorganizations, etc.).