fourthquarter results at american express fell short of expectations but wall street was more interested in the company’s plans to return capital to shareholders profit at american express ticker axp was 16 billion or 9 lower than the yearago quarter amounting to earnings of 207 a share this came even as revenue climbed 17 to a record 142 billion analysts surveyed by factset had expected that amex would earn 223 a share on revenue of 142 billion