American Express, Founder of Small Business Saturday®, Expands Small Business Support with New $5 Million Shop Small Grants Program

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov 12, 2025--

Since creating Small Business Saturday in 2010, American Express (NYSE: AXP) has championed the small businesses that fuel America’s local economies. This year, the company is introducing new initiatives – including a new $5 million Amex Shop Small Grants Program, a content partnership with creator and small business advocate Keith Lee, and free customized signage for small businesses – building on its long-standing commitment to help small businesses grow and support their communities year-round.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251111146438/en/

According to a new 2025 American Express Shop Small Impact Study, 1 this holiday season 86% of consumers say they are likely to Shop Small – either in person or online – including 89% of Millennials and Gen Z. On average, small business owners expect nearly 20% of their annual revenue to come from sales on Small Business Saturday alone.

Strengthening Communities Through the Amex Shop Small Grants Program

“Small businesses are at the heart of every community – they bring people together, create opportunity, and give neighborhoods their unique character,” said Jennifer Skyler, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer, American Express. “This year, in partnership with Main Street America, American Express is expanding our support with a new $5 million grant program and initiatives that inspire consumers and small businesses to join our longstanding Shop Small Movement. We’re proud to continue backing the small business owners who make our communities stronger, not just on Small Business Saturday, but every day of the year.”

American Express and Main Street America, a nonprofit dedicated to strengthening local economies, are launching the new Amex Shop Small Grants Program. Beginning November 29, eligible U.S. small businesses can apply for one of the initial 250 grants of $20,000 each to grow, innovate and support their local communities. Small businesses can find out more details here. Terms apply.

To further amplify the impact, American Express will donate an additional $1 to the grant program 2 for every purchase made using an eligible American Express Card 3 at qualifying small businesses on November 29 – Small Business Saturday. Card Members can view our Shop Small Map to find qualifying small businesses in their communities 4. American Express Cards are accepted at 99% of Merchants in the U.S. 5; Card Members can check here to confirm which local small businesses qualify.

Amplifying Small Business Stories with Keith Lee

The 2025 American Express Shop Small Impact Study shows that 82% of small business owners have seen sales spike when content creators post about them, underscoring the growing role of digital storytelling and influencer partnerships in driving their success. 1

To spotlight and uplift small businesses this holiday season, American Express has partnered with Keith Lee, food critic and content creator with a reach of over nearly 20 million followers across social platforms, and small business advocate known for his authentic storytelling and passion for supporting local entrepreneurs. Through digital content and community-driven storytelling, Keith will help shine a light on small business owners who are driving culture, creativity, and connection in their communities.

“I’ve always believed that supporting small businesses can change lives, and partnering with American Express gives me the opportunity to help even more people discover and uplift the entrepreneurs who make our neighborhoods special,” said Keith Lee. “Small businesses are the heart of every community. They’re where stories start, families gather, and people chase their dreams."

Year-Round Support for Small Businesses

In tandem with the company’s “Member Since” campaign, Amex is introducing new customizable signage for small businesses, available for free, that allows merchants to proudly display how long they’ve been “In Business Since.” Through Neighborhood Champions, American Express also helps small businesses reach new customers, build meaningful connections, and strengthen their local presence. Eligible businesses can order free Shop Small signage for their storefronts, websites, and social channels, reinforcing that shopping small makes a big difference.

Business owners and small business Card Members can also visit Business Class, the American Express platform with free educational resources and content to help business owners make the most of the day and beyond.

For more information about Small Business Saturday visit ShopSmall.com. To learn more about the Amex Shop Small Grants Program visit the program page.

ABOUT AMERICAN EXPRESS

American Express (NYSE: AXP) is a global payments and premium lifestyle brand powered by technology. Our colleagues around the world back our customers with differentiated products, services and experiences that enrich lives and build business success.

Founded in 1850 and headquartered in New York, American Express’ brand is built on trust, security, and service, and a rich history of delivering innovation and Membership value for our customers. With over a hundred million merchant locations across our global network, we seek to provide the world’s best customer experience every day to a broad range of consumers, small and medium-sized businesses, and large corporations.

For more information about American Express, visit americanexpress.com, americanexpress.com/en-us/newsroom/, and ir.americanexpress.com.

Source: American Express Company
Location: United States

 

American Express, Founder of Small Business Saturday®, Expands Small Business Support with New $5 Million Shop Small Grants Program

American Express, Founder of Small Business Saturday®, Expands Small Business Support with New $5 Million Shop Small Grants Program

American Express, Founder of Small Business Saturday®, Expands Small Business Support with New $5 Million Shop Small Grants Program

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks are hanging near their records Wednesday as oil prices fall and ease the pressure on households and businesses worldwide.

The S&P 500 slipped 0.1% below its all-time high set the day before. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 183 points, or 0.4%, as of 12:56 p.m. Eastern time, and the Nasdaq composite was 0.1% lower.

Stocks of companies with big fuel bills helped lead the way on hopes that lower oil prices will remove a big drag on their profits. Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings climbed 5.7%, and United Airlines rallied 7.3%. Delta Air Lines rose 3.7% and is on track to set an all-time high.

The price for a barrel of Brent crude oil fell 4.1% to $95.48 after the ceasefire between the United States and Iran appeared to hold despite the U.S. military launching what it called “self-defense” strikes in southern Iran. A barrel of benchmark U.S. crude fell even more, 4.2%, to $89.69 on hopes that the United States and Iran can reach an agreement to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and allow oil tankers to exit the Persian Gulf for deliveries again.

Stocks have been able to run to records despite the painful inflation and uncertainty caused by high oil prices largely because companies have reported surprisingly strong profits for the start of 2026, and the forecast is for them to continue.

Bath & Body Works rallied 11.2%, and Abercrombie & Fitch climbed 11.8% after both reported bigger profit for the latest quarter than analysts expected. That's even as U.S. consumers continue to say they're feeling discouraged about the economy and inflation.

Lululemon Athletica rose 3.6% after reaching a deal with its founder, Chip Wilson, where it will add a former chief marketing officer of ESPN and a former co-CEO of On to its board of directors.

On the losing side of Wall Street was Dick's Sporting Goods, which dropped 4.9% despite delivering a profit for the latest quarter that edged past expectations. Analysts pointed to how much profit it wrung out of each $1 in revenue, which some called a bit weak.

Oil-and-gas stocks also sank, hurt by the dropping prices for crude. Exxon Mobil fell 1.4%, and Chevron slipped 0.8%. Halliburton dropped 3% to bring its gain for the year so far back toward 40%.

In the bond market, Treasury yields eased after falling oil prices took pressure off inflation. The yield on the 10-year Treasury slipped to 4.48% from 4.50% late Tuesday and from 4.67% roughly a week ago.

It’s a respite following recent gains for yields in bond markets worldwide, which threatened to slow economies and undercut prices for stocks and all kinds of other investments. High yields have already forced the average long-term U.S. mortgage rate to its most expensive level since last summer, and they could curtail companies’ borrowing to build the artificial-intelligence data centers that have supported the U.S. economy’s growth recently.

In stock markets abroad, indexes were mixed across Europe and Asia. South Korea's Kospi was one of the world's best performers and jumped 2.3% after SK Hynix, which is a big beneficiary of the artificial-intelligence boom, soared 9.3%.

A day before, Micron Technology surged to become the latest Big Tech company to be worth more than $1 trillion on AI excitement. Its stock has more than tripled already in 2026, and analysts at UBS said Tuesday it could soar even more because of how fundamentally AI has improved demand for computer memory.

AP Business Writer Elaine Kurtenbach contributed to this report.

Trader Edward Curran, left, and specialist Meric Greenbaum, center, work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, Friday, May 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

A person looks at an electronic stock board showing Japan's Nikkei index at a securities firm Monday, May 25, 2026, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

A dealer walks past near the screens showing the Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) and the foreign exchange rate between U.S. dollar and South Korean won at a dealing room of Hana Bank in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, May 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

A dealer walks past near the screens showing the foreign exchange rates at a dealing room of Hana Bank in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, May 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

A dealer walks past near the screens showing the Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) and the foreign exchange rate between U.S. dollar and South Korean won at a dealing room of Hana Bank in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, May 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

A dealer stands near the screens showing the Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI), the foreign exchange rate between U.S. dollar and South Korean won and the Korean Securities Dealers Automated Quotations (KOSDAQ) at a dealing room of Hana Bank in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, May 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)