NEW YORK — American Express Co. today reported first-quarter earnings of $2.1 billion.

On a per-share basis, the company said it had net income of $2.73.

The results topped Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of 17 analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for earnings of $2.43 per share.

The credit card issuer and global payments company posted revenue of $11.74 billion in the period, also surpassing Street forecasts. Sixteen analysts surveyed by Zacks expected $11.68 billion.

American Express expects full-year earnings to be $9.25 to $9.65 per share.

American Express shares have climbed 14% since the beginning of the year, while the S&P’s 500 index has fallen nearly 8%. The stock has risen 26% in the past 12 months.