Foreshadowing?

Bummer:

American Express Co., the third- largest U.S. credit-card network, will take a fourth-quarter charge of $275 million as more cardholders failed to repay their debts and the company forecast first-quarter earnings below analysts' estimates.

The stock fell 7 percent in extended trading. American Express, based in New York, said its first-quarter earnings from continuing operations will be less than the 90 cents a share in the same period in 2007, missing the 93 cent average estimate of 12 analysts surveyed by Bloomberg.