SLM (NASDAQ:SLM) Issues FY 2026 Earnings Guidance

SLM (NASDAQ:SLM) issued an update on its FY 2026 earnings guidance on Friday. The company provided earnings per share guidance of 1.950-2.050 for the period, compared to the consensus earnings per share estimate of 3.120.

SLM Trading Down 4.7%

Shares of SLM stock opened at $21.76 on Friday. The company has a market capitalization of $4.09 billion, a PE ratio of 6.08, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.56 and a beta of 0.96. SLM has a 52-week low of $17.77 and a 52-week high of $31.06. The business’s fifty day moving average is $24.63 and its 200 day moving average is $24.03. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.63, a quick ratio of 1.32 and a current ratio of 1.33.

SLM (NASDAQ:SLM) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, October 22nd. The credit services provider reported ($0.19) EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.17 by ($0.36). SLM had a return on equity of 33.81% and a net margin of 26.09%. The business had revenue of $375.47 million for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $453.34 million. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $0.63 earnings per share. SLM’s quarterly revenue was down 31.3% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities research analysts anticipate that SLM will post 3.12 EPS for the current fiscal year.

SLM Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, December 15th. Shareholders of record on Friday, December 4th will be issued a $0.13 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, December 4th. This represents a $0.52 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.4%. SLM’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 14.53%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of analysts have recently issued reports on the company. Wells Fargo & Company reiterated an “overweight” rating on shares of SLM in a research report on Friday. JPMorgan Chase & Co. dropped their target price on shares of SLM from $25.00 to $22.00 and set an “underweight” rating for the company in a research report on Monday, October 12th. Wall Street Zen cut shares of SLM from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a research note on Saturday, July 25th. Morgan Stanley boosted their price target on shares of SLM from $27.00 to $28.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Monday, July 20th. Finally, Weiss Ratings restated a “hold (c+)” rating on shares of SLM in a research report on Monday, September 14th. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, six have assigned a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $28.78.

SLM News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting SLM this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Private education loan originations increased 15% year over year to $3.4 billion, while graduate-loan originations rose 119%, indicating continued demand for SLM’s lending products. Sallie Mae Reports $32.3 Million Third-Quarter Loss as Originations Rise 15%
• Positive Sentiment: Sixth Street committed to purchase $1.5 billion of student loans annually, potentially improving SLM’s funding and loan-distribution capacity. The company also repurchased 5.1 million shares for $132.2 million and declared a quarterly dividend payable December 15. SLM: 3 Key Takeaways for Long-Term Investors
• Neutral Sentiment: Loans in repayment that were delinquent stood at 4.2% as of September 30. That level highlights credit-quality risks but also gives investors an important metric to monitor as SLM manages its portfolio. Sallie Mae Reports Third Quarter 2026 Financial Results
• Negative Sentiment: SLM reported a third-quarter net loss of $32.3 million, or $0.19 per share, compared with earnings of $0.63 per share a year earlier. Revenue of approximately $375.5 million missed expectations near $453.3 million and declined 31.3% year over year. SLM Third Quarter 2026 Earnings Release
• Negative Sentiment: Higher credit costs drove the loss: provisions for credit losses reached $213.7 million and net charge-offs totaled $90 million. Management cut 2026 diluted EPS guidance to $1.95–$2.05 from $3.10–$3.20, a major negative revision for earnings expectations. Sallie Mae Cuts Full-Year View After Logging Higher Charge-Offs

SLM Company Profile

SLM Corp., commonly known as Sallie Mae, is a financial services company focused on helping students and families finance higher education. Its primary business is the origination and servicing of private education loans, which can help cover tuition, fees, books, housing and other eligible education-related expenses not fully covered by federal student aid.

The company offers private student loans for undergraduate and graduate education, as well as loans for career-training programs and other education needs.