SLM (NASDAQ:SLM) Issues FY 2026 Earnings Guidance

SLM (NASDAQ:SLM) issued an update on its FY 2026 earnings guidance on Thursday morning. The company provided earnings per share (EPS) guidance of 2.700-2.800 for the period, compared to the consensus estimate of 2.840. The company issued revenue guidance of -.

SLM Price Performance

SLM stock traded up $0.27 during midday trading on Thursday, reaching $26.70. 2,577,621 shares of the company’s stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 2,224,548. The company has a quick ratio of 1.37, a current ratio of 1.37 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.27. The company has a market cap of $5.42 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 9.37, a PEG ratio of 1.16 and a beta of 1.12. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $27.74 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $29.00. SLM has a 1-year low of $23.81 and a 1-year high of $34.97.

SLM (NASDAQ:SLM) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, January 22nd. The credit services provider reported $1.12 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.98 by $0.14. SLM had a net margin of 21.76% and a return on equity of 30.13%. The firm had revenue of $656.82 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $383.43 million. SLM has set its FY 2026 guidance at 2.700-2.800 EPS. On average, analysts anticipate that SLM will post 3.07 earnings per share for the current year.

SLM Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 16th. Investors of record on Thursday, March 5th will be issued a $0.13 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, March 5th. This represents a $0.52 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.9%. SLM’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 18.25%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

SLM has been the subject of several analyst reports. Wells Fargo & Company lowered their price target on shares of SLM from $35.00 to $30.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, December 11th. Barclays dropped their price objective on SLM from $43.00 to $35.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a report on Monday, October 6th. Compass Point cut SLM from a “buy” rating to a “sell” rating and lowered their price target for the company from $35.00 to $23.00 in a research note on Tuesday, December 9th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reissued an “underweight” rating and set a $25.00 price objective (down previously from $29.00) on shares of SLM in a research note on Monday, January 12th. Finally, Morgan Stanley set a $30.00 target price on shares of SLM in a report on Tuesday, December 16th. Six equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, two have issued a Hold rating and three have assigned a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, SLM has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $31.20.

More SLM News

Here are the key news stories impacting SLM this week:

• Positive Sentiment: SLM declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.13 per share (record/ex‑dividend dates in March), representing an annualized yield near 2.0% — a supportive cash-return signal that can bolster investor sentiment.
• Neutral Sentiment: Upcoming earnings are a near-term catalyst: multiple previews and “earnings to watch” notes flag SLM’s Q4 report due tomorrow, which could drive short‑term volatility depending on loan growth, net interest margin and credit costs. Earnings to watch: Sallie Mae (SLM) reports Q4 results tomorrow
• Neutral Sentiment: Market commentary on valuation after recent share weakness may influence longer‑term positioning; analysts and writeups are reassessing SLM’s multiples and growth outlook following last quarter’s mixed results. Assessing SLM (SLM) Valuation After Recent Share Price Weakness
• Negative Sentiment: A class action complaint was filed against SLM and certain officers covering the July 25–Aug 14, 2025 period; Pomerantz announced the suit seeking damages under Section 10(b)/Rule 10b‑5 — this is a direct legal headwind. Pomerantz Law Firm Announces the Filing of a Class Action Against SLM Corporation and Certain Officers – SLM
• Negative Sentiment: Several national plaintiff firms (e.g., Faruqi & Faruqi; Bernstein Liebhard; Berger Montague; Gross; Rosen; Levi & Korsinsky; Robbins; others) have issued investor alerts or investigations and remind investors of a Feb 17, 2026 lead‑plaintiff deadline — this amplifies litigation risk and may pressure sentiment and liquidity.
  DEADLINE ALERT: Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP Investigates Claims on Behalf of Investors of SLM Corporation
  Bernstein Liebhard Deadline Alert

Institutional Trading of SLM

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. NewEdge Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in shares of SLM by 6.6% during the 1st quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC now owns 21,350 shares of the credit services provider’s stock worth $627,000 after buying an additional 1,319 shares during the period. Captrust Financial Advisors increased its position in SLM by 6.1% during the 2nd quarter. Captrust Financial Advisors now owns 36,889 shares of the credit services provider’s stock worth $1,210,000 after buying an additional 2,109 shares during the period. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in shares of SLM by 118.2% during the second quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 3,995 shares of the credit services provider’s stock worth $131,000 after buying an additional 2,164 shares in the last quarter. Triumph Capital Management bought a new stake in shares of SLM in the third quarter valued at about $69,000. Finally, Dynamic Technology Lab Private Ltd acquired a new position in shares of SLM in the first quarter valued at about $263,000. Institutional investors own 98.94% of the company’s stock.

About SLM

SLM Corporation, operating as Sallie Mae Bank, is a leading U.S.-based consumer banking company specializing in education financing and related banking products. The company provides a range of private student loans for undergraduate and graduate studies, Parent PLUS loans, and specialized financing for career and certificate programs. In addition to its core lending services, Sallie Mae offers deposit products including savings accounts, checking accounts, money market accounts, certificates of deposit, and credit cards tailored to students and young adults.

Founded in 1972 as the Student Loan Marketing Association—a government-sponsored enterprise—Sallie Mae was privatized in 2004 and has since focused on expanding its private education loan offerings and digital banking solutions.