SLM (NASDAQ:SLM) Issues FY 2026 Earnings Guidance

24 Apr 2026, 10:12 by Renee Jackson · The Cerbat Gem

SLM (NASDAQ:SLM – Get Free Report) updated its FY 2026 earnings guidance on Thursday. The company provided earnings per share (EPS) guidance of 3.100-3.200 for the period, compared to the consensus estimate of 2.780. The company issued revenue guidance of -.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of brokerages have recently issued reports on SLM. Compass Point upgraded shares of SLM from a “sell” rating to a “neutral” rating and cut their price target for the stock from $23.00 to $22.00 in a report on Monday, March 30th. Zacks Research raised shares of SLM from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Monday, February 9th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their price target on shares of SLM from $26.00 to $22.00 and set an “underweight” rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, April 9th. Royal Bank Of Canada set a $28.00 price objective on shares of SLM in a research report on Friday, April 10th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reiterated a “buy” rating and set a $40.00 price target on shares of SLM in a research note on Friday, January 23rd. Six analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, five have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $29.70.

Read Our Latest Research Report on SLM

SLM Stock Performance

Shares of NASDAQ:SLM traded up $0.76 during midday trading on Friday, hitting $24.18. The stock had a trading volume of 1,268,055 shares, compared to its average volume of 3,731,344. The company has a market capitalization of $4.79 billion, a PE ratio of 7.04, a P/E/G ratio of 2.70 and a beta of 1.04. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $21.17 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $25.18. The company has a current ratio of 1.28, a quick ratio of 1.24 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.44. SLM has a 1 year low of $17.77 and a 1 year high of $34.97.

SLM (NASDAQ:SLM – Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, April 23rd. The credit services provider reported $1.54 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.14 by $0.40. The business had revenue of $559.99 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $486.05 million. SLM had a net margin of 26.04% and a return on equity of 34.79%. The business’s quarterly revenue was down 3.6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $1.40 earnings per share. SLM has set its FY 2026 guidance at 3.100-3.200 EPS. As a group, equities analysts predict that SLM will post 2.79 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

SLM Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, June 15th. Investors of record on Thursday, June 4th will be issued a dividend of $0.13 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, June 4th. This represents a $0.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.2%. SLM’s payout ratio is currently 14.99%.

SLM News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting SLM this week:

Positive Sentiment: Q1 results beat Wall Street: SLM reported $1.54 EPS vs. ~$1.14 consensus and revenue above estimates, showing stronger profitability and margin performance. Sallie Mae Reports First Quarter 2026 Financial Results and Raises Full-Year 2026 Diluted Earnings per Common Share Guidance
Positive Sentiment: Raised FY‑2026 guidance: Management raised full‑year EPS to $3.10–$3.20, above consensus, and is targeting an incremental $1B of loan sales — both supportive of free‑cash-flow visibility and ROE. Sallie Mae expects 2026 EPS of $3.10-$3.20 as it targets incremental $1B in loan sales
Positive Sentiment: Dividend actions: SLM declared a $0.13 quarterly common dividend and a $1.4269 preferred Series B dividend, which supports income investors and signals confidence in cash generation. Sallie Mae Declares Dividends on Preferred Stock Series B and Common Stock
Neutral Sentiment: Management commentary and strategic initiatives: Conference call and deep-dive coverage highlight growth plans — partnerships and Grad lending expansion — that could drive medium‑term revenue if executed, but timeline and returns remain to be proven. SLM Q1 deep dive: Loan sales, strategic partnerships, and grad lending expansion shape 2026
Neutral Sentiment: Earnings call transcript available — useful for details on credit trends, buyback/repurchase flexibility and capital allocation that investors will parse for durability of the beat. SLM (SLM) Q1 2026 Earnings Call Transcript
Negative Sentiment: Top-line softness: Revenue was down ~3.6% year-over-year despite the beat, highlighting potential pressure in originations or mix that could limit longer‑term top‑line growth. Here’s What Key Metrics Tell Us About Sallie Mae (SLM) Q1 Earnings
Negative Sentiment: Policy and timing risk around Grad PLUS: near‑term changes to student‑loan programs and the July timing mentioned in coverage could create uncertainty for the Grad PLUS opportunity SLM is targeting. SLM earnings set to test Grad Plus opportunity ahead of July shakeup

Institutional Trading of SLM

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the business. Triumph Capital Management purchased a new stake in shares of SLM in the third quarter valued at about $69,000. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC increased its position in 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 purchasing an additional 2,164 shares during the last quarter. Dynamic Technology Lab Private Ltd acquired a new position in SLM during the first quarter worth approximately $263,000. NewEdge Advisors LLC increased its position in SLM by 6.6% during the first quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC now owns 21,350 shares of the credit services provider’s stock worth $627,000 after purchasing an additional 1,319 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Captrust Financial Advisors increased its position in shares of SLM by 6.1% in the second quarter. Captrust Financial Advisors now owns 36,889 shares of the credit services provider’s stock worth $1,210,000 after acquiring an additional 2,109 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 98.94% of the company’s stock.

About SLM

(Get Free Report)

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.