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Sallie Mae SLM reported fourth-quarter 2024 earnings per share of 50 cents, which missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 54 cents. The bottom line decreased from the prior-year quarter’s 72 cents.
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A rise in non-interest expenses negatively impacted SLM’s results. However, lower provisions for credit losses and robust loan originations, along with a rise in net interest income (NII), acted as tailwinds.
The company’s GAAP net income was $112 million compared with $168 million in the prior-year quarter.
In 2024, earnings of $2.68 per share missed the consensus estimate of $2.72. However, the metric rose from $2.41 in 2023. Net income was $608 billion, up 46.8% from the prior-year quarter.
Sallie Mae’s NII & Expenses Climb
Fourth-quarter NII totaled $362 million, up 0.8% year over year. However, the reported figure missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 2.5%. The quarterly net interest margin was 4.9%, down 45 basis points from the prior-year quarter's level.
For 2024, NII was $1.48 billion, which missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.49 billion. Also, the top line declined 5.2% year over year.
Non-interest income amounted to $28 million, up 16.7% year over year.
Non-interest expenses inched up 12.8% year over year to $150 million.
SLM’s Credit Quality: Mixed Bag
Provision for credit losses was $108 million, up from $16 million reported in the prior-year quarter.
Net charge-offs for private education loans were $93 million, up marginally year over year.
Private education loans held for investment net charge-offs, as a percentage of average private education loans held for investment in repayment (annualized), was 2.38%. The figure contracted 5 basis points year over year.
Sallie Mae’s Balance Sheet Position: Mixed Bag
As of Dec. 31, 2024, deposits were $21.1 billion, down 1.7% sequentially.
Private education loans held for investment were $20.9 billion, up marginally from the prior year quarter reported figure.
In the reported quarter, the company’s private education loan originations increased 10% from the year-ago quarter.
SLM’s Share Repurchase Update
In the fourth quarter, SLM repurchased 11.6 million shares for $250 million under its 2024 share buyback program.
Sallie Mae’s 2025 Outlook
The company expects diluted earnings per share to be in the range of $3-$3.10.
It anticipates total loan portfolio net charge-offs as a percentage of average loans in repayment in the band of 2-2.2%.
Private education loan originations are expected to grow 6-8% year over year.