SLM (SLM) Q3 2026 earnings — TrendMatrix coverage
Reported
Model-generated analysis — not investment advice. Not a registered investment advisor. Past performance does not guarantee future results. How we score · Full disclosure · Editorial policy
Key numbers
- Adjusted EPS
- -$0.19
- Estimate
- $0.20
- Surprise
- -196.2%
- Revenue (period 2026-09-30)
- $616.5M
- Score at report (before → after)
- 5.6 → 5.6/10
Revenue source: xbrl.
How the report landed
SLM (SLM) reported a wider loss than forecast — adjusted EPS of -$0.19 against the $0.20 estimate (a 196.2% shortfall). TrendMatrix's engine moved from Buy (Wait) (5.6/10) to Sell at 5.6/10 after the report.
Coverage in the report window
- SLM Lowers FY2026 GAAP EPS Guidance from $3.10-$3.20 to $1.95-$2.05 vs $3.11 Est — benzinga, 2026-10-22
Where TrendMatrix's rating stands now
TrendMatrix currently rates SLM Sell at 5.6/10.
2 of the last 4 quarters beat the estimate; this quarter's -196.2% surprise compares with a -45.7% four-quarter average.
What supports the rating
- V7 quality resilience bonus: +0.2 (Q=7.1 in RISK_OFF)
- Sector modifier (Financial Services): +1.0
What argues against it
- Concentration risk — Loan Portfolio: Private Education Loans
- Leverage penalty (D/E 2.4): -1.5
- Consecutive earnings misses (2)
This section and the ones below it reflect TrendMatrix’s latest engine read — they update after the report date and are not frozen to it.
The levels TrendMatrix's engine tracks
- Current price
- $21.76
- Price target
- $24.20
- Stop
- $20.71
- Upside to target
- +11.2%
- Reward-to-risk
- 1.8:1
At 6.3× trailing and 6.5× forward earnings, consensus estimates imply little change in earnings power.
Risk check: trading volume is running 2.8× its average — elevated turnover around the report window.
Model outputs from TrendMatrix’s engine as of 2026-10-23 — shown for context, not personalized investment advice.
SLM at TrendMatrix's latest read
For financials, the EPS print is only half the story: credit costs, reserve builds, and rate sensitivity decide how a quarter actually lands.
- Industry
- Credit Services
- Market cap
- $4.09B
- P/E (fwd)
- 6.5
- P/E (ttm)
- 6.3
- 52-week range
- $17.77–$31.06
- Off 52-week high
- 29.9%
- RSI (14)
- 39
- Volume vs avg
- 2.80×
- Score today
- 5.6/10