SLM Co. (NASDAQ:SLM) Given Consensus Recommendation of “Moderate Buy” by Brokerages

Shares of SLM Co. (NASDAQ:SLM) have been given an average recommendation of “Moderate Buy” by the eleven analysts that are covering the stock, MarketBeat Ratings reports. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation and nine have issued a buy recommendation on the company. The average 1-year price objective among analysts that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $30.91.

SLM has been the topic of a number of analyst reports. Wedbush reaffirmed an “outperform” rating and set a $26.00 price objective on shares of SLM in a research note on Thursday, October 24th. Compass Point raised their price target on shares of SLM from $31.00 to $34.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, January 24th. Barclays upped their price objective on shares of SLM from $34.00 to $38.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Tuesday. Morgan Stanley upped their price target on SLM from $26.00 to $32.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Thursday, December 19th. Finally, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods boosted their price objective on SLM from $30.00 to $32.00 and gave the company a “market perform” rating in a research report on Friday, January 24th.

SLM Price Performance

Shares of SLM stock opened at $32.53 on Thursday. SLM has a fifty-two week low of $19.39 and a fifty-two week high of $32.65. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.37, a quick ratio of 1.27 and a current ratio of 1.32. The firm has a market capitalization of $6.91 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 12.28, a PEG ratio of 0.85 and a beta of 1.22. The stock’s 50-day simple moving average is $28.52 and its 200-day simple moving average is $24.80.

SLM (NASDAQ:SLM) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, January 23rd. The credit services provider reported $0.50 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.56 by ($0.06). SLM had a net margin of 20.73% and a return on equity of 31.66%. As a group, equities analysts forecast that SLM will post 3.07 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

SLM Dividend Announcement

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 17th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, March 5th will be paid a dividend of $0.13 per share. This represents a $0.52 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.60%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, March 5th. SLM’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 19.62%.

Insider Transactions at SLM

In other news, Director Robert S. Strong sold 40,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, January 28th. The shares were sold at an average price of $28.57, for a total value of $1,142,800.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now owns 43,163 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,233,166.91. This trade represents a 48.10 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Company insiders own 1.20% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On SLM

Several large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Invst LLC grew its stake in shares of SLM by 1.7% in the fourth quarter. Invst LLC now owns 40,896 shares of the credit services provider’s stock worth $1,128,000 after acquiring an additional 703 shares in the last quarter. Barrow Hanley Mewhinney & Strauss LLC purchased a new position in SLM in the fourth quarter valued at $140,442,000. Vise Technologies Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of SLM during the 4th quarter worth about $238,000. Tidal Investments LLC lifted its position in shares of SLM by 797.4% during the 4th quarter. Tidal Investments LLC now owns 704,971 shares of the credit services provider’s stock worth $19,443,000 after buying an additional 626,412 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Steamboat Capital Partners LLC acquired a new position in SLM in the fourth quarter valued at $1,374,000. 98.94% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

About SLM

SLM Corporation, through its subsidiaries, originates and services private education loans to students and their families to finance the cost of their education in the United States. It is also involved in the provision of retail deposit accounts, including certificates of deposit, money market accounts, and high-yield savings accounts; and interest-bearing omnibus accounts.