SLM Corp (SLM) fair value: what the stock is really worth
As of Nov 6, 2026: fair value (intrinsic value) of SLM Corp stock $37.36, price $16.94, upside +120.5%, quality 68 out of 100. Rating: strongly undervalued. Calculated from audited financials with 12 of our 26 valuation models and 37 quality factors, updated daily.
69 individual criteria per stock, every one traceableSee the method →
Price vs Fair Value
White line = price, green steps = our fair value per fiscal year. As of Nov 6, 2026.
How to read this chart
60‑month range $10.43 – $33.51 · fair‑value band $19.27 – $52.29 · the $16.94 price screens below the $37.36 fair value. Green steps = our fair value per fiscal year (point-in-time, no hindsight). As of Nov 6, 2026.
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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.
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It provides retail deposit accounts, including high-yield savings accounts, money market accounts, and certificates of deposit; and interest-bearing omnibus accounts. The company was formerly known as New BLC Corporation and changed its name to SLM Corporation in December 2013.
SLM Corporation was founded in 1972 and is headquartered in Newark, Delaware.
Stock analysis
SLM Corp (SLM) currently trades at $16.94, while our model-based Fair Value estimate is $37.36, implying the stock looks roughly 55% undervalued today.
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Valuation
Bull case: the Growth DCF group reads highest at a median of $97.25 per share, and 11 of the 12 models we run sit above the $16.94 price.
Bear case: the Asset-Based group reads lowest at $8.52, and 1 of the 12 models stay below the price. Data coverage for this calculation is high.
Scenario range: $19.27 (bear) to $52.29 (bull), the price of $16.94 sits below it. Bear and bull are the same models on cautious and optimistic assumptions, a range, not a price target.
Quality & growth
The Quality Score stands at 68/100 (solid quality), in the Financial Services sector.
Mixed Growth: Revenue is growing, but margins or cash flow do not fully confirm the trend.
SLM Corp reported revenue of $3.1B in FY2025 versus $2.4B in FY2021, a compound +6.6%/yr. Reported net income was $745M in FY2025, compounding −10.5%/yr from FY2021.
Key figures
Market cap $3.2B Mid · P/E ratio 6.1 · P/S ratio 2.16 · EPS (TTM) $2.79 · Dividend yield 3.1% · Net margin 38.3% · Return on equity 24.7% · Return on assets (EBIT) 3.7% (5-year average).
Competitive moat
Our AI-assisted moat analysis scores the competitive advantage at 54 out of 100 (low confidence).
What moves the price
The share trades about 44% below its 52-week high and at its 52-week low, currently below its 200-day average.
For context, the median of 10 Financial Services peers we cover trades at −3% fair-value upside, at 121%, SLM screens cheaper than that median.
Fair Value models
Bear$19.27Fair Value $37.36Bull$52.29
Price $16.94 · Upside +120.5%
Capped: our models arrive at a very high value here. We deliberately show a more cautious Fair Value.
Model ⓘEach model values the company its own way (discounted cash flow, earnings, assets, dividends). The fair value above starts from their evidence-weighted blend, not from a single model. In cyclical trough or peak years, after dilution or a stock split it is adjusted afterwards, so it can sit above or below the models. Based on fiscal year 2025 figures (about 10 months old). Earnings retained since then ($1.94 per share) are deliberately not added.Bear ⓘBear = the cautious scenario: the same model computed with conservative anchors (lower growth, margins and valuation multiples). Together with Bull it frames a plausible valuation range, not a price target.BaseBull ⓘBull = the optimistic scenario: the same model computed with favourable anchors (higher growth, margins and valuation multiples). Together with Bear it frames a plausible valuation range, not a price target. If a model's bull case is above four times its base value, the table shows that limit with a > sign (like the overall Bull above): beyond it no assumption holds.Coverage ⓘCoverage = how well-backed THIS model's estimate is for this stock (0–100): how complete and reliable its input data are, and how well the model fits the company. The final Fair Value is an evidence-weighted blend, so better-evidenced models count more. Green ≥70, amber 50–69, grey below 50.
In the last 6 months, no officer or director bought or sold shares on the open market.
Plus 17 other filings such as grants, option exercises or tax withholding. They are not market purchases or sales.
Sales are often planned (taxes, diversification, 10b5-1 plans). Purchases with their own money are seen as the stronger sign. For information only: not part of the quality score or Fair Value.
Growth Quality ⓘGrowth is valuable only when reinvestment earns attractive returns (Aswath Damodaran): sustainable growth depends on return on capital, reinvestment and efficiency. Basis: total company revenue over the periods shown on the cards (3Y/5Y/all years), not per share, so a merger can show up as a growth jump; per-share earnings growth is in the value-creation card.73/100
Revenue is growing, but margins or cash flow do not fully confirm the trend.
Revenue growth 1 year
+4.1%
Revenue growth 3 years ⓘMeasures the company's TOTAL revenue from reported annual statements: compound average growth per year (CAGR) from the fiscal year 3, 5 or N years back to the most recent comparable fiscal year. Not per share: buybacks do not change this number, and a merger can appear as a growth jump. Per-share growth (which does include buybacks) is in the value-creation card.
+9.5%
Revenue growth 5 years ⓘMeasures the company's TOTAL revenue from reported annual statements: compound average growth per year (CAGR) from the fiscal year 3, 5 or N years back to the most recent comparable fiscal year. Not per share: buybacks do not change this number, and a merger can appear as a growth jump. Per-share growth (which does include buybacks) is in the value-creation card.
+5.8%
Start year 2020 (pandemic). Over 10 years: +11.9% a year
Revenue growth 36 years ⓘMeasures the company's TOTAL revenue from reported annual statements: compound average growth per year (CAGR) from the fiscal year 3, 5 or N years back to the most recent comparable fiscal year. Not per share: buybacks do not change this number, and a merger can appear as a growth jump. Per-share growth (which does include buybacks) is in the value-creation card.
+5.7%
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What shareholders gained per year (last 5 years) ⓘWhat the business itself delivers per year: earnings growth per share plus the dividend yield. This is what you get IF the market keeps valuing the stock the same way: it contains no assumption about the market changing its mind. Computed per share, so buybacks count and a merger does not pass as growth. For a company that pays no dividend it is pure earnings growth per share. Period: earnings growth per share as CAGR over the last 5 reported fiscal years (annual statements), plus the current dividend yield. The start value is the median of the three years around the start, so a single crisis year (a pandemic or a write-down) does not distort the rate.
+12.7%
Earnings growth per share plus dividend.
Earnings per share, growth per year+9.6%
Dividend (yield on the price)3.1%
Pace: 5 vs 10 years ⓘTwo data points, not a trend model: earnings growth per share over the last 5 fiscal years against the last 10. Labelled "steady" when both rates are within 3 percentage points of each other, otherwise picking up or flattening. Shown only when ten years of history exist.9.6% vs 20.1%, slowing
Profit margin 2020 to 2025 ⓘOperating margin then vs now, from reported annual statements. A falling margin after a boom year is the classic peak-earnings signal: the growth rate then leans on an inflated base.49% → 32%
News mood ⓘNews mood, the average tone of recent news (98 articles), rated against how stocks are usually covered. 🚀 Hype = unusually upbeat · 🙂 Positive = above average · 😐 Neutral = typical · 🙁 Negative = below average · 😨 Very negative = unusually downbeat. It reflects the tone of coverage, not our valuation.Hype
Recent news coverage is unusually upbeat, far more positive than stocks are typically covered.
AI conclusion: Robust private student loan originations form the main strength, while elevated leverage relative to equity stands as the chief weakness threatening durability.
Main risk: Elevated leverage could impair the sustainability of student lending operations by heightening exposure to credit losses and limiting flexibility.
Sallie Mae reports record originations yet cancelled a planned loan sale and raised its net charge-off outlook after third-party debt resolution slowed credit fixes. Our models see the shares as undervalued. Will strong private student loan demand offset the earnings impact from keeping more loans on the books?
Price, fair value, quality and upside side by side.
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Peer GroupⓘHow this stock ranks against its industry: the green marker is this stock, the band is the typical 25–75% peer range, and the tick is the median.Credit Services · 283 stocks
Beats the industry median on 9/15 measures
Overall it ranks above its industry peers.
Valuation
Quality Score68 · Top 25%
Fair Value upside+120.5% · Top 25%
Profitability
Return on equity (12 months)24.7% · Top 25%
Return on assets2.5% · Below median
Net margin (12 months)38.3% · Above median
Operating margin (12 months)−36.4% · Bottom 25%
Growth and dividend
Revenue growth (quarter YoY)−55.8% · Bottom 25%
Dividend yield (12 months)3.1% · Below median
Balance sheet
Debt / equity2.19× · Above median
Valuation Multiplesvs Credit Services median · lower = cheaper
P/E (12 months)6.1× · Cheapest 25%
P/B1.30× · Pricier than median
P/S (12 months)2.16× · Cheaper than median
Price / free cash flow (fiscal year)5.6× · Cheaper than median
EV/EBITDA4.3× · Cheapest 25%
PEG0.58× · Cheaper than median
Strength profile in five axes (Snowflake)
This stockSector peers
VALUE (fair-value potential)100· sector 59
FUTURE (revenue growth)0· sector 57
PAST (return on equity)99· sector 39
HEALTH (low debt)–
DIVIDEND (yield)61· sector 63
HEALTH: for banks, insurers and similar financial firms borrowed money is part of the business, so we do not rate debt here.
For bloggers, editors and developers: paste this into your site or blog (a “Custom HTML” block in WordPress), it shows the current fair value and links back here. Free, plain HTML, and welcome. Full data streams (CSV/JSON) at /developers.
Cite: Fair Value Calculator (2026). "SLM Corp Fair Value". https://www.fairvalue-calculator.com/stock/SLM
Frequently asked questions
Is SLM Corp (SLM) overvalued or undervalued?
As of Nov 6, 2026, our model estimates a fair value of $37.36 versus a price of $16.94, about +121% upside (undervalued).
What is the fair value of SLM?
Our model-based fair value for SLM Corp is $37.36 (as of Nov 6, 2026), built from audited fundamentals. The current price: $16.94.
What is the quality score of SLM?
SLM Corp has a Quality Score of 68/100. It measures business quality (profitability, growth, cash flow, balance-sheet strength, investment discipline, share issuance). Market factors such as price momentum and volatility do not enter the number; they are shown separately in the detail view.
What is the price target for SLM Corp (SLM)?
Our model-based price target is the fair value of $37.36 (as of Nov 6, 2026) from 12 valuation models. Cautious scenario $19.27, optimistic scenario $52.29. It is a calculation from audited fundamentals, not an analyst target.
What is the SLM Corp stock forecast for 2026?
Our models put fair value at $37.36, about +121% upside versus a price of $16.94 (undervalued). Cautious scenario $19.27, optimistic scenario $52.29. The calculation is refreshed regularly with new filings.
What is the revenue of SLM Corp (SLM)?
SLM Corp reported trailing-twelve-month revenue of about $1.5B (latest available figure, as of Nov 6, 2026).
Does SLM Corp pay a dividend?
SLM Corp currently shows a dividend yield of 3.07% relative to its recent price (as of Nov 6, 2026).
How much is the dividend of SLM Corp (SLM) and when is the ex-dividend date?
SLM Corp pays a dividend of $0.52 per share a year, a dividend yield of 3.1%. The next ex-dividend date is Dec 4, 2026, with payment on Dec 15, 2026. A dividend has been paid every year since 2019. The payout ratio is 18.6% of earnings. Our assessment: Low payout. A low payout ratio: the dividend takes at most 60 % of earnings. Whether free cash flow covers it as well, we cannot see for this company.
What is the intrinsic value of SLM Corp (SLM)?
Intrinsic value and fair value mean the same thing: what the business is worth on its numbers, independent of the share price. For SLM Corp it is $37.36 per share (as of Nov 6, 2026), against a price of $16.94. It is the blended result of 12 valuation models in 7 families (DCF Models, Earnings-Based, Dividend Discount, Multiples, Asset-Based, Growth DCF, Economic Profit).
Is SLM Corp stock overvalued or undervalued in 2026?
As of Nov 6, 2026, SLM trades below its calculated fair value: price $16.94, fair value $37.36, a gap of about +121% (undervalued). The calculation is refreshed with each new quarterly report, so the verdict can change during the year.
Is fair value the same as the market price of SLM?
No. The price is what the market pays today ($16.94); the fair value is what the company's own numbers justify ($37.36). For SLM Corp the two are $20.42 per share apart. That gap is exactly why we show both numbers side by side.
How much is SLM Corp worth?
The market values SLM Corp at about $3.2B (market capitalisation, as of Nov 6, 2026). Per share that is $16.94; our models calculate a fair value of $37.36 per share.
What do the bullish and bearish scenarios say about SLM?
Our models span a range for SLM Corp: cautious scenario $19.27, base $37.36, optimistic $52.29 per share (as of Nov 6, 2026, price $16.94). The range comes from different growth and margin assumptions, not from analyst opinions.
What is the P/E ratio of SLM?
SLM Corp trades at a price-to-earnings ratio of 6.1 (as of Nov 6, 2026). A P/E on its own says little: it compares the price with ONE year of profit, while our fair value of $37.36 is built from several models across several years. Median P/E at fiscal year-end, 10 fiscal years (2016 to 2025), reported earnings, FY2020, FY2023 ex one-offs: 8.4. Other multiples: PEG 0.6, P/B 1.3, P/S 2.2, EV/EBITDA 4.3.
What is the PEG ratio of SLM?
The PEG ratio of SLM Corp is 0.58 (P/E divided by earnings growth, as of Nov 6, 2026). That is below 1, so growth is priced more cheaply than the earnings multiple alone suggests.
How solid is the balance sheet of SLM Corp (SLM)?
Balance-sheet figures for SLM Corp (as of Nov 6, 2026): return on equity 24.7%, debt of 2.19 per unit of equity. They feed the Quality Score of 68/100, which measures business quality independently of the share price.
How far is SLM from its 52-week high?
SLM Corp trades at $16.94, about 44% below its 52-week high of $30.31 and at the low of $16.94 (as of Nov 6, 2026). Distance from the high says nothing about value: that is what the fair value of $37.36 is for.
Which stocks are comparable to SLM Corp?
From the same area (Financial Services) we also value Visa Inc, Mastercard Incorporated, American Express Company, Capital One Financial Corporation, among others. Each of them has its own fair-value calculation on this site using the same models, so the comparison is like for like.
Is SLM Corp stock attractive at the current price?
The data as of Nov 6, 2026: price $16.94, calculated fair value $37.36 (+121%), Quality Score 68/100, from 12 models. Whether that fits your horizon and risk tolerance is your call. We provide the calculation, not investment advice.
How is the fair value of SLM calculated?
We run SLM Corp through 12 models from 7 families: DCF Models, Earnings-Based, Dividend Discount, Multiples, Asset-Based, Growth DCF, Economic Profit. Every model gets the same audited fundamentals; the fair value of $37.36 builds on their evidence-weighted average, with the spread shown as a cautious and an optimistic scenario.
Is it still worth investing in stocks now?
The global stock market currently sits 13.0% above its aggregate fair value. SLM Corp currently trades 55% below its own fair value, and the market average says nothing about that. An expensive market is no reason to stay out and no reason to buy everything at once: keep a broad savings plan running, buy single stocks only with money you can do without, and hold part of your money liquid while the market is high. The full picture including sectors is on is it worth investing now.
What is the share price of SLM Corp (SLM)?
The closing price on Nov 6, 2026 was $16.94. Our model-based fair value is $37.36, about +121% upside (undervalued). We carry closing prices from our data provider, not a live tick.
What should I pay attention to with SLM Corp right now?
The price is below even our cautious bear case ($19.27). The market is more pessimistic than our downside scenario. The model range is unusually wide ($19.27 to $52.29). The outcome hinges heavily on assumptions, so read the point estimate with caution. Solid quality (68/100) at a price below fair value, the discount is the argument here, not the business quality. For a financial, book-value and earnings-based methods matter more than a cash-flow DCF, which fits banks and insurers poorly.
Where does the earnings growth of SLM Corp (SLM) come from?
Earnings per share at SLM Corp grew +20.2 % a year from 2014 to 2025. Broken into its drivers: revenue per share +20.1 %, EBIT margin +0.2 %, tax rate +2.4 %, residual (interest, one-offs) −2.5 %. The four rates multiply to the earnings growth rate, they do not add up. Start and end are three-year averages so a single exceptional year does not distort the result.
Key figures of SLM Corp
How large is the market capitalisation of SLM Corp (SLM)?
The market capitalisation of SLM Corp is $3.2B. The stock-market value of the whole company: share price times number of shares. It is what the market asks for the entire business today.
What is the P/S ratio of SLM Corp (SLM)?
The price-to-sales ratio of SLM Corp is 2.16 (last twelve months). Price to sales: market value relative to yearly revenue. Useful when profit is thin or distorted.
What are the earnings per share of SLM Corp (SLM)?
Earnings per share at SLM Corp are $2.79 (price ÷ EPS = P/E 6.1). Earnings per share over the last twelve months: total profit spread across every single share.
What is the dividend yield of SLM Corp (SLM)?
The dividend yield of SLM Corp is 3.1% (payout 18.6%). Yearly dividend relative to the share price. 3% pays 3 per 100 invested. Below: how much of profit is used for it.
What is the net margin of SLM Corp (SLM)?
The net margin of SLM Corp is 38.3% (last twelve months). How much of every unit of revenue ends up as profit. 10% means 10 cents of profit per dollar of sales.
What is the return on equity of SLM Corp (SLM)?
The return on equity (ROE) of SLM Corp is 24.7% (last twelve months). Profit relative to shareholders' equity, how efficiently the company works with its owners' money.
What is the EBIT return on assets of SLM Corp (SLM)?
On an EBIT basis the return on assets of SLM Corp is 3.7% (avg 5y). Operating profit (EBIT) relative to everything the company owns, as a multi-year average. It describes the business model rather than one good or bad year.
What is the operating margin of SLM Corp (SLM)?
The operating margin of SLM Corp is −36.4% (last twelve months). Profit from the core business (before interest and taxes) relative to revenue.
How fast is revenue growing at SLM Corp (SLM)?
Revenue at SLM Corp is growing −55.8% versus a year earlier (3y avg +9.5%). How much revenue grew versus a year earlier (YoY). The 3-year average next to it puts the single year in context.
How fast are earnings growing at SLM Corp (SLM)?
Earnings per share at SLM Corp are growing −9.4% versus a year earlier. How much earnings per share grew versus a year earlier.
How much free cash flow does SLM Corp (SLM) generate?
The free cash flow of SLM Corp is $576M (fiscal year 2025). The cash truly left after running and investing in the business, this is what pays dividends and buybacks.
How much net debt does SLM Corp (SLM) carry?
The net debt of SLM Corp is $1.6B (fiscal year 2025, ≈ 2.8 yrs of FCF). Debt minus cash on hand. The note shows how many years of free cash flow could in theory pay it off.
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Broad data
Nov 6, 2026