Analysts Set SLM Co. (NASDAQ:SLM) Price Target at $31.18

Shares of SLM Co. (NASDAQ:SLM) have received an average rating of “Moderate Buy” from the eleven ratings firms that are presently covering the firm, MarketBeat.com reports. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and nine have assigned a buy rating to the company. The average 12-month price objective among brokerages that have covered the stock in the last year is $31.18.

Several analysts have issued reports on SLM shares. Compass Point upped 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. JPMorgan Chase & Co. dropped their target price on SLM from $30.00 to $27.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, April 8th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods lifted their price target on SLM from $30.00 to $32.00 and gave the stock a “market perform” rating in a research note on Friday, January 24th. Morgan Stanley increased their price objective on SLM from $32.00 to $38.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Monday, March 10th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company lifted their target price on shares of SLM from $32.00 to $33.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Friday, January 24th.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other SLM news, Director Robert S. Strong sold 40,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, January 28th. The shares were sold at an average price of $28.57, for a total transaction of $1,142,800.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director now directly owns 43,163 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,233,166.91. The trade was a 48.10 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Corporate insiders own 1.20% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of SLM

Several large investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. Private Trust Co. NA increased its holdings in SLM by 86.4% during the fourth quarter. Private Trust Co. NA now owns 971 shares of the credit services provider’s stock valued at $27,000 after buying an additional 450 shares during the last quarter. Fifth Third Bancorp grew its position in shares of SLM by 37.7% during the 1st quarter. Fifth Third Bancorp now owns 1,714 shares of the credit services provider’s stock valued at $50,000 after acquiring an additional 469 shares during the period. Blue Trust Inc. increased its stake in shares of SLM by 32.2% in the 4th quarter. Blue Trust Inc. now owns 1,849 shares of the credit services provider’s stock worth $51,000 after purchasing an additional 450 shares in the last quarter. UMB Bank n.a. raised its holdings in SLM by 355.4% in the 1st quarter. UMB Bank n.a. now owns 1,899 shares of the credit services provider’s stock worth $56,000 after purchasing an additional 1,482 shares during the period. Finally, Wilmington Savings Fund Society FSB purchased a new position in SLM during the fourth quarter valued at $86,000. Institutional investors own 98.94% of the company’s stock.

SLM Price Performance

SLM stock opened at $26.65 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.37, a current ratio of 1.32 and a quick ratio of 1.27. SLM has a one year low of $19.39 and a one year high of $32.65. The firm has a market capitalization of $5.61 billion, a P/E ratio of 10.06, a PEG ratio of 0.86 and a beta of 1.05. The business has a fifty day moving average price of $29.03 and a 200-day moving average price of $26.92.

SLM (NASDAQ:SLM) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, January 23rd. The credit services provider reported $0.50 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates 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 research analysts forecast that SLM will post 3.07 EPS for the current year.

SLM Dividend Announcement

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 17th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, March 5th were issued a dividend of $0.13 per share. This represents a $0.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.95%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, March 5th. SLM’s payout ratio is 19.62%.

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.