As the craze of earnings season draws to a close, here’s a look back at some of the most exciting (and some less so) results from Q4. Today, we are looking at consumer finance stocks, starting with Nelnet (NYSE:NNI).
Consumer finance companies provide loans and credit products to individuals. Growth drivers include increasing consumer spending, financial inclusion initiatives in developing markets, and digital lending platforms reducing distribution costs. Challenges include credit risk during economic downturns, regulatory scrutiny of lending practices, and intensifying competition from traditional banks and fintech firms offering innovative credit solutions.
The 20 consumer finance stocks we track reported a satisfactory Q4. As a group, revenues were in line with analysts’ consensus estimates while next quarter’s revenue guidance was 1% below.
Amidst this news, share prices of the companies have had a rough stretch. On average, they are down 12.2% since the latest earnings results.
Starting as a student loan servicer in the 1970s and evolving through the changing landscape of education finance, Nelnet (NYSE:NNI) provides student loan servicing, education technology, payment processing, and banking services while managing a portfolio of education loans.
Nelnet reported revenues of $341.5 million, down 8.6% year on year. This print fell short of analysts’ expectations by 10.6%. Overall, it was a softer quarter for the company with a significant miss of analysts’ revenue estimates and a significant miss of analysts’ EPS estimates.
“Nelnet’s teams knocked the ball out of the park in 2025, delivering record earnings and strengthening our foundation for long-term success,” said Jeff Noordhoek, chief executive officer of Nelnet.
Nelnet Total Revenue
Unsurprisingly, the stock is down 3.5% since reporting and currently trades at $126.72.
Using data analytics to serve the millions of Americans with less-than-perfect credit scores, Atlanticus Holdings (NASDAQ:ATLC) provides technology and services that help lenders offer credit products to consumers often overlooked by traditional financing providers.
Atlanticus Holdings reported revenues of $609.2 million, up 97.4% year on year, outperforming analysts’ expectations by 7.1%. The business had an exceptional quarter with an impressive beat of analysts’ revenue estimates and a beat of analysts’ EPS estimates.
Atlanticus Holdings Total Revenue
Atlanticus Holdings scored the biggest analyst estimates beat and fastest revenue growth among its peers. However, the results were likely priced into the stock as it’s traded sideways since reporting. Shares currently sit at $53.05.
Spun off from Sallie Mae in 2014 to handle the company’s loan servicing and collection operations, Navient (NASDAQ:NAVI) provides education loan servicing and business processing solutions that help manage federal student loans, private education loans, and government services.
Navient reported revenues of $144 million, down 11.7% year on year, falling short of analysts’ expectations by 7.6%. It was a disappointing quarter as it posted a significant miss of analysts’ net interest income estimates and a significant miss of analysts’ revenue estimates.
Navient delivered the slowest revenue growth in the group. As expected, the stock is down 33.3% since the results and currently trades at $8.04.
Named after the biblical David fighting financial Goliaths, Dave (NASDAQ:DAVE) is a digital financial services platform that helps Americans living paycheck to paycheck with cash advances, banking services, and tools to improve their financial health.
Dave reported revenues of $163.7 million, up 62.4% year on year. This print beat analysts’ expectations by 0.9%. It was a strong quarter as it also recorded full-year revenue guidance exceeding analysts’ expectations and a solid beat of analysts’ revenue estimates.
Dave had the weakest full-year guidance update among its peers. The stock is up 3.2% since reporting and currently trades at $205.35.
Originally created as a government-sponsored enterprise before privatizing in 2004, Sallie Mae (NASDAQ:SLM) is a financial services company that provides private education loans, savings products, and educational resources to help students and families pay for college.
Sallie Mae reported revenues of $454.1 million, up 16.4% year on year. This number surpassed analysts’ expectations by 1%. Overall, it was a strong quarter as it also produced a beat of analysts’ EPS estimates and a narrow beat of analysts’ revenue estimates.
The stock is down 26.5% since reporting and currently trades at $19.62.
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