NELNET INC
Business
NELNET INC is a diversified hybrid holding company that provides consumer lending, loan servicing, payments, and technology services, with a focus on education-related customers. It offers student and consumer loan servicing and software, tuition management and payment processing, education technology solutions, outsourced contact center and administrative services, asset management and investment activities, and banking through Nelnet Bank. The company’s reportable operating segments include Loan Servicing and Systems (NDS), Education Technology Services and Payments (NBS), Asset Generation and Management (AGM), and Nelnet Bank. Substantially all revenue and long-lived assets are generated and located in the United States, with some international education technology operations in Australia, New Zealand, and Southeast Asia.
Summary from filing dated 2025-02-27
Financials
Consolidated Statement of Income
| Concept | Trend | FY 2025 2025-12-31 | FY 2024 2024-12-31 | FY 2023 2023-12-31 | FY 2022 2022-12-31 | FY 2021 2021-12-31 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loan interest | 686 | 787 | 932 | 651 | — | |
| Investment interest | 165 | 186 | 178 | 92 | 41 | |
| Total interest income | 851 | 973 | 1,110 | 743 | 524 | |
| Interest expense on bonds and notes payable and bank deposits | 497 | 681 | 845 | 430 | — | |
| Net interest income | 355 | 293 | 265 | 313 | 348 | |
| Less provision for loan losses | 68 | 55 | 8 | 35 | −12 | |
| Less provision for beneficial interests | 11 | 39 | 0 | — | — | |
| Net interest income after provision | 275 | 199 | 257 | — | — | |
| Other, net | 98 | 60 | −92 | 18 | 79 | |
| Gain on partial redemption of ALLO investment | 175 | 0 | 0 | — | — | |
| Derivative market value adjustments and derivative settlements, net | −6 | 16 | −17 | 265 | 71 | |
| Total other income (expense), net | 1,404 | 1,165 | 924 | 1,242 | 977 | |
| Cost of services | 226 | 252 | 220 | 168 | 109 | |
| Salaries and benefits | 559 | 577 | 592 | 590 | 507 | |
| Depreciation and amortization | 34 | 58 | 79 | 74 | 74 | |
| Reinsurance losses and underwriting expenses | 94 | 55 | 17 | 154,000 | — | |
| Impairment expense | 30 | 3 | 32 | −16 | −16 | |
| Other expenses | 212 | 190 | 173 | 171 | 145 | |
| Total operating expenses | 927 | 883 | 892 | 834 | 726 | |
| Income (loss) before income taxes | 526 | 229 | 69 | — | — | |
| Income tax expense | −128 | −53 | −19 | 113 | 116 | |
| Net income | 398 | 176 | 49 | 389 | 386 | |
| Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests | 30 | 8 | 40 | 18 | 7 | |
| Net income (loss) attributable to Nelnet, Inc. | 428 | 184 | 90 | 407 | 393 | |
| Net income attributable to Nelnet, Inc. shareholders - basic (in dollars per share) | 11.79 | 5.02 | 2.4 | 10.82 | 10.2 | |
| Net income attributable to Nelnet, Inc. shareholders - diluted (in dollars per share) | 11.79 | 5.02 | 2.4 | 10.82 | 10.2 | |
| Weighted-average common shares outstanding - basic (in shares) | 36 | 37 | 37 | 38 | 39 | |
| Weighted-average common shares outstanding - diluted (in shares) | 36 | 37 | 37 | 38 | 39 |
Consolidated Balance Sheet
| Concept | Trend | FY 2025 2025-12-31 | FY 2024 2024-12-31 | FY 2023 2023-12-31 | FY 2022 2022-12-31 | FY 2021 2021-12-31 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loans and accrued interest receivable | 10,007 | 9,993 | 13,108 | 15,244 | 18,335 | |
| Cash and cash equivalents | 296 | 195 | 168 | 118 | 126 | |
| Investments at fair value | 1,415 | 1,160 | 1,007 | — | — | |
| Other investments and notes receivable, net | 933 | 1,040 | 858 | — | — | |
| Total investments and notes receivable | 2,348 | 2,201 | 1,865 | 2,112 | 1,589 | |
| Restricted cash | 358 | 332 | 489 | 945 | 742 | |
| Restricted cash - due to customers | 320 | 404 | 369 | 294 | 327 | |
| Accounts receivable (net of allowance for doubtful accounts of $2,758 and $2,877, respectively) | 193 | 160 | 196 | 195 | 163 | |
| Goodwill | 158 | 158 | 158 | 177 | 142 | |
| Intangible assets, net | 29 | 36 | 45 | 64 | 52 | |
| Property and equipment, net | 76 | 95 | 127 | 123 | 119 | |
| Other assets | 279 | 204 | 188 | 103 | 83 | |
| Total assets | 14,064 | 13,778 | 16,712 | 19,355 | 21,678 | |
| Bonds and notes payable | 7,781 | 8,310 | 11,828 | 14,637 | 17,631 | |
| Accrued interest payable | 20 | 21 | 35 | 36 | 5 | |
| Bank deposits | 1,669 | 1,186 | 744 | 691 | 344 | |
| Other liabilities | 558 | 483 | 479 | 461 | 379 | |
| Due to customers | 458 | 478 | 426 | 348 | 366 | |
| Total liabilities | 10,487 | 10,479 | 13,512 | 16,174 | 18,725 | |
| Commitments and contingencies | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Preferred stock, $0.01 par value. Authorized 50,000,000 shares; no shares issued or outstanding | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Additional paid-in capital | 1 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 1 | |
| Retained earnings | 3,681 | 3,341 | 3,270 | 3,235 | 2,941 | |
| Accumulated other comprehensive earnings, net | 3 | 1 | −20 | −37 | 9 | |
| Total Nelnet, Inc. shareholders' equity | 3,686 | 3,350 | 3,254 | 3,199 | 2,951 | |
| Noncontrolling interests | −109 | −51 | −54 | 943,000 | 2 | |
| Total equity | 3,577 | 3,299 | 3,200 | 3,183 | 2,944 | |
| Total liabilities and equity | 14,064 | 13,778 | 16,712 | 19,374 | 21,678 |
Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows
| Concept | Trend | FY 2025 2025-12-31 | FY 2024 2024-12-31 | FY 2023 2023-12-31 | FY 2022 2022-12-31 | FY 2021 2021-12-31 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Depreciation and amortization, including debt discounts and loan premiums and deferred origination costs | 91 | 133 | 145 | 176 | 132 | |
| Loan discount and deferred lender fees accretion | −107 | −54 | −31 | — | — | |
| Derivative market value adjustments | 9 | −10 | 42 | −232 | −93 | |
| Proceeds from termination of derivative instruments | 0 | 0 | 164 | 92 | 0 | |
| (Payments to) proceeds from clearinghouse - initial and variation margin, net | −6 | 2 | −214 | 149 | 91 | |
| Loss on sale of loans, net | 2 | 2 | 18 | 9 | −19 | |
| (Gain) loss on investments, net | −25 | −8 | 122 | 31 | −4 | |
| Deferred income tax benefit | −4 | −22 | −52 | 35 | 56 | |
| Non-cash compensation expense | 13 | 12 | 16 | 14 | 11 | |
| Impairment expense | 30 | 3 | 30 | 16 | 16 | |
| Other | 8 | 163,000 | 326,000 | 723,000 | 0 | |
| Decrease in loan and investment accrued interest receivable | 41 | 221 | 47 | −39 | 1 | |
| (Increase) decrease in accounts receivable | −33 | 36 | −1 | −26 | −87 | |
| Decrease in other assets | 58 | 65 | 4 | −12 | 46 | |
| Decrease in the carrying amount of ROU asset | 4 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | |
| Decrease in accrued interest payable | −5 | −15 | −658,000 | 31 | −24 | |
| Increase in other liabilities | 52 | 27 | 86 | 40 | 30 | |
| Decrease in the carrying amount of lease liability | −5 | −4 | −5 | −6 | −7 | |
| Total adjustments | 25 | 487 | 383 | 294 | — | |
| Net cash provided by operating activities | 423 | 663 | 432 | 683 | 480 | |
| Net proceeds from loan repayments, claims, and capitalized interest | 5,448 | 3,180 | 2,559 | 4,394 | 3,104 | |
| Purchases of available-for-sale securities | −553 | −604 | −582 | −1,029 | −735 | |
| Proceeds from sales of available-for-sale securities | 289 | 446 | 963 | 511 | 161 | |
| Proceeds from beneficial interest in loan securitizations | 78 | 52 | 32 | 22 | 41 | |
| Purchases of other investments and issuance of notes receivable | −592 | −484 | −345 | −263 | −254 | |
| Proceeds from other investments and repayments of notes receivable | 533 | 98 | 42 | 65 | 192 | |
| Purchases of held-to-maturity debt securities | −295,000 | 0 | −12 | −240,000 | −8 | |
| Redemption of held-to-maturity debt securities | 11 | 25 | 5 | 4 | 0 | |
| Purchases of property and equipment | −26 | −21 | −74 | −59 | −59 | |
| Net cash provided by investing activities | 356 | 2,413 | 1,939 | 2,273 | 1,186 | |
| Payments on bonds and notes payable | −2,616 | −3,645 | −3,606 | −4,339 | −3,684 | |
| Proceeds from issuance of bonds and notes payable | 1,393 | 31 | 761 | 1,302 | 1,948 | |
| Payments of debt issuance costs | −8 | −2 | −6 | −4 | −7 | |
| Increase in bank deposits, net | 483 | 443 | 52 | 347 | 290 | |
| (Decrease) increase in due to customers | −21 | 53 | 77 | −18 | 65 | |
| Dividends paid | −43 | −41 | −39 | −37 | −34 | |
| Repurchases of common stock | −69 | −83 | −28 | −98 | −58 | |
| Proceeds from issuance of common stock | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | |
| Acquisition of noncontrolling interest | −4 | −325,000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Issuance of noncontrolling interests | 153 | 80 | 88 | 56 | 51 | |
| Distribution to noncontrolling interests | −8 | −6 | −5 | −4 | −878,000 | |
| Net cash used in financing activities | −737 | −3,170 | −2,703 | −2,792 | −1,430 | |
| Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and restricted cash | 275,000 | −437,000 | 16,000 | −160,000 | −121,000 | |
| Net (decrease) increase in cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash | 43 | −94 | −332 | 163 | 236 | |
| Cash disbursements made for interest | 472 | 651 | 781 | 351 | 152 | |
| Cash disbursements made for income taxes, net of refunds and credits received | 69 | 15 | 48 | 58 | 19 | |
| Cash disbursements made for operating leases | 5 | 5 | 7 | 7 | 8 | |
| ROU assets obtained in exchange for lease obligations | 7 | 1 | 19 | 8 | 4 | |
| Receipt of beneficial interest in consumer loan securitizations as consideration from sale of loans | 28 | 12 | 89 | 19 | 24 | |
| Receipt of asset-backed investment securities as consideration from sale of loans | 2 | 0 | 67 | 14 | 0 | |
| Student loans and other assets acquired | 673 | 122 | 0 | 0 | — | |
| Borrowings and other liabilities assumed in acquisition of student loans | 707 | 55 | 0 | 0 | — | |
| Distribution to noncontrolling interests | 220 | 70 | 101 | 53 | 48 | |
| Issuance of noncontrolling interests | 52 | 5 | 13 | 11 | 10 |