EARNINGS PER SHARE
Basic earnings per share is computed by dividing earnings available to common stockholders by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding for the period. Diluted earnings per common share reflects the assumed conversion of all dilutive securities, which are calculated using the treasury stock method.
The following table presents the calculation of basic and diluted earnings per common share:
Years ended December 31,
($ in millions, except per share data)
202520242023
Net earnings$3,552 $3,499 $2,238 
Preferred stock dividends(83)(72)(42)
Net earnings available to common stockholders$3,469 $3,427 $2,196 
Weighted average common shares outstanding, basic369.9 396.5 421.2 
Effect of dilutive securities4.0 4.1 2.3 
Weighted average common shares outstanding, dilutive373.9 400.6 423.5 
Earnings per basic common share$9.38 $8.64 $5.21 
Earnings per diluted common share$9.28 $8.55 $5.19 
We have issued stock-based awards under the Synchrony Financial 2024 Long-Term Incentive Plan, along with prior incentive plans. Awards that were considered anti-dilutive and therefore were excluded from the computation of diluted earnings per common share were less than 1 million shares for both the years ended December 31, 2025 and 2024, and 4 million shares for the year ended December 31, 2023.

Historical Timeline

Fiscal YearFiled
2025Feb 6, 2026Showing above
2024Feb 7, 2025
2023Feb 8, 2024
2022Feb 9, 2023
2021Feb 10, 2022
2020Feb 11, 2021
2019Feb 13, 2020
2018Feb 15, 2019
2017Feb 22, 2018
2016Feb 23, 2017
2015Feb 25, 2016

About Earnings Per Share Disclosures

The earnings per share disclosure breaks down the calculation from net income to both basic and diluted EPS, revealing the full impact of a company's capital structure on per-share economics. The reconciliation between basic and diluted share counts exposes how many stock options, RSUs, convertible securities, and warrants are potentially dilutive to existing shareholders.

Key signals: a widening gap between basic and diluted shares indicates growing dilution from equity compensation or convertible instruments. Anti-dilutive securities excluded from the diluted calculation deserve attention — they represent latent dilution that will materialize if the stock price rises. Watch for the effect of share buybacks on per-share metrics: EPS growth driven primarily by repurchases rather than income growth signals weakening fundamentals. Compare year-over-year changes in the diluted share count against equity compensation expense to assess whether management is effectively managing dilution.