Sallie Mae Stock Down 15% in a Year, and One Fund Just Dumped Its $5.5 Million Stake
Key Points
Helix Partners sold 200,000 shares of SLM in the fourth quarter.
The quarter-end position value fell by approximately $5.54 million as a result.
The post-trade stake is zero shares, with $0 value reported.
The position was previously 2.3% of the fund’s AUM as of the prior quarter.
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On February 13, 2026, Helix Partners Management LP reported selling its entire 200,000-share stake in SLM Corporation (NASDAQ:SLM) in an estimated $5.54 million trade.
What happened
According to a SEC filing dated February 13, 2026, Helix Partners Management LP sold its entire 200,000-share holding in SLM Corporation (NASDAQ:SLM) during the fourth quarter. The estimated transaction value was approximately $5.54 million.
What else to know
- Top holdings after the filing:
- NASDAQ:CORZ: $81.54 million (50.3% of AUM)
- NYSE:GNL: $30.96 million (19.1% of AUM)
- NASDAQ:SATS: $26.09 million (16.1% of AUM)
- NYSE:CNK: $6.97 million (4.3% of AUM)
- NYSE:PDM: $5.21 million (3.2% of AUM)
- As of February 12, 2026, SLM shares were priced at $24.76, down 14.6% over the past year. SLM underperformed the S&P 500 by 27.5 percentage points over the same period.
Company overview
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Revenue (TTM) | $1.98 billion |
| Net Income (TTM) | $744.85 million |
| Dividend Yield | 2.16% |
| Price (as of market close 2/12/26) | $24.76 |
Company snapshot
- SLM Corporation provides private education loans, retail deposit accounts, and credit card loans, with primary revenue generated from interest income and servicing fees.
- The company operates as a specialty finance company, earning revenue through loan origination, servicing, and deposit products for students and families.
- It targets students and their families in the United States seeking financial solutions for educational expenses.
SLM Corporation provides private education loans and related financial services to students and families across the United States. The company leverages expertise in loan origination and servicing to serve the education finance market.
What this transaction means for investors
Trimming exposure to a specialty lender after a mixed year tells you something about risk appetite. Sallie Mae just closed 2025 with $3.46 in GAAP diluted EPS and $1.12 in the fourth quarter, alongside a 5.21% net interest margin and a 34.6% efficiency ratio. And to be clear, those are not weak numbers. Management also authorized a new $500 million share repurchase program after buying back 12.8 million shares for $373 million in 2025.
Still, delinquencies ticked up to 4.0% of loans in repayment from 3.7% a year earlier, and guidance calls for $345 million to $385 million in net charge-offs in 2026. That signals credit normalization, not deterioration, but it does cap upside narratives.
Within a concentrated portfolio led by Core Scientific at 50% of assets and satellite and REIT exposure, reducing a 3.18% position to 0.70% reflects prioritization. Long-term investors should watch capital returns and credit metrics more than the trade itself. The business remains profitable and well capitalized. The question is whether growth accelerates enough to justify sticking around.
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SLM is an advertising partner of Motley Fool Money. Jonathan Ponciano has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
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