Significant Accounting Policies

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2023

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Significant Accounting Policies

Significant Accounting Policies

Basis of Presentation

The accompanying unaudited, consolidated financial statements of SLM Corporation (“Sallie Mae,” “SLM,” the “Company,” “we,” or “us”) have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America (“GAAP”) for interim financial information. Accordingly, they do not include all the information and footnotes required by GAAP for complete consolidated financial statements. The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of SLM Corporation and its majority-owned and controlled subsidiaries after eliminating the effects of intercompany accounts and transactions. In the opinion of management, all adjustments considered necessary for a fair statement of the results for the interim periods have been included. The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Operating results for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2023 are not necessarily indicative of the results for the year ending December 31, 2023 or for any other period. These unaudited financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited financial statements and related notes included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022 (the “2022 Form 10-K”).

Consolidation

The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its majority-owned and controlled subsidiaries after eliminating the effects of intercompany accounts and transactions.

We consolidate any variable interest entity (“VIE”) where we have determined we are the primary beneficiary. The primary beneficiary is the entity which has both: (i) the power to direct the activities of the VIE that most significantly impact the VIE’s economic performance; and (ii) the obligation to absorb losses or receive benefits of the entity that could potentially be significant to the VIE.

Business Combination

On July 21, 2023, we completed the acquisition of several key assets of Scholly, Inc. (“Scholly”). Scholly is engaged in the business of operating as a scholarship publishing and servicing platform, comprised of websites and mobile application search products which offer custom recommendations for post-secondary scholarships for students, their families, and others as well as related services for scholarship providers. The addition of Scholly assets will support our mission of providing students with the confidence needed to successfully navigate the higher education journey.

The acquisition was accounted for as a business combination using the acquisition method of accounting in accordance with the Financial Accounting Standards Board’s (“FASB’s”) Accounting Standard Codification 805, “Business Combinations,” whereby as of the acquisition date, the acquired tangible assets and liabilities were recorded at their estimated fair values. The identifiable intangible assets were recorded at fair values as determined by an independent appraiser. The purchase price allocation for Scholly resulted in an excess purchase price over fair value of net assets acquired, or goodwill, of $5 million. Certain amounts are provisional and are subject to change, including final working capital adjustments and goodwill.

The results of operations of Scholly have been included in our consolidated financial statements since the acquisition date. We have not disclosed the pro forma impact of this acquisition to the results of operations for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2023, as the pro forma impact was deemed immaterial. Transaction costs associated with the Scholly acquisition were approximately $1 million and were expensed as incurred within “Other operating expenses” in the consolidated statements of income.

Identifiable intangible assets at the acquisition date included definite life intangible assets with an aggregate fair value of approximately $11 million, including tradename and trademarks, developed technology, customer relationships, and partner relationships. The intangible assets will be amortized over a period of two to four years based on the estimated economic benefit derived from each of the underlying assets.

See Note 7, “Goodwill and Acquired Intangible Assets,” for additional details.