Quarterly Financial Information (Unaudited)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2017

Quarterly Financial Information Disclosure [Abstract]

Quarterly Financial Information (Unaudited)

Quarterly Financial Information (Unaudited)

	2017
	First quarter			Second quarter		Third quarter		Fourth quarter
Net interest income	$	76,925		79,842		75,237		73,235
Less provision for loan losses	1,000			3,000		6,700		3,750
Net interest income after provision for loan losses	75,925			76,842		68,537		69,485
Loan systems and servicing revenue	54,229			56,899		55,950		55,921
Tuition payment processing, school information, and campus commerce revenue	43,620			34,224		35,450		32,457
Communications revenue	5,106			5,719		6,751		8,122
Other income	12,632			12,485		19,756		7,952
Gain on sale of loans and debt repurchases, net	4,980			442		116		(2,635	)
Derivative market value and foreign currency transaction adjustments and derivative settlements, net	(4,830		)	(27,910	)	7,173		7,014
Salaries and benefits	(71,863		)	(74,628	)	(74,193	)	(81,201	)
Depreciation and amortization	(8,598		)	(9,038	)	(10,051	)	(11,854	)
Loan servicing fees	(6,025		)	(5,628	)	(8,017	)	(3,064	)
Cost to provide communications services	(1,954		)	(2,203	)	(2,632	)	(3,160	)
Operating expenses	(26,547		)	(26,521	)	(29,743	)	(38,809	)
Income tax (expense) benefit	(28,755		)	(16,032	)	(25,562	)	5,486
Net income	47,920			24,651		43,535		45,714
Net loss (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests	2,106			4,086		2,768		2,386
Net income attributable to Nelnet, Inc.	$	50,026		28,737		46,303		48,100
Earnings per common share:
Net income attributable to Nelnet, Inc. shareholders - basic and diluted	$	1.18		0.68		1.11		1.17

	2016
	First quarter			Second quarter		Third quarter		Fourth quarter
Net interest income	$	101,609		92,200		99,795		78,960
Less provision for loan losses	2,500			2,000		6,000		3,000
Net interest income after provision for loan losses	99,109			90,200		93,795		75,960
Loan systems and servicing revenue	52,330			54,402		54,350		53,764
Tuition payment processing, school information, and campus commerce revenue	38,657			30,483		33,071		30,519
Communications revenue	4,346			4,478		4,343		4,492
Enrollment services revenue	4,326			—		—		—
Other income	13,796			9,765		15,150		15,218
Gain on sale of loans and debt repurchases, net	101			—		2,160		5,720
Derivative market value and foreign currency transaction adjustments and derivative settlements, net	(28,691		)	(40,702	)	36,001		83,187
Salaries and benefits	(63,242		)	(60,923	)	(63,743	)	(68,017	)
Depreciation and amortization	(7,640		)	(8,183	)	(8,994	)	(9,116	)
Loan servicing fees	(6,928		)	(7,216	)	(5,880	)	(5,726	)
Cost to provide communications services	(1,703		)	(1,681	)	(1,784	)	(1,697	)
Cost to provide enrollment services	(3,623		)	—		—		—
Operating expenses	(28,376		)	(29,409	)	(26,391	)	(31,245	)
Income tax (expense) benefit	(24,433		)	(15,036	)	(47,715	)	(54,128	)
Net income	48,029			26,178		84,363		98,931
Net loss (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests	(68		)	(28	)	(69	)	(585	)
Net income attributable to Nelnet, Inc.	$	47,961		26,150		84,294		98,346
Earnings per common share:
Net income attributable to Nelnet, Inc. shareholders - basic and diluted	$	1.11		0.61		1.98		2.32