News Articles ::: Nelnet
 

Press Releases

Nelnet Reports Strong Earnings and Asset Growth

Media Contact: Ben Kiser, 1.402.458.3024

Investor Contact: Cheryl Watson, 1.317.469.2064

For immediate release

  • Student loan assets reach $26.2 billion, up 10 percent in first six months of 2007
  • Fee-based revenue 53 percent of total revenue

LINCOLN, Neb., July 31, 2007 -- Nelnet, Inc. (NYSE: NNI) today reported GAAP net income for the first six months of 2007 of $29.5 million, or $0.59 per share, compared with $97.8 million, or $1.80 per share, for the first six months of 2006. Base net income excluding discontinued operations for the first six months of 2007 was $46.4 million, or $0.92 per share, and is comparable to $37.8 million, or $0.70 per share, for the first six months of 2006.

GAAP net income for the second-quarter 2007 was $14.8 million, or $0.30 per share, compared with $45.8 million, or $0.84 per share, for the second-quarter 2006. Base net income excluding discontinued operations for the second-quarter 2007 was $21.7 million, or $0.44 per share, and is comparable to $18.8 million, or $0.34 per share, for the same period a year ago.

On May 25, 2007, Nelnet sold EDULINX Canada Corporation, a Canadian student loan service provider and subsidiary of the company. As a result of this transaction, the results of operations for EDULINX are reported as discontinued operations.

"We are pleased with our results for the first six months and second quarter, especially the strength of our asset growth and the diversification and revenue contribution from our fee-based businesses,” said Mike Dunlap, Nelnet Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. "These key elements of originating assets, diversification, and fee-based revenue have been and will continue to be an important part of our business strategy for mitigating margin compression and delivering long-term value. As the legislative process approaches a resolution, we will maintain our focus on these key elements and on providing exceptional service to students, families, and schools throughout the education life cycle."

Student Loan Assets

Since December 31, 2006, net student loan assets have increased 10 percent, or $2.4 billion, from $23.8 billion to $26.2 billion at June 30, 2007.

Fee-based Revenue

Fee-based revenue in the first six months of 2007 and the second quarter of 2007 represented 53 percent of Nelnet's total revenue for both periods. This is an increase from the first six months of 2006 and second quarter of 2006 when fee-based revenue represented 37 percent and 36 percent of total revenue, respectively.

Income from loan and guarantee servicing fees reached $62.1 million for the first six months of 2007, up from $59.2 million in the first six months of 2006. In the second quarter of 2007, loan and guarantee servicing income grew to $31.6 million from $28.9 million in the second quarter of 2006.

Other fee-based income increased to $78.3 million for the first six months of 2007 compared with $34.2 million for the first six months of 2006. For the second quarter of 2007, other fee-based income increased to $38.3 million, up from $16.1 million in the same period a year ago. Other fee-based income includes Nelnet's list management, direct marketing, tuition payment plan, and enrollment services businesses. In large part, the increase in fee-based revenue is attributable to acquisitions.

Margin Analysis

Net interest income for the first six months of 2007 was $136.0 million compared with $172.3 million for the first six months of 2006. For the second quarter of 2007, Nelnet reported net interest income of $68.0 million compared with $86.1 million for the second quarter of 2006. Net interest income for the first six months of 2006 and second quarter of 2006 includes a special allowance yield adjustment of $24.5 million and $10.6 million, respectively.

The company reported core student loan spread of 1.28 percent for the first six months of 2007 compared with 1.51 percent in the same period in 2006. For the second quarter of 2007, Nelnet reported core student loan spread of 1.28 percent compared with 1.49 percent in the same period of 2006 and 1.29 percent for the first quarter of 2007.

Operating Expenses

For the first six months of 2007, the company reported operating expenses of $241.9 million compared with $194.5 million for the first six months of 2006. Operating expenses were $120.7 million in the second quarter of 2007 compared with $101.3 million for the same period a year ago. The increase in operating expenses is primarily attributable to acquisitions.

Non-GAAP Performance Measures

A description of base net income and a reconciliation of GAAP net income to base net income can be found in supplemental financial information to this earnings release that is available online at www.nelnetinvestors.com/releases.cfm?reltype=Financial.

Nelnet will host a conference call to discuss this earnings release at 11:00 a.m. (Eastern) today. To access the call live, participants in the United States and Canada should dial 1.866.558.6869 and international callers should dial 1.913.643.4199 at least 15 minutes prior to the call. A live audio Web cast of the call will also be available at www.nelnetinvestors.com under the conference calls and Web casts menu. A replay of the conference call will be available between 1:00 p.m. (Eastern) today and 11:59 p.m. (Eastern) August 7, 2007. To access the replay via telephone within the United States and Canada, callers should dial 1.888.203.1112. International callers should dial 1.719.457.0820. All callers accessing the replay will need to use the confirmation code 1546828. A replay of the audio Web cast will also be available at www.nelnetinvestors.com.

About Nelnet

For 28 years, Nelnet has been helping the education-seeking family plan for their education, pay for their education, and prepare for their careers. The company has invested hundreds of millions of dollars in products, services, and technology improvements for students and the educational institutions they attend. These services include live counseling to help families through all aspects of the financial aid process, benefits for borrowers, including tens of millions of dollars in borrower loan discounts and other benefits, and Nelnet sponsored scholarships. Nelnet serves students in 50 states, employs approximately 3,500 associates, and has $26.2 billion in net student loan assets.

Additional information is available at www.nelnet.com.

Information contained in this press release, other than historical information, may be considered forward-looking in nature and is subject to various risks, uncertainties, and assumptions. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those anticipated, estimated, or expected. Among the key factors that may have a direct bearing on Nelnet's operating results, performance, or financial condition are changes in terms of student loans and the educational credit marketplace, changes in the demand for educational financing or in financing preferences of educational institutions, students and their families, or changes in the general interest rate environment and in the securitization markets for education loans. For more information see our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

    Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income

                                                   Three months ended
                                             June 30,    March 31,   June 30,
                                               2007        2007        2006
                                           (unaudited) (unaudited) (unaudited)
                                     (dollars in thousands, except share data)

    Interest income:
       Loan interest                        $439,720    $418,113    $383,867
       Amortization of loan premiums and
        deferred origination costs           (22,634)    (21,059)    (21,125)
       Investment interest                    18,783      21,425      24,249
           Total interest income             435,869     418,479     386,991

    Interest expense:
       Interest on bonds and notes payable   367,893     350,495     300,844

           Net interest income                67,976      67,984      86,147
    Less provision for loan losses             2,535       2,753       2,190

           Net interest income after
            provision for loan losses         65,441      65,231      83,957

    Other income (expense):
       Loan and guarantee servicing income    31,610      30,466      28,926
       Other fee-based income                 38,262      40,029      16,074
       Software services income                5,848       5,748       4,018
       Other income                            2,937       6,879       2,906
       Derivative market value, foreign
        currency, and put option
        adjustments                            5,547     (12,130)     29,080
       Derivative settlements, net             5,196       4,240       6,702
           Total other income (expense)       89,400      75,232      87,706

    Operating expenses:
       Salaries and benefits                  59,761      61,704      54,753
       Other expenses                         54,394      52,887      40,720
       Amortization of intangible assets       6,491       6,638       5,817
           Total operating expenses          120,646     121,229     101,290

           Income before taxes                34,195      19,234      70,373

    Income tax expense                        13,306       7,264      26,038

           Income before minority interest    20,889      11,970      44,335

    Minority interest in net earnings of
     subsidiaries                                ---         ---         ---

           Income from continuing operations  20,889      11,970      44,335

    Income (loss) from discontinued
     operations, net of tax                   (6,135)      2,810       1,418

           Net Income                        $14,754     $14,780     $45,753

    Earnings (loss) per share, basic and
     diluted
           Income from continuing operations   $0.42       $0.23       $0.81
           Income (loss) from discontinued
            operations, net of tax             (0.12)       0.06        0.03
           Net Income                          $0.30       $0.29       $0.84
    Weighted average shares outstanding   49,452,960  50,982,187  54,297,230


                                                   Six months ended
                                              June 30,          June 30,
                                                2007              2006
                                            (unaudited)       (unaudited)
                                     (dollars in thousands, except share data)

    Interest income:
       Loan interest                         $857,833          $731,389
       Amortization of loan premiums and
        deferred origination costs            (43,693)          (42,987)
       Investment interest                     40,208            43,726
           Total interest income              854,348           732,128

    Interest expense:
       Interest on bonds and notes payable    718,388           559,793

           Net interest income                135,960           172,335
    Less provision for loan losses              5,288            11,808

           Net interest income after
            provision for loan losses         130,672           160,527

    Other income (expense):
       Loan and guarantee servicing income     62,076            59,216
       Other fee-based income                  78,291            34,229
       Software services income                11,596             7,427
       Other income                             9,816             4,893
       Derivative market value, foreign
        currency, and put option adjustments   (6,583)           68,343
       Derivative settlements, net              9,436            11,446
           Total other income (expense)       164,632           185,554

    Operating expenses:
       Salaries and benefits                  121,465           104,252
       Other expenses                         107,281            79,143
       Amortization of intangible assets       13,129            11,115
           Total operating expenses           241,875           194,510

           Income before taxes                 53,429           151,571

    Income tax expense                         20,570            56,080

           Income before minority interest     32,859            95,491

    Minority interest in net earnings of
     subsidiaries                                 ---              (242)

           Income from continuing operations   32,859            95,249

    Income (loss) from discontinued
     operations, net of tax                    (3,325)            2,570

           Net Income                         $29,534           $97,819

    Earnings (loss) per share, basic and
     diluted
           Income from continuing operations    $0.66             $1.75
           Income (loss) from discontinued
            operations, net of tax              (0.07)             0.05
           Net Income                           $0.59             $1.80
    Weighted average shares outstanding    50,213,349        54,269,440



    Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets and Financial Data


                                           As of        As of        As of
                                         June 30,   December 31,   June 30,
                                           2007         2006         2006
                                        (unaudited)               (unaudited)
                                               (dollars in thousands)
    Assets:
      Student loans receivable, net     $26,174,958  $23,789,552  $22,404,492
      Cash, cash equivalents, and
       investments                        1,367,257    1,773,751    1,971,740
      Goodwill                              191,256      191,420      145,950
      Intangible assets, net                146,542      161,588      171,942
      Assets of discontinued operations         ---       27,309       34,232
      Other assets                          993,361      853,253      825,076
        Total assets                    $28,873,374  $26,796,873  $25,553,432

    Liabilities:
      Bonds and notes payable           $27,791,146  $25,562,119  $24,327,855
      Liabilities of discontinued
       operations                               ---        7,732       13,182
      Other liabilities                     471,050      555,172      460,206
        Total liabilities                28,262,196   26,125,023   24,801,243

    Shareholders' equity                    611,178      671,850      752,189

        Total liabilities and
         shareholders' equity           $28,873,374  $26,796,873  $25,553,432


    Return on average total assets             0.21%        0.27%        0.81%
    Return on average equity                    9.5%         9.6%        27.4%
    Shareholders' equity to total
     assets                                    2.12%        2.51%        2.94%



    (code #: nnif)