0001258602false00012586022023-08-072023-08-07

UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C.  20549
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported)
August 7, 2023
Nelnet_Logo_color.jpg
NELNET, INC.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Nebraska001-3192484-0748903
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)(Commission File Number)(IRS Employer Identification No.)
121 South 13th Street, Suite 100
Lincoln,Nebraska68508
(Address of principal executive offices)(Zip Code)
Registrant's telephone number, including area code (402) 458-2370
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:
Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act
(17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act
(17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
Title of each classTrading SymbolName of each exchange on which registered
Class A Common Stock, Par Value $0.01 per ShareNNINew York Stock Exchange
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).
Emerging growth company    
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.                        ☐



Item 2.02 Results of Operations and Financial Condition.
On August 7, 2023, Nelnet, Inc. (the “Company”) issued a press release with respect to its financial results for the quarter ended June 30, 2023. A copy of the press release is furnished as Exhibit 99.1 to this report. In addition, a copy of the supplemental financial information for the quarter ended June 30, 2023, which was made available on the Company's website at www.nelnetinvestors.com on August 7, 2023 in connection with the press release, is furnished as Exhibit 99.2 to this report.
The above information and Exhibits 99.1 and 99.2 shall not be deemed filed for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”), nor shall such information and Exhibits be deemed incorporated by reference in any filing under the Securities Act of 1933 or the Exchange Act, except as shall be expressly set forth by specific reference in such a filing. In addition, information on the Company's website is not incorporated by reference into this report and should not be considered part of this report.
Certain statements contained in the exhibits furnished with this report may be considered forward looking in nature and are subject to various risks, uncertainties, and assumptions. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, the Company's actual results may vary materially from those anticipated, estimated, or expected. Among the key risks and uncertainties that may have a direct bearing on the Company's future operating results, performance, or financial condition expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements are the matters discussed in the Risk Factors section of the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022 filed with the SEC on February 28, 2023. Although the Company may from time to time voluntarily update its prior forward-looking statements, it disclaims any commitment to do so except as required by securities laws.
Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.
(d)    Exhibits. The following exhibits are furnished as part of this report:
Exhibit
No.
Description
99.1
99.2
104Cover Page Interactive Data File (formatted as Inline XBRL and included as Exhibit 101).






SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
Dated: August 7, 2023
NELNET, INC.
By:    /s/ JAMES D. KRUGER
Name:    James D. Kruger
Title:    Chief Financial Officer




Nelnet Reports Second Quarter 2023 Results
LINCOLN, Neb., August 7, 2023 - Nelnet (NYSE: NNI) today reported GAAP net income of $28.3 million, or $0.75 per share, for the second quarter of 2023, compared with GAAP net income of $85.1 million, or $2.26 per share, for the same period a year ago.
Net income, excluding derivative market value adjustments1, was $26.7 million, or $0.71 per share, for the second quarter of 2023, compared with $54.4 million, or $1.44 per share, for the same period in 2022.
In April 2023, the company redeemed certain loan asset-backed debt securities (bonds and notes payable) prior to their maturity. The remaining unamortized debt discount associated with these bonds at the time of redemption was written-off, resulting in a non-cash expense of $25.9 million ($19.7 million or $0.53 per share after tax) recognized by the company in the second quarter of 2023.
“The details of the quarter highlight the strength and resilience of our core operating businesses, which performed well in the second quarter,” said Jeff Noordhoek, chief executive officer of Nelnet. “The beginning of the school year is an exciting time for Nelnet. We are fortunate to serve millions of students and their families and thousands of higher education and K-12 institutions with tuition payment plans, loan servicing, student loans, and numerous services and technology for administrations. This school year also brings with it the complexity and opportunity of assisting more than 15 million federal student loan borrowers return to making payments for the first time since March of 2020.”
Nelnet operates four primary business segments, earning interest income on loans in its Asset Generation and Management (AGM) and Nelnet Bank segments, and fee-based revenue in its Loan Servicing and Systems and Education Technology, Services, and Payment Processing segments. Other business activities and operating segments that are not reportable are combined and included in corporate activities. Corporate activities also includes income earned on the majority of the company's investments.
Asset Generation and Management
The AGM operating segment reported net interest income of $21.5 million during the second quarter of 2023. Net interest income for the period includes the $25.9 million expense recognized by the company as a result of redeeming bonds prior to their maturity. Excluding this expense, net interest income for the three months ended June 30, 2023, was $47.4 million, compared with $70.7 million for the same period a year ago. The decrease in 2023 was due to the expected runoff of the loan portfolio and a decrease in core loan spread. The average balance of loans outstanding decreased from $16.4 billion for the second quarter of 2022 to $13.6 billion for the same period in 2023.
Core loan spread2 decreased to 1.06% for the quarter ended June 30, 2023, compared with 1.61% for the same period in 2022. Core loan spread was impacted in the second quarter of 2023 by higher interest rates. The company has a portfolio of student loans that are earning interest at a fixed borrower rate and that are financed with variable rate debt. As a result, in a low interest rate environment, the company earns additional spread income that it refers to as floor income. Due to higher interest rates, floor income recognized by the company decreased to $0.5 million for the three months ended June 30, 2023, compared with $22.0 million for the same period in 2022.
AGM recognized net income after tax of $13.5 million for the three months ended June 30, 2023, compared with $75.5 million for the same period in 2022.
AGM recognized gains from the sale of loans in the second quarter of 2023 of $15.5 million ($11.8 million after tax). In addition, in the second quarter of 2023, AGM recognized income of $0.9 million ($0.7 million after tax) related to changes in the fair value of derivative instruments that do not qualify for hedge accounting, compared with income of $40.4 million ($30.7 million after tax) for the same period in 2022.
Nelnet Bank
As of June 30, 2023, Nelnet Bank had a $444.5 million loan portfolio and total deposits, including intercompany deposits, of $871.4 million. Nelnet Bank recognized net income after tax for the quarter ended June 30, 2023 of $1.3 million, compared with $0.4 million for the same period in 2022.
1 Net income, excluding derivative market value adjustments, is a non-GAAP measure. See "Non-GAAP Performance Measures" at the end of this press release and the "Non-GAAP Disclosures" section below for explanatory information and reconciliations of GAAP to non-GAAP financial information.

2 Core loan spread and the related net interest income net of derivative settlements are non-GAAP measures. See "Non-GAAP Performance Measures" at the end of this press release and the "Non-GAAP Disclosures" section below for explanatory information and reconciliations of GAAP to non-GAAP financial information.



Loan Servicing and Systems
Revenue from the Loan Servicing and Systems segment was $122.0 million for the second quarter of 2023, compared with $124.9 million for the same period in 2022.
As of June 30, 2023, the company was servicing $559.1 billion in government-owned, FFEL Program, private education, and consumer loans for 16.6 million borrowers, compared with $589.5 billion in servicing volume for 17.4 million borrowers as of June 30, 2022.
The Loan Servicing and Systems segment reported net income after tax of $12.9 million for the three months ended June 30, 2023, compared with $10.3 million for the same period in 2022. Operating margin improved in 2023 compared with 2022 due to a decrease in operating expenses, primarily salaries and benefits. The company reduced staff in the first and second quarters of 2023 to manage expenses due to the delays in the government's student debt relief and return to repayment programs and lower pricing and reduced servicing volume for the company's federal servicing contracts.
On April 24, 2023, the company received a contract award from the Department of Education (Department) to provide continued servicing functions for the Department. The Unified Servicing and Data Solution (USDS) contract will replace the existing legacy Department student loan servicing contracts that were scheduled to expire in December 2023. According to the Department, the legacy servicer contracts will be extended through December 2024 to help facilitate a smooth transition for borrowers. The USDS contract has a five-year base period, with five years of possible extensions.
Education Technology, Services, and Payment Processing
For the second quarter of 2023, revenue from the Education Technology, Services, and Payment Processing operating segment was $109.9 million, an increase from $91.0 million for the same period in 2022. Revenue less direct costs to provide services for the second quarter of 2023 was $69.5 million, compared with $60.2 million for the same period in 2022.
Net income after tax for the Education Technology, Services, and Payment Processing segment was $13.7 million for the three months ended June 30, 2023, compared with $11.2 million for the same period in 2022. Included in net income for the three months ended June 30, 2023 and 2022 was $5.3 million ($4.0 million after tax) and $0.9 million ($0.7 million after tax) of interest income, respectively. The increase in interest income was due to an increase in interest rates in 2023 compared with 2022.
Corporate Activities
During the second quarter of 2023, the company recognized a loss of $12.2 million ($9.3 million after tax) on its 45 percent voting membership interests in ALLO Holdings LLC, a holding company for ALLO Communications LLC (ALLO), compared with a loss of $16.9 million ($12.8 million after tax) for the same period in 2022.
In addition, the company recognized net investment losses of $1.6 million ($1.2 million after tax) for the three months ended June 30, 2023, compared with net investment income and gains of $18.3 million ($13.9 million after tax) for the same period in 2022.
Board of Directors Declares Third Quarter Dividend
The Nelnet Board of Directors declared a third quarter cash dividend on the company's outstanding shares of Class A common stock and Class B common stock of $0.26 per share. The dividend will be paid on September 15, 2023, to shareholders of record at the close of business on September 1, 2023.
Forward-Looking and Cautionary Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of federal securities laws. The words “anticipate,” “assume," "believe,” “continue,” “could,” "ensure," “estimate,” “expect,” “forecast,” “future,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “potential,” “predict,” "scheduled," “should,” “will,” “would,” and similar expressions, as well as statements in future tense, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These statements are based on management's current expectations as of the date of this release and are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions, and other factors that may cause the actual results and performance to be materially different from any future results or performance expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: risks related to the ability to successfully maintain and increase allocated volumes of student loans serviced by the company under existing and future servicing contracts with the Department and risks related to the company's ability to comply with agreements with third-party customers for the servicing of Federal Direct Loan Program, FFEL Program, private education, and consumer loans; loan portfolio risks such as interest rate basis and repricing risk, the risk of loss of floor income on certain student loans originated



under the FFEL Program, risks related to the use of derivatives to manage exposure to interest rate fluctuations, uncertainties regarding the expected benefits from purchased securitized and unsecuritized FFEL Program, private education, consumer, and other loans, or investment interests therein, and initiatives to purchase additional FFEL Program, private education, consumer, and other loans, and risks from changes in levels of loan prepayment or default rates; financing and liquidity risks, including risks of changes in the interest rate environment; risks from changes in the terms of education loans and in the educational credit and services markets resulting from changes in applicable laws, regulations, and government programs and budgets; risks related to a breach of or failure in the company's operational or information systems or infrastructure, or those of third-party vendors, including disclosure of confidential or personal information and/or damage to reputation resulting from cyber-breaches; uncertainties inherent in forecasting future cash flows from student loan assets and related asset-backed securitizations; risks and uncertainties of the expected benefits from the November 2020 launch of Nelnet Bank operations, including the ability to successfully conduct banking operations and achieve expected market penetration; risks related to the expected benefits to the company from its continuing investment in ALLO, and risks related to investments in solar projects, including risks of not being able to realize tax credits which remain subject to recapture by taxing authorities; risks and uncertainties related to other initiatives to pursue additional strategic investments (and anticipated income therefrom), acquisitions, and other activities, including activities that are intended to diversify the company both within and outside of its historical core education-related businesses; risks and uncertainties associated with climate change; risks from changes in economic conditions and consumer behavior; risks related to the company's ability to adapt to technological change; risks related to the exclusive forum provisions in the company's articles of incorporation; risks related to the company's executive chairman's ability to control matters related to the company through voting rights; risks related to related party transactions; concerns about the downgrade of the U.S. credit rating; risks related to natural disasters, terrorist activities, or international hostilities; and risks and uncertainties associated with litigation matters and with maintaining compliance with the extensive regulatory requirements applicable to the company's businesses.
For more information, see the "Risk Factors" sections and other cautionary discussions of risks and uncertainties included in documents filed or furnished by the company with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All forward-looking statements in this release are as of the date of this release. Although the company may voluntarily update or revise its forward-looking statements from time to time to reflect actual results or changes in the company's expectations, the company disclaims any commitment to do so except as required by law.
Non-GAAP Performance Measures
The company prepares its financial statements and presents its financial results in accordance with U.S. GAAP. However, it also provides additional non-GAAP financial information related to specific items management believes to be important in the evaluation of its operating results and performance. Reconciliations of GAAP to non-GAAP financial information, and a discussion of why the company believes providing this additional information is useful to investors, is provided in the "Non-GAAP Disclosures" section below.




Consolidated Statements of Income
(Dollars in thousands, except share data)
(unaudited)
Three months endedSix months ended
June 30, 2023March 31, 2023June 30, 2022June 30, 2023June 30, 2022
Interest income:
Loan interest$243,045 225,243 134,706 468,288 246,083 
Investment interest40,982 40,725 16,881 81,707 30,700 
Total interest income284,027 265,968 151,587 549,995 276,783 
Interest expense on bonds and notes payable and bank deposits233,148 199,449 73,642 432,597 121,721 
Net interest income50,879 66,519 77,945 117,398 155,062 
Less provision for loan losses9,592 34,275 9,409 43,867 8,974 
Net interest income after provision for loan losses41,287 32,244 68,536 73,531 146,088 
Other income (expense):
Loan servicing and systems revenue122,020 139,227 124,873 261,247 261,241 
Education technology, services, and payment processing revenue109,858 133,603 91,031 243,462 203,317 
Solar construction revenue4,735 8,651 — 13,386 — 
Other, net(7,011)(14,071)12,647 (21,083)22,524 
Gain on sale of loans, net15,511 11,812 — 27,323 2,989 
Impairment expense— — (6,284)— (6,284)
Derivative market value adjustments and derivative settlements, net2,070 (14,074)45,024 (12,005)187,949 
Total other income (expense), net247,183 265,148 267,291 512,330 671,736 
Cost of services:
Cost to provide education technology, services, and payment processing services40,407 47,704 30,852 88,110 66,397 
Cost to provide solar construction services9,122 8,299 — 17,422 — 
Total cost of services49,529 56,003 30,852 105,532 66,397 
Operating expenses:
Salaries and benefits144,706 152,710 141,398 297,416 290,813 
Depreciation and amortization18,652 16,627 18,250 35,279 35,206 
Other expenses45,997 40,785 36,940 86,781 76,439 
Total operating expenses209,355 210,122 196,588 419,476 402,458 
Income before income taxes29,586 31,267 108,387 60,853 348,969 
Income tax expense(10,491)(8,250)(25,483)(18,741)(81,180)
Net income19,095 23,017 82,904 42,112 267,789 
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests9,172 3,470 2,225 12,642 3,987 
Net income attributable to Nelnet, Inc.$28,267 26,487 85,129 54,754 271,776 
Earnings per common share:
Net income attributable to Nelnet, Inc. shareholders - basic and diluted$0.75 0.71 2.26 1.46 7.18 
Weighted average common shares outstanding - basic and diluted37,468,397 37,344,604 37,710,214 37,406,843 37,875,108 




Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets
(Dollars in thousands)
(unaudited)
As ofAs ofAs of
June 30, 2023December 31, 2022June 30, 2022
Assets:
Loans and accrued interest receivable, net$14,360,612 15,243,889 16,916,344 
Cash, cash equivalents, and investments2,128,075 2,230,063 2,116,949 
Restricted cash692,256 1,239,470 1,045,543 
Goodwill and intangible assets, net234,195 240,403 219,203 
Other assets392,494 420,219 325,974 
Total assets$17,807,632 19,374,044 20,624,013 
Liabilities:
Bonds and notes payable$13,070,140 14,637,195 16,115,269 
Bank deposits731,046 691,322 588,474 
Other liabilities758,932 845,625 829,125 
Total liabilities14,560,118 16,174,142 17,532,868 
Equity:
Total Nelnet, Inc. shareholders' equity3,259,279 3,198,959 3,097,382 
Noncontrolling interests(11,765)943 (6,237)
Total equity3,247,514 3,199,902 3,091,145 
Total liabilities and equity$17,807,632 19,374,044 20,624,013 
Contacts:
Media, Ben Kiser, 402.458.3024, or Investors, Phil Morgan, 402.458.3038, both of Nelnet, Inc.




Non-GAAP Disclosures
(Dollars in thousands, except share data)
(unaudited)
Non-GAAP financial measures disclosed by management are meant to provide additional information and insight relative to business trends to investors and, in certain cases, to present financial information as measured by rating agencies and other users of financial information. These measures are not in accordance with, or a substitute for, GAAP and may be different from, or inconsistent with, non-GAAP financial measures used by other companies. The company reports this non-GAAP information because the company believes that it provides additional information regarding operational and performance indicators that are closely assessed by management. There is no comprehensive, authoritative guidance for the presentation of such non-GAAP information, which is only meant to supplement GAAP results by providing additional information that management utilizes to assess performance.
Net income, excluding derivative market value adjustments
Three months ended June 30,
20232022
GAAP net income attributable to Nelnet, Inc.$28,267 85,129 
Realized and unrealized derivative market value adjustments (a)(2,005)(40,401)
Tax effect (b)481 9,696 
Non-GAAP net income attributable to Nelnet, Inc., excluding derivative market value adjustments $26,743 54,424 
Earnings per share:
GAAP net income attributable to Nelnet, Inc.$0.75 2.26 
Realized and unrealized derivative market value adjustments (a)(0.05)(1.07)
Tax effect (b)0.01 0.25 
Non-GAAP net income attributable to Nelnet, Inc., excluding derivative market value adjustments $0.71 1.44 

(a)    "Derivative market value adjustments" includes both the realized portion of gains and losses (corresponding to variation margin received or paid on derivative instruments that are settled daily at a central clearinghouse) and the unrealized portion of gains and losses that are caused by changes in fair values of derivatives which do not qualify for "hedge treatment" under GAAP. "Derivative market value adjustments" does not include "derivative settlements" that represent the cash paid or received during the current period to settle with derivative instrument counterparties the economic effect of the company's derivative instruments based on their contractual terms.
The accounting for derivatives requires that changes in the fair value of derivative instruments be recognized currently in earnings, with no fair value adjustment of the hedged item, unless specific hedge accounting criteria is met. Management has structured all of the company’s derivative transactions with the intent that each is economically effective; however, the company’s derivative instruments do not qualify for hedge accounting. As a result, the change in fair value of derivative instruments is reported in current period earnings with no consideration for the corresponding change in fair value of the hedged item. Under GAAP, the cumulative net realized and unrealized gain or loss caused by changes in fair values of derivatives in which the company plans to hold to maturity will equal zero over the life of the contract. However, the net realized and unrealized gain or loss during any given reporting period fluctuates significantly from period to period.
The company believes these point-in-time estimates of asset and liability values related to its derivative instruments that are subject to interest rate fluctuations are subject to volatility mostly due to timing and market factors beyond the control of management, and affect the period-to-period comparability of the results of operations. Accordingly, the company’s management utilizes operating results excluding these items for comparability purposes when making decisions regarding the company’s performance and in presentations with credit rating agencies, lenders, and investors.
(b)    The tax effects are calculated by multiplying the realized and unrealized derivative market value adjustments by the applicable statutory income tax rate.




Core loan spread
The following table analyzes the loan spread on AGM’s portfolio of loans, which represents the spread between the yield earned on loan assets and the costs of the liabilities and derivative instruments used to fund the assets. The spread amounts included in the following table are calculated by using the notional dollar values found in the "Net interest income, net of settlements on derivatives" table on the following page, divided by the average balance of loans or debt outstanding.
 Three months ended June 30,
20232022
Variable loan yield, gross7.73 %3.59 %
Consolidation rebate fees(0.80)(0.85)
Discount accretion, net of premium and deferred origination costs amortization0.06 0.03 
Variable loan yield, net6.99 2.77 
Loan cost of funds - interest expense (a)(5.94)(1.73)
Loan cost of funds - derivative settlements (b) (c)(0.00 )0.02 
Variable loan spread1.05 1.06 
Fixed rate floor income, gross0.01 0.46 
Fixed rate floor income - derivative settlements (b) (d)0.00 0.09 
Fixed rate floor income, net of settlements on derivatives0.01 0.55 
Core loan spread1.06 %1.61 %
Average balance of AGM's loans$13,616,889 16,437,861 
Average balance of AGM's debt outstanding13,011,224 15,923,648 
(a)    In the second quarter of 2023, the company redeemed certain asset-backed debt securities prior to their maturity, resulting in the recognition of $25.9 million in interest expense from the write-off of the remaining unamortized debt discount associated with these bonds at the time of redemption. This expense was excluded from the table above.
(b)    Derivative settlements represent the cash paid or received during the current period to settle with derivative instrument counterparties the economic effect of the company's derivative instruments based on their contractual terms. Derivative accounting requires that net settlements with respect to derivatives that do not qualify for "hedge treatment" under GAAP be recorded in a separate income statement line item below net interest income. The company maintains an overall risk management strategy that incorporates the use of derivative instruments to reduce the economic effect of interest rate volatility. As such, management believes derivative settlements for each applicable period should be evaluated with the company’s net interest income (loan spread) as presented in this table.
A reconciliation of core loan spread, which includes the impact of derivative settlements on loan spread, to loan spread without derivative settlements follows.
Three months ended June 30,
20232022
Core loan spread1.06 %1.61 %
Derivative settlements (1:3 basis swaps)0.00 (0.02)
Derivative settlements (fixed rate floor income)(0.00 )(0.09)
Loan spread1.06 %1.50 %
(c)    Derivative settlements consist of net settlements (paid) received related to the company’s 1:3 basis swaps.
(d)    Derivative settlements consist of net settlements received related to the company’s floor income interest rate swaps.




Net interest income, net of settlements on derivatives
The following table summarizes the components of "net interest income" and "derivative settlements, net" from the AGM segment statements of income.
 Three months ended June 30,
 20232022
Variable interest income, gross$262,771 146,911 
Consolidation rebate fees(27,211)(34,952)
Discount accretion, net of premium and deferred origination costs amortization1,890 1,474 
Variable interest income, net237,450 113,433 
Interest on bonds and notes payable (218,602)(68,616)
Derivative settlements (basis swaps), net (a)(65)931 
Variable loan interest margin, net of settlements on derivatives (a)18,783 45,748 
Fixed rate floor income, gross456 18,292 
Derivative settlements (interest rate swaps), net (a)47 3,692 
Fixed rate floor income, net of settlements on derivatives (a)503 21,984 
Core loan interest income (a)19,286 67,732 
Investment interest15,857 8,671 
Intercompany interest(13,711)(1,092)
Net interest income (net of settlements on derivatives) (a)$21,432 75,311 
(a)    Core loan interest income and net interest income (net of settlements on derivatives) are non-GAAP financial measures. For an explanation of GAAP accounting for derivative settlements and the reasons why the company reports these non-GAAP measures, see footnote (b) to the table immediately under the caption "Core loan spread" above.
A reconciliation of net interest income (net of settlements on derivatives) to net interest income for the company's AGM segment follows.
Three months ended June 30,
20232022
Net interest income (net of settlements on derivatives)$21,432 75,311 
Derivative settlements (1:3 basis swaps)65 (931)
Derivative settlements (fixed rate floor income)(47)(3,692)
Net interest income$21,450 70,688 


For Release: August 7, 2023
Investor Contact: Phil Morgan, 402.458.3038
Nelnet, Inc. supplemental financial information for the second quarter 2023
(All dollars are in thousands, except per share amounts, unless otherwise noted)
The following information should be read in connection with Nelnet, Inc.'s (the “Company's”) press release for second quarter 2023 earnings, dated August 7, 2023, and the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2023 (the "Q2 2023 10-Q Quarterly Report").
Forward-looking and cautionary statements
This report contains forward-looking statements and information that are based on management's current expectations as of the date of this document. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about the Company's plans and expectations for future financial condition, results of operations or economic performance, or that address management's plans and objectives for future operations, and statements that assume or are dependent upon future events, are forward-looking statements. The words “anticipate,” “assume,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “ensure,” “estimate,” “expect,” “forecast,” “future,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “potential,” “predict,” “scheduled,” “should,” “will,” “would,” and similar expressions, as well as statements in future tense, are intended to identify forward-looking statements.
The forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and analyses made by management in light of management's experience and its perception of historical trends, current conditions, expected future developments, and other factors that management believes are appropriate under the circumstances. These statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions, and other factors that may cause the actual results and performance to be materially different from any future results or performance expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These factors include, among others, the risks and uncertainties set forth in the “Risk Factors” section of the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022 (the "2022 Annual Report"), and include such risks and uncertainties as:
risks related to the ability to successfully maintain and increase allocated volumes of student loans serviced by the Company under existing and future servicing contracts with the U.S. Department of Education (the "Department") and risks related to the Company's ability to comply with agreements with third-party customers for the servicing of Federal Direct Loan Program, Federal Family Education Loan Program (the "FFEL Program" or FFELP), private education, and consumer loans;
loan portfolio risks such as interest rate basis and repricing risk, the risk of loss of floor income on certain student loans originated under the FFEL Program, risks related to the use of derivatives to manage exposure to interest rate fluctuations, uncertainties regarding the expected benefits from purchased securitized and unsecuritized FFELP, private education, consumer, and other loans, or investment interests therein, and initiatives to purchase additional FFELP, private education, consumer, and other loans, and risks from changes in levels of loan prepayment or default rates;
financing and liquidity risks, including risks of changes in the interest rate environment;
risks from changes in the terms of education loans and in the educational credit and services markets resulting from changes in applicable laws, regulations, and government programs and budgets;
risks related to a breach of or failure in the Company's operational or information systems or infrastructure, or those of third-party vendors;
uncertainties inherent in forecasting future cash flows from student loan assets and related asset-backed securitizations;
risks and uncertainties of the expected benefits from the November 2020 launch of Nelnet Bank operations, including the ability to successfully conduct banking operations and achieve expected market penetration;
risks related to the expected benefits to the Company from its continuing investment in ALLO Holdings, LLC (referred to collectively with its subsidiary ALLO Communications LLC as "ALLO"), and risks related to investments in solar projects, including risks of not being able to realize tax credits which remain subject to recapture by taxing authorities;
risks and uncertainties related to other initiatives to pursue additional strategic investments (and anticipated income therefrom), acquisitions, and other activities, including activities that are intended to diversify the Company both within and outside of its historical core education-related businesses;
risks and uncertainties associated with climate change; and
risks and uncertainties associated with litigation matters and with maintaining compliance with the extensive regulatory requirements applicable to the Company's businesses.
All forward-looking statements contained in this supplement are qualified by these cautionary statements and are made only as of the date of this document. Although the Company may from time to time voluntarily update or revise its prior forward-looking statements to reflect actual results or changes in the Company's expectations, the Company disclaims any commitment to do so except as required by law.
1


Consolidated Statements of Income
(Dollars in thousands, except share data)
(unaudited)
Three months ended Six months ended
June 30, 2023March 31, 2023June 30, 2022June 30, 2023June 30, 2022
Interest income:
Loan interest$243,045 225,243 134,706 468,288 246,083 
Investment interest40,982 40,725 16,881 81,707 30,700 
Total interest income284,027 265,968 151,587 549,995 276,783 
Interest expense on bonds and notes payable and bank deposits233,148 199,449 73,642 432,597 121,721 
Net interest income50,879 66,519 77,945 117,398 155,062 
Less provision for loan losses9,592 34,275 9,409 43,867 8,974 
Net interest income after provision for loan losses41,287 32,244 68,536 73,531 146,088 
Other income (expense):
Loan servicing and systems revenue122,020 139,227 124,873 261,247 261,241 
Education technology, services, and payment processing revenue109,858 133,603 91,031 243,462 203,317 
Solar construction revenue4,735 8,651 — 13,386 — 
Other, net(7,011)(14,071)12,647 (21,083)22,524 
Gain on sale of loans, net15,511 11,812 — 27,323 2,989 
Impairment expense— — (6,284)— (6,284)
Derivative settlements, net65 23,337 4,623 23,402 1,814 
Derivative market value adjustments, net2,005 (37,411)40,401 (35,407)186,135 
Total other income (expense), net247,183 265,148 267,291 512,330 671,736 
Cost of services:
Cost to provide education technology, services, and payment processing services40,407 47,704 30,852 88,110 66,397 
Cost to provide solar construction services9,122 8,299 — 17,422 — 
Total cost of services49,529 56,003 30,852 105,532 66,397 
Operating expenses:
Salaries and benefits144,706 152,710 141,398 297,416 290,813 
Depreciation and amortization18,652 16,627 18,250 35,279 35,206 
Other expenses45,997 40,785 36,940 86,781 76,439 
Total operating expenses209,355 210,122 196,588 419,476 402,458 
Income before income taxes29,586 31,267 108,387 60,853 348,969 
Income tax expense(10,491)(8,250)(25,483)(18,741)(81,180)
Net income19,095 23,017 82,904 42,112 267,789 
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests9,172 3,470 2,225 12,642 3,987 
Net income attributable to Nelnet, Inc.$28,267 26,487 85,129 54,754 271,776 
Earnings per common share:
Net income attributable to Nelnet, Inc. shareholders - basic and diluted$0.75 0.71 2.26 1.46 7.18 
Weighted average common shares outstanding - basic and diluted37,468,397 37,344,604 37,710,214 37,406,843 37,875,108 

2


Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets
(Dollars in thousands)
(unaudited)
As ofAs ofAs of
June 30, 2023December 31, 2022June 30, 2022
Assets:
Loans and accrued interest receivable, net$14,360,612 15,243,889 16,916,344 
Cash, cash equivalents, and investments2,128,075 2,230,063 2,116,949 
Restricted cash692,256 1,239,470 1,045,543 
Goodwill and intangible assets, net234,195 240,403 219,203 
Other assets392,494 420,219 325,974 
Total assets$17,807,632 19,374,044 20,624,013 
Liabilities:
Bonds and notes payable$13,070,140 14,637,195 16,115,269 
Bank deposits731,046 691,322 588,474 
Other liabilities758,932 845,625 829,125 
Total liabilities14,560,118 16,174,142 17,532,868 
Equity:
Total Nelnet, Inc. shareholders' equity3,259,279 3,198,959 3,097,382 
Noncontrolling interests(11,765)943 (6,237)
Total equity3,247,514 3,199,902 3,091,145 
Total liabilities and equity$17,807,632 19,374,044 20,624,013 

3


Overview
The Company is a diverse, innovative company with a purpose to serve others and a vision to make dreams possible. The largest operating businesses engage in loan servicing and education technology, services, and payment processing, and the Company also has a significant investment in communications. A significant portion of the Company's revenue is net interest income earned on a portfolio of federally insured student loans. The Company also makes investments to further diversify both within and outside of its historical core education-related businesses including, but not limited to, investments in early-stage and emerging growth companies, real estate, and renewable energy (solar). The Company is also actively expanding its private education, consumer, and other loan portfolios, and in November 2020 launched Nelnet Bank.
GAAP Net Income and Non-GAAP Net Income, Excluding Adjustments
The Company prepares its financial statements and presents its financial results in accordance with GAAP. However, it also provides additional non-GAAP financial information related to specific items management believes to be important in the evaluation of its operating results and performance. A reconciliation of the Company's GAAP net income to Non-GAAP net income, excluding derivative market value adjustments, and a discussion of why the Company believes providing this additional information is useful to investors, is provided below.
Three months endedSix months ended
June 30, 2023March 31, 2023June 30, 2022June 30, 2023June 30, 2022
GAAP net income attributable to Nelnet, Inc.$28,267 26,487 85,129 54,754 271,776 
Realized and unrealized derivative market value adjustments(2,005)37,411 (40,401)35,407 (186,135)
Tax effect (a)481 (8,979)9,696 (8,498)44,672 
Non-GAAP net income attributable to Nelnet, Inc., excluding derivative market value adjustments (b)$26,743 54,919 54,424 81,663 130,313 
Earnings per share:
GAAP net income attributable to Nelnet, Inc.$0.75 0.71 2.26 1.46 7.18 
Realized and unrealized derivative market value adjustments(0.05)1.00 (1.07)0.95 (4.91)
Tax effect (a)0.01 (0.24)0.25 (0.23)1.17 
Non-GAAP net income attributable to Nelnet, Inc., excluding derivative market value adjustments (b)$0.71 1.47 1.44 2.18 3.44 

(a) The tax effects are calculated by multiplying the realized and unrealized derivative market value adjustments by the applicable statutory income tax rate.
(b) "Derivative market value adjustments" includes both the realized portion of gains and losses (corresponding to variation margin received or paid on derivative instruments that are settled daily at a central clearinghouse) and the unrealized portion of gains and losses that are caused by changes in fair values of derivatives which do not qualify for "hedge treatment" under GAAP. "Derivative market value adjustments" does not include "derivative settlements" that represent the cash paid or received during the current period to settle with derivative instrument counterparties the economic effect of the Company's derivative instruments based on their contractual terms.
The accounting for derivatives requires that changes in the fair value of derivative instruments be recognized currently in earnings, with no fair value adjustment of the hedged item, unless specific hedge accounting criteria is met. Management has structured all of the Company’s derivative transactions with the intent that each is economically effective; however, the Company’s derivative instruments do not qualify for hedge accounting in the consolidated financial statements. As a result, the change in fair value of derivative instruments is reported in current period earnings with no consideration for the corresponding change in fair value of the hedged item. Under GAAP, the cumulative net realized and unrealized gain or loss caused by changes in fair values of derivatives in which the Company plans to hold to maturity will equal zero over the life of the contract. However, the net realized and unrealized gain or loss during any given reporting period fluctuates significantly from period to period.
The Company believes these point-in-time estimates of asset and liability values related to its derivative instruments that are subject to interest rate fluctuations are subject to volatility mostly due to timing and market factors beyond the control of management, and affect the period-to-period comparability of the results of operations. Accordingly, the Company’s management utilizes operating results excluding these items for comparability purposes when making decisions regarding the Company’s performance and in presentations with credit rating agencies, lenders, and investors. Consequently, the Company reports this non-GAAP information because the Company believes that it provides additional information regarding operational and performance indicators that are closely assessed by management. There is no comprehensive, authoritative guidance for the presentation of such non-GAAP information, which is only meant to supplement GAAP results by providing additional information that management utilizes to assess performance.

4


Operating Segments
The Company's reportable operating segments are described in note 1 of the notes to consolidated financial statements included in the 2022 Annual Report. They include:
Loan Servicing and Systems (LSS) - referred to as Nelnet Diversified Services (NDS)
Education Technology, Services, and Payment Processing (ETS&PP) - referred to as Nelnet Business Services (NBS)
Asset Generation and Management (AGM)
Nelnet Bank
The Company earns fee-based revenue through its NDS and NBS reportable operating segments. The Company earns net interest income on its loan portfolio, consisting primarily of FFELP loans, in its AGM reportable operating segment. This segment is expected to generate significant amounts of cash as the FFELP portfolio amortizes. The Company actively works to maximize the amount and timing of cash flows generated from its FFELP portfolio and seeks to acquire additional loan assets to leverage its servicing scale and expertise to generate incremental earnings and cash flow. Nelnet Bank operates as an internet industrial bank franchise focused on the private education and unsecured consumer loan markets, with a home office in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Other business activities and operating segments that are not reportable are combined and included in Corporate and Other Activities ("Corporate"). Corporate also includes income earned on the majority of the Company’s investments, interest expense incurred on unsecured and other corporate related debt transactions, and certain shared service activities related to internal audit, human resources, accounting, legal, enterprise risk management, information technology, occupancy, and marketing. These shared services are allocated to each operating segment based on estimated use of such activities and services. In addition, Corporate includes corporate costs and overhead functions not allocated to operating segments, including executive management, investments in innovation, and other holding company organizational costs.
The information below presents the operating results (net income (loss) before taxes) for each reportable operating segment and Corporate and Other Activities for the three and six months ended June 30, 2023 and 2022.
Three months ended June 30,Six months ended June 30,Certain Items Impacting Comparability
(All dollar amounts below are pre-tax)
2023202220232022
NDS$17,028 13,488 42,246 25,580 
An increase in before tax operating margin in 2023 compared with 2022 due to a decrease in operating expenses, primarily salaries and benefits. In 2022, the Company was fully staffed in preparation for the resumption of federal student loan payments once the CARES Act suspension was to expire. The expiration of the CARES Act was extended multiple times throughout 2022. The Company reduced staff in the first and second quarters of 2023 to manage expenses due to the delays in the government's student debt relief and return to repayment programs and lower pricing and reduced servicing volume for the Company's Department servicing contracts.
NBS18,042 14,687 55,681 47,800 
The recognition of $5.3 million and $11.3 million of interest income for the three and six months ended June 30, 2023, respectively, compared with $0.9 million and $1.2 million for the same periods in 2022, due to higher interest rates.
A decrease in before tax operating margin, excluding net interest income, in 2023 compared with 2022 due to additional investments in the development of new services and technologies and superior customer experiences to align with the Company's strategies to grow, retain, and diversify revenue. Additionally, the Company has had significant growth in FACTS Education Solutions instructional services revenue which has a lower before tax operating margin compared to the rest of the Company's services.
5


AGM17,704 99,348 17,482 312,777 
A net gain of $0.9 million and net loss of $36.5 million related to changes in the fair values of derivative instruments that do not qualify for hedge accounting for the three and six months ended June 30, 2023, respectively, compared with a net gain of $40.4 million and $186.1 million for the same periods in 2022.
The recognition of a $25.9 million non-cash expense in the second quarter of 2023 as the result of redeeming certain asset-backed debt securities prior to their maturity and writing off the remaining unamortized debt discount at the time of redemption.
A decrease of $18.7 million and $15.2 million in net interest income due to a decrease in core loan spread for the three and six months ended June 30, 2023, respectively, compared with the same periods in 2022.
A decrease of $7.5 million and $19.8 million in net interest income due to the decrease in the average balance of loans for the three and six months ended June 30, 2023, respectively, compared with the same periods in 2022.
The recognition of $15.5 million and $27.3 million in gains from the sale of loans for the three and six months ended June 30, 2023, respectively, compared with no gains and $3.0 million for the same periods in 2022.
The recognition of $8.1 million and $40.0 million in provision for loan losses for the three and six months ended June 30, 2023, respectively, compared with $8.8 million and $8.0 million for the same periods in 2022.
Nelnet Bank1,744 474 1,650 1,434 
Corporate(24,928)(19,609)(56,203)(38,623)
An increase of $14.5 million and $20.9 million in net interest income from the Company's cash and investment (bond) portfolio due to an increase in interest rates for the three and six months ended June 30, 2023, respectively, compared with the same periods in 2022.
The recognition of net investment losses of $1.6 million and $4.8 million for the three and six months ended June 30, 2023, respectively, compared with net investment income of $18.3 million and $26.7 million for the same periods in 2022. In the second quarter or 2022, the Company recognized a $15.2 million gain as a result of the revaluation of the Company's previously held 50% ownership interest in NGWeb Solutions, LLC ("NextGen") (previously accounted for under the equity method) as a result of the Company purchasing an additional 30% ownership interests.
The recognition of a net loss of $12.2 million and $32.4 million related to the Company’s equity investment in ALLO for the three and six months ended June 30, 2023, respectively, compared with a net loss of $16.9 million and $30.1 million for the same periods in 2022.
The recognition of $8.2 million and $11.3 million of losses for the three and six months ended June 30, 2023, respectively, from the Company's acquisition of GRNE Solar on July 1, 2022.
The recognition of an impairment charge of $6.3 million in the second quarter of 2022 related primarily to a venture capital investment.
Income before income taxes29,586 108,387 60,853 348,969 
Income tax expense(10,491)(25,483)(18,741)(81,180)
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests9,172 2,225 12,642 3,987 
Net income$28,267 85,129 54,754 271,776 

6


Segment Reporting
The following tables present the results of each of the Company's reportable operating segments reconciled to the consolidated financial statements.
 Three months ended June 30, 2023
Loan Servicing and SystemsEducation Technology, Services, and Payment ProcessingAsset
Generation and
Management
Nelnet BankCorporate and Other ActivitiesEliminationsTotal
Total interest income$1,058 5,268 253,763 13,661 25,855 (15,578)284,027 
Interest expense— — 232,313 8,171 8,242 (15,578)233,148 
Net interest income1,058 5,268 21,450 5,490 17,613 — 50,879 
Less provision for loan losses— — 8,099 1,493 — — 9,592 
Net interest income after provision for loan losses1,058 5,268 13,351 3,997 17,613 — 41,287 
Other income (expense):
Loan servicing and systems revenue122,020 — — — — — 122,020 
Intersegment revenue7,246 65 — — — (7,311)— 
Education technology, services, and payment processing revenue— 109,858 — — — — 109,858 
Solar construction revenue— — — — 4,735 — 4,735 
Other, net605 — 1,319 620 (9,553)— (7,011)
Gain on sale of loans, net— — 15,511 — — — 15,511 
Impairment expense— — — — — — — 
Derivative settlements, net— — (18)83 — — 65 
Derivative market value adjustments, net— — 897 1,108 — — 2,005 
Total other income (expense), net129,871 109,923 17,709 1,811 (4,818)(7,311)247,183 
Cost of services:
Cost to provide education technology, services, and payment processing services— 40,407 — — — — 40,407 
Cost to provide solar construction services— — — — 9,122 — 9,122 
Total cost of services— 40,407 — — 9,122 — 49,529 
Operating expenses:
Salaries and benefits76,141 38,351 1,096 2,297 26,965 (145)144,706 
Depreciation and amortization4,863 2,815 — 51 10,923 — 18,652 
Other expenses13,818 9,692 4,115 1,624 16,747 — 45,997 
Intersegment expenses, net19,079 5,884 8,145 92 (26,034)(7,166)— 
Total operating expenses113,901 56,742 13,356 4,064 28,601 (7,311)209,355 
Income (loss) before income taxes17,028 18,042 17,704 1,744 (24,928)— 29,586 
Income tax (expense) benefit(4,086)(4,327)(4,249)(396)2,567 — (10,491)
Net income (loss)12,942 13,715 13,455 1,348 (22,361)— 19,095 
Net (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests— (19)— — 9,191 — 9,172 
Net income (loss) attributable to Nelnet, Inc.$12,942 13,696 13,455 1,348 (13,170)— 28,267 
7


Three months ended March 31, 2023
Loan Servicing and SystemsEducation Technology, Services, and Payment ProcessingAsset
Generation and
Management
Nelnet BankCorporate and Other ActivitiesEliminationsTotal
Total interest income$1,037 6,036 234,719 12,259 21,199 (9,282)265,968 
Interest expense— — 189,198 7,214 12,318 (9,282)199,449 
Net interest income1,037 6,036 45,521 5,045 8,881 — 66,519 
Less provision for loan losses— — 31,858 2,417 — — 34,275 
Net interest income after provision for loan losses1,037 6,036 13,663 2,628 8,881 — 32,244 
Other income (expense):
Loan servicing and systems revenue139,227 — — — — — 139,227 
Intersegment revenue7,790 56 — — — (7,846)— 
Education technology, services, and payment processing revenue— 133,603 — — — — 133,603 
Solar construction revenue— — — — 8,651 — 8,651 
Other, net608 — 2,845 210 (17,734)— (14,071)
Gain on sale of loans, net— — 11,812 — — — 11,812 
Impairment expense— — — — — — — 
Derivative settlements, net— — 23,337 — — — 23,337 
Derivative market value adjustments, net— — (37,411)— — — (37,411)
Total other income (expense), net147,625 133,659 583 210 (9,083)(7,846)265,148 
Cost of services:
Cost to provide education technology, services, and payment processing services— 47,704 — — — — 47,704 
Cost to provide solar construction services— — — — 8,299 — 8,299 
Total cost of services— 47,704 — — 8,299 — 56,003 
Operating expenses:
Salaries and benefits84,560 37,913 755 2,064 27,419 — 152,710 
Depreciation and amortization4,513 2,578 — 9,531 — 16,627 
Other expenses13,313 8,063 5,016 782 13,611 — 40,785 
Intersegment expenses, net21,057 5,800 8,696 80 (27,787)(7,846)— 
Total operating expenses123,443 54,354 14,467 2,931 22,774 (7,846)210,122 
Income (loss) before income taxes25,219 37,637 (221)(93)(31,275)— 31,267 
Income tax (expense) benefit(6,053)(9,066)53 35 6,781 — (8,250)
Net income (loss)19,166 28,571 (168)(58)(24,494)— 23,017 
Net (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests— 138 — — 3,332 — 3,470 
Net income (loss) attributable to Nelnet, Inc.$19,166 28,709 (168)(58)(21,162)— 26,487 



















8


 Three months ended June 30, 2022
Loan Servicing and SystemsEducation Technology, Services, and Payment ProcessingAsset
Generation and
Management
Nelnet BankCorporate and Other ActivitiesEliminationsTotal
Total interest income$246 874 140,396 5,212 6,235 (1,376)151,587 
Interest expense20 — 69,708 1,639 3,652 (1,376)73,642 
Net interest income226 874 70,688 3,573 2,583 — 77,945 
Less provision for loan losses— — 8,827 582 — — 9,409 
Net interest income after provision for loan losses226 874 61,861 2,991 2,583 — 68,536 
Other income (expense):
Loan servicing and systems revenue124,873 — — — — — 124,873 
Intersegment revenue8,381 — — — (8,388)— 
Education technology, services, and payment processing revenue— 91,031 — — — — 91,031 
Solar construction revenue— — — — — — — 
Other, net611 — 5,133 157 6,747 — 12,647 
Gain on sale of loans, net— — — — — — — 
Impairment expense— — — — (6,284)— (6,284)
Derivative settlements, net— — 4,623 — — — 4,623 
Derivative market value adjustments, net— — 40,401 — — — 40,401 
Total other income (expense), net133,865 91,038 50,157 157 463 (8,388)267,291 
Cost of services:
Cost to provide education technology, services, and payment processing services— 30,852 — — — — 30,852 
Cost to provide solar construction services— — — — — — — 
Total cost of services— 30,852 — — — — 30,852 
Operating expenses:
Salaries and benefits83,220 32,120 614 1,714 23,729 — 141,398 
Depreciation and amortization5,318 2,698 — 10,230 — 18,250 
Other expenses13,507 6,750 3,543 899 12,241 — 36,940 
Intersegment expenses, net18,558 4,805 8,513 57 (23,545)(8,388)— 
Total operating expenses120,603 46,373 12,670 2,674 22,655 (8,388)196,588 
Income (loss) before income taxes13,488 14,687 99,348 474 (19,609)— 108,387 
Income tax (expense) benefit(3,237)(3,525)(23,844)(106)5,228 — (25,483)
Net income (loss)10,251 11,162 75,504 368 (14,381)— 82,904 
Net (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests— 53 — — 2,172 — 2,225 
Net income (loss) attributable to Nelnet, Inc.$10,251 11,215 75,504 368 (12,209)— 85,129 





9


Six months ended June 30, 2023
Loan Servicing and SystemsEducation Technology, Services, and Payment ProcessingAsset
Generation and
Management
Nelnet BankCorporate and Other ActivitiesEliminationsTotal
Total interest income$2,095 11,304 488,482 25,920 47,054 (24,860)549,995 
Interest expense— — 421,511 15,385 20,560 (24,860)432,597 
Net interest income2,095 11,304 66,971 10,535 26,494 — 117,398 
Less provision for loan losses— — 39,957 3,910 — — 43,867 
Net interest income after provision for loan losses2,095 11,304 27,014 6,625 26,494 — 73,531 
Other income (expense):
Loan servicing and systems revenue261,247 — — — — — 261,247 
Intersegment revenue15,036 121 — — — (15,157)— 
Education technology, services, and payment processing revenue— 243,462 — — — — 243,462 
Solar construction revenue— — — — 13,386 — 13,386 
Other, net1,213 — 4,164 830 (27,287)— (21,083)
Gain on sale of loans, net— — 27,323 — — — 27,323 
Impairment expense— — — — — — — 
Derivative settlements, net— — 23,319 83 — — 23,402 
Derivative market value adjustments, net— — (36,515)1,108 — — (35,407)
Total other income (expense), net277,496 243,583 18,291 2,021 (13,901)(15,157)512,330 
Cost of services:
Cost to provide education technology, services, and payment processing services— 88,110 — — — — 88,110 
Cost to provide solar construction services— — — — 17,422 — 17,422 
Total cost of services— 88,110 — — 17,422 — 105,532 
Operating expenses:
Salaries and benefits160,701 76,264 1,851 4,361 54,384 (145)297,416 
Depreciation and amortization9,377 5,393 — 56 20,454 — 35,279 
Other expenses27,131 17,755 9,131 2,406 30,358 — 86,781 
Intersegment expenses, net40,136 11,684 16,841 173 (53,822)(15,012)— 
Total operating expenses237,345 111,096 27,823 6,996 51,374 (15,157)419,476 
Income (loss) before income taxes42,246 55,681 17,482 1,650 (56,203)— 60,853 
Income tax (expense) benefit(10,139)(13,393)(4,196)(362)9,348 — (18,741)
Net income (loss)32,107 42,288 13,286 1,288 (46,855)— 42,112 
Net (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests— 119 — — 12,523 — 12,642 
Net income (loss) attributable to Nelnet, Inc.$32,107 42,407 13,286 1,288 (34,332)— 54,754 

10


Six months ended June 30, 2022
Loan Servicing and SystemsEducation Technology, Services, and Payment ProcessingAsset
Generation and
Management
Nelnet BankCorporate and Other ActivitiesEliminationsTotal
Total interest income$313 1,213 258,994 8,241 10,227 (2,205)276,783 
Interest expense44 — 115,711 2,494 5,678 (2,205)121,721 
Net interest income269 1,213 143,283 5,747 4,549 — 155,062 
Less provision for loan losses— — 7,963 1,011 — — 8,974 
Net interest income after provision for loan losses269 1,213 135,320 4,736 4,549 — 146,088 
Other income (expense):
Loan servicing and systems revenue261,241 — — — — — 261,241 
Intersegment revenue16,860 10 — — — (16,870)— 
Education technology, services, and payment processing revenue— 203,317 — — — — 203,317 
Solar construction revenue— — — — — — — 
Other, net1,350 — 11,644 1,659 7,872 — 22,524 
Gain on sale of loans, net— — 2,989 — — — 2,989 
Impairment expense— — — — (6,284)— (6,284)
Derivative settlements, net— — 1,814 — — — 1,814 
Derivative market value adjustments, net— — 186,135 — — — 186,135 
Total other income (expense), net279,451 203,327 202,582 1,659 1,588 (16,870)671,736 
Cost of services:
Cost to provide education technology, services, and payment processing services— 66,397 — — — — 66,397 
Cost to provide solar construction services— — — — — — — 
Total cost of services— 66,397 — — — — 66,397 
Operating expenses:
Salaries and benefits175,192 63,406 1,205 3,268 47,742 — 290,813 
Depreciation and amortization10,272 5,013 — 19,914 — 35,206 
Other expenses29,721 12,514 6,576 1,584 26,045 — 76,439 
Intersegment expenses, net38,955 9,410 17,344 102 (48,941)(16,870)— 
Total operating expenses254,140 90,343 25,125 4,961 44,760 (16,870)402,458 
Income (loss) before income taxes25,580 47,800 312,777 1,434 (38,623)— 348,969 
Income tax (expense) benefit(6,139)(11,472)(75,066)(328)11,826 — (81,180)
Net income (loss)19,441 36,328 237,711 1,106 (26,797)— 267,789 
Net (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests— 53 — — 3,934 — 3,987 
Net income (loss) attributable to Nelnet, Inc.$19,441 36,381 237,711 1,106 (22,863)— 271,776 



11


Loan Servicing and Systems Revenue
The following table presents disaggregated revenue by service offering for the Loan Servicing and Systems operating segment.
Three months endedSix months ended
June 30, 2023March 31, 2023June 30, 2022June 30, 2023June 30, 2022
Government loan servicing$95,736 108,880 98,815 204,618 207,940 
Private education and consumer loan servicing12,063 12,164 12,122 24,225 24,995 
FFELP loan servicing3,554 3,368 4,011 6,921 8,259 
Software services5,962 9,697 7,907 15,660 15,308 
Outsourced services4,705 5,118 2,018 9,823 4,739 
Loan servicing and systems revenue$122,020 139,227 124,873 261,247 261,241 
Loan Servicing Volumes
As of
December 31,
2021
March 31,
2022
June 30,
2022
September 30,
2022
December 31,
2022
March 31,
2023
June 30,
2023
Servicing volume (dollars in millions):
Government$478,402 507,653 542,398 545,546 545,373 537,291 519,308 
FFELP26,916 25,646 24,224 22,412 20,226 19,815 19,021 
Private and consumer23,702 23,433 22,838 22,461 21,866 21,484 20,805 
Total$529,020 556,732 589,460 590,419 587,465 578,590 559,134 
Number of servicing borrowers:
Government14,196,520 14,727,860 15,426,607 15,657,942 15,777,328 15,518,751 14,898,901 
FFELP1,092,066 1,034,913 977,785 910,188 829,939 819,791 788,686 
Private and consumer1,065,439 1,030,863 998,454 979,816 951,866 925,861 899,095 
Total16,354,025 16,793,636 17,402,846 17,547,946 17,559,133 17,264,403 16,586,682 
Number of remote hosted borrowers:4,799,368 5,487,943 5,738,381 6,025,377 6,135,760 5,048,324 716,908 
Education Technology, Services, and Payment Processing
The following table presents disaggregated revenue by servicing offering for the Education Technology, Services, and Payment Processing operating segment.
Three months endedSix months ended
June 30, 2023March 31, 2023June 30, 2022June 30, 2023June 30, 2022
Tuition payment plan services$30,825 34,187 27,637 65,012 58,352 
Payment processing31,827 44,041 27,968 75,868 66,039 
Education technology and services46,216 54,787 34,956 101,004 78,207 
Other990 588 470 1,578 719 
Education technology, services, and payment processing revenue$109,858 133,603 91,031 243,462 203,317 
As discussed further in the Company's 2022 Annual Report, this segment of the Company’s business is subject to seasonal fluctuations which correspond, or are related to, the traditional school year. Based on the timing of revenue recognition and when expenses are incurred, revenue and before tax operating margin are higher in the first quarter compared with the remainder of the year.
12


Other Income (Expense)
The following table presents the components of "other, net" in "other income (expense)" on the consolidated statements of income:
 Three months endedSix months ended
 June 30, 2023March 31, 2023June 30, 2022June 30, 2023June 30, 2022
ALLO preferred return$2,274 2,249 2,140 4,523 4,257 
Borrower late fee income2,168 2,247 2,436 4,414 4,867 
Administration/sponsor fee income1,697 1,772 2,012 3,468 4,134 
Investment advisory services1,639 1,612 1,482 3,251 2,764 
Loss from ALLO voting membership interest investment(12,169)(20,213)(16,941)(32,382)(30,071)
Loss from solar investments(7,929)(1,947)(1,854)(9,876)(2,884)
Investment activity, net(3,574)(3,577)18,091 (7,154)29,924 
Other8,883 3,786 5,281 12,673 9,533 
Other, net$(7,011)(14,071)12,647 (21,083)22,524 
Derivative Settlements
The following table summarizes the components of "derivative settlements, net" included in the consolidated statements of income.
 Three months endedSix months ended
 June 30, 2023March 31, 2023June 30, 2022June 30, 2023June 30, 2022
1:3 basis swaps$(65)859 931 794 1,327 
Interest rate swaps - floor income hedges (a)47 22,478 3,692 22,525 487 
Interest rate swaps - Nelnet Bank83 — — 83 — 
Total derivative settlements - income$65 23,337 4,623 23,402 1,814 
(a)    On March 15, 2023, to minimize the Company's exposure to market volatility, the Company terminated its entire derivative portfolio hedging loans earning fixed rate floor income ($2.8 billion of notional amount of derivatives). Through March 15, 2023, the Company had received cash or had a receivable from its clearinghouse related to variation margin equal to the fair value of the $2.8 billion notional amount of derivatives used to hedge loans earning fixed rate floor income as of March 15, 2023 of $183.2 million, which included $19.1 million related to current period settlements. In June 2023, the Company entered into a derivative with a notional amount of $50.0 million to hedge a portion of loans remaining that earn fixed rate floor income.

13


Loans and Accrued Interest Receivable and Allowance for Loan Losses
Loans and accrued interest receivable and allowance for loan losses consisted of the following:
As ofAs ofAs of
 June 30, 2023December 31, 2022June 30, 2022
Non-Nelnet Bank:
Federally insured loans:
Stafford and other$3,245,540 3,389,178 3,548,901 
Consolidation9,574,202 10,177,295 11,880,710 
Total12,819,742 13,566,473 15,429,611 
Private education loans230,056 252,383 272,943 
Consumer and other loans189,327 350,915 152,583 
Non-Nelnet Bank loans13,239,125 14,169,771 15,855,137 
Nelnet Bank:
Federally insured loans61,501 65,913 77,428 
Private education loans352,319 353,882 346,125 
Consumer and other loans30,668 — — 
Nelnet Bank loans444,488 419,795 423,553 
Accrued interest receivable818,709 816,864 780,691 
Loan discount, net of unamortized loan premiums and deferred origination costs(27,447)(30,714)(22,613)
Allowance for loan losses:
Non-Nelnet Bank:
Federally insured loans(74,061)(83,593)(92,593)
Private education loans(14,322)(15,411)(15,253)
Consumer and other loans(20,005)(30,263)(10,576)
Non-Nelnet Bank allowance for loan losses(108,388)(129,267)(118,422)
Nelnet Bank:
Federally insured loans(154)(170)(258)
Private education loans(2,905)(2,390)(1,744)
Consumer and other loans(2,816)— — 
Nelnet Bank allowance for loan losses(5,875)(2,560)(2,002)
Loans and accrued interest receivable, net$14,360,612 15,243,889 16,916,344 
The following table summarizes the allowance for loan losses as a percentage of the ending loan balance for each of the Company's loan portfolios.
As ofAs ofAs of
June 30, 2023December 31, 2022June 30, 2022
Non-Nelnet Bank:
Federally insured loans (a)0.58 %0.62 %0.60 %
Private education loans6.23 %6.11 %5.59 %
Consumer and other loans10.57 %8.62 %6.93 %
Nelnet Bank:
Federally insured loans (a)0.25 %0.26 %0.33 %
Private education loans0.82 %0.68 %0.50 %
Consumer and other loans9.18 %— — 
(a)    As of June 30, 2023, December 31, 2022, and June 30, 2022, the allowance for loan losses as a percent of the risk sharing component of federally insured student loans not covered by the federal guaranty for non-Nelnet Bank was 21.7%, 22.4%, and 21.8%, respectively, and for Nelnet Bank was 10.0%, 10.3%, and 13.2%, respectively.
14


Loan Activity
The following table sets forth the activity of the Company's loan portfolios:
 Three months endedSix months ended
 June 30, 2023March 31, 2023June 30, 2022June 30, 2023June 30, 2022
Non-Nelnet Bank:
Beginning balance$13,482,620 14,169,771 16,618,627 14,169,771 17,441,790 
Loan acquisitions:
Federally insured student loans512,611 2,980 43,747 515,591 53,949 
Private education loans— — 6,484 — 7,510 
Consumer and other loans59,972 250,706 118,012 310,678 136,534 
Total loan acquisitions572,583 253,686 168,243 826,269 197,993 
Repayments, claims, capitalized interest, participations, and other, net(443,068)(410,239)(478,461)(853,307)(925,601)
Loans lost to external parties(214,734)(268,696)(453,158)(483,430)(840,806)
Loans sold(158,276)(261,902)(114)(420,178)(18,239)
Ending balance$13,239,125 13,482,620 15,855,137 13,239,125 15,855,137 
Nelnet Bank:
Beginning balance$439,007 419,795 368,257 419,795 257,901 
Loan originations:
Private education loans7,359 14,226 75,204 21,585 205,546 
Consumer and other loans13,168 19,632 — 32,800 — 
Total loan originations20,527 33,858 75,204 54,385 205,546 
Repayments(15,046)(14,529)(17,373)(29,575)(35,767)
Loans sold to AGM— (117)(2,535)(117)(4,127)
Ending balance$444,488 439,007 423,553 444,488 423,553 
The Company has partial ownership in certain consumer, private education, and federally insured student loan securitizations that are accounted for as held-to-maturity beneficial interest investments and included in "investments and notes receivable" in the Company's consolidated financial statements. As of the latest remittance reports filed by the various trusts prior to or as of June 30, 2023, the Company’s ownership correlates to approximately $680 million, $560 million, and $360 million of consumer, private education, and federally insured student loans, respectively, included in these securitizations. The loans held in these securitizations are not included in the above table.

15


Loan Spread Analysis
The following table analyzes the loan spread on AGM’s portfolio of loans, which represents the spread between the yield earned on loan assets and the costs of the liabilities and derivative instruments used to fund the assets.
Three months endedSix months ended
 June 30, 2023March 31, 2023June 30, 2022June 30, 2023June 30, 2022
Variable loan yield, gross7.73 %7.12 %3.59 %7.42 %3.16 %
Consolidation rebate fees(0.80)(0.81)(0.85)(0.81)(0.85)
Discount accretion, net of premium and deferred origination costs amortization0.06 0.05 0.03 0.05 0.03 
Variable loan yield, net6.99 6.36 2.77 6.66 2.34 
Loan cost of funds - interest expense (a)(5.94)(5.53)(1.73)(5.73)(1.41)
Loan cost of funds - derivative settlements (b) (c)(0.00 )0.03 0.02 0.01 0.02 
Variable loan spread1.05 0.86 1.06 0.94 0.95 
Fixed rate floor income, gross0.01 0.03 0.46 0.03 0.57 
Fixed rate floor income - derivative settlements (b) (d)0.00 0.68 0.09 0.34 0.01 
Fixed rate floor income, net of settlements on derivatives0.01 0.71 0.55 0.37 0.58 
Core loan spread1.06 %1.57 %1.61 %1.31 %1.53 %
Average balance of AGM's loans$13,616,88913,991,241 16,437,861 13,804,065 16,823,385 
Average balance of AGM's debt outstanding13,011,22413,364,876 15,923,648 13,187,073 16,335,310 
(a)    In the second quarter of 2023, the Company redeemed certain asset-backed debt securities prior to their maturity, resulting in the recognition of $25.9 million in interest expense from the write-off of the remaining unamortized debt discount associated with these bonds at the time of redemption. This expense was excluded from the table above.
(b)    Derivative settlements represent the cash paid or received during the current period to settle with derivative instrument counterparties the economic effect of the Company's derivative instruments based on their contractual terms. Derivative accounting requires that net settlements with respect to derivatives that do not qualify for "hedge treatment" under GAAP be recorded in a separate income statement line item below net interest income. The Company maintains an overall risk management strategy that incorporates the use of derivative instruments to reduce the economic effect of interest rate volatility. As such, management believes derivative settlements for each applicable period should be evaluated with the Company’s net interest income (loan spread) as presented in this table. The Company reports this non-GAAP information because the Company believes that it provides additional information regarding operational and performance indicators that are closely assessed by management. There is no comprehensive, authoritative guidance for the presentation of such non-GAAP information, which is only meant to supplement GAAP results by providing additional information that management utilizes to assess performance. See "Derivative Settlements" included in this supplement for the net settlement activity recognized by the Company for each type of derivative for the periods presented in the table.
A reconciliation of core loan spread, which includes the impact of derivative settlements on loan spread, to loan spread without derivative settlements follows.
Three months endedSix months ended
June 30, 2023March 31, 2023June 30, 2022June 30, 2023June 30, 2022
Core loan spread1.06 %1.57 %1.61 %1.31 %1.53 %
Derivative settlements (1:3 basis swaps)0.00 (0.03)(0.02)(0.01)(0.02)
Derivative settlements (fixed rate floor income)(0.00 )(0.68)(0.09)(0.34)(0.01)
Loan spread1.06 %0.86 %1.50 %0.96 %1.50 %

(c)    Derivative settlements consist of net settlements (paid) received related to the Company’s 1:3 basis swaps.
(d)    Derivative settlements consist of net settlements received related to the Company’s floor income interest rate swaps.
The interest earned on a large portion of AGM's FFELP student loan assets is indexed to the one-month LIBOR rate. AGM funds a portion of its assets with three-month LIBOR indexed floating rate securities. The relationship between the indices in which AGM earns interest on its loans and funds such loans has a significant impact on loan spread. In addition, the Company faces repricing risk due to the timing of the interest rate resets on its liabilities, which may occur as infrequently as once a quarter, in contrast to the timing of the interest rate resets on its assets, which generally occur daily. In an increasing interest rate environment, student loan spread on FFELP loans increases.
16


The difference between variable loan spread and core loan spread is fixed rate floor income earned on a portion of AGM's federally insured student loan portfolio. A summary of fixed rate floor income and its contribution to core loan spread follows:
Three months endedSix months ended
 June 30, 2023March 31, 2023June 30, 2022June 30, 2023June 30, 2022
Fixed rate floor income, gross$456 1,110 18,292 1,567 47,285 
Derivative settlements (a)47 22,478 3,692 22,525 487 
Fixed rate floor income, net$503 23,588 21,984 24,092 47,772 
Fixed rate floor income contribution to spread, net0.01 %0.71 %0.55 %0.37 %0.58 %
(a)    Derivative settlements consist of net settlements received related to the Company's derivatives used to hedge student loans earning fixed rate floor income.
The decrease in gross fixed rate floor income in 2023 compared with the 2022 was due to higher interest rates in 2023 compared with 2022.
The Company had a significant portfolio of derivative instruments in which the Company paid a fixed rate and received a floating rate to economically hedge loans earning fixed rate floor income. On March 15, 2023, to minimize the Company's exposure to market volatility, the Company terminated its entire derivative portfolio hedging loans earning fixed rate floor income (as discussed under "Derivative Settlements" included in this supplement).
The decrease in net derivative settlements received by the Company during the three months ended June 30, 2023, compared with the same period in 2022, was due to the termination of the fixed rate floor derivatives in March 2023. The increase in net derivative settlements received by the Company during the six months ended June 30, 2023, compared with the same period in 2022, was due to an increase in settlements on the Company's derivatives outstanding during this period as a result of an increase in interest rates.
Fixed Rate Floor Income
The following table shows AGM’s federally insured student loan assets that were earning fixed rate floor income as of June 30, 2023.
Fixed interest rate rangeBorrower/lender weighted average yieldEstimated variable conversion rate (a)Loan balance
7.5 - 7.99%7.87%5.23%$32,997 
8.0 - 8.99%8.20%5.56%256,171 
> 9.0%
9.05%6.41%130,844 
  $420,012 
(a)    The estimated variable conversion rate is the estimated short-term interest rate at which loans would convert to a variable rate. As of June 30, 2023, the weighted average estimated variable conversion rate was 5.80% and the short-term interest rate was 518 basis points.
In June 2023, the Company entered into a derivative with a notional amount of $50.0 million and a maturity date in 2030 to hedge a portion of loans remaining that earn fixed rate floor income. Based on the terms of this derivative, the Company pays a weighted average fixed rate of 3.44% and receives payments based on SOFR that resets quarterly.
17
v3.23.2
Document
Aug. 07, 2023
Cover [Abstract]  
Document Type 8-K
Amendment Flag false
Document Period End Date Aug. 07, 2023
Entity Registrant Name NELNET, INC
Entity Central Index Key 0001258602
Entity Incorporation, State or Country Code NE
Entity File Number 001-31924
Entity Tax Identification Number 84-0748903
Entity Address, Address Line One 121 South 13th Street, Suite 100
Entity Address, City or Town Lincoln,
Entity Address, State or Province NE
Entity Address, Postal Zip Code 68508
City Area Code 402
Local Phone Number 458-2370
Written Communications false
Soliciting Material false
Pre-commencement Tender Offer false
Pre-commencement Issuer Tender Offer false
Title of 12(b) Security Class A Common Stock, Par Value $0.01 per Share
Trading Symbol NNI
Security Exchange Name NYSE
Entity Emerging Growth Company false

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