Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Navient Corporation (NAVI) vs SoFi Technologies, Inc. (SOFI) vs Navient Corporation SR NT 6% 121543 (JSM) vs SLM Corporation (SLM) vs Nelnet, Inc. (NNI) Stock
Analyze side-by-side fundamentals, valuation, growth, and profitability to decide which stock is the better buy.
Selected Stocks
Add up to 10 tickers. Use presets or search to get started.
Quick Verdict
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | JSM | 229.5% revenue growth vs NNI's -55.5% |
| Value | SLM | Lower P/E (6.8x vs 14.7x) |
| Quality / Margins | NNI | 32.4% net margin vs NAVI's 3.1% |
| Stability / Safety | JSM | Beta 0.20 vs SOFI's 2.35 |
| Dividends | NAVI | 7.2% yield, vs NNI's 3.1% |
| Momentum (1Y) | SOFI | +22.7% vs SLM's -36.2% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | NNI | 3.0% ROA vs JSM's -0.1% |
Who Each Stock Is For
Income & stability
Growth exposure
Long-term compounding (10Y)
Sleep-well-at-night portfolio
Defensive / Recession hedge
Business Model
What each company does and how it makes money
Navient is a financial services company that manages education loans and provides business processing solutions for education, healthcare, and government clients. It makes money primarily through loan servicing fees and interest income from its education loan portfolio—including federally guaranteed FFELP loans and private student loans—along with business processing fees from healthcare and government clients. The company's key advantage is its specialized expertise in complex education loan servicing and its established relationships with federal and state government agencies.
SoFi is a digital financial services platform that offers lending, banking, and investment products to consumers. It generates revenue primarily from lending (student, personal, and home loans) and its technology platforms — Galileo and Apex — which provide banking infrastructure to other financial institutions. The company's competitive advantage lies in its integrated all-in-one financial app and its Galileo technology platform that serves as a critical backend for many fintech companies.
Navient is a financial services company that manages and services education loans and provides business processing solutions. It makes money primarily through interest income from its portfolio of federal and private student loans — roughly 80% from federal loans and 20% from private loans — supplemented by servicing fees and business processing revenue. Its key advantage is its scale as one of the largest student loan servicers with deep expertise in the complex federal loan system and established government contracts.
SLM Corporation is a financial services company that originates and services private student loans for education financing in the United States. It generates revenue primarily from interest on its student loan portfolio — which constitutes the vast majority of its business — supplemented by fees from retail deposit accounts and credit card services. The company's moat lies in its specialized expertise in student lending, established relationships with educational institutions, and the regulatory complexity of the education finance market that creates barriers to entry.
Nelnet is a diversified financial services company focused primarily on student loan servicing and education technology. It generates revenue through loan servicing fees (its largest segment), education technology platforms, and payment processing services for educational institutions. The company's competitive advantage lies in its deep expertise in the complex student loan ecosystem and its established relationships with educational institutions and government agencies.
Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
Financial Metrics Comparison
Side-by-side fundamentals across 5 stocks. BestLagging
Financial Scorecard
JSM leads in 2 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Risk & Volatility). NAVI leads in 1 (Valuation Metrics). 2 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
NAVI is the larger business by revenue, generating $4.2B annually — 5.2x NNI's $822M. NNI is the more profitable business, keeping 32.4% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to NAVI's 3.1%.
| Metric | NAVINavient Corporati… | SOFISoFi Technologies… | JSMNavient Corporati… | SLMSLM Corporation | NNINelnet, Inc. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $4.2B | $3.7B | $3.8B | $3.0B | $822M |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | -$77M | $625M | $3.9B | $824M | $726M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | -$50M | $640M | -$50M | $623M | $428M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $275M | -$1.8B | $275M | -$333M | $267M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +20.0% | +69.7% | +91.7% | +48.2% | — |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +4.1% | +6.3% | +73.9% | +26.7% | — |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +3.1% | +13.5% | +3.4% | +20.4% | +32.4% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +10.8% | -34.7% | +12.1% | -11.0% | -9.5% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | — | — | — | — | — |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -46.0% | +109.1% | -46.0% | +3.7% | -6.4% |
Valuation Metrics
At 7.0x trailing earnings, SLM trades at a 85% valuation discount to SOFI's 45.5x P/E. On an enterprise value basis, SLM's 6.7x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than NAVI's 280.4x.
| Metric | NAVINavient Corporati… | SOFISoFi Technologies… | JSMNavient Corporati… | SLMSLM Corporation | NNINelnet, Inc. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $841M | $21.4B | $5.3B | $3.7B | $1.4B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $48.8B | $22.1B | $46.4B | $5.5B | -$1.3B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 7.45x | 45.54x | 16.14x | 6.99x | — |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 12.67x | 29.73x | — | 6.85x | 14.70x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — | — | 0.47x | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 280.37x | 50.50x | 21.29x | 6.70x | -1.75x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 0.20x | 5.78x | 1.39x | 1.25x | 1.67x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 0.37x | 3.00x | 0.80x | 1.91x | 0.88x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 1.83x | — | 11.57x | — | — |
Profitability & Efficiency
NNI delivers a 27.3% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $27 in annual profit, vs $-2 for JSM. SOFI carries lower financial leverage with a 0.49x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to NAVI's 18.43x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), JSM scores 8/9 vs NNI's 3/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | NAVINavient Corporati… | SOFISoFi Technologies… | JSMNavient Corporati… | SLMSLM Corporation | NNINelnet, Inc. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | -2.1% | +7.3% | -2.1% | +26.6% | +27.3% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | -0.1% | +1.4% | -0.1% | +2.1% | +3.0% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +0.2% | +1.7% | +4.1% | +7.6% | — |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +0.3% | +2.3% | +5.4% | +9.7% | — |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 6 | 4 | 8 | 4 | 3 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 18.43x | 0.49x | 16.35x | 2.98x | — |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $47.9B | $666M | $3.0B | $1.7B | -$2.6B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $722M | $2.5B | $2.1B | $4.7B | $2.6B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $48.7B | $3.2B | $43.2B | $6.4B | $0 |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | -0.03x | 0.63x | 0.17x | 0.71x | 0.97x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in NNI five years ago would be worth $18,187 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $9,183 for SOFI. Over the past 12 months, SOFI leads with a +22.7% total return vs SLM's -36.2%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors SOFI at 39.1% vs NAVI's -16.0% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | NAVINavient Corporati… | SOFISoFi Technologies… | JSMNavient Corporati… | SLMSLM Corporation | NNINelnet, Inc. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | -31.2% | -35.3% | -3.8% | -31.6% | +0.6% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -34.1% | +22.7% | +7.7% | -36.2% | +7.0% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -40.7% | +169.1% | +22.0% | +40.2% | +41.9% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -8.0% | -8.2% | +10.7% | +30.6% | +81.9% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +40.3% | +69.5% | +96.6% | +260.3% | +267.6% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | -16.0% | +39.1% | +6.8% | +11.9% | +12.4% |
Risk & Volatility
JSM is the less volatile stock with a 0.20 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than SOFI's 2.35 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. JSM currently trades 93.8% from its 52-week high vs SLM's 53.6% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | NAVINavient Corporati… | SOFISoFi Technologies… | JSMNavient Corporati… | SLMSLM Corporation | NNINelnet, Inc. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 1.08x | 2.35x | 0.20x | 1.16x | 0.64x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $16.07 | $32.73 | $20.65 | $34.97 | $142.87 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $8.50 | $8.60 | $16.51 | $18.71 | $98.15 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +54.7% | +54.3% | +93.8% | +53.6% | +90.6% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 27.1 | 34.7 | 45.8 | 30.7 | 50.1 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 827K | 44.7M | 19K | 2.4M | 82K |
Analyst Outlook
Analyst consensus: NAVI as "Hold", SOFI as "Hold", JSM as "Hold", SLM as "Buy", NNI as "Hold". Consensus price targets imply 69.9% upside for SLM (target: $32) vs -9.7% for JSM (target: $18). For income investors, NAVI offers the higher dividend yield at 7.17% vs SLM's 2.41%.
| Metric | NAVINavient Corporati… | SOFISoFi Technologies… | JSMNavient Corporati… | SLMSLM Corporation | NNINelnet, Inc. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Hold | Hold | Hold | Buy | Hold |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $10.00 | $28.56 | $17.50 | $31.83 | — |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 24 | 24 | 2 | 25 | 3 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +7.2% | +0.1% | +3.3% | +2.4% | +3.1% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 0 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 12 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $0.63 | $0.01 | $0.64 | $0.45 | $4.05 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +21.3% | 0.0% | +3.4% | +6.6% | +5.0% |
Historical Charts
Charts are rendered on first load. Hover for details.
Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Dec 20 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Navient Corporation (NAVI) | 100 | 102.78 | +2.8% |
| SoFi Technologies, … (SOFI) | 101.15 | 210.69 | +108.3% |
| Navient Corporation… (JSM) | 100 | 84.34 | -15.7% |
| SLM Corporation (SLM) | 100 | 245.06 | +145.1% |
| Nelnet, Inc. (NNI) | 100 | 192.66 | +92.7% |
Nelnet, Inc. (NNI) returned +82% over 5 years vs SoFi Technologies, … (SOFI)'s -8%. A $10,000 investment in NNI 5 years ago would be worth $18,187 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Navient Corporation (NAVI) | $5.0B | $4.2B | -14.7% |
| SoFi Technologies, … (SOFI) | $600M | $3.7B | +517.3% |
| Navient Corporation… (JSM) | $4.1B | $3.8B | -8.1% |
| SLM Corporation (SLM) | $1.1B | $3.0B | +160.7% |
| Nelnet, Inc. (NNI) | $1.2B | $822M | -31.2% |
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Navient Corporation (NAVI) | 13.7% | 3.1% | -77.4% |
| SoFi Technologies, … (SOFI) | -42.1% | 13.5% | +132.0% |
| Navient Corporation… (JSM) | 16.4% | 3.4% | -79.1% |
| SLM Corporation (SLM) | 21.8% | 20.4% | -6.8% |
| Nelnet, Inc. (NNI) | 21.5% | 32.4% | +50.7% |
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 8 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Navient Corporation (NAVI) | 12.8 | 11.3 | -11.7% |
| Navient Corporation… (JSM) | 22.9 | 14.8 | -35.4% |
| SLM Corporation (SLM) | 18.2 | 10.3 | -43.4% |
| Nelnet, Inc. (NNI) | 13.2 | 21.3 | +61.4% |
Navient Corporation has traded in a 4x–13x P/E range over 8 years; current trailing P/E is ~7x. Navient Corporation SR NT 6% 121543 has traded in a 4x–23x P/E range over 8 years; current trailing P/E is ~16x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Navient Corporation (NAVI) | 2.12 | 1.18 | -44.3% |
| SoFi Technologies, … (SOFI) | -2.17 | 0.39 | +117.9% |
| Navient Corporation… (JSM) | 2.11 | 1.2 | -43.1% |
| SLM Corporation (SLM) | 0.53 | 2.68 | +405.7% |
| Nelnet, Inc. (NNI) | 6.02 | 0 | -100.0% |
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Navient Corporation generated $459M FCF in 2024 (-35% vs 2021). SoFi Technologies, Inc. generated $-1B FCF in 2024 (+8% vs 2021).
NAVI vs SOFI vs JSM vs SLM vs NNI: Key Questions Answered
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is NAVI or SOFI or JSM or SLM or NNI a better buy right now?
SLM Corporation (SLM) offers the better valuation at 7.0x trailing P/E (6.8x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate SLM Corporation (SLM) a "Buy" — based on 25 analyst ratings — the highest consensus in this comparison. The "better buy" depends entirely on your goals: growth investors should weight revenue trajectory, value investors should weight P/E and PEG, and income investors should weight dividend yield and streak.
02Which has the better valuation — NAVI or SOFI or JSM or SLM or NNI?
On trailing P/E, SLM Corporation (SLM) is the cheapest at 7.0x versus SoFi Technologies, Inc. at 45.5x. On forward P/E, SLM Corporation is actually cheaper at 6.8x.
03Which is the better long-term investment — NAVI or SOFI or JSM or SLM or NNI?
Over the past 5 years, Nelnet, Inc. (NNI) delivered a total return of +81.9%, compared to -8.2% for SoFi Technologies, Inc. (SOFI). A $10,000 investment in NNI five years ago would be worth approximately $18K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: NNI returned +267.6% versus NAVI's +40.3%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.
04Which is safer — NAVI or SOFI or JSM or SLM or NNI?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Navient Corporation SR NT 6% 121543 (JSM) is the lower-risk stock at 0.20β versus SoFi Technologies, Inc.'s 2.35β — meaning SOFI is approximately 1046% more volatile than JSM relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, SoFi Technologies, Inc. (SOFI) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 49% versus 18% for Navient Corporation — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which has better profit margins — NAVI or SOFI or JSM or SLM or NNI?
Nelnet, Inc. (NNI) is the more profitable company, earning 32.4% net margin versus 3.1% for Navient Corporation — meaning it keeps 32.4% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: JSM leads at 73.9% versus 0.0% for NNI. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — JSM leads at 91.7%, reflecting greater pricing power or product mix advantage. Stronger margins indicate durable pricing power, lower cost of revenue, or higher mix of software/services. They are one of the clearest signs of business quality.
06Is NAVI or SOFI or JSM or SLM or NNI more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, SLM Corporation (SLM) trades at 6.8x forward P/E versus 29.7x for SoFi Technologies, Inc. — 22.9x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for SLM: 69.9% to $31.83.
07Which pays a better dividend — NAVI or SOFI or JSM or SLM or NNI?
In this comparison, NAVI (7.2% yield), JSM (3.3% yield), NNI (3.1% yield), SLM (2.4% yield) pay a dividend. SOFI does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.
08Is NAVI or SOFI or JSM or SLM or NNI better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Navient Corporation SR NT 6% 121543 (JSM) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.20), 3.3% yield). SoFi Technologies, Inc. (SOFI) carries a higher beta of 2.35 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (JSM: +96.6%, SOFI: +69.5%), confirming both are viable long-term holds — but the lower-volatility option typically results in less emotional selling during corrections. Retirement portfolios generally favour predictability over maximum returns. Consult a financial advisor before making allocation decisions.
09What are the main differences between NAVI and SOFI and JSM and SLM and NNI?
Both stocks operate in the Financial Services sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both. In terms of investment character: NAVI is a small-cap deep-value stock; SOFI is a mid-cap quality compounder stock; JSM is a small-cap deep-value stock; SLM is a small-cap deep-value stock; NNI is a small-cap income-oriented stock. NAVI, JSM, SLM, NNI pay a dividend while SOFI does not, making them suitable for different income and tax situations. These fundamental differences mean investors should not choose between them on a single metric — the "better stock" depends entirely on which of these characteristics aligns with your investment strategy.
Find Stocks Like These
Explore pre-built screens for each stock's profile, or build a custom screen to find stocks that beat both.