How did SLM's Q4 earnings surprise impact investor confidence?

**SLM's Q4 earnings miss did not deter investor confidence**, as evidenced by the following: 1. **BofA Securities maintains a Buy rating**: Despite the earnings miss, BofA Securities reiterated its Buy rating on SLM stock with a steady price target of $27.00. This indicates that the analysts remain optimistic about the company's future performance. 2. **Focus on growth prospects**: Investors may be more focused on SLM's growth prospects, such as the 13% increase in private education loan originations compared to the previous year. This positive trend could overshadow the earnings miss and support investor confidence. 3. **Stock price reaches an all-time high**: SLM's stock price soared to an all-time high of $23.95 following the earnings report. This surge in stock price suggests that investors are willing to overlook the earnings miss due to confidence in the company's future growth potential. 4. **Wedbush reduces earnings estimates**: Wedbush analysts reduced their Q4 2024 EPS estimates for SLM, anticipating earnings of $0.44 per share. This reduction in estimates could be seen as a neutral to slightly negative development, but it does not necessarily reflect a loss of investor confidence, as the focus remains on the company's growth prospects. In conclusion, while SLM's Q4 earnings miss may have been a concern, investor confidence appears to be supported by the company's growth prospects and positive market sentiment.