How did NNI's Q4 2024 earnings surprise investors?

Nelnet's (NNI) Q4 2024 earnings report disappointed investors with a significant decline in net income, missing expectations set by analysts.

1. **Earnings Decline**: The most striking feature of NNI's Q4 2024 earnings was a substantial drop in net income. The company reported a net income of -$1.94 million for the quarter, which is a stark contrast to the previous quarter's net income of $63.43 million. This decline of $65.37 million in net income within two quarters is a clear indication of a severe downturn in performance.

|code|Ticker|Name|Date|Net Income YoY|Net Income|market_code|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|NNI|NNI.N|Nelnet|2024 Q1|208.5024112612417|7.1008E7|169|
|NNI|NNI.N|Nelnet|2024 Q2|153.29119062808095|4.3675E7|169|
|NNI|NNI.N|Nelnet|2024 Q3|-104.90064887519883|-1941000|169|
|NNI|NNI.N|Nelnet|2024 Q4|313.530164287638|6.3427E7|169|

2. **Analyst Expectations**: Prior to the earnings release, analysts had anticipated a stronger performance from NNI, with expectations set at $1.36 per share for the quarter. However, the company's actual earnings fell short of these expectations, adding to the disappointment of investors.
3. **Market Reaction**: The market's reaction to the earnings report has likely been negative, given the significant earnings decline and the company's failure to meet analyst expectations. Investors may be concerned about the long-term financial health of the company and its ability to recover from this downturn.

In summary, NNI's Q4 2024 earnings have likely left investors feeling disappointed and uncertain about the company's future prospects, given the unexpected drop in net income and the failure to meet analyst expectations.