Synchrony Financial reported net earnings of $892 million, or $2.68 per diluted share, for the third quarter of 2026. This represents a decrease of $185 million, or 17%, compared to the same period in the prior year, where net earnings were $1.1 billion, or $2.86 per diluted share.
For the quarter, purchase volume increased 8% to $49.7 billion, while loan receivables increased 3% to $103.3 billion. Average active accounts remained flat at 68.3 million. The company returned $1.2 billion in capital to shareholders, consisting of $1.1 billion in share repurchases and $110 million in common stock dividends. As of September 30, 2026, Synchrony had approximately $4.6 billion remaining under its repurchase authorization.
Key financial metrics for the third quarter of 2026 included a net interest margin of 15.50%, a decrease of 12 basis points from the prior year. The estimated Common Equity Tier 1 ratio was 12.9%, and the estimated Tier 1 Capital ratio was 14.5%. Return on assets decreased 70 basis points to 2.9%, and return on equity decreased 410 basis points to 21.0%.
Credit quality metrics showed improvement. Loans 30+ days past due as a percentage of total period-end loan receivables were 4.34%, a decrease of 5 basis points from the prior year. Net charge-offs as a percentage of total average loan receivables were 4.79%, a decrease of 37 basis points from the prior year.
During the quarter, Synchrony added or renewed 10 partners, including La-Z-Boy and Fender. The company also announced strategic partnerships with OpenAI and Stripe, and integrated with Vetspire to embed financing into its veterinary practice management platform.
