syf-20210129
0001601712false00016017122021-01-292021-01-290001601712us-gaap:CommonStockMember2021-01-292021-01-290001601712us-gaap:SeriesAPreferredStockMember2021-01-292021-01-29

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
January 29, 2021
Date of Report
(Date of earliest event reported) 
 

SYNCHRONY FINANCIAL
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter) 

 

Delaware 001-36560 51-0483352
(State or other jurisdiction
of incorporation)
 (Commission
File Number)
 (I.R.S. Employer
Identification No.)
 
777 Long Ridge Road 
Stamford,Connecticut06902
(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)
(203) 585-2400
(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)
N/A
(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)
 

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 Symbol(s)Name of each exchange on which registered
Common stock, par value $0.001 per shareSYFNew York Stock Exchange
Depositary Shares Each Representing a 1/40th Interest in a Share of 5.625% Fixed Rate Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series ASYFPrANew 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 2.02Results of Operations and Financial Condition.
On January 29, 2021, Synchrony Financial (the “Company”) issued a press release setting forth the Company’s fourth quarter 2020 earnings. A copy of the Company’s press release is being furnished as Exhibit 99.1 and hereby incorporated by reference. The information furnished pursuant to this Item 2.02, including Exhibits, shall not be deemed “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”) or otherwise subject to the liabilities under that Section and shall not be deemed to be incorporated by reference into any filing of the Company under the Securities Act of 1933 or the Exchange Act.
 
Item 9.01Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d) Exhibits
The following exhibits are being furnished as part of this report: 

Number  Description
99.1  
Press release, dated January 29, 2021, issued by Synchrony Financial
99.2
Financial Data Supplement of the Company for the quarter ended December 31, 2020
99.3
Financial Results Presentation of the Company for the quarter ended December 31, 2020
99.4Explanation of Non-GAAP Measures
104The cover page from this Current Report on Form 8-K, formatted in Inline XBRL



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.

SYNCHRONY FINANCIAL
Date: January 29, 2021
By:
/s/ Jonathan Mothner
Name:
Jonathan Mothner
Title:
Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary




EXHIBIT INDEX
 
Number  Description
  
104The cover page from this Current Report on Form 8-K, formatted in Inline XBRL

Exhibit 99.1

Investor Relations    Media Relations
Kathryn Miller    Sue Bishop
(203) 585-6291    (203) 585-2802
For Immediate Release: January 29, 2021
Synchrony Reports Fourth Quarter Net Earnings of $738 Million or $1.24 Per Diluted Share
Trends Improving, Still Impacted by Pandemic
Building for the Future with 9 Renewals, 7 New Programs, and an Acquisition
Board Approved $1.6 Billion Share Repurchase Program

STAMFORD, Conn. – Synchrony Financial (NYSE: SYF) today announced fourth quarter 2020 earnings results amid the continuing Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Synchrony reported fourth quarter 2020 net earnings of $738 million, or $1.24 per diluted share.
Key Highlights*.
Loan receivables decreased 6% to $81.9 billion
Interest and fees on loans decreased 11% to $4.0 billion
Purchase volume decreased 1% to $39.9 billion
Average active accounts decreased 10% to 66.3 million
Deposits decreased $2.3 billion, or 4%, to $62.8 billion
Renewed Payment Solutions programs with Mattress Firm and Kawasaki, and added a new program with Doosan Bobcat
Added new CareCredit programs with Walgreens and the Community Veterinary Partners, renewed program with Aspen Dental, and acquired Allegro Credit, a leading provider of point-of-sale consumer financing for audiology products and dental services
Returned $128 million in capital through common stock dividends
The Board of Directors approved a share repurchase program of up to $1.6 billion, commencing in the first quarter of 2021, subject to capital plan and any regulatory restrictions

“Last year brought challenges the likes of which we have never before experienced, and I am proud of how we came together as an organization to help our employees, partners, customers, and communities. We never lost sight of the necessity to build for the future, one in which the acceleration of digital adoption is profound. We quickly deployed digital assets to help our partners navigate this new environment and we continue to make investments for the future. In 2020, we renewed 41 key relationships, won 25 new deals, and launched promising new programs with Verizon and Venmo. We also took a deep look at our organization to decisively reduce costs to appropriately align the expenses of our business while maintaining investments in our long-term strategy,” said Margaret Keane, Chief Executive Officer, Synchrony Financial. “With Synchrony in a position of strength, now is the right time to implement the leadership transition announced earlier this month. Effective April 1, I will transition to the role of Executive Chair of our Board of Directors, and Brian Doubles will become President and CEO, allowing him to continue the incredible progress that has been made and drive the next stage of Synchrony’s exciting growth journey.”
1


Business and Financial Results for the Fourth Quarter of 2020*
Earnings
Net interest income decreased $370 million, or 9%, to $3.7 billion, mainly due to the impact of COVID-19.
Retailer share arrangements increased $18 million, or 2%, to $1.0 billion, reflecting the improvement in net charge-offs.
Provision for credit losses decreased $354 million, or 32%, to $750 million, mainly driven by lower net charge-offs, partially offset by a $119 million reserve increase.
Other income decreased $22 million, or 21%, to $82 million, largely driven by higher loyalty program costs.
Other expense decreased $79 million, or 7%, to $1.0 billion, mainly driven by lower purchase volume and accounts, lower employee costs, and lower operational losses.
Net earnings increased $7 million, or 1%, to $738 million .
Balance Sheet
Period-end loan receivables decreased 6%; purchase volume decreased 1%; and average active accounts decreased 10%.
Deposits decreased $2.3 billion, or 4%, to $62.8 billion and comprised 80% of funding.
The Company’s balance sheet remained strong with total liquidity (liquid assets and undrawn credit facilities) of $23.7 billion, or 24.7% of total assets.
The Company has elected to defer the regulatory capital effects of CECL for two years; the estimated Common Equity Tier 1 ratio was 15.9% compared to 14.1%, and the estimated Tier 1 Capital ratio was 16.8% compared to 15.0%, reflecting the Company’s strong capital generation capabilities.
The Board of Directors approved a share repurchase program of up to $1.6 billion, commencing in the first quarter of 2021 and expiring December 31, 2021.
Key Financial Metrics
Return on assets was 3.1% and return on equity was 23.6%.
Net interest margin was 14.64%.
Efficiency ratio was 37.1%.
Credit Quality
Loans 30+ days past due as a percentage of total period-end loan receivables were 3.07% compared to 4.44% last year.
Net charge-offs as a percentage of total average loan receivables were 3.16% compared to 5.15% last year.
The allowance for credit losses as a percentage of total period-end loan receivables was 12.54%.
Sales Platforms
Retail Card period-end loan receivables decreased 8%, driven primarily by the impact from COVID-19, partially offset by growth in digital partners. Interest and fees on loans decreased 13%, driven primarily by COVID-19 and the decline in loan receivables. Purchase volume increased 1% and average active accounts decreased 10%.
2


Payment Solutions period-end loan receivables decreased 2%, primarily due to the impact from COVID-19, partially offset by growth in Power Sports and Home Specialty. Interest and fees on loans decreased 9%, driven primarily by lower yield on loan receivables. Purchase volume decreased 7% and average active accounts decreased 9%.
CareCredit period-end loan receivables decreased 7%, driven primarily by the impact from COVID-19. Interest and fees on loans decreased 4%, driven primarily by lower merchant discount as a result of the decline in purchase volume, which decreased 6%. Average active accounts decreased 10%.
* All comparisons are for the fourth quarter of 2020 compared to the fourth quarter of 2019, unless otherwise noted.

Corresponding Financial Tables and Information
No representation is made that the information in this news release is complete. Investors are encouraged to review the foregoing summary and discussion of Synchrony Financial's earnings and financial condition in conjunction with the detailed financial tables and information that follow and the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019, as filed February 13, 2020, and the Company's forthcoming Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020. The detailed financial tables and other information are also available on the Investor Relations page of the Company's website at www.investors.synchronyfinancial.com. This information is also furnished in a Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC today.
Conference Call and Webcast Information
On Friday, January 29, 2021, at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time, Margaret Keane, Chief Executive Officer, Brian Doubles, President, and Brian Wenzel Sr., Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, will host a conference call to review the financial results and outlook for certain business drivers. The conference call can be accessed via an audio webcast through the Investor Relations page on the Synchrony Financial corporate website, www.investors.synchronyfinancial.com, under Events and Presentations. A replay will also be available on the website.
About Synchrony Financial
Synchrony (NYSE: SYF) is a premier consumer financial services company. We deliver a wide range of specialized financing programs, as well as innovative consumer banking products, across key industries including digital, retail, home, auto, travel, health and pet. Synchrony enables our partners to grow sales and loyalty with consumers. We are one of the largest issuers of private label credit cards in the United States; we also offer co-branded products, installment loans and consumer financing products for small- and medium-sized businesses, as well as healthcare providers.
Synchrony is changing what’s possible through our digital capabilities, deep industry expertise, actionable data insights, frictionless customer experience and customized financing solutions.
For more information, visit www.synchrony.com and Twitter: @Synchrony.



3



Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This news release contains certain forward-looking statements as defined in Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, which are subject to the "safe harbor" created by those sections. Forward-looking statements may be identified by words such as "expects," "intends," "anticipates," "plans," "believes," "seeks," "targets," "outlook," "estimates," "will," "should," "may" or words of similar meaning, but these words are not the exclusive means of identifying forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on management's current expectations and assumptions, and are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict. As a result, actual results could differ materially from those indicated in these forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially include global political, economic, business, competitive, market, regulatory and other factors and risks, such as: the impact of macroeconomic conditions and whether industry trends we have identified develop as anticipated, including the future impacts of the novel coronavirus disease ("COVID-19") outbreak and measures taken in response thereto for which future developments are highly uncertain and difficult to predict; retaining existing partners and attracting new partners, concentration of our revenue in a small number of Retail Card partners, and promotion and support of our products by our partners; cyber-attacks or other security breaches; disruptions in the operations of our computer systems and data centers; the financial performance of our partners; the sufficiency of our allowance for credit losses and the accuracy of the assumptions or estimates used in preparing our financial statements, including those related to the new CECL accounting guidance; higher borrowing costs and adverse financial market conditions impacting our funding and liquidity, and any reduction in our credit ratings; our ability to grow our deposits in the future; damage to our reputation; our ability to securitize our loan receivables, occurrence of an early amortization of our securitization facilities, loss of the right to service or subservice our securitized loan receivables, and lower payment rates on our securitized loan receivables; changes in market interest rates and the impact of any margin compression; effectiveness of our risk management processes and procedures, reliance on models which may be inaccurate or misinterpreted, our ability to manage our credit risk; our ability to offset increases in our costs in retailer share arrangements; competition in the consumer finance industry; our concentration in the U.S. consumer credit market; our ability to successfully develop and commercialize new or enhanced products and services; our ability to realize the value of acquisitions and strategic investments; reductions in interchange fees; fraudulent activity; failure of third parties to provide various services that are important to our operations; international risks and compliance and regulatory risks and costs associated with international operations; alleged infringement of intellectual property rights of others and our ability to protect our intellectual property; litigation and regulatory actions; our ability to attract, retain and motivate key officers and employees; tax legislation initiatives or challenges to our tax positions and/or interpretations, and state sales tax rules and regulations; a material indemnification obligation to GE under the Tax Sharing and Separation Agreement with GE if we cause the split-off from GE or certain preliminary transactions to fail to qualify for tax-free treatment or in the case of certain significant transfers of our stock following the split-off; regulation, supervision, examination and enforcement of our business by governmental authorities, the impact of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and other legislative and regulatory developments and the impact of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's regulation of our business; impact of capital adequacy rules and liquidity requirements; restrictions that limit our ability to pay dividends and repurchase our common stock, and restrictions that limit the Synchrony Bank's ability to pay dividends to us; regulations relating to privacy,
4


information security and data protection; use of third-party vendors and ongoing third-party business relationships; and failure to comply with anti-money laundering and anti-terrorism financing laws.
For the reasons described above, we caution you against relying on any forward-looking statements, which should also be read in conjunction with the other cautionary statements that are included elsewhere in this news release and in our public filings, including under the heading "Risk Factors" in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019, as filed on February 13, 2020, and the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2020, as filed on October 22, 2020. You should not consider any list of such factors to be an exhaustive statement of all the risks, uncertainties, or potentially inaccurate assumptions that could cause our current expectations or beliefs to change. Further, any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made, and we undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the date on which the statement is made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, except as otherwise may be required by law.
Non-GAAP Measures
The information provided herein includes measures we refer to as "tangible common equity", and certain “CECL fully phased-in” capital measures, which are not prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP"). For a reconciliation of these non-GAAP measures to the most directly comparable GAAP measures, please see the detailed financial tables and information that follow. For a statement regarding the usefulness of these measures to investors, please see the Company's Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC today.

5
Exhibit 99.2

SYNCHRONY FINANCIAL
FINANCIAL SUMMARY
(unaudited, in millions, except per share statistics)
Quarter EndedTwelve Months Ended
Dec 31,
2020
Sep 30,
2020
Jun 30,
2020
Mar 31,
2020
Dec 31,
2019
4Q'20 vs. 4Q'19Dec 31,
2020
Dec 31,
2019
YTD'20 vs. YTD'19
EARNINGS
Net interest income$3,659 $3,457 $3,396 $3,890 $4,029 $(370)(9.2)%$14,402 $16,799 $(2,397)(14.3)%
Retailer share arrangements(1,047)(899)(773)(926)(1,029)(18)1.7 %(3,645)(3,858)213 (5.5)%
Provision for credit losses750 1,210 1,673 1,677 1,104 (354)(32.1)%5,310 4,180 1,130 27.0 %
Net interest income, after retailer share arrangements and provision for credit losses1,862 1,348 950 1,287 1,896 (34)(1.8)%5,447 8,761 (3,314)(37.8)%
Other income82 131 95 97 104 (22)(21.2)%405 371 34 9.2 %
Other expense1,000 1,067 986 1,002 1,079 (79)(7.3)%4,055 4,245 (190)(4.5)%
Earnings before provision for income taxes944 412 59 382 921 23 2.5 %1,797 4,887 (3,090)(63.2)%
Provision for income taxes206 99 11 96 190 16 8.4 %412 1,140 (728)(63.9)%
Net earnings$738 $313 $48 $286 $731 $1.0 %$1,385 $3,747 $(2,362)(63.0)%
Net earnings available to common stockholders$728 $303 $37 $275 $731 $(3)(0.4)%$1,343 $3,747 $(2,404)(64.2)%
COMMON SHARE STATISTICS
Basic EPS $1.25 $0.52 $0.06 $0.45 $1.15 $0.10 8.7 %$2.28 $5.59 $(3.31)(59.2)%
Diluted EPS $1.24 $0.52 $0.06 $0.45 $1.15 $0.09 7.8 %$2.27 $5.56 $(3.29)(59.2)%
Dividend declared per share$0.22 $0.22 $0.22 $0.22 $0.22 $— — %$0.88 $0.86 $0.02 2.3 %
Common stock price$34.71 $26.17 $22.16 $16.09 $36.01 $(1.30)(3.6)%$34.71 $36.01 $(1.30)(3.6)%
Book value per share $20.49 $19.47 $19.13 $19.27 $23.31 $(2.82)(12.1)%$20.49 $23.31 $(2.82)(12.1)%
Tangible common equity per share(1)
$16.72 $15.75 $15.28 $15.35 $19.50 $(2.78)(14.3)%$16.72 $19.50 $(2.78)(14.3)%
Beginning common shares outstanding583.8 583.7 583.2 615.9 653.7 (69.9)(10.7)%615.9 718.8 (102.9)(14.3)%
Issuance of common shares— — — — — — — %— — — — %
Stock-based compensation0.2 0.1 0.5 0.9 0.6 (0.4)(66.7)%1.7 3.1 (1.4)(45.2)%
Shares repurchased— — — (33.6)(38.4)38.4 (100.0)%(33.6)(106.0)72.4 (68.3)%
Ending common shares outstanding584.0 583.8 583.7 583.2 615.9 (31.9)(5.2)%584.0 615.9 (31.9)(5.2)%
Weighted average common shares outstanding 583.9 583.8 583.7 604.9 633.7 (49.8)(7.9)%589.0 670.2 (81.2)(12.1)%
Weighted average common shares outstanding (fully diluted) 586.6 584.8 584.4 607.4 637.7 (51.1)(8.0)%590.8 673.5 (82.7)(12.3)%
(1) Tangible Common Equity ("TCE") is a non-GAAP measure. For corresponding reconciliation of TCE to a GAAP financial measure, see Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Measures and Calculations of Regulatory Measures.
1



SYNCHRONY FINANCIAL
SELECTED METRICS
(unaudited, $ in millions)
Quarter EndedTwelve Months Ended
Dec 31,
2020
Sep 30,
2020
Jun 30,
2020
Mar 31,
2020
Dec 31,
2019
4Q'20 vs. 4Q'19Dec 31,
2020
Dec 31,
2019
YTD'20 vs. YTD'19
PERFORMANCE METRICS
Return on assets(1)
3.1 %1.3 %0.2 %1.1 %2.7 %0.4 %1.4 %3.5 %(2.1)%
Return on equity(2)
23.6 %10.3 %1.6 %9.1 %19.0 %4.6 %11.2 %25.1 %(13.9)%
Return on tangible common equity(3)
30.4 %13.1 %1.6 %11.6 %23.0 %7.4 %14.4 %29.9 %(15.5)%
Net interest margin(4)
14.64 %13.80 %13.53 %15.15 %15.01 %(0.37)%14.29 %15.78 %(1.49)%
Efficiency ratio(5)
37.1 %39.7 %36.3 %32.7 %34.8 %2.3 %36.3 %31.9 %4.4 %
Other expense as a % of average loan receivables, including held for sale5.01 %5.44 %5.04 %4.77 %5.01 %0.00 %5.06 %4.79 %0.27 %
Effective income tax rate21.8 %24.0 %18.6 %25.1 %20.6 %1.2 %22.9 %23.3 %(0.4)%
CREDIT QUALITY METRICS
Net charge-offs as a % of average loan receivables, including held for sale3.16 %4.42 %5.35 %5.36 %5.15 %(1.99)%4.58 %5.65 %(1.07)%
30+ days past due as a % of period-end loan receivables(6)
3.07 %2.67 %3.13 %4.24 %4.44 %(1.37)%3.07 %4.44 %(1.37)%
90+ days past due as a % of period-end loan receivables(6)
1.40 %1.24 %1.77 %2.10 %2.15 %(0.75)%1.40 %2.15 %(0.75)%
Net charge-offs$631 $866 $1,046 $1,125 $1,109 $(478)(43.1)%$3,668 $5,005 $(1,337)(26.7)%
Loan receivables delinquent over 30 days(6)
$2,514 $2,100 $2,453 $3,500 $3,874 $(1,360)(35.1)%$2,514 $3,874 $(1,360)(35.1)%
Loan receivables delinquent over 90 days(6)
$1,143 $973 $1,384 $1,735 $1,877 $(734)(39.1)%$1,143 $1,877 $(734)(39.1)%
Allowance for credit losses (period-end)$10,265 $10,146 $9,802 $9,175 $5,602 $4,663 83.2 %$10,265 $5,602 $4,663 83.2 %
Allowance coverage ratio(7)
12.54 %12.92 %12.52 %11.13 %6.42 %6.12 %12.54 %6.42 %6.12 %
BUSINESS METRICS
Purchase volume(8)(9)
$39,874 $36,013 $31,155 $32,042 $40,212 $(338)(0.8)%$139,084 $149,411 $(10,327)(6.9)%
Period-end loan receivables$81,867 $78,521 $78,313 $82,469 $87,215 $(5,348)(6.1)%$81,867 $87,215 $(5,348)(6.1)%
Credit cards$78,455 $75,204 $75,353 $79,832 $84,606 $(6,151)(7.3)%$78,455 $84,606 $(6,151)(7.3)%
Consumer installment loans$2,125 $1,987 $1,779 $1,390 $1,347 $778 57.8 %$2,125 $1,347 $778 57.8 %
Commercial credit products$1,250 $1,270 $1,140 $1,203 $1,223 $27 2.2 %$1,250 $1,223 $27 2.2 %
Other$37 $60 $41 $44 $39 $(2)(5.1)%$37 $39 $(2)(5.1)%
Average loan receivables, including held for sale$79,452 $78,005 $78,697 $84,428 $85,376 $(5,924)(6.9)%$80,138 $88,649 $(8,511)(9.6)%
Period-end active accounts (in thousands)(9)(10)
68,540 64,800 63,430 68,849 75,471 (6,931)(9.2)%68,540 75,471 (6,931)(9.2)%
Average active accounts (in thousands)(9)(10)
66,261 64,270 64,836 72,078 73,734 (7,473)(10.1)%67,131 75,721 (8,590)(11.3)%
LIQUIDITY
Liquid assets
Cash and equivalents$11,524 $13,552 $16,344 $13,704 $12,147 $(623)(5.1)%$11,524 $12,147 $(623)(5.1)%
Total liquid assets$18,321 $21,402 $22,352 $19,225 $17,322 $999 5.8 %$18,321 $17,322 $999 5.8 %
Undrawn credit facilities
Undrawn credit facilities$5,400 $5,400 $5,650 $5,600 $6,050 $(650)(10.7)%$5,400 $6,050 $(650)(10.7)%
Total liquid assets and undrawn credit facilities$23,721 $26,802 $28,002 $24,825 $23,372 $349 1.5 %$23,721 $23,372 $349 1.5 %
Liquid assets % of total assets19.09 %22.37 %23.15 %19.61 %16.52 %2.57 %19.09 %16.52 %2.57 %
Liquid assets including undrawn credit facilities % of total assets24.72 %28.02 %29.00 %25.32 %22.30 %2.42 %24.72 %22.30 %2.42 %
(1) Return on assets represents net earnings as a percentage of average total assets.
(2) Return on equity represents net earnings as a percentage of average total equity.
(3) Return on tangible common equity represents net earnings available to common stockholders as a percentage of average tangible common equity. Tangible common equity ("TCE") is a non-GAAP measure. For corresponding reconciliation of TCE to a GAAP financial measure, see Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Measures and Calculations of Regulatory Measures.
(4) Net interest margin represents net interest income divided by average interest-earning assets.
(5) Efficiency ratio represents (i) other expense, divided by (ii) net interest income, plus other income, less retailer share arrangements.
(6) Based on customer statement-end balances extrapolated to the respective period-end date.
(7) Allowance coverage ratio represents allowance for credit losses divided by total period-end loan receivables.
(8) Purchase volume, or net credit sales, represents the aggregate amount of charges incurred on credit cards or other credit product accounts less returns during the period.
(9) Includes activity and accounts associated with loan receivables held for sale.
(10) Active accounts represent credit card or installment loan accounts on which there has been a purchase, payment or outstanding balance in the current month.
2



SYNCHRONY FINANCIAL
STATEMENTS OF EARNINGS
(unaudited, $ in millions)
Quarter EndedTwelve Months Ended
Dec 31,
2020
Sep 30,
2020
Jun 30,
2020
Mar 31,
2020
Dec 31,
2019
4Q'20 vs. 4Q'19Dec 31,
2020
Dec 31,
2019
YTD'20 vs. YTD'19
Interest income: 
Interest and fees on loans$3,981 $3,821 $3,808 $4,340 $4,492 $(511)(11.4)%$15,950 $18,705 $(2,755)(14.7)%
Interest on cash and debt securities12 16 22 67 93 (81)(87.1)%117 385 (268)(69.6)%
Total interest income3,993 3,837 3,830 4,407 4,585 (592)(12.9)%16,067 19,090 (3,023)(15.8)%
Interest expense:
Interest on deposits200 245 293 356 383 (183)(47.8)%1,094 1,566 (472)(30.1)%
Interest on borrowings of consolidated securitization entities52 53 59 73 80 (28)(35.0)%237 358 (121)(33.8)%
Interest on senior unsecured notes82 82 82 88 93 (11)(11.8)%334 367 (33)(9.0)%
Total interest expense334 380 434 517 556 (222)(39.9)%1,665 2,291 (626)(27.3)%
Net interest income3,659 3,457 3,396 3,890 4,029 (370)(9.2)%14,402 16,799 (2,397)(14.3)%
Retailer share arrangements(1,047)(899)(773)(926)(1,029)(18)1.7 %(3,645)(3,858)213 (5.5)%
Provision for credit losses750 1,210 1,673 1,677 1,104 (354)(32.1)%5,310 4,180 1,130 27.0 %
Net interest income, after retailer share arrangements and provision for credit losses1,862 1,348 950 1,287 1,896 (34)(1.8)%5,447 8,761 (3,314)(37.8)%
Other income:
Interchange revenue185 172 134 161 192 (7)(3.6)%652 748 (96)(12.8)%
Debt cancellation fees72 68 69 69 64 12.5 %278 265 13 4.9 %
Loyalty programs(202)(155)(134)(158)(181)(21)11.6 %(649)(743)94 (12.7)%
Other27 46 26 25 29 (2)(6.9)%124 101 23 22.8 %
Total other income82 131 95 97 104 (22)(21.2)%405 371 34 9.2 %
Other expense:
Employee costs347 382 327 324 385 (38)(9.9)%1,380 1,455 (75)(5.2)%
Professional fees186 187 189 197 199 (13)(6.5)%759 867 (108)(12.5)%
Marketing and business development139 107 91 111 152 (13)(8.6)%448 549 (101)(18.4)%
Information processing128 125 116 123 122 4.9 %492 485 1.4 %
Other200 266 263 247 221 (21)(9.5)%976 889 87 9.8 %
Total other expense1,000 1,067 986 1,002 1,079 (79)(7.3)%4,055 4,245 (190)(4.5)%
Earnings before provision for income taxes944 412 59 382 921 23 2.5 %1,797 4,887 (3,090)(63.2)%
Provision for income taxes206 99 11 96 190 16 8.4 %412 1,140 (728)(63.9)%
Net earnings$738 $313 $48 $286 $731 $1.0 %$1,385 $3,747 $(2,362)(63.0)%
Net earnings available to common stockholders$728 $303 $37 $275 $731 $(3)(0.4)%$1,343 $3,747 $(2,404)(64.2)%
3



SYNCHRONY FINANCIAL
STATEMENTS OF FINANCIAL POSITION
(unaudited, $ in millions)
Quarter Ended
Dec 31,
2020
Sep 30,
2020
Jun 30,
2020
Mar 31,
2020
Dec 31,
2019
Dec 31, 2020 vs.
Dec 31, 2019
Assets
Cash and equivalents$11,524 $13,552 $16,344 $13,704 $12,147 $(623)(5.1)%
Debt securities7,469 8,432 6,623 6,146 5,911 1,558 26.4 %
Loan receivables:
Unsecuritized loans held for investment56,472 52,613 52,629 54,765 58,398 (1,926)(3.3)%
Restricted loans of consolidated securitization entities25,395 25,908 25,684 27,704 28,817 (3,422)(11.9)%
Total loan receivables81,867 78,521 78,313 82,469 87,215 (5,348)(6.1)%
Less: Allowance for credit losses(1)
(10,265)(10,146)(9,802)(9,175)(5,602)(4,663)83.2 %
Loan receivables, net71,602 68,375 68,511 73,294 81,613 (10,011)(12.3)%
Loan receivables held for sale725 (720)(99.3)%
Goodwill1,078 1,078 1,078 1,078 1,078 — — %
Intangible assets, net1,125 1,091 1,166 1,208 1,265 (140)(11.1)%
Other assets3,145 3,126 2,818 2,603 2,087 1,058 50.7 %
Total assets$95,948 $95,658 $96,544 $98,038 $104,826 $(8,878)(8.5)%
Liabilities and Equity
Deposits:
Interest-bearing deposit accounts$62,469 $63,195 $63,857 $64,302 $64,877 $(2,408)(3.7)%
Non-interest-bearing deposit accounts313 298 291 313 277 36 13.0 %
Total deposits62,782 63,493 64,148 64,615 65,154 (2,372)(3.6)%
Borrowings:
Borrowings of consolidated securitization entities7,810 7,809 8,109 9,291 10,412 (2,602)(25.0)%
Senior unsecured notes7,965 7,962 7,960 7,957 9,454 (1,489)(15.7)%
Total borrowings15,775 15,771 16,069 17,248 19,866 (4,091)(20.6)%
Accrued expenses and other liabilities4,690 4,295 4,428 4,205 4,718 (28)(0.6)%
Total liabilities83,247 83,559 84,645 86,068 89,738 (6,491)(7.2)%
Equity:
Preferred stock734 734 734 734 734 — — %
Common stock— — %
Additional paid-in capital9,570 9,552 9,532 9,523 9,537 33 0.3 %
Retained earnings10,621 10,024 9,852 9,960 12,117 (1,496)(12.3)%
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)(51)(31)(37)(49)(58)(12.1)%
Treasury stock(8,174)(8,181)(8,183)(8,199)(7,243)(931)12.9 %
Total equity12,701 12,099 11,899 11,970 15,088 (2,387)(15.8)%
Total liabilities and equity$95,948 $95,658 $96,544 $98,038 $104,826 $(8,878)(8.5)%
(1) Effective January 1, 2020, the Company adopted ASU 2016-13, Financial Instruments-Credit Losses ("CECL") that measures the allowance for credit losses based on management’s best estimate of expected credit losses for the life of our loan receivables. Prior periods presented reflect measurement of the allowance based on management’s estimate of probable incurred credit losses in accordance with the previous accounting guidance effective for those periods.
4



SYNCHRONY FINANCIAL
AVERAGE BALANCES, NET INTEREST INCOME AND NET INTEREST MARGIN
(unaudited, $ in millions)
Quarter Ended
Dec 31, 2020Sep 30, 2020Jun 30, 2020Mar 31, 2020Dec 31, 2019
InterestAverageInterestAverageInterestAverageInterestAverageInterestAverage
AverageIncome/Yield/AverageIncome/Yield/AverageIncome/Yield/AverageIncome/Yield/AverageIncome/Yield/
BalanceExpenseRateBalanceExpenseRateBalanceExpenseRateBalanceExpenseRateBalanceExpenseRate
Assets
Interest-earning assets:
Interest-earning cash and equivalents$11,244 $0.14 %$13,664 $0.12 %$15,413 $0.08 %$12,902 $42 1.31 %$16,269 $68 1.66 %
Securities available for sale8,706 0.37 %7,984 12 0.60 %6,804 19 1.12 %5,954 25 1.69 %4,828 25 2.05 %
Loan receivables, including held for sale:
Credit cards76,039 3,908 20.45 %74,798 3,752 19.96 %75,942 3,740 19.81 %81,716 4,272 21.03 %81,960 4,409 21.34 %
Consumer installment loans2,057 50 9.67 %1,892 46 9.67 %1,546 37 9.63 %1,432 35 9.83 %2,058 48 9.25 %
Commercial credit products1,293 23 7.08 %1,238 22 7.07 %1,150 30 10.49 %1,243 33 10.68 %1,311 34 10.29 %
Other63 — — %77 NM59 NM37 — — %47 NM
Total loan receivables, including held for sale79,452 3,981 19.93 %78,005 3,821 19.49 %78,697 3,808 19.46 %84,428 4,340 20.67 %85,376 4,492 20.87 %
Total interest-earning assets99,402 3,993 15.98 %99,653 3,837 15.32 %100,914 3,830 15.26 %103,284 4,407 17.16 %106,473 4,585 17.08 %
Non-interest-earning assets:
Cash and due from banks1,525 1,489 1,486 1,450 1,326 
Allowance for credit losses(10,190)(9,823)(9,221)(8,708)(5,593)
Other assets5,228 5,021 4,779 4,696 3,872 
Total non-interest-earning assets(3,437)(3,313)(2,956)(2,562)(395)
Total assets$95,965 $96,340 $97,958 $100,722 $106,078 
Liabilities
Interest-bearing liabilities:
Interest-bearing deposit accounts$62,800 $200 1.27 %$63,569 $245 1.53 %$64,298 $293 1.83 %$64,366 $356 2.22 %$65,380 $383 2.32 %
Borrowings of consolidated securitization entities7,809 52 2.65 %8,057 53 2.62 %8,863 59 2.68 %9,986 73 2.94 %10,831 80 2.93 %
Senior unsecured notes7,963 82 4.10 %7,960 82 4.10 %7,958 82 4.14 %8,807 88 4.02 %9,452 93 3.90 %
Total interest-bearing liabilities78,572 334 1.69 %79,586 380 1.90 %81,119 434 2.15 %83,159 517 2.50 %85,663 556 2.58 %
Non-interest-bearing liabilities
Non-interest-bearing deposit accounts308 307 309 299 281 
Other liabilities4,663 4,308 4,349 4,672 4,906 
Total non-interest-bearing liabilities4,971 4,615 4,658 4,971 5,187 
Total liabilities83,543 84,201 85,777 88,130 90,850 
Equity
Total equity12,422 12,139 12,181 12,592 15,228 
Total liabilities and equity$95,965 $96,340 $97,958 $100,722 $106,078 
Net interest income$3,659 $3,457 $3,396 $3,890 $4,029 
Interest rate spread(1)
14.29 %13.42 %13.11 %14.66 %14.50 %
Net interest margin(2)
14.64 %13.80 %13.53 %15.15 %15.01 %
(1) Interest rate spread represents the difference between the yield on total interest-earning assets and the rate on total interest-bearing liabilities.
(2) Net interest margin represents net interest income divided by average interest-earning assets.
5



SYNCHRONY FINANCIAL
AVERAGE BALANCES, NET INTEREST INCOME AND NET INTEREST MARGIN
(unaudited, $ in millions)
Twelve Months Ended
Dec 31, 2020
Twelve Months Ended
Dec 31, 2019
InterestAverageInterestAverage
AverageIncome/Yield/AverageIncome/Yield/
BalanceExpenseRateBalanceExpenseRate
Assets
Interest-earning assets:
Interest-earning cash and equivalents$13,301 $53 0.40 %$12,320 $258 2.09 %
Securities available for sale7,367 64 0.87 %5,464 127 2.32 %
Loan receivables, including held for sale:
Credit cards77,115 15,672 20.32 %85,334 18,384 21.54 %
Consumer installment loans1,733 168 9.69 %1,963 182 9.27 %
Commercial credit products1,231 108 8.77 %1,306 137 10.49 %
Other59 3.39 %46 4.35 %
Total loan receivables, including held for sale80,138 15,950 19.90 %88,649 18,705 21.10 %
Total interest-earning assets100,806 16,067 15.94 %106,433 19,090 17.94 %
Non-interest-earning assets:
Cash and due from banks1,488 1,327 
Allowance for credit losses(9,488)(5,902)
Other assets4,932 3,819 
Total non-interest-earning assets(3,068)(756)
Total assets$97,738 $105,677 
Liabilities
Interest-bearing liabilities:
Interest-bearing deposit accounts$63,755 $1,094 1.72 %$64,756 $1,566 2.42 %
Borrowings of consolidated securitization entities8,675 237 2.73 %11,941 358 3.00 %
Senior unsecured notes8,171 334 4.09 %9,310 367 3.94 %
Total interest-bearing liabilities80,601 1,665 2.07 %86,007 2,291 2.66 %
Non-interest-bearing liabilities
Non-interest-bearing deposit accounts306 280 
Other liabilities4,498 4,473 
Total non-interest-bearing liabilities4,804 4,753 
Total liabilities85,405 90,760 
Equity
Total equity12,333 14,917 
Total liabilities and equity$97,738 $105,677 
Net interest income$14,402 $16,799 
Interest rate spread(1)
13.87 %15.28 %
Net interest margin(2)
14.29 %15.78 %
(1) Interest rate spread represents the difference between the yield on total interest-earning assets and the rate on total interest-bearing liabilities.
(2) Net interest margin represents net interest income divided by average interest-earning assets.
6



SYNCHRONY FINANCIAL
BALANCE SHEET STATISTICS
(unaudited, $ in millions, except per share statistics)
Quarter Ended
Dec 31,
2020
Sep 30,
2020
Jun 30,
2020
Mar 31,
2020
Dec 31,
2019
Dec 31, 2020 vs.
Dec 31, 2019
BALANCE SHEET STATISTICS
Total common equity$11,967 $11,365 $11,165 $11,236 $14,354 $(2,387)(16.6)%
Total common equity as a % of total assets12.47 %11.88 %11.56 %11.46 %13.69 %(1.22)%
Tangible assets$93,745 $93,489 $94,300 $95,752 $102,483 $(8,738)(8.5)%
Tangible common equity(1)
$9,764 $9,196 $8,921 $8,950 $12,011 $(2,247)(18.7)%
Tangible common equity as a % of tangible assets(1)
10.42 %9.84 %9.46 %9.35 %11.72 %(1.30)%
Tangible common equity per share(1)
$16.72 $15.75 $15.28 $15.35 $19.50 $(2.78)(14.3)%
REGULATORY CAPITAL RATIOS(2)(3)
Basel III - CECL TransitionBasel III
Total risk-based capital ratio(4)
18.1 %18.1 %17.6 %16.5 %16.3 %
Tier 1 risk-based capital ratio(5)
16.8 %16.7 %16.3 %15.2 %15.0 %
Tier 1 leverage ratio(6)
14.0 %13.3 %12.7 %12.3 %12.6 %
Common equity Tier 1 capital ratio15.9 %15.8 %15.3 %14.3 %14.1 %
(1) Tangible common equity ("TCE") is a non-GAAP measure. We believe TCE is a more meaningful measure of the net asset value of the Company to investors. For corresponding reconciliation of TCE to a GAAP financial measure, see Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Measures and Calculations of Regulatory Measures.
(2) Regulatory capital ratios at December 31, 2020 are preliminary and therefore subject to change.
(3) Capital ratios starting March 31, 2020 reflect election to delay for two years an estimate of CECL’s effect on regulatory capital in accordance with the interim final rule issued by U.S. banking agencies in March 2020.
(4) Total risk-based capital ratio is the ratio of total risk-based capital divided by risk-weighted assets.
(5) Tier 1 risk-based capital ratio is the ratio of Tier 1 capital divided by risk-weighted assets.
(6) Tier 1 leverage ratio is the ratio of Tier 1 capital divided by total average assets, after certain adjustments. Tier 1 leverage ratios are based upon the use of daily averages for all periods presented.
7



SYNCHRONY FINANCIAL
PLATFORM RESULTS
(unaudited, $ in millions)
Quarter EndedTwelve Months Ended
Dec 31,
2020
Sep 30,
2020
Jun 30,
2020
Mar 31,
2020
Dec 31,
2019
4Q'20 vs. 4Q'19Dec 31,
2020
Dec 31,
2019
YTD'20 vs. YTD'19
RETAIL CARD
Purchase volume(1)(2)
$31,256 $27,374 $24,380 $24,008 $30,968 $288 0.9 %$107,018 $114,440 $(7,422)(6.5)%
Period-end loan receivables$52,130 $49,595 $49,967 $52,390 $56,387 $(4,257)(7.5)%$52,130 $56,387 $(4,257)(7.5)%
Average loan receivables, including held for sale$50,235 $49,503 $50,238 $53,820 $54,505 $(4,270)(7.8)%$50,943 $58,984 $(8,041)(13.6)%
Average active accounts (in thousands)(2)(3)
49,001 47,065 46,970 53,018 54,662 (5,661)(10.4)%49,258 57,073 (7,815)(13.7)%
Interest and fees on loans$2,719 $2,619 $2,640 $3,037 $3,143 $(424)(13.5)%$11,015 $13,557 $(2,542)(18.8)%
Other income$50 $84 $56 $59 $77 $(27)(35.1)%$249 $277 $(28)(10.1)%
Retailer share arrangements$(1,026)$(877)$(752)$(904)$(988)$(38)3.8 %$(3,559)$(3,762)$203 (5.4)%
PAYMENT SOLUTIONS
Purchase volume(1)(2)
$5,942 $5,901 $4,823 $5,375 $6,402 $(460)(7.2)%$22,041 $23,880 $(1,839)(7.7)%
Period-end loan receivables$20,153 $19,550 $19,119 $19,973 $20,528 $(375)(1.8)%$20,153 $20,528 $(375)(1.8)%
Average loan receivables, including held for sale$19,734 $19,247 $19,065 $20,344 $20,701 $(967)(4.7)%$19,597 $19,918 $(321)(1.6)%
Average active accounts (in thousands)(2)(3)
11,536 11,497 11,900 12,681 12,713 (1,177)(9.3)%11,921 12,451 (530)(4.3)%
Interest and fees on loans$673 $650 $632 $706 $737 $(64)(8.7)%$2,661 $2,829 $(168)(5.9)%
Other income$$13 $14 $13 $$— — %$44 $15 $29 193.3 %
Retailer share arrangements$(17)$(20)$(18)$(18)$(37)$20 (54.1)%$(73)$(85)$12 (14.1)%
CARECREDIT
Purchase volume(1)
$2,676 $2,738 $1,952 $2,659 $2,842 $(166)(5.8)%$10,025 $11,091 $(1,066)(9.6)%
Period-end loan receivables$9,584 $9,376 $9,227 $10,106 $10,300 $(716)(7.0)%$9,584 $10,300 $(716)(7.0)%
Average loan receivables, including held for sale$9,483 $9,255 $9,394 $10,264 $10,170 $(687)(6.8)%$9,598 $9,747 $(149)(1.5)%
Average active accounts (in thousands)(3)
5,724 5,708 5,966 6,379 6,359 (635)(10.0)%5,952 6,197 (245)(4.0)%
Interest and fees on loans$589 $552 $536 $597 $612 $(23)(3.8)%$2,274 $2,319 $(45)(1.9)%
Other income$28 $34 $25 $25 $23 $21.7 %$112 $79 $33 41.8 %
Retailer share arrangements$(4)$(2)$(3)$(4)$(4)$— — %$(13)$(11)$(2)18.2 %
TOTAL SYF
Purchase volume(1)(2)
$39,874 $36,013 $31,155 $32,042 $40,212 $(338)(0.8)%$139,084 $149,411 $(10,327)(6.9)%
Period-end loan receivables$81,867 $78,521 $78,313 $82,469 $87,215 $(5,348)(6.1)%$81,867 $87,215 $(5,348)(6.1)%
Average loan receivables, including held for sale$79,452 $78,005 $78,697 $84,428 $85,376 $(5,924)(6.9)%$80,138 $88,649 $(8,511)(9.6)%
Average active accounts (in thousands)(2)(3)
66,261 64,270 64,836 72,078 73,734 (7,473)(10.1)%67,131 75,721 (8,590)(11.3)%
Interest and fees on loans$3,981 $3,821 $3,808 $4,340 $4,492 $(511)(11.4)%$15,950 $18,705 $(2,755)(14.7)%
Other income$82 $131 $95 $97 $104 $(22)(21.2)%$405 $371 $34 9.2 %
Retailer share arrangements$(1,047)$(899)$(773)$(926)$(1,029)$(18)1.7 %$(3,645)$(3,858)$213 (5.5)%
(1) Purchase volume, or net credit sales, represents the aggregate amount of charges incurred on credit cards or other credit product accounts less returns during the period.
(2) Includes activity and balances associated with loan receivables held for sale.
(3) Active accounts represent credit card or installment loan accounts on which there has been a purchase, payment or outstanding balance in the current month.
8



SYNCHRONY FINANCIAL
RECONCILIATION OF NON-GAAP MEASURES AND CALCULATIONS OF REGULATORY MEASURES(1)
(unaudited, $ in millions, except per share statistics)
Quarter Ended
Dec 31,
2020
Sep 30,
2020
Jun 30,
2020
Mar 31,
2020
Dec 31,
2019
COMMON EQUITY AND REGULATORY CAPITAL MEASURES(2)
GAAP Total equity$12,701 $12,099 $11,899 $11,970 $15,088 
Less: Preferred stock(734)(734)(734)(734)(734)
Less: Goodwill(1,078)(1,078)(1,078)(1,078)(1,078)
Less: Intangible assets, net(1,125)(1,091)(1,166)(1,208)(1,265)
Tangible common equity$9,764 $9,196 $8,921 $8,950 $12,011 
Add: CECL transition amount2,686 2,656 2,570 2,417 — 
Adjustments for certain deferred tax liabilities and certain items in accumulated comprehensive income (loss)341 305 302 304 319 
Common equity Tier 1 $12,791 $12,157 $11,793 $11,671 $12,330 
Preferred stock734 734 734 734 734 
Tier 1 capital$13,525 $12,891 $12,527 $12,405 $13,064 
Add: Allowance for credit losses includible in risk-based capital1,079 1,034 1,031 1,082 1,147 
Total Risk-based capital$14,604 $13,925 $13,558 $13,487 $14,211 
ASSET MEASURES(2)
Total average assets$95,965 $96,340 $97,958 $100,722 $106,078 
Adjustments for:
Add: CECL transition amount2,686 2,656 2,570 2,417 — 
Disallowed goodwill and other disallowed intangible assets
(net of related deferred tax liabilities) and other
(1,924)(1,906)(1,980)(2,010)(2,059)
Total assets for leverage purposes$96,727 $97,090 $98,548 $101,129 $104,019 
Risk-weighted assets$80,561 $76,990 $77,048 $81,639 $87,302 
CECL FULLY PHASED-IN CAPITAL MEASURES
Tier 1 capital$13,525 $12,891 $12,527 $12,405 $13,064 
Less: CECL transition adjustment(2,686)(2,656)(2,570)(2,417)— 
Tier 1 capital (CECL fully phased-in)10,839 10,235 9,957 9,988 13,064 
Add: Allowance for credit losses10,265 10,146 9,802 9,175 5,602 
Tier 1 capital (CECL fully phased-in) + Reserves for credit losses$21,104 $20,381 $19,759 $19,163 $18,666 
Risk-weighted assets$80,561 $76,990 $77,048 $81,639 $87,302 
Less: CECL transition adjustment(2,477)(2,447)(2,361)(2,204)— 
Risk-weighted assets (CECL fully phased-in)$78,084 $74,543 $74,687 $79,435 $87,302 
TANGIBLE COMMON EQUITY PER SHARE
GAAP book value per share$20.49 $19.47 $19.13 $19.27 $23.31 
Less: Goodwill(1.85)(1.85)(1.85)(1.85)(1.75)
Less: Intangible assets, net(1.92)(1.87)(2.00)(2.07)(2.06)
Tangible common equity per share$16.72 $15.75 $15.28 $15.35 $19.50 
(1) Regulatory measures at December 31, 2020 are presented on an estimated basis.
(2) Capital ratios starting March 31, 2020 reflect election to delay for two years an estimate of CECL’s effect on regulatory capital in accordance with the interim final rule issued by U.S. banking agencies in March 2020
9

4Q’20 FINANCIAL RESULTS J A N U A R Y 2 9 , 2 0 2 1 Exhibit 99.3


 
2 Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements The following slides are part of a presentation by Synchrony Financial in connection with reporting quarterly financial results. No representation is made that the information in these slides is complete. For additional information, see the earnings release and financial supplement included as exhibits to our Current Report on Form 8-K filed today and available on our website (www.synchronyfinancial.com) and the SEC's website (www.sec.gov). All references to net earnings and net income are intended to have the same meaning. All comparisons are for the fourth quarter of 2020 compared to the fourth quarter of 2019, unless otherwise noted. This presentation contains certain forward-looking statements as defined in Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, which are subject to the "safe harbor" created by those sections. Forward-looking statements may be identified by words such as "expects," "intends," "anticipates," "plans," "believes," "seeks," "targets," "outlook," "estimates," "will," "should," "may" or words of similar meaning, but these words are not the exclusive means of identifying forward-looking statements. Forward- looking statements are based on management's current expectations and assumptions, and are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict. As a result, actual results could differ materially from those indicated in these forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially include global political, economic, business, competitive, market, regulatory and other factors and risks, such as: the impact of macroeconomic conditions and whether industry trends we have identified develop as anticipated, including the future impacts of the novel coronavirus disease (“COVID-19”) outbreak and measures taken in response thereto for which future developments are highly uncertain and difficult to predict; retaining existing partners and attracting new partners, concentration of our revenue in a small number of Retail Card partners, and promotion and support of our products by our partners; cyber-attacks or other security breaches; disruptions in the operations of our computer systems and data centers; the financial performance of our partners; the sufficiency of our allowance for credit losses and the accuracy of the assumptions or estimates used in preparing our financial statements, including those related to the new CECL accounting guidance; higher borrowing costs and adverse financial market conditions impacting our funding and liquidity, and any reduction in our credit ratings; our ability to grow our deposits in the future; damage to our reputation; our ability to securitize our loan receivables, occurrence of an early amortization of our securitization facilities, loss of the right to service or subservice our securitized loan receivables, and lower payment rates on our securitized loan receivables; changes in market interest rates and the impact of any margin compression; effectiveness of our risk management processes and procedures, reliance on models which may be inaccurate or misinterpreted, our ability to manage our credit risk; our ability to offset increases in our costs in retailer share arrangements; competition in the consumer finance industry; our concentration in the U.S. consumer credit market; our ability to successfully develop and commercialize new or enhanced products and services; our ability to realize the value of acquisitions and strategic investments; reductions in interchange fees; fraudulent activity; failure of third parties to provide various services that are important to our operations; international risks and compliance and regulatory risks and costs associated with international operations; alleged infringement of intellectual property rights of others and our ability to protect our intellectual property; litigation and regulatory actions; our ability to attract, retain and motivate key officers and employees; tax legislation initiatives or challenges to our tax positions and/or interpretations, and state sales tax rules and regulations; a material indemnification obligation to GE under the Tax Sharing and Separation Agreement with GE if we cause the split-off from GE or certain preliminary transactions to fail to qualify for tax-free treatment or in the case of certain significant transfers of our stock following the split-off; regulation, supervision, examination and enforcement of our business by governmental authorities, the impact of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and other legislative and regulatory developments and the impact of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s regulation of our business; impact of capital adequacy rules and liquidity requirements; restrictions that limit our ability to pay dividends and repurchase our common stock, and restrictions that limit the Synchrony Bank’s ability to pay dividends to us; regulations relating to privacy, information security and data protection; use of third-party vendors and ongoing third-party business relationships; and failure to comply with anti-money laundering and anti-terrorism financing laws. For the reasons described above, we caution you against relying on any forward-looking statements, which should also be read in conjunction with the other cautionary statements that are included elsewhere in this presentation and in our public filings, including under the heading "Risk Factors" in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019, as filed on February 13, 2020, and the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2020, as filed on October 22, 2020. You should not consider any list of such factors to be an exhaustive statement of all the risks, uncertainties, or potentially inaccurate assumptions that could cause our current expectations or beliefs to change. Further, any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made, and we undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the date on which the statement is made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, except as otherwise may be required by law. Disclaimers


 
3 $1.24 DILUTED EPS Full Year EPS of $2.27 14.64% NET INTEREST MARGIN compared to 15.01% 15.9% CET1 liquid assets of $18.3 billion, 19.1% of total assets SUMMARY FINANCIAL METRICS CAPITAL 4Q’20 Financial Highlights $81.9 billion LOAN RECEIVABLES compared to $87.2 billion 66.3 million AVERAGE ACTIVE ACCOUNTS compared to 73.7 million $128 million CAPITAL RETURNED $1.5 billion in total capital returned for 2020 $62.8 billion DEPOSITS compared to $65.1 billion, 80% of current funding 3.16% NET CHARGE-OFFS compared to 5.15% 37.1% EFFICIENCY RATIO compared to 34.8%


 
4 4Q’20 Business Highlights ~60% DIGITAL APPLICATIONS* *Percentage of Total Applications 51% ONLINE SALES* *Percentage of Retail Card Total ~65% DIGITAL PAYMENTS* *4Q20 % of Total Payments 18% Mobile Channel Application Growth 9 RENEWALS 7 NEW DEALS 1 ACQUISITION PARTNER EXPANSION CONSUMER PERFORMANCE DIGITAL ACCELERATION 7.5 6.1 4Q'19 4Q'20 $545 $602 4Q'19 4Q'20 $1,158 $1,199 4Q'19 4Q'20 (19)% 10% 4% (21)%YTD 25.6 20.2 New Accounts Purchase Volume per Account Average Balance per Account (a) (b) (c)


 
5 Equal Payment Financing Strategy Revolving Products Delivering broader choice in financing to meet the evolving needs of our partners and customers PARTNER AND CUSTOMER NEEDS PRODUCT STRATEGY Closed End Products • Mid & Long-Term Equal Payment Plans (12 – 162 mos. / APRs start at 0%) • Collateralized Installments (Secured) (12 – 180 mos. / APRs start at 0%) • Short & Long-Term Installments (3 – 36 mos. / APRs start at 0%) Partners • Seamless Integration • Higher Average Order Value and Sales • Increased Conversion Rate • Product flexibility to manage merchant costs $15 billion TOTAL equal payment balances as of December 2020 ~74,000 PARTNERS AND/OR LOCATIONS of payment plan products 66% 0% APR FINANCING 2020 YTD ~30% REPEAT PURCHASES within 24 months at participating partners • Short Term Equal Payment Plans (3 – 12 mos. / APRs start at 0%) Customers • Affordability • Transparency • Ease and Convenience • Flexibility • Control (a) (b)


 
6 Total interest income $3,993 $4,585 $(592) (13)% Total interest expense 334 556 222 40% Net interest income (NII) 3,659 4,029 (370) (9)% Retailer share arrangements (RSA) (1,047) (1,029) (18) (2)% Provision for credit losses 750 1,104 354 32% Other income 82 104 (22) (21)% Other expense 1,000 1,079 79 7% Pre-tax earnings 944 921 23 2% Provision for income taxes 206 190 (16) (8)% Net earnings 738 731 7 1% Preferred dividends 10 0 (10) NM Net earnings available to common $728 $731 $(3) (0)% stockholders Diluted earnings per share $1.24 $1.15 $0.09 Financial Results $ in millions, except per share statistics B/(W) • $738 million Net earnings, $1.24 diluted EPS • Net interest income down 9% − Interest and fees on loans down 11% driven by the impact of COVID-19 − Interest expense decrease driven primarily by lower benchmark rates • Provision for credit losses down 32% −Decrease is primarily driven by lower net charge- offs −Net charge-offs of 3.16% compared to 5.15% in the prior year primarily driven by the impact of improvements in customer payment behavior • Other expense down 7% −Decrease primarily due to lower purchase volume and accounts, lower employee costs, and lower operational losses 4Q’20 Highlights Summary earnings statement 4Q’20 4Q’19 $ %


 
7 $4,492 $3,981 4Q'19 4Q'20 $87.2 $81.9 4Q'19 4Q'20 $40.2 $39.9 4Q'19 4Q'20 73.7 66.3 4Q'19 4Q'20 (1)%Purchase volume $ in billions Loan receivables $ in billions Average active accounts in millions (10)% (11)% (6)% Interest and fees on loans $ in millions $94.0 $4,686 $44.0 75.1 Dual Card / Co-Brand $15.6 (10)%(4)% Dual Card / Co-Brand$15.1 $21.6 $19.5 Growth Metrics


 
8 $20.2 $20.5 4 Q '2 0 4 Q '1 9 $52.1 $56.4 4 Q '2 0 4 Q '1 9 Platform Results CareCredit Loan receivables, $ in billions (7)% $9.6 $10.3 4 Q '2 0 4 Q '1 9 • Receivable reduction primarily due to COVID-19 • Interest and fees on loans down 4% driven primarily by lower merchant discount resulting from lower purchase volume Payment Solutions Loan receivables, $ in billions (2)% • Receivable reduction primarily due to COVID-19 partially offset by growth in Power Sports and Home Specialty • Interest and fees on loans down 9% driven primarily by lower yield on loan receivables Retail Card Loan receivables, $ in billions (8)% • Receivable reduction primarily due to COVID-19 partially offset by growth in digital partners • Interest and fees on loans down 13% driven primarily by COVID-19 and the decline in loan receivables Accounts $31.0 54.6 $3,143 $31.3 49.1 $2,719 1% (10)% (13)% V% Purchase volume Interest and fees on loans 4Q’204Q’19 $6.4 12.7 $737 $5.9 11.5 $673 (7)% (9)% (9)% V%4Q’204Q’19 Purchase volume Accounts Interest and fees on loans $2.8 6.4 $612 $2.7 5.7 $589 (6)% (10)% (4)% V%4Q’204Q’19 Purchase volume Accounts Interest and fees on loans Accounts (a)


 
9 Net Interest Income Net interest income $ in millions % of average interest-earning assets (9)% • Net interest income decreased 9% − Interest and fees on loans decreased 11% compared to prior year primarily driven by the impact of COVID-19 • Net interest margin (NIM) down 37bps. −Mix of Interest-earnings assets: (0.05)% − Loan receivables mix as a percent of total Earning Assets decreased from 80.2% to 79.9% − Loan receivables yield: (0.75)% − Loan receivables yield of 19.93%, down 94bps. − Liquidity portfolio yield: (0.30)% − Interest-bearing liabilities cost: 0.73% −Total cost decreased 89bps. to 1.69% due primarily to lower benchmark rates and higher proportion of deposit funding 4Q’20 Highlights $4,029 $3,659 15.01% 14.64% 4Q'19 4Q'20 4Q’19 NIM 15.01% Mix of Interest-earning assets (0.05)% Loan receivables yield (0.75)% Liquidity portfolio yield (0.30)% Interest-bearing liabilities cost 0.73% 4Q’20 NIM 14.64% NIM walk


 
10 Asset Quality Metrics Allowance for credit losses $ in millions, % of period-end loan receivables $4,430 $3,957 $3,625 $3,723 $3,874 $3,500 $2,453 $2,100 $2,514 4.76% 4.92% 4.43% 4.47% 4.44% 4.24% 3.13% 2.67% 3.07% 4Q'18 1Q'19 2Q'19 3Q'19 4Q'19 1Q'20 2Q'20 3Q'20 4Q'20 $1,248 $1,344 $1,331 $1,221 $1,109 $1,125 $1,046 $866 $631 5.54% 6.06% 6.01% 5.35% 5.15% 5.36% 5.35% 4.42% 3.16% 4Q'18 1Q'19 2Q'19 3Q'19 4Q'19 1Q'20 2Q'20 3Q'20 4Q'20 Net charge-offs $ in millions, % of average loan receivables including held for sale 30+ days past due $ in millions, % of period-end loan receivables $2,135 $2,019 $1,768 $1,723 $1,877 $1,735 $1,384 $973 $1,143 2.29% 2.51% 2.16% 2.07% 2.15% 2.10% 1.77% 1.24% 1.40% 4Q'18 1Q'19 2Q'19 3Q'19 4Q'19 1Q'20 2Q'20 3Q'20 4Q'20 90+ days past due $ in millions, % of period-end loan receivables $6,427 $5,942 $5,809 $5,607 $5,602 $9,175 $9,802 $10,146 $10,265 6.90% 7.39% 7.10% 6.74% 6.42% 11.13% 12.52% 12.92% 12.54% 4Q'18 1Q'19 2Q'19 3Q'19 4Q'19 1Q'20 2Q'20 3Q'20 4Q'20 (a)


 
11 Other Expense $1,079 $1,000 4Q'19 4Q'20 Other expense $ in millions (7)% Other expense down 7% • Decrease primarily due to lower purchase volume and accounts, lower employee costs, and lower operational losses Efficiency ratio 37.1% vs. 34.8% prior year • Increase in ratio driven by decrease in revenue partially offset by lower employee costs and lower operational losses V$ V% Employee costs $385 $347 $(38) (10)% Professional fees 199 186 (13) (7)% Marketing/BD 152 139 (13) (9)% Information processing 122 128 6 5% Other 221 200 (21) (10)% Other expense $1,079 $1,000 $(79) (7)% Efficiency(a) 34.8% 37.1% 2.3 pts. 4Q’19 4Q’20 4Q’20 Highlights


 
12 Funding, Capital and Liquidity Funding sources $ in billions Deposits Securitization Unsecured $65.1 $62.8 $10.4 $7.8 $9.5 $8.0 4Q'19 4Q'20 $85.0 $78.6 Deposits Securitization Unsecured V$ $(1.5) $(2.6) $(2.3) V% Liquidity (a) $ in billions $23.4 $23.7 4Q'19 4Q'20 Liquid assets Undrawn credit facilities Total liquidity % of Total assets CET1 Capital Ratio 14.1% 15.9% 4Q'19 4Q'20 Transition Tier 1 Capital Ratio 15.0% 16.8% 4Q'19 4Q'20 Transition Total Capital Ratio 16.3% 18.1% 4Q'19 4Q'20 Transition Tier 1 Capital + Credit Loss Reserve Ratio * 21.4% 27.0% 4Q'19 4Q'20 Fully Phased-in Capital ratios (b) 77% 12% 11% 80% 10% 10% +3 pts. (2) pts. (1) pt. $17.3 6.1 $23.4 22.3% $18.3 5.4 $23.7 24.7% * - The “Tier 1 Capital + Credit Loss Reserve Ratio” is the sum of our “Tier 1 Capital” and “Allowance for Credit Losses,” divided by our “Total Risk-Weighted Assets”. For 4Q’20, both Tier 1. Capital and Risk-Weighted Assets are adjusted to reflect the fully phased-in impact of CECL. These adjusted metrics are non-GAAP measures, see non-GAAP reconciliation in appendix.


 
13 2021 Outlook – Framework on Key Drivers Purchase Volume • 1H’21: 1Q consistent with trends ending ‘20, 2Q benefit from pandemic impact on 2Q’20 • 2H’21: improving growth trends as pandemic impact moderates and macroeconomic growth accelerates Loan Receivable Growth • 1H’21: continued higher payment rates from stimulus expected to impact loan growth • 2H’21: slowing payment rates and increasing purchase volume contribute to accelerating asset growth Net Interest Margin • Overall: continued expected improvement in NIM entering 2021 • 1H’21: higher payment rates will contribute to continued excess liquidity impacting asset mix • 2H’21: asset growth reduces excess liquidity and slowing payment rates drives normalized interest and fee yields leading to increasing NIM Provision for Credit Losses • DQs: increase in delinquencies with peak delinquencies in 3Q’21 • NCOs: sequential increase of NCOs as delinquencies rise throughout the year • Reserve: largely driven by asset growth and impacts from change in the macroeconomic scenario; anticipate reserve release during 2021 as macroeconomic environment develops RSAs - % of ALR • 1H’21: RSA to remain elevated, primarily reflecting strong program performance (including revenue and NCOs) • 2H’21: lower RSA generally reflecting higher NCOs partially offset by higher revenue Operating Expenses • Benefit of cost actions will result in ~$210 million in expense reduction • Partially offsetting cost reductions will be an increase for growth related items (e.g., active accounts, higher marketing expenses, etc.) and an increase in delinquent accounts Continued periods of uncertainty and volatility until pandemic is under control; 1H’21 assumption of continuing pressure from the pandemic and slow economic recovery; 2H’21 assumes pandemic largely in control and accelerated economic recovery (comments and trends in comparison to 2020, except where noted)


 
14 Footnotes (a) New Accounts represent accounts that were approved in the respective period, in millions. (b) Purchase Volume per Account is calculated as the Purchase volume divided by Average active accounts, in $. (c) Average Balance per Account is calculated as the Average loan receivables divided by Average active accounts, in $. 4Q’20 Business Highlights | slide 4: Platform Results | slide 8: (a) Accounts represent average active accounts in millions, which are credit card or installment loan accounts on which there has been a purchase, payment or outstanding balance in the current month. Purchase volume $ in billions and Interest and fees on loans $ in millions. (a) Allowance for credit losses reflects adoption of CECL on January 1, 2020, which included a $3.0 billion increase in reserves upon adoption. Asset Quality Metrics | slide 10: (a) “Other expense” divided by sum of “NII” plus “Other income” less “Retailer share arrangements (RSA)”. Other Expense | slide 11: (a) Does not include unencumbered assets in the Bank that could be pledged. (b) Capital ratios reflect election to delay for two years an estimate of CECL’s effect on regulatory capital in accordance with the interim final rule issued by U.S. banking agencies in March 2020. Funding, Capital and Liquidity | slide 12: Equal Payment Financing Strategy | slide 5: (a) Based on percent of equal payment product sales (b) Based on percent of equal payment product accounts with repeat purchases


 


 
16 Non-GAAP Reconciliation* $13,064 - $13,064 5,602 $18,666 $87,302 - $87,302 The following table sets forth the components of our Tier 1 Capital + Reserves ratio for the periods indicated below. 2019 2020 Total At December 31, Tier 1 capital. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Less: CECL transition adjustment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tier 1 capital (CECL fully phased-in) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Add: Allowance for credit losses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tier 1 capital (CECL fully phased-in) plus Reserves for credit losses. Risk-weighted assets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Less: CECL transition adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Risk-weighted assets (CECL fully phased-in) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $13,525 (2,686) $10,839 10,265 $21,104 $80,561 (2,477) $78,084 * - Estimated at December 31, 2020, $ in millions.


 
Exhibit 99.4
Explanation of Non-GAAP Measures
The information provided in this Form 8-K and exhibits includes measures which are not prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP").
We present certain capital measures in this Form 8-K and exhibits. Our “fully-phased Tier 1 Capital and Credit Loss Reserve Ratio” is not required by regulators to be disclosed, and therefore is considered a non-GAAP measure. We believe this ratio is a useful measure to investors as it provides a meaningful measure of what the Company’s total loss absorption capacity would be if the transitional rules currently in effect, which permit the temporary deferral of the regulatory capital effects of CECL, were no longer available for us to apply.
We also present a measure we refer to as “tangible common equity” in this Form 8-K and exhibits. Tangible common equity itself is not a measure presented in accordance with GAAP. We believe tangible common equity is a more meaningful measure to investors of the net asset value of the Company.
The reconciliation of the above non-GAAP measures to the applicable comparable GAAP financial measure are included in the detailed financial tables included in Exhibit 99.2.