Basis of Presentation and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies) |
6 Months Ended |
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Jun. 30, 2025 | |
| Accounting Policies [Abstract] | |
| Basis of Presentation | Basis of Presentation The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements were prepared in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”). Preparing financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires us to make estimates based on assumptions about current, and for some estimates, future, economic and market conditions (for example, unemployment, interest rates and market liquidity) which affect reported amounts and related disclosures in our condensed consolidated financial statements. Although our current estimates contemplate current conditions and how we expect them to change in the future, as appropriate, it is reasonably possible that actual conditions could be different than anticipated in those estimates, which could materially affect our results of operations and financial position. Among other effects, such changes could result in incremental losses on loan receivables, future impairments of debt securities, goodwill and intangible assets, increases in reserves for contingencies, establishment of valuation allowances on deferred tax assets and increases in our tax liabilities. We primarily conduct our business within the United States and substantially all of our revenues are from U.S. customers. The operating activities conducted by our non-U.S. affiliates use the local currency as their functional currency. The effects of translating the financial statements of these non-U.S. affiliates to U.S. dollars are included in equity. Asset and liability accounts are translated at period-end exchange rates, while revenues and expenses are translated at average rates for the respective periods. Consolidated Basis of Presentation The Company’s financial statements have been prepared on a consolidated basis. Under this basis of presentation, our financial statements consolidate all of our subsidiaries – i.e., entities in which we have a controlling financial interest, most often because we hold a majority voting interest. To determine if we hold a controlling financial interest in an entity, we first evaluate if we are required to apply the variable interest entity (“VIE”) model to the entity, otherwise the entity is evaluated under the voting interest model. We consolidate certain securitization entities under the VIE model because we have both power to direct and significant economics, primarily because of Synchrony or the Bank's role as servicer. See Note 6. Variable Interest Entities.
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| Interim Period Presentation | Interim Period Presentation The condensed consolidated financial statements and notes thereto are unaudited. These statements include all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring accruals) that we considered necessary to present a fair statement of our results of operations, financial position and cash flows. The results reported in these condensed consolidated financial statements should not be considered as necessarily indicative of results that may be expected for the entire year. These condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with our 2024 annual consolidated financial statements and the related notes in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024 (our "2024 Form 10-K").
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| New Accounting Standards | New Accounting Standards Recently Issued But Not Yet Adopted Accounting Standards In December 2023, the FASB issued ASU 2023-09, Income Taxes (Topic 740): Improvements to Income Tax Disclosures. This ASU requires disclosure of specific categories in the rate reconciliation, as well as additional qualitative information about the reconciliation, and additional disaggregated information about income taxes paid. The Company will adopt this guidance on a retrospective basis on its effective date, which for us is beginning within our December 31, 2025 Form 10-K. Management does not expect this guidance to have a material impact on the Consolidated Financial Statements. In November 2024, the FASB issued ASU 2024-03, Income Statement – Reporting Comprehensive Income – Expense Disaggregation Disclosures (Subtopic 220-40). This ASU requires disaggregated information about certain income statement line items in a tabular format in the notes to the financial statements. The Company will adopt this guidance on its effective date, which for us is beginning within our December 31, 2027 Form 10-K, and is currently determining the method of adoption, however, it is not expected to have a material impact on our Consolidated Financial Statements.
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| Allowance for Credit Losses | Allowance for Credit Losses Changes in methodology for Allowance for Credit Losses At June 30, 2025, our Allowance for Credit Losses reflects changes we made during the three months ended March 31, 2025 to our methodology related to the modeling of loss projections attributable to existing loan balances and the reversion to historical mean. Our updated loss forecasting methodology utilizes a statistical, account-level model that analyzes probability of default and exposure at default for our loan receivables, as compared to our prior methodology which utilized an enhanced migration analysis to estimate credit losses. Our reversion methodology, which continues to be applied over a 6-month period, also changed from the prior weighted approach used since the adoption of CECL to apply a straight-line methodology. These changes in methodology were made prospectively to enhance our expected credit loss estimation capabilities and did not have a material effect on our Allowance for Credit Losses in the period of implementation. For periods presented prior to March 31, 2025, the Allowance for Credit Losses reflects the methodology utilized prior to these changes. See 2024 Form 10-K for additional information on the prior methodology for our Allowance for Credit Losses, and see below for additional information on the updated methodology reflected in the Allowance for Credit Losses at June 30, 2025. Losses on loan receivables are estimated and recognized upon origination of the loan, based on expected credit losses for the life of the loan balance as of the period end date. Expected credit loss estimates involve modeling loss projections attributable to existing loan balances, considering historical experience, current conditions and future expectations for pools of loans with similar risk characteristics, such as retailer, performance and credit attributes, over the reasonable and supportable forecast period and considers historical loss information beyond the reasonable and supportable period. We use a probability of default and exposure at default model to estimate the expected loan loss, which considers uncollectible principal, interest and fees reflected in the loan receivables, segmented into pools of loans with similar risk characteristics, as well as individual credit characteristics for each account. The model considers a macroeconomic forecast, with unemployment and certain income measures as primary variables. We also perform a qualitative assessment in addition to model estimates and apply qualitative adjustments as necessary. We evaluate our Allowance for Credit Losses quarterly. Our estimation process includes analysis of historical data, and there is a significant amount of judgment applied in selecting inputs and analyzing the results produced by the model to determine the Allowance for Credit Losses. Other data utilized in our estimate of expected losses, includes past performance, changes in underwriting policies, bankruptcy activity such as filings and loan volumes and amounts. We also evaluate portfolio risk management techniques applied to various accounts, historical behavior of different account vintages, account seasoning, economic conditions, recent trends in delinquencies and net charge-offs, account collection management including the impact of modifications made to borrowers experiencing financial difficulties, forecasting uncertainties, expectations about the future and a qualitative assessment of the adequacy of the allowance for credit losses. Additionally, the estimate of expected credit losses includes expected recoveries of amounts previously charged-off and expected to be charged-off. Our credit card loan receivables generally do not have a stated life. The life of a credit card loan receivable is dependent upon the allocation of payments received, as well as a variety of other factors, including the principal balance, promotional terms, interest charges and fees and overall consumer credit profile and usage pattern. We determine the expected credit losses for credit card loan receivables as of the measurement date by using an estimated probability of default and exposure at default model, and other historical analyses, which considers the payments attributable to the measurement date balance. To do so, we utilize an approach which implicitly considers total expected future payments and applies appropriate allocations to reduce those payments in order to estimate losses pertaining to measurement date loan receivables. Based on our payments analyses, we also ensure that expected future payments from an account do not exceed the measurement date balance. The reasonable and supportable forecast period is determined primarily based upon an assessment of the current economic outlook, including our ability to use available data to accurately forecast losses over time. The reasonable and supportable forecast period used in our estimate of credit losses at June 30, 2025 was 12 months, consistent with the forecast period utilized since adoption of CECL. The Company reassesses the reasonable and supportable forecast period on a quarterly basis. Beyond the reasonable and supportable forecast period, we revert to historical loss information at the loan receivables segment level over a 6-month period on a straight-line basis, and utilize historical loss information thereafter for the remaining life of the portfolio. The historical loss information is derived from a combination of recessionary and non-recessionary performance periods, weighted by the estimated time span of each period. Similar to the reasonable and supportable forecast period, we also reassess the reversion period and historical mean on a quarterly basis, considering any required adjustments for differences in underwriting standards, portfolio mix, and other relevant data shifts over time. The underlying assumptions, estimates and assessments we use to provide for losses are updated periodically to reflect our view of current and forecasted conditions, and are subject to the regulatory examination process, which can result in changes to our assumptions. Changes in such estimates can significantly affect the allowance and provision for credit losses. It is possible that we will experience credit losses that are different from our current estimates. Consistent with our other assumptions, we also review segmentation to determine whether the segmentation pools remain relevant as risk characteristics change. Charge-offs are deducted from the allowance for credit losses and are recorded in the period when we judge the principal to be uncollectible, and subsequent recoveries are added to the allowance, generally at the time cash is received on a charged-off account. Delinquent receivables are those that are 30 days or more past due based on their contractual payments. Non-accrual loan receivables are those on which we have stopped accruing interest. We typically continue to accrue interest until the earlier of the time at which collection of an account becomes doubtful, or in the period the account becomes 180 days past due, with the exception of non-credit card accounts, for which we stop accruing interest in the period that the account becomes 90 days past due. The same loan receivable may meet more than one of the definitions above. Accordingly, these categories are not mutually exclusive, and it is possible for a particular loan to meet the definitions of a non-accrual loan and a delinquent loan, or be modified to a borrower experiencing financial difficulty, and be included in each of these categories. The categorization of a particular loan also may not necessarily be indicative of the potential for loss.
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