Synchrony Financial’s SYF fourth-quarter 2018 earnings per share of $1.09 surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 17.2%. The bottom line also improved 55.7% year over year on the back of PayPal Credit program acquisition and robust loan receivables growth.Synchrony Financial Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise Synchrony Financial Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise | Synchrony Financial QuoteResults in DetailThe company’s net interest income increased 11% to $4.3 billion in the fourth quarter, primarily owing to strong loan receivables growth and purchase of PayPal Credit program.Other income was up by $2 million to $64 million.In the quarter under review, loan receivables rose 14% year over year to $93 billion.Deposits were $64 billion, up 13% from the year-ago quarter.Purchase volume expanded 10% from the fourth quarter of 2017 to $40 billion.Provision for loan loss increased 7% year over year to $98 million on the back of PayPal Creditprogram reserve. However, it was partially offset by moderating credit trends.Total other expenses rose 11% to $1078 million, primarily due to PayPal Credit program acquisition and costs related to growth.Sales Platforms UpdateRetail CardInterest and fees on loans of the company grew 14% year over year.Loan receivables grew 16% while average active accounts climbed 9%, all driven by the company’s buyout of PayPal Credit program.Payment SolutionsInterest and fees on loans rose 9% year over year on the back of period-end loan receivables growth. Loan receivables grew 9%, led by home furnishings and luxury.Purchase volume expanded 8% while average active account rose 7%.CareCreditInterest and fees on loans increased 7% year over year, attributable to loan receivables growth. Loan receivables growth of 7% was enhanced by dental and veterinary.While purchase volume registered 7% growth, average active account reported a 4% rise.Full-Year HighlightsFor 2018, net interest income of the company rose 7.3% to $16.1 billion. Earnings per share of the company improved 42.7% to $3.74.Financial PositionTotal assets as of Dec 31, 2018 were $106.7 billion, up 11.4% year over year.Total borrowings as of Dec 31, 2018 were nearly $24 billion, up 14.9% year over year.The company’s balance sheet remained strong during the reported quarter with total liquidity of $19 billion, or 18% of total assets.Return on assets was 2.9% while return on equity was 21.5%.Efficiency ratio was 30.4% compared with 30.3% in fourth-quarter 2017.Zacks RankSynchrony Financial carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.Peer Releases From Finance SectorDiscover Financial Services DFS is set to release fourth-quarter earnings on Jan 24 and the consensus mark for the same stands at $2.09 per share, representing an improvement from $1.55 in the year-ago period. The stock carries a Zacks Rank of 3.Cboe Global Markets, Inc. CBOE is scheduled to release fourth-quarter earnings on Feb 2. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the same is pegged at $1.35, reflecting a year-over-year rise of 55.2%. The stock has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).Brown & Brown, Inc. BRO is slated to announce fourth-quarter earnings on Jan 28. The consensus estimate for earnings is 27 cents, up from 25 cents in the prior-year quarter. The stock carries a Zacks Rank of 2.Zacks' Top 10 Stocks for 2019In addition to the stocks discussed above, wouldn't you like to know about our 10 finest buy-and-holds for the year?From more than 4,000 companies covered by the Zacks Rank, these 10 were picked by a process that consistently beats the market. Even during 2018 while the market dropped -5.2%, our Top 10s were up well into double-digits. And during bullish 2012 – 2017, they soared far above the market's +126.3%, reaching +181.9%.This year, the portfolio features a player that thrives on volatility, an AI comer, and a dynamic tech company that helps doctors deliver better patient outcomes at lower costs.See Stocks Today >>Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Discover Financial Services (DFS): Free Stock Analysis Report Synchrony Financial (SYF): Free Stock Analysis Report Brown & Brown, Inc. (BRO): Get Free Report Cboe Global Markets, Inc. (CBOE): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here.