Chicago Atlantic Real Estate Finance(US:REFI) Globenewswire·2026-03-12 11:00Core Viewpoint - Chicago Atlantic Real Estate Finance, Inc. reported strong financial results for Q4 and the full year 2025, highlighting net portfolio growth and a positive outlook for 2026 driven by new investment opportunities and potential regulatory relief [2][3]. Quarterly Results of Operations - For Q4 2025, net interest income was $14,238,203, an increase from $14,068,376 in Q4 2024, with earnings per share (EPS) of $0.38 compared to $0.39 in Q4 2024 [3][17]. - Total expenses before provision for expected credit losses were $5,981,137, up from $5,682,193 in Q4 2024 [3]. - Net income for Q4 2025 was $8,157,249, slightly down from $8,934,539 in Q4 2024 [3][17]. - Distributable earnings for Q4 2025 were $9,251,310, with basic and diluted earnings per share of $0.44 and $0.43, respectively [3][18]. Annual Results of Operations - For the year ended December 31, 2025, net interest income was $55,390,399, compared to $54,950,885 in 2024, with diluted EPS of $1.68, down from $1.72 in 2024 [5][20]. - Total expenses before provision for expected credit losses for the year were $18,813,870, compared to $18,320,604 in 2024 [5]. - Net income for the year was $36,010,478, down from $37,045,403 in 2024 [5][20]. - Distributable earnings for the year were $40,352,053, with basic and diluted earnings per share of $1.92 and $1.88, respectively [5][21]. Portfolio Performance - As of December 31, 2025, total loan principal outstanding was $411,075,088, with 26 portfolio companies and unfunded commitments of $31,116,960 [3][5]. - The gross unlevered weighted average yield to maturity was 16.3%, slightly down from 17.2% in 2024 [3]. - The debt/equity ratio was 32.0% as of December 31, 2025, compared to 33.7% in 2024 [4]. 2026 Outlook - The company anticipates advancing new gross loan principal of approximately $51.1 million in 2026, with a total of approximately $40.4 million in loan repayments expected [7]. - The company expects to maintain a dividend payout ratio based on Distributable Earnings per weighted average diluted share of approximately 90% to 100% for the full year [7]. - A special dividend may be issued in Q4 2026 if taxable income requires additional distribution beyond the regular quarterly dividend [7]. Company Overview - Chicago Atlantic Real Estate Finance, Inc. is a commercial mortgage REIT focused on originating senior secured loans primarily to state-licensed cannabis operators in limited-license states in the U.S. [10].