Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The loan portfolio principal totaled $407 million across 30 portfolio companies with a weighted average yield to maturity of 16.9%, down from 17.2% in the previous quarter [11] - Net interest income for Q1 was $13 million, a 7.3% decrease from $14.1 million in Q4 2024, primarily due to a decrease in non-recurring fees [15] - Total leverage was 28% of book equity as of March 31, down from 34% at the end of 2024 [12] - Distributable earnings per share were approximately $0.47 and $0.46 for basic and fully diluted shares, consistent with the previous quarter [19] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Gross originations during the quarter were $4.4 million, with $500,000 to new borrowers and $3.9 million to existing borrowers on delayed draw, offset by $9.2 million in sales and repayments [11] - The percentage of fixed-rate loans and floating-rate loans with floors greater than or equal to the prevailing prime rate was 71.2% [11] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The cannabis pipeline across the Chicago Atlantic platform stands at $462 million, with expectations for deployments to accelerate in Q2 and Q3 [9][23] - The company remains the third top-performing exchange-listed mortgage REIT, outperforming the median and average total return for all exchange-listed mortgage REITs by approximately 51% and 55% respectively since inception [10] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company aims to create a differentiated and low-levered risk-return profile insulated from cannabis equity volatility [9] - The focus is on deploying capital with consumer and product-focused operators in limited license jurisdictions at low leverage profiles [7] - The company is cautious in its approach, reflecting selectivity in deployment due to market uncertainties and low valuations in the cannabis sector [40] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management believes that the current operating environment is characterized by volatility and uncertainty, particularly in the cannabis equity markets [6][12] - The company expects to compete for refinancing opportunities in 2025, with a significant number of maturities anticipated [30] - Rescheduling of cannabis regulations could lead to increased cash flow for borrowers and greater market activity, although significant new entrants to the market are not yet evident [32][34] Other Important Information - The company raised approximately $1 million in net proceeds from the issuance of common stock through its ATM program [19] - The CECL reserve on loans held for investment decreased to approximately $3.3 million from $4.4 million, primarily due to the reversal of reserves related to loan number nine [17] Q&A Session Summary Question: Can you provide details on the near-term pipeline of $462 million? - The pipeline is generally related to CapEx, with expectations for deployments to accelerate in Q2 and Q3 [22][23] Question: What pricing assumptions are being made in underwriting? - Pricing in the industry is evolving, with adjustments made based on market conditions and state-specific developments [25][26] Question: How much visibility is there into repayments and net portfolio growth in 2025? - The aim is to achieve net portfolio growth in 2025, with significant maturities expected [30] Question: How would rescheduling impact the business? - Rescheduling could significantly increase after-tax free cash flow for borrowers and enhance the overall market environment [32] Question: What are the unfunded commitments at the end of the quarter? - There are approximately $19.8 million of unfunded commitments related to construction milestones and other projects [43]

Core Insights - The company reported a net income of $842,000 for Q1 2025, a significant decrease from $2.19 million in Q1 2024, resulting in earnings per share of $0.19 compared to $0.48 a year earlier [2][14] - The decrease in earnings was primarily due to a one-time expense of approximately $1 million related to a consultant for negotiating a contract with the core service provider, which is expected to yield long-term cost savings [4][10] - The company maintained a strong cash position, allowing it to pay off approximately $10 million of capital notes without raising new capital, which will reduce annual interest expenses by about $327,000 [5] Financial Performance - Total interest income increased by 6.90% to $11.23 million in Q1 2025 from $10.51 million in Q1 2024, driven by higher yields on loans and growth in commercial real estate loans [12][14] - Net interest income after provision for credit losses rose to $7.58 million, compared to $7.50 million a year earlier, with a net interest margin improvement to 3.25% from 3.02% [11][15] - Noninterest income was stable at $3.28 million, with contributions from commercial treasury services and wealth management activities [16][14] Asset Quality and Growth - Total assets grew by 3% to $1.01 billion at March 31, 2025, from $979.24 million at December 31, 2024, with loans net of allowance for credit losses increasing to $642.39 million [18][24] - The ratio of nonperforming loans to total loans was 0.28%, indicating strong asset quality, with total nonperforming loans at $1.80 million [22][24] - The company added two experienced commercial relationship managers to enhance its commercial lending capabilities and expand market share [8][9] Shareholder Value - Stockholders' equity increased to $68.35 million at March 31, 2025, up from $64.87 million at December 31, 2024, with a book value per share rising to $15.04 from $14.28 [24][14] - The board of directors approved a quarterly dividend of $0.10 per common share, reflecting the company's commitment to returning value to shareholders [14]