REFI

We rate Chicago Atlantic Real Estate Finance, Inc. (REFI) as a Reduce with a composite score of 47.6/100 at a current price of $12.10. The quantitative profile shows weakness across multiple dimensions, suggesting limited upside potential and elevated risk of underperformance relative to peers over the next 12 months.

The rating is primarily driven by strength in stability (73th percentile) and value (67th percentile), which together account for the majority of the composite score. Offsetting weakness in momentum (17th percentile) and investment (37th percentile) tempers our overall conviction. We assign a Narrow Moat rating (56/100), Low uncertainty, and Exemplary capital allocation.

Key items to watch: momentum to confirm whether the current price trend has legs. Any material change in these dynamics could warrant a reassessment of our rating. The moat trend is stable, which suggests the competitive landscape is stable for now.

Chicago Atlantic Real Estate Finance, Inc. holds a top-quartile position (#0 of 50) within the Finance, Insurance, And Real Estate sector, based on our composite quantitative scoring across quality, value, momentum, and stability factors. The composite score of 47.6/100 places it at rank #2385 in our full 7,333-stock universe. At $270M in market capitalization, Chicago Atlantic Real Estate Finance, Inc. is a small-cap player in the Finance, Insurance, And Real Estate space, which limits certain scale advantages but may allow for more agile strategic execution.

Revenue is growing at 4%, though momentum at the 17th percentile suggests the market has not yet fully recognized this trajectory. This potential disconnect between fundamental improvement and market recognition could represent an opportunity for patient investors if the growth trend persists.

The margin cascade tells an important story: gross margins of 100% (+23.5pp vs sector) narrow to operating margins of 70% (+53.3pp vs sector) and net margins of 70.3%, yielding a gross-to-net conversion rate of 70%. This efficient conversion suggests well-controlled operating costs and limited margin leakage between the gross and net levels.

At a current price of $12.10, Chicago Atlantic Real Estate Finance, Inc. is trading near fair value based on current fundamentals. Our value factor score of 67/100 reflects a composite assessment across multiple valuation metrics including price-to-earnings, price-to-book, EV/EBITDA, and price-to-sales ratios relative to both sector peers and the broader market. Valuation metrics are mixed, with no strong signal of mispricing in either direction.

The stock currently trades at a P/E of 6.5x (a 46% discount to the sector median of 11.9x), EV/EBITDA of 7.7x (near the sector median), P/B of 0.8x, P/S of 4.5x. The below-sector P/E suggests possible undervaluation or the market pricing in near-term headwinds.

We assign a Low uncertainty rating to Chicago Atlantic Real Estate Finance, Inc.. The company exhibits strong financial stability with a beta of 0.37, conservative leverage (16% D/E), and a stability factor in the 73th percentile. The predictable nature of the business model and solid financial position reduce the range of potential outcomes, giving us confidence in our fair value estimate.

Specific risk factors that inform our assessment include: low beta of 0.37 — while defensive, this may indicate limited upside participation in bull markets. Each of these factors independently widens the distribution of potential outcomes, and in combination they create a risk profile that demands careful position sizing. The stability factor at the 73th percentile and quality factor at the 61th percentile provide a quantitative summary of the overall risk landscape.

Key risk mitigants include: healthy gross margins of 100% provide a buffer against cost pressures; conservative leverage (16% D/E) limits balance sheet risk; above-average stability (73th percentile) suggests predictable business dynamics. These factors partially offset the identified risks and provide downside protection in adverse scenarios. On balance, the risk-reward profile is favorable for long-term investors.

We rate Chicago Atlantic Real Estate Finance, Inc.'s capital allocation as Exemplary. Management demonstrates a strong track record of balancing reinvestment with shareholder returns, evidenced by disciplined leverage (16% D/E), a 16.11% dividend yield, best-in-class net margins of 70.3%. Exemplary allocators typically generate returns on equity above 20% while maintaining debt-to-equity below 50% — Chicago Atlantic Real Estate Finance, Inc. approaches this high bar.

The balance sheet remains conservatively managed, providing financial flexibility for opportunistic investments while maintaining a margin of safety for shareholders. The company returns capital via a 16.11% dividend yield, and the combination of 9.2% return on assets and controlled leverage suggests management is deploying capital at rates well above the cost of capital — the hallmark of exemplary stewardship.

In summary, Chicago Atlantic Real Estate Finance, Inc. receives a Reduce rating with a composite score of 47.6/100 (rank #2385 of 7,333). Our quantitative framework assigns a Narrow Moat (56/100, trend: stable), Low uncertainty, and Exemplary capital allocation. The average factor score across quality, value, momentum, stability, and investment is 51/100.

Our analysis does not support a constructive view on Chicago Atlantic Real Estate Finance, Inc. at this time. The combination of the current quantitative profile, low uncertainty, and exemplary capital allocation suggests unfavorable risk-reward at current levels. We recommend investors avoid new positions and existing holders consider reducing exposure.