REFI vs ACRE vs BXMT vs RC vs TRTX

For growth investors, Ready Capital Corporation (RC) is the stronger pick with 1726% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -14.

0% for Blackstone Mortgage Trust, Inc. (BXMT). Chicago Atlantic Real Estate Finance, Inc. (REFI) offers the better valuation at 6. 9x trailing P/E (6. 4x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Chicago Atlantic Real Estate Finance, Inc. (REFI) a "Buy" — based on 6 analyst ratings — the highest consensus in this comparison. The "better buy" depends entirely on your goals: growth investors should weight revenue trajectory, value investors should weight P/E and PEG, and income investors should weight dividend yield and streak.

On trailing P/E, Chicago Atlantic Real Estate Finance, Inc.

(REFI) is the cheapest at 6. 9x versus Blackstone Mortgage Trust, Inc. at 29. 9x. On forward P/E, Chicago Atlantic Real Estate Finance, Inc. is actually cheaper at 6. 4x.

Over the past 5 years, Chicago Atlantic Real Estate Finance, Inc.

(REFI) delivered a total return of +24. 7%, compared to -44. 4% for Ready Capital Corporation (RC). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: BXMT returned +50. 5% versus TRTX's -1. 9%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.

By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Chicago Atlantic Real Estate Finance, Inc.

(REFI) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 69β versus Ready Capital Corporation's 1. 17β — meaning RC is approximately 71% more volatile than REFI relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Chicago Atlantic Real Estate Finance, Inc. (REFI) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 32% versus 5% for Blackstone Mortgage Trust, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Ready Capital Corporation (RC) is pulling ahead at 1726% versus -14.

0% for Blackstone Mortgage Trust, Inc. (BXMT). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Blackstone Mortgage Trust, Inc. grew EPS 154. 7% year-over-year, compared to -26. 0% for TPG RE Finance Trust, Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, RC leads at 9. 2% annualised revenue growth. Higher growth typically commands a higher valuation multiple — check whether the premium P/E or P/S is justified by the growth rate using the PEG ratio.

Chicago Atlantic Real Estate Finance, Inc.

(REFI) is the more profitable company, earning 57. 1% net margin versus -45. 8% for Ready Capital Corporation — meaning it keeps 57. 1% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: TRTX leads at 73. 0% versus 24. 2% for RC. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — RC leads at 87. 7%, reflecting greater pricing power or product mix advantage. Stronger margins indicate durable pricing power, lower cost of revenue, or higher mix of software/services. They are one of the clearest signs of business quality.

On forward earnings alone, Chicago Atlantic Real Estate Finance, Inc.

(REFI) trades at 6. 4x forward P/E versus 16. 3x for Ares Commercial Real Estate Corporation — 9. 9x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for REFI: 20. 5% to $14. 00.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Chicago Atlantic Real Estate Finance, Inc. (REFI) offers the highest yield at 100. 0%, versus 9. 9% for Blackstone Mortgage Trust, Inc. (BXMT).

For long-horizon retirement investors, Chicago Atlantic Real Estate Finance, Inc.

(REFI) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 69), 100. 0% yield). Both have compounded well over 10 years (REFI: +24. 7%, RC: +6. 1%), confirming both are viable long-term holds — but the lower-volatility option typically results in less emotional selling during corrections. Retirement portfolios generally favour predictability over maximum returns. Consult a financial advisor before making allocation decisions.

Both stocks operate in the Real Estate sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both.

In terms of investment character: REFI is a small-cap high-growth stock; ACRE is a small-cap income-oriented stock; BXMT is a small-cap income-oriented stock; RC is a small-cap high-growth stock; TRTX is a small-cap high-growth stock. These fundamental differences mean investors should not choose between them on a single metric — the "better stock" depends entirely on which of these characteristics aligns with your investment strategy.